Winter Candle

Bought as a gift for a 10 year old

I led the Christmas Eve morning service on Sunday, Dec 24, 2017, and one of the finest readers in my Unitarian Universalist church read this story aloud--dramatically, using a real candle that was passed among the congregation to fit episodes in the story. Those who despise and sneer at "political correctness" (which was taught by my parents as "common courtesy" while I was growing up) won't like it, which should be a solid recommendation for parents teaching manners to their children.The author takes us through a big city apartment building where an odd-looking but radiant candle becomes the unifier, starting with the building's basement maintenance man, a 1st floor elderly woman preparing a Thanksgiving dinner for visitors, and passed along to residents of different colors and faiths in upper stories--Jewish and Christian at their religious holy days, a black family celebrating Kwanzaa, and a newly-arrived Muslim family. It ends with a blizzard just after New Year's (like our snows of January 2018) that shut down the building's electricity. The candle has been passed along to worried Muslim children whose father is somewhere in the snowbound city in a truck with their belongings. When dad finally arrives home safely, guided by the candle in their window and by elderly, Jewish and Christian stairwell helpers with flashlights, it ends in a crowded moving-in celebration with the friendly neighbors and maintenance man bringing potluck and temporary furnishings. The congregation loved this story! Since I know it will be used year after year in the Sunday School, I donated my copy to the R.E. Department. And as you can see from the cover picture, the artwork is colorful and lively, too. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED FOR PARENTS, PRESCHOOLS, EARLY GRADES AND RELIGIOUS EDUCATORS!

My 5 year old granddaughter and her mother both really liked this. Yay!

im tired of book sellers describing a book as very good and it ends up being an old library copy. Very disappointing. however the book is excellent if it wasn't in such poor condition

A powerful story of how a single misshapen candle lights up the holidays of five different families -- shedding warmth and light on Thanksgiving, Sabbath, St. Lucia Day, Kwanzaa, and last, but not least, when the power goes out, lighting the way for an immigrant father to rejoin his family and celebrate community with their neighbors. In our dark night, when immigrants are being demonized, this book needs to be shared widely!

WINTER CANDLE is a gorgeously illustrated book. Stacey Schuett has done her drawings in deep rich colors that evoke the warmth of the story.Ashford's story is appealing and the type of tale I liked to read to my children when they were younger. (They can read it themselves now :)It's the story of a one-building neighborhood, where neighbors share and where all sorts of fall and winter celebrations take place. What ties all the neighbors together is their need for a light. Specifically, they need a candle, and it's a single candle that gets shared for a Thanksgiving meal, the Sabbath, St. Lucia's day and other celebrations.I like books like this because they open up an opportunity to discuss how families are different and yet the same.

Why is this book so expensive? Sounds like a great book but it is being sold here on Amazon for 500 hundred and up!

Great book with a message