The Christmas Village

The Christmas Village
By: Melissa Ann Goodwin
189 Pages

Summary:
Jamie Reynolds and his Mom are spending Christmas with his Grandparents. His Dad has lost a lot of people's money and left, Jamie's best friend has told him they can't be friends anymore. Jamie is ready for an escape and he gets it in the form of his Grandmother's Christmas Village.

Jamie is full of hurt, anger, and confusion. All he wants is to go somewhere that no one knows what his Dad has done. He thought he found it in Bell's Crossing, where his Grandparents live. However, one trip to the General Store proves otherwise. More and more he wishes he could be live in the 1937 replica village of Canterbury his Grandmother puts out every Christmas. One night the village comes to life. When he sees one of the skaters on the pond fall in, he tries to help her. Next thing he knows, he's right there in the village.

He's immediately embraced as the hero who saves little Kelly Pennysworth's life. He becomes best friends with her and her brother, Christopher. He's welcomed by the whole village, with the exception of the unwelcome former resident, Jim Gordon. Jim was hit hard by the Depression and has never been the same since. An overheard conversation has Jamie learning Jim mistreated his wife and is not welcome back by most of the town. Another overheard conversation has Jamie hearing Jim threatened harm to his baby, Emilie. As time counts down to Christmas Eve, and Jamie feels the urgency to get back home he's forced to play hero one more time. Can he do it and still get back home? Will he ever get back home?

The Christmas Village is so good. I can easily see myself reading this every year at Christmas. From the start to finish, I was glued. I was torn between wanting to keep reading and not wanting to finish the book. The twists at the end were amazing- my head is still trying to make sense of it all.

I've always been one of those people who were drawn to Christmas Villages. I always imagined lives behind the statues and thought how wonderful it would be to be part of it all. Melissa Ann Goodwin has turned that fantasy to life and did a remarkable job at it. It was a privilege to read this book, and I encourage everyone to read it. Well done, Melissa. I look forward to her future books with eager anticipation.

Rating: Buy It!!!