Kristoph and the First Christmas Tree

Kristoph and the First Christmas Tree

Claudia Cangilla McAdam, David Hill (Illustrator)
$16.99
Publication Date: October 28th, 2015
Publisher:
Paraclete Press
ISBN:
9781612616308
Pages:
32

Description

It's Christmas Eve 722, and Kristoph, a young orphan boy, is accompanying the missionary priest Boniface through the German countryside. They are hurrying to reach the next village by nightfall when they come upon a group of people in the forest worshiping an oak tree and preparing to sacrifice the son of the village chieftain. To prove that the oak is powerless and that there is only One True God, Boniface miraculously fells the giant tree with a single ax stroke. In its place stands an evergreen. Calling it “the tree of the Christ Child,” he instructs the men to mend their lives and take the tree home where it will shelter “loving gifts and lights of kindness.” Now rescued, the son of the village chieftain invites Boniface and Kristoph to share Christmas with his family . . . around another evergreen that Kristoph cuts down for their own celebration.

About the Author

Claudia Cangilla McAdam is the award-winning author of more than sixteen titles for children and young adults. She earned her bachelor’s degree in English from Illinois State University and master’s in theology from the Augustine Institute. McAdam’s writing—fiction and nonfiction—has been published in Highlights for Children, Fortune, Denver Parent, Catholic Digest,and many other publications. She is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators and lives with her family in Highlands Ranch, Colorado.

David Hill lives in Los Angeles & Mississippi. "Sacred Dust" won the Commonwealth Club of California First Work of Fiction award.

Praise for Kristoph and the First Christmas Tree

“New Christmas stories of the saints are hard to find, so readers will savor the retelling of this nearly-forgotten legend as told by seasoned children's author Claudia Cangilla McAdam.” —Regina Doman, author of Angel in the Waters

“This tender tale told in lyrical language and illustrated with old world charm, not only explains the origins of the first Christmas tree, but also reminds us that we too, like the tree of the Christ Child, are called to be beacons of hope and grace and light amidst the darkness.  A Christmas story to cherish and share and spread good cheer throughout the season.” —Kathleen T. Pelley

“Kristoph and the First Christmas Tree is a moving retelling of an early story of the prayer of St. Boniface for a Christmas Tree...Filled with colorful, realistic, narrative illustrations of the story, Kristoph and the First Christmas Tree describes an ancient Christian miracle through the fresh eyes of a child, making this lovely book a beautiful holiday gift to celebrate the coming of Christ.” —Midwest Book Review