Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Book Review - The Christmas Tree Elf


The Christmas Tree Elf

By: Valentine D’arcy Sheldon
Illustrated by: Jeremiah Humphries & Valentine D’arcy Sheldon
Publisher: The Valentine Sheldon Company
Publishing Date: November 2013
ISBN: 978-0-9910383-0-5
Reviewed By: Amy Lignor
Review Date: October 31, 2013

Everyone loves the holiday season. And one of the biggest reasons why is the fact that Christmas is a time of magic. It’s a time when hope returns, smiles grow bigger, and even the most cynical still have that ‘feeling’ that Santa will fly over their home on Christmas Eve with his favorite reindeer leading the way. It’s a time of surprises...which is exactly what this story of ‘Blink’ offers to readers.

This inventive tale engages everyone the second they turn to page one and stare at the stunning illustration of Santa and Mrs. Claus out for a walk with their dog Blazer – enjoying the snow-covered Christmas Tree Forest with lights all around. You see, Mrs. Claus would very much like a tree to bring indoors because she wants to decorate it and be able to stare at its beauty all the time. Up to this point, there have been no indoor Christmas trees. So Santa, true to his oath, provides his loving wife with a tree the very next year and they decorate it together – Blazer helps too.

One thing that is a little tough, however, is the fact that Santa is unbelievably tired. He has so much work to do to prepare for Christmas, and so many toys to make – all by himself.

One evening, while he’s working late and Mrs. Claus is cooking his favorite dinner, Blazer barks as a spark from the fireplace lands in the very dry Christmas tree. Just like Superman (a very small Superman), Blink the Christmas Elf shows up to put out the fire and save the home. Well...you won’t believe what job Blink and all the other elves have. And not only will you learn all about fire safety, but you will also learn about the magical promise made long ago that turned Santa from an overworked individual to a big workshop owner.

This story touches on many points; fire safety, the love of Christmas, the true spirit of the Christmas Elves – everything is provided for the parent and child. This is so different from other Christmas stories, yet still keeps the wonder and spirit that has been associated with Christmas for a good, long time.

Quill says: The story is lovely; the illustrations are stunning; and the plot is extremely unique. This is one that should definitely be added to your Christmas reading list, so Blink the Christmas Elf can become a family tradition!

No comments:

Post a Comment