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Amazon.co.uk Review
When Joachim opens the first window on his advent calendar, his excitement mounts as the countdown to Christmas Day begins. But soon he notices that strange things are happening behind the little windows, and everyday something mysterious and new appears. Meanwhile Elisabeth and the angel Ephiriel are on their own very special journey, and it is only when the last window on Joachim's calendar is opened that the true magic and wonder of Christmas is revealed.
Josten Gaarder, author of the international bestseller Sophie's World, has taken the story of Christmas and given it an alluring, mystical, modern twist that transports readers back to the Bethlehem of baby Jesus without ever losing sight of the wonder of it all. With illustrations by Rosemary Wells, The Christmas Mystery is lifted into the realms of the classics by the richness and poetry of Gaarder's language, making it so much more than just another book for Christmas. --Susan Harrison --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Review
'an enchanting tale of children in two different times. It is quirky, magical, and full of the kind of repetitive jingles that children like to learn and repeat, as well as being studded with little pearls of wisdom.' -- Kathleen Marshall THE SCOTSMAN
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Read this book in December, when you're fed up with the commercialism of it all and re-capture the magic you felt as a child. It's magical, enchanting and it certainly appealed to the child in me. The clever layering of stories - Joachim in the present and Elisabeth as she makes her journey through time - keeps the brain engaged. But this book is about more than that - despite being built around the Christian Christmas story, it's really about light, hope and joy and a reminder that not everything is about jingling cash tills. A book to treasure.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
If you want to put some Magic into a child's Christmas, get this book and read it, one day at a time: It is the best Advent story since Dickens.
This year I did just that - for myself, and the feelings, of warmth and excitement generated made the darker days of winter a little lighter. Like the little boy in the story, I wanted to know the ending, and like the boy, I didn't want it to end.
Each 'chapter' is given a date, starting on the first day of December. There are 24 chapters, and, as it opens - like a flower, or like detective story - new ideas, new questions and new meanings are given to what has almost become a cliché, the Christmas Story and the power generated by it.
You cross Europe, you cross history. You are involved in serious questions - that of refugees, and of lost children, and of power - issues presented in a way a child can start to make sense of if presented in this simple, but not naïve, way.
I am not, by the way, a Christian: Nor am I a child. But I really enjoyed this book.
23 of 25 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
A friend lent me this book a year ago. It captures the meaning, feel and child-centred innocence of Christmas like nothing else I have read. This year I have my own copy, and have ordered a second copy to read to the Year 5 class that I teach. The chapters are titled as days in December, so it makes a perfect advent read. My wife and I also intend to read it to our children as a preparation for Christmas. The only 'problem' with the book is that it's so tempting to read more than one day's worth at a time. A wonderful, magical book which actually gives you that Christmassy feel that so many of us lose when we get older!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
One of his weaker offerings
I chose to read this novel as my 'Advent book' - instead of having an Advent calendar, I would read a chapter each day. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Brida
Fantastic family book
It's really quite a risky thing to try and retell one of (if not the) most well known stories in the world, especially if you're going to put a twist on it. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Stepping Out of the Page
Disappointing
Boringly repetitive with anti-climatic and muddled denouement. Did Elisabet really go to see the Christ Child or was she kidnapped - who cares? Read more
Published 6 months ago by D. C. Gowans
The Christmas Must-Have
So you're thinking of buying The Christmas Mystery hey? Well you won't be disappointed. You don't have to be a devout Christian or even a Christian come to that, to enjoy the... Read more
Published 15 months ago by A. Trapnell
A beautiful way to get into Christmas
We were given this book about ten years ago and read it every Advent as a 'lead up to Christmas' tradition. It's a lovely story and we've bought it for lots of friends. Read more
Published 16 months ago by thebiscuitmaker
A great way to prepare for Christmas
This is a great book for sharing with the whole family as, although the story is simple enough and sufficiently engaging to be read and understood by young children, it includes... Read more
Published 16 months ago by Katie Stevens
book review
a great way to prepare for christmas with the children. Varied ages under 10 all enjoyed it as did the adults.
Published 17 months ago by Ivie
An annual Advent delight
Like other reviewers, the reading of this book every day throughout Advent has become a firm family tradition - we are now in our 9th year and my 15 and 13 year olds still listen... Read more
Published 17 months ago by NiftyNev
Light, entertaining read to get into the Christmas spirit
This is a short book which reminds the reader of the story behind Christmas. Written in a similar manner to Sophie's World, in a story within a story format, it tells of a young... Read more
Published 17 months ago by John M
Christmas Charm
I love this little book and have bought it to read on a daily basis throughout Advent. I also bought copies for my Mum and my sister. Read more
Published 17 months ago by Auntie Doris
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