The Return of Light: A Christmas Tale

by Dia Calhoun, Lisa Falkenstern (Illustrator)

A Christmas tree discovers that its destiny is to bring light to the homeless.

Genres: Christmas

67 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2007

About the author

Author, essayist, and poet Dia Calhoun won the Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Children’s Literature for her novel Aria of the Sea. Three of her eight novels are American Library Association Best Books for Young Adults. Calhoun’s contemporary novel Eva of the Farm was a Hornbook Magazine Best Verse Novel. Reviewing Calhoun’s most recent book, After the River the Sun School Library Journal wrote—“Lovers of gaming and Arthurian legends will thoroughly enjoy this one.” Calhoun’s 7:30 BELLS blog essays explore creativity and inspiration.

Calhoun is a cofounder of the literacy social media project, readergirlz, recipient of the National Book Foundation’s Innovations in Reading Prize. Calhoun has taught at Seattle University and the Cornish College of Arts. She currently offers private coaching in writing to kids and adults. Calhoun lives beside the wild Nisqually River in Washington state. Not only does the natural world inspire her writing, it’s also the basis for her new work as a sculptor.

Reviews

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

Five-year-old Treewing, a fir tree living on Faith Mountain and waiting for his time to become part of the Christmas magic that returns light to humanity every December, is surprised when the Christmas Deer marks him out for a special destiny. The cervine guardian of Christmas normally doesn't choose trees until they are at least six years old, but sure enough, Treewing is harvested and finds his way to a city Christmas tree lot. Here he waits to be bought by a family, thinking in this way to fulfill his purpose. Instead he finds that he is the only tree in the lot not to be purchased, becoming the favorite of a group of local homeless people. Through his miraculous light, Treewing manages to connect a young homeless boy whose father had recently died, serving in the military with the tree-lot owner's son, who also died. By sharing something of great value to both, the boy also participates in bringing back the light...

Although I am familiar with author Dia Calhoun's longer fantasies for middle-grade readers, I wasn't sure quite what to expect from The Return of Light: A Christmas Tale, a brief sixty-seven-page chapter-book I picked up off my library's holiday display almost on a whim. As I was reading it, I was reminded of the recently published The Christmas Eve Tree by Delia Huddy, which also dealt with a Christmas tree that is not purchased, and which becomes a focal point for a group of homeless people, and then part of a celebration involving the wider community. I was conscious, moreover, of a feeling that there was something sentimental about the story, in a way that felt a little too overt for my tastes. All that said, despite these feelings, I was still quite moved by parts of the story, and even got a little teary-eyed from time to time as I was reading. I appreciated the idea of the light returning being a central part of Christmas, as this ties in to part of what makes the celebration of the holiday so powerful, coinciding as it does with the Winter Solstice here in the northern hemisphere. Recommended to anyone looking for beginning chapter-books about Christmas trees and/or the power of giving and light to heal wounded hearts at this time of year.

[Esha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read 2023: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

[Jenna]

A novel study for Cary’s class

[Crazy Uncle Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was actually pleasantly surprised by how much I liked this book. I really enjoyed the idea of telling a Christmas story from the point of view of a Christmas Tree. I also liked the whole mythology that the trees had about the Christmas Deer and their destiny as Christmas trees. It was also just a nice little story that serves as a good reminder of where our focus ought to be at Christmastime. I'm glad my wife found this at the library's book sale. I might have to read it again next year.

[Jessie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I guess that it would Ok for very young children as a beginning to read story. It really isn't great for teens. It is a story of trees that talk to each other and look forward to becoming Christmas trees. This young tree is destined to be a very special tree. The homeless people who don't have a tree decorate it and celebrate right on the tree lot. One boy decides to be giving and makes a special gift to the lady who runs the lot. Happy ever after.

[K.D. Reed · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best Christmas stories I've ever read. I'm weeping right now...
Treewing is chosen to be a Christmas tree, even though he's too young. After being taken from his mountain, he sits on a Christmas tree lot, hoping to be taken home to become a family's Christmas tree.
Sweet. Touching. A shining story for the season.
As a tree hugging Christmas lover, this book was wonderful. Truly lovely.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delightful story about a young Christmas tree with a special destiny.

[Terry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very cute little read-aloud, Emma loved it!

[Alisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute story of a little Christmas tree in a tree lot that makes a big difference to a little boy and some homeless people.