Classics – A Christmas Carol
Charles Dickens: A Christmas Carol (originally published in 1843, this edition was published in 2024 in Puffin Books) Charles Dickens, an English writer, is considered by many to be the greatest writer of the Victorian era. He was very popular in his own time, and his books have been available in the in English, and in translations ever since. A Christmas Carol was first published in 1843 on December 19, and all copies were sold out on that exact day. By Christmas 1844, 13 editions had been published. Dickens also gave public readings of the novel, which were so successful that he had given a total of 127 readings by the time of his death in 1870. Dickens’s own childhood experiences also influenced the writing of A Christmas Carol, and the novel captures the atmosphere of the Victorian Christmas, featuring typical traditions and foods. There are many adaptations of the…
The Christmas Moose
Andreas Steinhöfel: An Elk Dropped In (originally published under the title Es ist ein Elch entsprungen in 2021) It was the third Sunday of Advent, Billy and his family were in the living room singing a Christmas song when with a loud bang, not an angel, but a moose descended from the sky and crashed into the middle of the room through the roof, tearing their IKEA table to pieces. Mr. Moose can talk, so he tells them that he and his boss, Santa Claus, were just making a test flight when he drifted off a curve and landed in Billy’s house. Billy really likes the new arrival, who is housed in the garage, but the Boss soon comes to get him back. The book is not a traditional Christmas story, but it contains the values that we usually emphasize especially as the Holiday approaches: kindness, care and family. In…
Christmas Magic
L. D. Lapinski: The Biggest Christmas Secret Ever (Orion Children’s Books 2024) Harper and her brother Will had a surprising but magical Christmas two years ago when they met their mom’s new boyfriend, Nick. At first, it was difficult for them to accept a new family member when there were always the three of them, but Nick’s kindness won everyone over. Now, the family has another new member, Harper and Will’s little sister, Yula. However, Christmas holds surprises this year too, because as the holiday approaches, Yula will be able to do magical things like Nick. Will the family manage to keep this Christmas miracle a secret? The book is the sequel to Stepfather Christmas, with its 25 chapters, it can also be read as an advent calendar. I really liked this one too. The previous volume was also my favorite the year I read it, and this book was…
Classics – The Hound of the Baskervilles
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle: The Hound of the Baskervilles (originally published in 1901) Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Scottish writer, is best known for his Sherlock Holmes stories, but he also wrote in many genres outside of detective novels. His science fiction stories include The Lost World, in which Professor Challenger embarks on an expedition to a South American plateau inhabited by dinosaurs and extinct animals. Doyle was born in Edinburgh in 1859. He worked as a doctor, but his practice was not very busy, leaving him plenty of time to invent stories. His first major work, A Study in Scarlet, was the first appearance of Sherlock Holmes and opened a new era of detective stories. Doyle based the character of the detective on his university professor, Dr. Joseph Bell, whom Kipling recognized when he read the novel. In addition to his novels, he also published documentary works, and he is…