A Small Miracle - Hardcover

Collington, Peter

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0679887253 ISBN 13: 9780679887256

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2002

Synopsis

The wooden figures in a Christmas crèche come to life to save a poor old woman in this truly original, deeply moving contemporary parable. Told with 96 pictures by Peter Collington, the master of the wordless story, this is a Christmas treasure the entire family can enjoy.

In the Publishers Weekly 12th Annual Off-the-Cuff Awards, booksellers chose A Small Miracle as the Book We’re Sorriest to See Go Out of Print. Knopf is proud to reintroduce this picture book classic–priced $2 lower than the original–just in time for Christmas.

About this title

About the Author

Peter Collington is the author and illustrator of several highly acclaimed books for children. The Chicago Tribune praised him as a “master of wordless picture books.”

From the Back Cover

"This is a Christmas miracle like no other, with such richness in image and story that children will return to it again and again" (Booklist, starred review).

"Without a doubt the most original Christmas book of the year not the least because of its surprising yet, in context, fitting combination of the devout and the surreal."--The Horn Book, starred review

"The story is sweet, simple and wordless. The illustrations are intricate enough to warrant reading this one over and over."--American Bookseller

"...an upbeat story to treasure for this and many Christmases to come."--School Library Journal

From the Inside Flap

igures in a Christmas crèche come to life to save a poor old woman in this truly original, deeply moving contemporary parable. Told with 96 pictures by Peter Collington, the master of the wordless story, this is a Christmas treasure the entire family can enjoy.

In the Publishers Weekly 12th Annual Off-the-Cuff Awards, booksellers chose A Small Miracle as the Book We re Sorriest to See Go Out of Print. Knopf is proud to reintroduce this picture book classic priced $2 lower than the original just in time for Christmas.

Reviews

Kindergarten-Grade 3. With gentle touches of humor, Collington weaves his wordless magic once more in this delicately painted story of kindness rewarded. An old woman, living alone in a trailer, spends her days playing an accordion on the street for money. But times are especially difficult, even in this middle-class town. Desperate, she sells her accordion for cash, only to have it stolen by a masked bandit who then pilfers the poor box from the local church and vandalizes its manger scene. Intercepting the thief, the woman is able to return the money and does her best to set the scene to rights. Then, exhausted and hungry, she collapses in the snow. The manger figures come to life and take her home, where they all pitch in to see that she has her accordion back and that she has food. It's all part of the miracle that none of the merchants or townspeople are at all surprised at the sight of the small figures making deals at the pawn shop or prowling the aisles at the supermarket. Collington's finely detailed paintings vividly portray the old woman's surprise and delight at what awaits her that Christmas morning. Panels and boxes of various sizes add variety to the pages. Outdoor scenes are done in muted tones with lots of ice blue that contrast against the vivid colors of the Nativity figures' clothing. In spite of the serious subject, this is an upbeat story to treasure for this and many Christmases to come.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Also back in print, Peter Collington's 1997 A Small Miracle wordlessly tells of an impoverished old woman who restores the church's vandalized creche; when she falls in the snow, the figures come to life and rescue her. PW's starred review praised the "skillful blend of fantasy and realism." All ages.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
• Publication date: 2002
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0679887253
• ISBN 13: 9780679887256
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 32