Parents have a lot to compete with when it comes to teaching their children the true meaning of Christmas. There are parties, visits with Santa, and, of course,Christmas wish lists filled with requests for the latest tech gadgets.
Darryl Nyznyk can relate. Like many parents, Nyznyk was concerned about teaching the reason for the season to his four (now grown) daughters. Realizing that no modern stories portrayed Christmas like the classics of yesterday (think Dickens A Christmas Carol), Nyznyk set about putting his storytelling prowess to use – holiday use. And when he recited a short story for his then eight-year old daughter at her birthday party as a way of imparting the true message of Christmas, he never realized that it would one day be an inspirational novel.
Mary’s Son: A Tale of Christmas (Cross Dove Publishing), winner of three Mom’s Choice Awards, is a modern-day story in which a mysterious old man named Nicholas shares the true meaning of Christmas with two young people. Sarah Stone is an 11-year-old rich girl who lives “on the hill” amid butlers, nannies, housekeepers, and a father who is too busy for her. Jared Roberts is a 13-year-old tough kid from the “sink”on the other side of town where he and his gang barely survive broken families.
Both Jared and Sarah struggle with holes in their family lives: Jared’s father left his family in poverty, while Sarah lost her mother as an infant. On the night that Jared plans to burglarize Sarah’s home, the two are whisked back in time by Nicholas, to witness a Christmas from long ago where they learn the meaning of life in a way they never imagined. Together, their personal anger and hurt dissolves,inspiring them to convey the true Christmas message to a cynical world.
Mary’s Son is a story of youthful fears, passion, and tears that gives readers of all ages hope for a better world. Like the iconic Christmas image of Santa Claus kneeling before the manger, the story moves readers of multiple generations, as it allows parents to demonstrate the true meaning of Christmas, while still allowing young people to identify with the more secularized traditions of the season.
I was lucky enough to get a copy of this book to read for a review. I enjoyed reading this book and I read parts of this with my two oldest children (ages 6 and 5). They enjoyed this holiday story. While I enjoy many current holiday stories, it is nice to have something that teaches values and the true meaning of the holiday. There's nothing like a good book to get you into the holiday spirit!
How would you like to win your own copy of this book? One lucky reader will win their own copy of Mary's Son: A Tale of Christmas.
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