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The Shepherd’s Song by Larry Barkdull

Review by Susan

The Shepherd's Song is a sweet Christmas tale of the a shepherd whose family cares for the lambs meant for holy sacrifices in the Temple in Jerusalem. When Joshua's wife is threatened with life-threatening complications of pregnancy, he takes his most-loved lamb to offer as a personal sacrifice at the temple to accompany his prayers for a miracle. The story of his journey, its unexpected detours and how he is brought to ultimately sacrifice his will and heart to the Lord is entwined with the story of the birth of Jesus which lightens the dark night of his despair. Prophecies of the coming of Messiah were understood by these shepherds who recognized the signficance of what they witnessed that holy night. Warning: be sure to have tissue ready when reading this book.

The Modern Magi by Carol Lynn Pearson

Review by Susan

Annabelle Perkins lives alone and works as a waitress. She has never married but grew up in a loving home filled with frequent tellings of the Christms story. At age 57 she dreams of traveling to Israel like the Magi and giving a gift to Jesus in Bethleham. She saves her money for months, working extra hours in spite of her health problems. Her anticipation continues to grow, but just as her dream is about to realized something unexpected brings an unwelcome decision. How Annabelle reconciles her dream to give the Christ child a gift with the unexpected twists of fate is an appealing story about the meaning being a Magi in the modern world. Master storyteller Carol Lynn Pearson spins another delightful tale.

Penny's Christmas Jars Miracle by Jason F. Wright Illustrated by Ben Sowards

Review by Susan

Penny's Christmas Jar Miracle tells of a young girl whose family takes turns deciding who will receive their annual Christmas Jar of spare change they collect all year long. It is Penny's turn to decide, and she wants to give the jar to the entire neighborhood by giving a special Christmas party. However, Mr. Charlie, a favorite older neighbor, becomes ill and will not be able to attend. How Penny changes her plans and involves the whole neighborhood is beautifully illustrated in this appealing children's book which is a worthy addition to the Christmas Jars library.

Christmas Jars Reunion by Jason Wright

Review by Susan

This is a sequel to Christmas Jars, the runaway bestseller of a few years ago. The story of Hope Jensen continues as she seeks to expand the Christmas Jar phenomenon which she begins to view as a ministry to share the spirit of giving engendered by this tradition. As the Christmas Jars tradition spreads over the country from Chuck's Chicken 'n' Biscuits diner, new characters and their stories are combined with elements of sorrow, romance, lives changed and a community brought together by a lofty goal. In the end, Hope learns about the true nature of the gift of love represented by a Christmas Jar from a very special little girl named Queen.

Christmas on Mill Street by Joseph Walker

Review by Susan

Amid the fears brought on by the Cuban missile crisis in the fall of 1962, Sam Andrews is a 10-year-old who has just moved to Utah from Arizona. He is the youngest of a large family and longs to fit in with his new friends. In a fit of bravado, he boasts that he will be able to sled down the infamous steep and dangerous curves of Mill Street. Unfortunately, he knows nothing about sleds and has never seen snow in person. His dilemma is combined with his uncertainty about the reality of Santa whom he is counting on to help in his quest. As he finally faces this challenge on Christmas Day, help comes from an unexpected source. It is evident that Sam and his family are LDS, but all description of his family's church activities are in generic terms so that the story is can be easily understood and enjoyed by those not familiar with LDS terms and practices.

Surround Yourself with Greatness by Chad Lewis

Review by Jim

This book written by former BYU and NFL football star Chad Lewis is more than a memoir of his sports life. He attributes his success in all things to the great people and role models that he has been able to rub shoulders with over his lifetime. This book is a combination sports book and a book dealing with the challenges of life. He shares “We live in a world of relationships that are dynamic. We need each other. We need to choose, with conscious awareness, to open our eyes, heart, and mind to the great people who elevate life that are all around us.” I liked this book because I followed the career of Chad Lewis and was fascinated by the behind-the-scene stories that are rarely told to the public. This would be an especially good gift for a sports fan but could also appeal to anyone interested in self-improvement.