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Book Review: The Paper Bag Christmas by Kevin Alan Milne

December 15, 2009 by Darlene


The Paper Bag Christmas
by Kevin Alan Milne is a wonderful Christmas story showcasing the true meaning of Christmas. This story captured my heart from the very beginning and didn’t let go. I laughed, I cried but mostly I just loved this story. I often think that the meaning of Christmas is really lost today in the hustle and bustle of shopping and planning. This book shows us how important it is to take the time to do something for someone else and in turn bringing the true spirit of Christmas into our lives.

The book opens on the day after Thanksgiving when Mo and Aaron’s father announces that they are going to head to the mall and visit with Santa. While there an elf gives them a sheet of paper and tells them to write their Christmas wishes down so that they’re ready when they get to see Santa. Well the two boys fill their sheets up with every toy imaginable. Finally they get to see Santa and he finds their lists totally unacceptable and tells them that he can show them how to get “the best gift they never wanted”.

Santa turns out to be Dr. Ringle, a pediatric oncologist at a children’s hospital. He has the boys come and volunteer at the hospital as elves in the evenings before Christmas. Their first job is to hand out candy canes and a sheet of paper so the kids can write out their Christmas lists. The boys meet many very sick children but become friendly with two in particular, Madhu and Katrina. Through meeting these children and planning for a Christmas pageant, Mo and Aaron truly learn what Christmas should be about along with doing a lot of growing up in the process.

This is a quick read, on my eReader only 91 pages but in those pages it’s such an amazing story that you just won’t be able to put it down. I really do recommend this one for Christmas reading this year. It makes you sit back and realize what should be important this Christmas and it also makes you think about how lucky most of us are that are reasonably healthy.

To end, I’d like to share a few quotes from the book…

  • ‘The only gift is a portion of thyself.’ —Ralph Waldo Emerson (pg 71, eReader edition)
  • ‘Somehow, not only for Christmas but all the long year through, the joy that you give to others is the joy that comes back to you. And the more you spend in blessing the poor and lonely and sad, the more of your heart’s possessing returns to you glad.’ —John Greenleaf Whittier (pg 79, eReader edition)
  • ‘But Christmas magic is silent. You don’t hear it —you feel it, you know it, you believe it’. (pg 88, eReader edition)

My Thanks…to myself for purchasing this book for my Sony eReader.

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Filed Under: 100+ Reading Challenge 2009, 2009 Book Reviews

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Sandy Nawrot says

    December 15, 2009 at 10:39 am

    I think some others have read this one too recently – it rings a bell. I've not read a single holiday thing! Instead I've been reading my childhood favs for Shelf Discovery. I know, that is pretty Scrooge-ish! I just haven't been in the mood…too much chaos!

  2. JoAnn says

    December 15, 2009 at 11:33 am

    I agree that the real meaning of Christmas often gets lost in the shuffle these days.. This sounds like a great little book!

  3. Molly says

    December 15, 2009 at 12:41 pm

    I have not heard of this book before, but it definitely sounds like one that I should check out soon. Thanks for such a great holiday review!

  4. Vivienne says

    December 15, 2009 at 1:34 pm

    It sounds like a very heartwarming story.

    Just out of interest, how are you finding your I Reader. Is it just like reading a book? Hubby wanted to get me one for Christmas, but I said no, as I thought I wouldn't enjoy reading it off a screen.

  5. carla says

    December 15, 2009 at 3:22 pm

    Sounds like a good one. You write such good reviews. I love the quotes you put in.

  6. carolsnotebook says

    December 15, 2009 at 4:39 pm

    Sounds like a great book. Doing things for others is important to remember all year long, really.

  7. Jody says

    December 15, 2009 at 8:24 pm

    Fantasic review! I think I'm going to switch this one in for my last book of The Christmas Reading Challenge.

    (Thanks for the heads up on it being available as an e-book as well.)

  8. bermudaonion says

    December 15, 2009 at 8:58 pm

    I really enjoyed this book too! It may have been a little cheesy at times, but it was so sweet.

  9. naida says

    December 15, 2009 at 9:00 pm

    Sounds like a great read, especially during this time of year.
    Great review!
    http://thebookworm07.blogspot.com/

  10. Dorte H says

    December 15, 2009 at 9:03 pm

    That cover is just too cute. I showed it to my daughter, and she also fell for it immediately 😀

  11. Staci says

    December 15, 2009 at 9:09 pm

    Sounds like a lovely fast Christmas read!! I'm reading A Christmas Carol right now and then the Christmas Quilt but I will have to mark this one to read next year at Christmas.

  12. Amy says

    December 16, 2009 at 5:48 am

    I loved this book as well and thought it was super sweet. An instant Christmas classic. 🙂

  13. Alice Teh says

    December 16, 2009 at 7:50 am

    Thanks for the review! This sounds like a heartwarming story, Dar.

  14. Literary Feline says

    December 17, 2009 at 4:31 pm

    Sounds like a perfect book for this time of year. 🙂

  15. Anna says

    December 18, 2009 at 3:24 am

    Sounds like a feel-good book to put you in the holiday spirit. I won this one last year, and I still haven't managed to read it.

    –Anna
    Diary of an Eccentric

  16. Holly (2 Kids and Tired) says

    December 18, 2009 at 3:48 pm

    I loved this one. Such a charming, sweet read!

  17. Dawn @ sheIsTooFondOfBooks says

    December 18, 2009 at 9:36 pm

    I've heard good things about this little story – I was told to read it with a box of Kleenex nearby 🙂

  18. Gwendolyn B. says

    December 20, 2009 at 10:32 pm

    I don't think I've read a single negative review of this book! Maybe I'll still be able to squeeze it in this season.

  19. S. Krishna says

    December 22, 2009 at 4:56 pm

    I'm not much of a holiday book reader, but I might give this one a try.

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