The Gift of the Magi [Hardcover]

O. Henry (Author), Lisbeth Zwerger (Illustrator)

Book Description

Release date: October 3, 2006 | Age Range: 6 and up

One dollar and eight-seven cents is all the money Della has in the world to buy her beloved husband a Christmas present. She has nothing to sell except her only treasure -- her long, beautiful brown hair. Set in New York at the turn of the twentieth century, this classic piece of American literature tells the story of a young couple and the sacrifices each must make to buy the other a gift. Beautiful, delicate watercolors by award-winning illustrator Lisbeth Zwerger add new poignancy and charm to this simple tale about the rewards of unselfish love.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

O. Henry's classic tale of Della and Jim, the struggling newlyweds so anxious to give each other a Christmas gift that each sells the one thing the other holds most dear, receives an oddly lifeless treatment here. Heyer's meticulously detailed illustrations are pretty but stilted; the characters look like mannequins. The rueful Jim fares better than poor prematurely middle-aged Della, who at times looks more like his mother than his wife. Still, the story is as touching as ever, and neither time nor mediocre artwork can dim its glory. All ages.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

Grade 5 Up–An illustrated, unabridged version of the classic short story in which a young husband and wife each, unbeknownst to the other, gives up a most treasured possession to buy the other a wonderful gift. The gifts, of course, are useless as a result, but the couple's love is presumably all the stronger. The sepia-toned watercolors have an authentic period look; the details present in the New York City street scenes and the couple's rather shabby apartment add a strong feeling of time and place to the story. Very different in style from Lisbeth Zwerger's lovely and delicate version (S & S, 2006), this is a fine choice for libraries needing another illustrated edition of this Christmas tale.–Eva Mitnick, Los Angeles Public Library
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Age Range: 6 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers; Reissue edition (October 3, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 141693586X
• ISBN-13: 978-1416935865
• Product Dimensions: 13.3 x 8.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (122 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #838,763 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

46 of 46 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars I love this story. February 9, 2011

By jencheryi

Format:Kindle Edition

This is a short story that I read over a decade ago for the first time, and it has stuck with me since then. In the story, it is Christmastime, and we meet the two main characters, a young married couple who have each other and very little else, except the husband's (Jim's) heirloom pocketwatch and the wife's (Della's) hair. In a despirate attempt to provide a worthy present for her beloved husband, Della sells her knee-length hair to buy a gold chain for the pocketwatch. Little does she know, Jim has done something just as extreme for her. This is an inspiring tale that, despite its simplicity, speaks volumes about the sacrifices we willingly make for those we truly love.

27 of 28 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Gift from the Heart December 20, 2006

By E. Riego

Format:Hardcover

I picked up this book out of nice-cover curiosity and for some light reading to my 2nd grade CCD class, and instead of finding simple children's Christmas book I found a literary masterpiece. Lizabeth Zewerger has transformed O. Henry's very mature adult short story about social poverty and vicarious giving into a children's tale about the true meaning of Christmas. I was awed by the delicateness of Zewerger's watercolors and amazed by the way she perfectly expressed each emotion of O. Henry's tale.

In a world where every holiday (especially Christmas) has been commercialized this book is a symbol of the true meaning of giving. Before you get lost in the hustle and bustle (or if you unfortunately already have) do yourself and your loved ones a favor and pick up this book. It's a great gift for children of all ages and adults too. This is a gift from the heart to give at Christmas.

Reconnect and STAY connected!

40 of 46 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great quick read October 21, 2010

By Sarah B.

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

This is a classic story that was assigned reading material my freshman year of high school. Understated story, very well-written. The Kindle version is nice and I have no complaints with formatting.