The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey with CD: Gift Edition (Hardcover)

~ (Author), P.J. Lynch (Illustrator)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Now with a new cover and new size (8 11/16" x 7 7/8"), The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey (1995) by Susan Wojciechowski, illus. by P.J. Lynch, pairs what PW's starred review called an "elegant, poignant" story, about the spiritual reawakening of a bitter man, with richly detailed watercolors of an early-American setting. Ages 6-12.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Ages 4^-9. "Christmas is pish-posh," grumbles Jonathan Toomey, the best wood carver in the valley. He's a Scroogelike recluse; but he's a gentle grouch, it turns out, and he hides a sad secret. He's transformed, not by Dickensian ghosts, but by an eager seven-year-old boy and his widowed mother who ask him to make them a Christmas creche. The story verges on the sentimental, but it's told with feeling and lyricism (he "traveled till his tears stopped" ). Lynch's sweeping illustrations, in shades of wood grain, are both realistic and gloriously romantic, focusing on faces and hands at work before the fire and in the lamplight. In a beautiful, elemental scene, the angry wood carver stands on the threshold of his home, disturbed by the gentle widow and her son who want his help and will transform his life. Hazel Rochman --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Candlewick (September 11, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0763636290
• ISBN-13: 978-0763636296
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (55 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #7,288 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Christmas Book That is Different From the Others, December 21, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey (Hardcover)

I started reading this book to my now-seven year-old daughter two years ago. Clueless about the plot, I read on and on; by the end we were both sniffling away the tears. Jonathan Toomey has since become de rigeur holiday reading in our family. I think we like it so much not least because it seamlessly combines the religious message of Christmas with a very down-to-earth story about love, loss, and love - again. Also, the illustrations are pretty extraordinary. My only suggestion: The author and illustrator should immediately publish a dozen books like it!

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A story that has it all!, September 29, 2000

By	"y1read" (Sciota, PA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey (with Audio CD and Ornament) (Hardcover)

I picked up this book while browsing in the children's section of my favorite book store. After reading several pages, I had to shut the book and march up to the checkout, wiping my eyes a bit. I waited until I was at home to finish the book, so if I howled out loud, I wouldn't embarress myself. The true meaning of Christmas shines through this book, with a love story on the side, and some gentle humor. My children relate to the young hero in the book, and the illustrations are lovely. I now give this book as a great Christmas gift! You'll enjoy it.

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Heartwarming Story of the Magic of the Christmas Story, September 21, 2003

By	Timothy Kearney (Hull, MA United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey (Hardcover)

THE CHRISTMAS MIRACLE OF JONATHAN TWOMEY is a simple and heartwarming story. The plot is simple enough. Jonathan is lonely and still mourning the loss of his wife and child. The pain of this loss makes it difficult for Jonathan to open up to others. Though many respect his talent as a wood carver, he is mistakenly judged as a miserable and mean spirited person. His life begins to change when a local widow orders a new manger scene and requests that her son watch Jonathan at work since the child hopes to be a woodcarver one day. The boys simple goodness as well as the magic of the Christmas story begin to have an effect on Jonathan and he is eventually able to accept the love that the mother and her son wish to offer him. The transformation is gradual and therefore rings as authentic.

Ms. Wojciechowski tells a beautiful story. She weaves her words in a masterful way that will certainly engage a childs imagination. An as is the case in many stories labeled for children, the book holds universal truths that will touch an adult heart as well.