Children's Writer, Book Reviewer, Teacher, Artist
Wow! I absolutely adored 'The Miracle on Ebenezer Street' by Catherine Doyle. This has utterly charmed me; a glorious sprinkling of Christmas magic that made me laugh and well-up with emotion. I will be returning to this many a Christmas, but can someone please make this into a festive film?
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George's mum passed away at Christmas a few years ago. Since then, George's dad has turned a blind eye to the festive season, sucking the life and joy out of Christmas, like a modern day Scrooge. But when George discovers a magical snow globe in Marley's Curiosity Shop, George and his dad are whisked off on an adventure through past, present and future that might just return joy to Christmas again.
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I'm a huge fan of Catherine Doyle's 'Storm Keeper's Island' series so I was keen to get my hands on this. Ordinarily I'm not one for seeking out Christmas stories, but I am so glad I did here. 'The Miracle on Ebenezer Street' warmed my heart like a perfect hot chocolate. Like 'A Christmas Carol', for which it takes inspiration, it's an absolute tonic for the soul and I can't stop thinking about it. While this is a story full of Christmas joy and wonder, it is also about grief, depression and a yearning for connection. Catherine Doyle is a magician for always balancing the magic with the real and, here, she superbly manages to combine a very real depth of sadness, in George and his dad's relationship, with the outrageous, hilarious Christmas miracles, complete with purple reindeer and wise-cracking elf. The real-life reactions to the magic from George's dad, Nan and others are utterly priceless, but the stakes always feel high and real and raw. There were moments, particularly towards the climax, where I welled up with tears. It takes a brave storyteller to update a Christmas classic for today, but Doyle has achieved this magnificently. And it deserves a film or television adaptation too. An absolute cracker!
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I will definitely be reading this again next year. And when my daughters are old enough I will read it to them too. Thank you Catherine Doyle for bringing some much needed Christmas cheer to this reader.
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https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-miracle-on-ebenezer-street/catherine-doyle/9780241435250
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