Light of Christmas

by Richard Paul Evans, Daniel Craig (Illustrator)

Overview

High in the mountains lies the town of Noel, surrounded by beautiful white walls and a great silver gate. Every year Alexander and his mother walk the long distance to Noel to watch the lighting of the village Christmas tree. This year Alexander learns that the Keeper of the Flame will choose the person who has given the truest gift of Christmas to light the flame. On his way to Noel, Alexander helps a poor old man he finds lying in the snow. His act of charity is rewarded when he is chosen to light the Christmas flame. Alexander learns that it isn't what you have to give, but how you give of yourself that matters most.

Master storyteller Richard Paul Evans weaves a heartwarming tale of the true meaning of Christmas spirit.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780689834684
Publisher:	Aladdin
Publication date:	10/01/2002
Edition description:	Repackage
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	8.50(w) x 11.00(h) x 0.30(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Richard Paul Evans is the #1 New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of more than forty novels. There are currently more than thirty-five million copies of his books in print worldwide, translated into more than twenty-four languages. Richard is the recipient of numerous awards, including two first place Storytelling World Awards, the Romantic Times Best Women’s Novel of the Year Award, and five Religion Communicators Council’s Wilbur Awards. Seven of Richard’s books have been produced as television movies. His first feature film, The Noel Diary, starring Justin Hartley (This Is Us) and acclaimed film director, Charles Shyer (Private Benjamin, Father of the Bride), premiered in 2022. In 2011 Richard began writing Michael Vey, a #1 New York Times bestselling young adult series which has won more than a dozen awards. Richard is the founder of The Christmas Box International, an organization devoted to maintaining emergency children’s shelters and providing services and resources for abused, neglected, or homeless children and young adults. To date, more than 125,000 youths have been helped by the charity. For his humanitarian work, Richard has received the Washington Times Humanitarian of the Century Award and the Volunteers of America National Empathy Award. Richard lives in Salt Lake City, Utah, with his wife, Keri, and their five children and two grandchildren. You can learn more about Richard on his website RichardPaulEvans.com.

Hometown:

Salt Lake City, Utah

Date of Birth:

October 11, 1962

Place of Birth:

Salt Lake City, Utah

Education:

B.A., University of Utah, 1984

Editorial Reviews

Evans (The Tower, not reviewed, etc.) adds to his successful string of sentimental Christmas stories with this longer one of a young boy named Alexander whose kindness to a stranger results in a special honor. The setting is the mythical walled village of Noel, which has a tradition of a huge brass torch that burns each Christmas next to the decorated town tree. This year an additional holiday feature has been announced, with a contest of Christmas gift offerings to determine who will light the flame. On his way to the holiday celebration, Alexander helps an elderly man who has collapsed in the snow outside the city. This man turns out to be the Keeper of the Flame, who declares Alexander’s gift (the offering of kind aid to a stranger) the winner of the contest. The clearly stated lesson is that kind actions toward others supercede the importance of material gifts; other interpretations include Christian symbolism and the parable of the Good Samaritan. In his first work for children, Craig offers realistic, digitally produced illustrations of the snowy village and its inhabitants dressed in old-fashioned garb, all glowing with candlelight, starlight, and the torch’s flame. His illustrations show the Keeper of the Flame as a striking fellow with a huge white beard and flowing robes: part Moses, part God, part saint, part Santa. Some will find this a saccharine story; his audience will see a parable of faith, hope, and charity. Predictable Evans with predictable results. (Picture book. 6-9)

Kirkus Reviews