Through the Looking Glass Children's Book Reviews
On Christmas Eve
Illustrator: Jon J. Muth
Fiction
For ages 9 to 12
Scholastic, 2006 ISBN: 978-0439745888
Tess truly believes in Christmas. She believes in the Christmas story, in angels, in Santa Claus, and in the presence of Christmas Magic. She is so sure of these things that she decides that she will stay up on Christmas Eve to meet Santa and experience the magic for herself. In addition to meeting the great man in person, Tess has some questions which she would like to put to him. She also wants to give him a gift, a small thank you for all the gifts that he has given her over the years. Finally Tess wants to ask Santa for a favor. Actually she wants to ask him for a favor for her best friend Sarah. Sarah?s father is sick with cancer and Tess believes that Santa will be able to help the poor man.
So on Christmas Eve Tess and her dog Sadie wait up for Santa. Tess soon notices that things are changing around her. Wild birds are flying into the trees near her house; rabbits and deer are coming out of hiding. Then Tess hears church bells, sleigh bells, and singing. She knows the special time has come. When Sadie is suddenly able to speak, Tess knows that Christmas magic really is in the air.
What Tess discovers on that special Christmas Eve is that Santa can grant some wishes, but not all. There are things even Santa cannot do. But, Santa will try to help where he can and later in the year Tess discovers that though Santa could not give her what she asked for, he did give her a very special gift indeed.
Wonderfully magical descriptions and a thought provoking story make this a perfect book to read at Christmas time. Young readers will discover that magic comes in many forms and that believing in it and having faith is the most important thing of all.
