Day 9 of the 12 Days of Blogmas is some mini-reviews of Max Lucado Christmas books. As I mentioned in my last post, I had misplaced these books, and they’re ones that I read ~every~single~ Christmas season. Last year, my dad actually read An Angel’s Story to us as we went through Advent! I really hope these books will interest you, and that in a future Christmas, you give them a read (:
About the Author
Max Lucado is a best-selling Christian author & pastor. I watched his adapted cartoon Hermie & Friends as a little girl (Christian kid life lol), and I’ve read many of his children’s books growing up. Just in Case You Ever Wonder, The Oak Inside the Acorn, and the Punchinello/Wemmicksville books were my favvvv. He is a master at creating beautiful analogies that help children understand biblical concepts.
The Christmas Candle
I first read this when I was about 8 or 9 years old–I believe. It’s been so long! The Christmas Candle centers around Gladstone: a quiet village in England that is in search of a new minister. When young Reverend Richmond becomes the elected candidate, he is met with mixed responses. He is introduced to just about everyone, and he quickly learns about the most treasured tradition of Gladstone. And, Reverend Richmond’s mysterious past will eventually catch up with him…
What is this tradition, you ask? Edward Haddington comes from a long line of candle-makers who have experienced a curious miracle every 25 years. I don’t want to give it away, but it involves an angel’s touch and the answer to someone’s prayer. Of course, that’s going to change up in this novel 😉 Let’s just say there’s a bit of a crash & a stumble that spreads Christmas cheer and love all over Gladstone.
This book was actually adapted into a film a few years back, and it features Susan Boyle! You can always check that out if you don’t want to read the book. (That would be bookworm blasphemy, but as it’s Christmas, I’ll forgive it ;))
An Angel’s Story
An Angel’s Story is brilliant, and so much is packed in a mere 83 pages (including the afterword). I have the hardest time deciding which one of these novels I love more because they’re both so FANTASTIC. The concept behind this novel is utterly fascinating, and I’m so glad Max Lucado decided to go down this route. The subtitle says it all: “The First Christmas from Heaven’s View.”
Lucado writes in his foreword, “I tried to imagine the spiritual conflict around the coming of Christ. Surely there was much. If Satan could preempt Christ in the cradle there’d be no Christ on the cross. Don’t you think he tried?”
If I could use one word to sum this short read up, it would be: captivating. When I tell you that every single time I read this, I am blown away, I mean it. This story is told from the angel Gabriel’s perspective, and it follows him from the moment he was given the mission to tell Mary about her destiny to the moment that Christ was born in a manger. It is thrilling. (Based on how I’m raving, maybe this one is my fav of the two :’))
I get chills when I read the ways in which God is described. Lucado also employs larger and smaller fonts as a stylistic choice, often to highlight the worship of the angels to their Creator or to enunciate the dialogue in a battle scene. It’s one of my favourite aspects of the novel. We think of the Nativity story as an arduous, difficult, but simple journey for a pregnant Mary and her betrothed Joseph. Who says that was actually the case? The scenarios that Lucado creates are certainly realistic if you know and believe in the Bible. Ugh, I just love this book so much.
Yet another late blogmas upload from me this year! How did you like my mini-reviews of these Max Lucado Christmas books? My last day of finals is tomorrow, and I’m so ready to relax and rest over Christmas break. I can’t wait to curl up with these two reads this weekend. We’re almost there! I’ll see you in a couple 😉