Publisher: Canongate
Release: 16th November 2015
Genre: Christmas, Children’s
Source: Copy received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Synopsis:
"You are about to read the true story of Father Christmas.
It is a story that proves that nothing is impossible.
A Boy Called Christmas is a tale of adventure, snow, kidnapping, elves, more snow, and a boy called Nikolas, who isn't afraid to believe in magic."
Review
Have you ever wondered how Father Christmas became Father Christmas? I mean, how did a human come to live with Elves anyway? And how did the idea of delivering presents to children all across the world on Christmas Eve come about? Matt Haig takes us on a magical journey through the snowy landscape of Finland to find out how a boy called Christmas became the big man in the red suit that we all know and love as we discover the story behind the magic.
Nikolas lives in a small one-roomed cottage, exists on mushroom soup and has a doll carved out of a turnip for a best friend. Despite living a hard life he’s an optimistic, happy child who keeps magic alive in his heart. When Nikolas’s father goes on a quest to find a real-life Elf for the King, Nikolas is left with his horrible Aunt who takes what little joy is left in his life and crushes it. When his father doesn’t return home Nikolas sets off to find him and so begins his journey in becoming the person he was always meant to be.
What struck me about A Boy Called Christmas is how much thought and imagination Matt Haig has put into this book. Throughout a 265 page story he has created a magical new origin on how so many of the things we know and love about Christmas came to be.
Matt Haig’s writing is utterly enchanting and made me feel like a child on Christmas Eve again. What I loved about this book is that, magic aside, at the heart of this story is a message about the importance of goodness and passing that goodness on to others be it in a present or something as simple as a kind word. The moral of passing happiness on was so wonderful to read about.
In my opinion every household should have a copy of A Boy Called Christmas to read, not just for this Christmas, but for ones to come. A Boy Called Christmas has the potential to become a new Christmas classic and part of a new tradition for a new generation in the way that books such as ‘The Night Before Christmas’ and ‘The Snowman’ were for me growing up. Pick up this book and discover the next big thing in Christmas.
