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Gabriel's Magic Ornament is now available in a two CD set. Click here for more info. Book Reviews
An Imaginative Alternative to Secularized Holiday Stories and Television Specials
A fanciful tale of Gabriel's Christmas Ornament, where the person who hangs it experiences an incredible holiday dream, intrigues Chris and Laura enough to share the honor. Suddenly both children are transported to the land of Arboria, where the Orna folk dwell in anticipation of Christmas. As Chris and Laura soon discover, however, the Orna vision of the holiday is not as it should be — an atmosphere of greed and ill-will has cast a pallor over the land. "Maids a milking" are actually "milking" people of their money, a sweets shop owner has a devious method of obtaining raw materials for her goods, and a convention of Santas is anything but jolly. Guided through each "branch" of Arboria by a mysterious, blue-robed woman — known only as "The Lady," with a lovely visage and bearing a crown of twelve stars — Chris and Laura are rewarded for toughing out the hardships of Arboria with a visit to the real Saint Nicholas, Bishop of Myra, who helps them to understand the true spirit of Christmas. Gabriel's Magic Ornament is an enjoyable tale appropriate for the Advent and Christmas season, a story alive with Biblical allegory that does not talk down to its young readers (a helpful glossary of terms is included to boost a child's understanding of the Biblical references within the story). Blending Biblical and secular history with a style reminiscent of CS Lewis's Narnia tales, author Bush offers an imaginitive alternative to secularized holiday stories and television specials. Kathryn Lively 12/5/03 is the author of Little Flowers (Highbridge Press, 2001) and Saints Preserve Us (Wings ePress, 2003). She is the editor of The Write Stuff newsletter for Catholic writers and the founder of FrancisIsidore Electronic Press, an e-book publisher specializing in Catholic fiction. A book you won't tire of reading over and over when your kids ask! This adventurous allegory mixes Harry Potter, Narnia, and the Christmas works of Charles Dickens into a story that’s colorful enough for kids and insightful enough for adults. The evil Lesnit is overtaking Arboria, the world inside a Christmas Tree that one reaches by placing Gabriel’s Magic Ornament on the tree and instantly shrinking down to the size of the Orna people (ornaments, get it?). Arboria, like Narnia, is becoming an accursed place to live where bottomless pits crop up everywhere and endless wars are waged of which no one can remember the cause. Our intrepid brother and sister endure much hardship as they try to help the Orna people reach Tree Top and its star once again. A delightful "Glossary of Curious Facts" is included that helps explain the allegorical elements for readers who haven’t picked them up along the way. This paperback is a worthy addition to your Christmas tradition, one that you won’t tire of reading over and over when your kids ask! -Heather Hunt, Christianbook.com Creative,
Page-turning Dr. Bush has created
a masterpiece of Christian literature with particular emphasis on the
idea of "true magic" and what it should mean to the celebration
of the Christmas holiday. It
succeeds in portraying the gospel of Christ without falling into the
trap of being "preaching" or merely reciting the Romans Road
and hoping for the best. Humor is certainly one of the novel's main
draws; many of the characters will remind readers of people they know(or
wish they didn't know). However, its purpose is to educate the reader
about the tradition of Christmas and to ultimately draw them to the
value of love and child-like faith. Did I enjoy it? Hey, not every book
can give you a reason to believe in Santa Claus again!
My wife and I bought this book for our 10 year old son just prior to Christmas. He absolutely loved it. The characters seem to come alive and often remind you of everyday people. Dr. Bush truly makes the spirit of Christmas come alive in this fasinating fantasy tale that teaches as it tells. The illustrations are great and help your imagination to vividly see the story as you read it. I would recommend this book for all children and any adult who wants a fun read. -Van Winn
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Randall Bush is a member of the Substance
Books Link-Exchange Network. Come and visit his recommended authors and books! |
Royce Adams:: Rairarubia:: Fantasy Robert A. Albano:: Inside the Enchanted Castle:: Children's Fantasy | |
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