Product Description

When the widow McDowell and her son Thomas knock at the woodcarver, Jonathan Toomey's door one winter's day, they receive a frosty reception. Jonathan has been hard and cold since the death of his wife and daughter, but as Thomas watches him work, a miracle occurs to warm his sad, chill heart.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #9506 in Books
• Published on: 1997-10-20
• Format: Illustrated
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 40 pages

Review
"A deeply moving story... The masterly paintings have an extraordinary intensity and depth, with light and shade used to brilliant effect... This has the feel of a classic." The Daily Telegraph; "A breathtakingly beautiful book, sure to become a classic." Junior Education; "Fast becoming a classic... This successful marriage of words and pictures will reveal something new on each rereading." TES Primary

Junior Education
A breathtakingly beautiful book, sure to become a classic.

Times Educational Supplement, Primary
Fast becoming a classic... This successful marriage of words and pictures will reveal something new on every reading.

Customer Reviews

A beautiful book for children and parents who still believe.
This book is one of the most wonderful stories I have ever read. A widowed wood carver, lost in self pity and the pain of a broken heart, is taught to live again by an irrepressable small boy - also suffering the loss of a loved one. Full of sentiment, yet without any sentimentality this book communicates the true spirit of Christmas in a story that can be read at any time. Susan Wojciechowski is a truly gifted writer, able to communicate so much so economically and P J Lynch's illustrations will take your breath way. Buy it for your children, your friends' children or yourself. It will stay with you forever.

A moving, beautifully illustrated story
This has been a family favourite in our house for nearly two years - and not just at Christmas time either. It's rare to find a children's book that deals with the serious matter of bereavement and this one gets it just right. No matter how often you are asked to read it, you will always be touched as Jonathan Toomey's lonely existence is gradually and convincingly transformed through his friendship with a little boy and his widowed mother.
The illustrations are quite beautiful and harmonise perfectly with the text.

7 out of 9 children who expressed an opinion prefered it....
I have nine children. I bought this book for the oldest two - probably over ten years ago. It is a beautiful book, wonderfully illustrated, with a great Christmas story.

I dislike sugary sentimentalism and one of the problems I have buying childrens books (particularly Xmas ones) is that the market is so over-loaded with 'sugar' that it's verging on a serious case of diabetes!

This book is not sugary, nor even particularly sentimental. It tells a fine story, quietly and with dignity.

Our copy is now so well thumbed I think I may have to buy another. It has been a favourite book of all our children (those able to give an opinion), and between them they cover a large range of tastes, opinions and ideas. I think it would be safe to say that pretty much any child that likes books will like this.