God Bless Us Everyone...Review

About the book:
In creating stories for others, we sometimes end up revealing truths to ourselves. Such was the experience of the beloved Charles Dickens, master storyteller and honorary champion of Christmas. But Dickens was not always the purveyor of yuletide wisdom we know today—he too had to discover for himself the true spirit of Christmas and how best to keep it all the year through.

It was 1843, and winter was fast approaching. Times were tough for Charles Dickens and his family. He needed to publish something that would earn enough money to meet his many obligations. Pondering his predicament, Dickens set out to write a quick Christmas story that would be sure to sell. Little did he know that his writing—and the genial ghost he would bring to life—would take him on an incredible journey of the heart.

This beautifully illustrated volume tells the story behind the writing of Dickens's most famous work and reveals how he discovered the spirit of Christmas for himself—with a little help from his own literary characters. Originally presented by acclaimed British actor John Rhys-Davies at the Mormon Tabernacle Choir's 2013 Christmas concert, the book also includes a DVD with footage from the event.

Who doesn't love A Christmas Carol? I do and I wasn't familiar with the story of how Charles Dickens came to write it. The account is fictionalized here, but the circumstances that led to his writing the story are true. It's a lovely story and beautifully illustrated.

I thought it would include a CD with John Rhys-Davies reading the story. Instead, a DVD is included of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir's 2013 Christmas concert, which featured a dramatization of Charles Dickens' story, narrated by John Rhys-Davies. This seems to be the new norm for the choir and I should have realized it. However, the production is well done and would be a fun show to watch as a family.

The story itself is wonderful and the illustrations are gorgeous. It's not a short bedtime story, but if your family enjoys reading Christmas stories, they will enjoy this one.

Our family tradition is to read Christmas stories on Christmas Eve. Everyone shares his or her favorite Christmas story and we end with the account of Jesus' birth in the Bible. This book would be a lovely addition to that Christmas Eve tradition.

Thanks to Shadow Mountain for the opportunity to review this book. You can purchase your own copy here. 

Read 11/14

* * * *
4/5 Stars