Book Review – For the Love of St. Nick

For the Love of St. Nick
Written By: Garasamo Maccagnone
Published By: BookSurge, a part of the Amazon.com Group Companies, 2008, First Edition, 46 pages, softcover
ISBN 978-1439210123

Product Description – From Amazon.com
“Two boys who have lost their mother tragically, worry they’ll never see their father, a Naval Commander, after he embarks on a secret mission with the United States military. After the boys are advised by their nanny to seek the help of St. Nick, the boys are shocked by an early Christmas visit.”

For the Love of St. Nick is a nice, short story about two young boys who live in an isolated cabin with their father. When their father leaves them to go on a special mission, the boys are promised that their Dad will be home in time for Christmas. As the weather worsens and one of the boys suffers from a reoccurring illness, tensions run high as they wait to see if someone will help them and bring their father home in time for Christmas.
I would recommend this book for children 8-14 years of age.

 
Link to the Author’s Website:
http://www.garasamomaccagnone.com/
Link to the Publisher’s Website:
http://www.booksurge.com/

A special thanks to Bostick Communications for sending me a copy to review.

Copyright ©  Book Reviews By Bobbie — Bobbie Crawford-McCoy

Book Review – Stanley the Christmas Tree: A Wish Come True

Stanley the Christmas Tree: A Wish Come True
Written By: Richard E. Hughes
Illustrated By: Anita Saunders
Published By: Pennie Rich Publishing, CO, USA, 2008, First Edition, 32 pages, paperback
ISBN 978-0-9820328-0-0

Product Description – from Amazon.com
“Stanley’s lifelong wish for a Special Family to spend his Christmas with seems lost when, on Christmas Eve, he finds himself standing in an alley with the Trash Can Family. Alone and rejected, teased by the trash cans, Stanley is flocked by new fallen snow and even in his loneliness feels proud when the cans agree, he is the best looking tree ever set out. Are the trash cans to be Stanley s Special Family or is there a surprise waiting to make his Christmas, A Wish Come True? Stanley the Christmas Tree, A Wish Come True is a story for all ages.”

Stanley the Christmas Tree: A Wish Come True is a short Christmas story which teaches about love of family, second chances, making others lives more enjoyable as well as their own and the happiness of a holiday wish come true. This is a carefully and lovingly written book which focuses on Stanley and his wish to make one family’s Christmas the very best.  He wants so badly to be a special Christmas tree. There are 19 colourful illustrations which should be very eye-catching for young readers and Stanley himself, is adorable!
The author wrote this Christmas story for his young daughter, over 35 years ago.
There is a companion Audio Book/CD for Stanley the Christmas Tree: A Wish Come True, which can be purchased separately at http://www.stanleythechristmastree.com/.
I would recommend this book for children, 4-8 years of age.

 
Link to the Author’s Website:
http://www.stanleythechristmastree.com/
Link to the Publisher’s Website:
http://www.pennierich.com/

Thank you to Elaine Krackau for sending me a copy.

Book Review of ‘The Paper Bag Christmas’

The Paper Bag Christmas,
Written By: Kevin Alan Milne
Published By: Center Street, A division of Hachette Book Group Inc., USA, 2006, First Edition, 150 pages, hardcover
ISBN 978-1-59995-073-0

 

 

 

 

 

“The Paper Bag Christmas is a tear-jerker; a captivating Christmas story that will have a profound and lasting effect on everyone who reads it!”

The Alan brothers are like most other children their age when the Christmas Season comes around. Images of toys, gifts, candy canes and over-flowing stockings dance around in their heads and fill their youthful bodies with excitement and abandon. 
But Molar and Aaron are not very thrilled when their parents tell them it is time to go see Santa Clause at the local mall.
Santa A.K.A. Dr. Christoffer K. Ringle, MD lets them know that he has a very special job for them. Even though they are sceptical about having to dress up as Santa’s Elves, Molar and Aaron simply can not pass up the chance to “get everything they never wanted for Christmas” and agree to help. Doctor Ringle asks each boy to spend time with a special child in the pediatric oncology ward of the local hospital.
Aaron meets Madhu, a quick-talking boy in need of an organ transplant and Molar is asked to befriend a little 9 year old girl named Katrina. Katrina’s illness has left her scarred and too embarrassed show her face so she wears a paper bag over her head.
As Molar or ‘Mo’ and Aaron get to know many of the children in the cancer ward they develop friendships, enter the ‘Christmas Pagent’ and learn some important life lessons that they will never forget.

The Paper Bag Christmas is a wonderful story about the Holiday Season and it’s true meaning.  It’s not about any particular religion, or about gifts and presents, rather it is about sharing time and love with others in a selfless manner.
This story is an absolute gem! I loved the story and it flowed very nicely.  
The plot takes gentle twists and turns which are sad and beautiful at the same time. The characters are infinitely real and almost tangible.
Though the story is not overly long, it is packed with such a “powerful punch” that it is ABSOLUTELY worth reading, many times over.
This would be a wonderful gift for people of every age, gender and nationality.
I very highly recommend this book!!

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦ (10 out of 10 Diamonds) – Absolutely LOVED it!!

 

Link to the Author’s Website:
http://www.kevinamilne.com/
Link to the Publisher’s Website:
http://www.hachettebookgroup.com/

A special thanks to Miriam at Hachette Book Group for sending me a copy.

To listen to an interview on Blog Talk Radio with Kevin Alan Milne please click here.