I'm happy that my blog is today's stop for Finding the Baby Jesus. I have a review and also a top ten list from author Kimball Fisher. Check out the Tour Schedule.
Finding the Baby Jesus by Kimball Fisher
After being forced to wear lederhosen for the annual holiday card picture, twelve-year-old Chris thinks that the least his parents can do is get him the Tony Hawk skateboard he wants for Christmas. But when he recovers the hand-carved Baby Jesus that everyone thought had been destroyed in a fire the year his Grandma died, Chris realizes that some gifts are even more important than skateboards.
When the author had to discontinue a cherished tradition of reading Christmas stories out loud with his family and holiday guests each week in December, he wrote Finding the Baby Jesus. He had been unable to locate enough meaningful stories that could be read in a single sitting with wiggly children.
Praise for Finding the Baby Jesus:
“Tender and true, this warm Christmas tale brought tears to my eyes.”
–Heather Vogel Frederick, author of the much-beloved Mother-Daughter Book Club series and Oregon Book Award winner for The Voyage of Patience Goodspeed
“A touching story that speaks to the importance of family, giving, and the true spirit of Christmas.”
–Matthew Kirby, author of Icefall, winner of the Edgar Allen Poe and the Pen Center USA Literary Awards for Children’s Literature
“Deeply moving. Poignant.”
–Deborah Halverson, former editor at Harcourt Children’s Books and author of Honk If You Hate Me, a Gayle McCandliss Literary Award Winner
"The perfect little book to tuck away with your Christmas things and bring out year after year to read with family. As mother to three boys, I can't imagine a better protagonist than Chris. His typical teenage attitude followed by the softening of his heart towards a friend teaches a poignant and very relatable lesson on the true meaning of Christmas."
–Amazon review
"After I read this short story I felt like I had read a novel--every sentence is packed with action and imagery. I was emotionally connected to the characters, and the story is touching. I didn't see the plot twist at the end coming! A great story to read every Christmas."
–Amazon review
My Review
It's Christmas Eve and Chris feels that he really deserves a Tony Hawk skateboard for Christmas, after all, his parents did make him and his two younger brothers pose for the family Christmas card wearing lederhosen. His parents tell him that it's out of the question, but a guy can hope can't he? The family is on their way to visit Grandpa for Christmas, but Christmas just isn't the same since Grandma died, she gave the best presents. Can Chris get past the commercialism of Christmas and understand the true meaning and find the Baby Jesus along the way?
This was a really cute little story! It would be perfect for reading to small children, it took me just 10 minutes to read it. I loved the lesson that it taught, about Christmas meaning more than just some presents under the tree. I hope reading this heartwarming story becomes a Christmas tradition for our family.
10 favorite family Christmas traditions from author Kimball Fisher
1- Staying in pajamas all day on Christmas!
2- Keeping a fire burning in the fireplace while my sweetheart works on a jigsaw puzzle. I love the smell and the popping noise.
3- Setting up my out-of-control, Dickens village lighted-houses mountain scene (with 200+ houses, operational waterfalls, a smoking chimney, clippy-cloppy horse hooves and children singing sound effects, swirling ice-skaters, mountain sledders, a flying Santa, a parade encircling the town church, and two whistling electric trains).
4- Seeing the Christmas tree set with ornaments from places we visited. Some of my favorites include nativity carvings from Germany and Israel and an awesome Chinese Santa from Hong Kong--painted on a large nut.
5- Marching downstairs on Christmas morning in time to the rousing Mormon Tabernacle Choir rendition of "Oh Come All Ye Faithful."
6- Reading whatever new book I get for Christmas (of course!).
7 and 8- Our 20-year+ Christmas eve tradition with our friends that inspired, in part, me to write FINDING THE BABY JESUS. First we eat Chinese takeout (7), then we do a talent show (8). Desperate to do something that wasn't too embarrassing, I debuted a couple of versions of this short story with them.
9- Eating yam and apple casserole for Christmas dinner.
10- Working for days to build my present for my wife (usually a woodworking or stained glass project) without giving away the surprise. And then seeing her open it as the last present.
Purchase
Author Kimball Fisher
Kimball Fisher writes novels for young readers. He is also a best-selling business author, professional speaker, and management consultant. Some of his past jobs include: sailboat builder, ghost writer (not as scary as it sounds), illustrator, and factory manager (more scary than it sounds). For fun he builds furniture, stained-glass windows, and writing pens.
He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Humanities (with minors in English, Asian Studies, and Japanese), and a Master of Organizational Behavior degree from Brigham Young University. He and his amazing wife Reenie live in Portland, Oregon, where they have seen pheasants, coyotes, and a bobcat in their own backyard.
Links
Book Blast
Tour Giveaway:
$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 12/26/12
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Tour Schedule:
http://iamareadernotawriter.blogspot.com/2012/10/finding-baby-jesus-blog-tour.html
Labels: Christmas book, kimball fisher
