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The Magic Sleigh Bell

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Now an improved digital version for 2011.

A national Bestseller in its print edition, The Magic Sleigh Bell is now available in digital format for a new generation.

The Magic Sleigh Bell is a wonderful Christmas book which tells the story of a young brother and sister who find a tiny bell while raking the leaves. The 7-year-old sister believes the bell must have fallen from Santa's sleigh and rolled down their roof. Her 10-year-old brother, however, is at that age when he's not sure if he believes anymore. The story is set in 1994, just before the era when the internet and social networking became so influential in our daily lives. The Magic Sleigh Bell continues as the children eventually find out who is right and who is wrong, and where the bell really came from. Young readers, especially, delight in the aspect of the story that features Santa and the elves. But it's not just a children's book, as it also deals with the brother and sister's family and community and their Christmas traditions. It's an old-fashioned celebration that adults (parents and grandparents) find they can enjoy from a different perspective than their children.
The Magic Sleigh Bell is a fun, family-oriented story with a touch of suspense and a very happy ending that joyfully reinforces a belief in Santa Claus.
Easily read in under two hours by an adult, it makes a nice "sit by the fireplace and get into the Christmas spirit" kind of book. It is also divided into four chapters, and each of these is again divided into smaller, snowflake sections. If it is being shared with or read by youngsters, it can be easily enjoyed a section or two each night as a bedtime story in the days leading up to Christmas.
The Magic Sleigh Bell is for Christmas enthusiasts from 6 to 106 years old. It makes a wonderful addition to any family collection of Christmas books. Its simple homage to established Christmas folklore, in a contemporary setting, has a timeless quality that will make it a holiday tradition for years to come.

Share the magic with your family...The Magic Sleigh Bell

144 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 25, 1996

72 people are currently reading
142 people want to read

About the author

W. Peter Elliott

1 book3 followers

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5 stars
59 (41%)
4 stars
42 (29%)
3 stars
31 (21%)
2 stars
9 (6%)
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
Profile Image for Eddie.
766 reviews8 followers
December 6, 2019
Honestly, it fell a little flat for me. The story wasn't all that original, and the magical aspects were a little corny. The ending a bit rushed and slapstick. In the end, I didn't hate it, but I won't go around recommending it.
Profile Image for Patrice.
971 reviews46 followers
December 29, 2018
This was a quick read. At first I was thinking is was more of a children's story; but once I got into it I realized that the material was not for children. I had some misconceptions going in; believing it was going to be a "fluff" read, it definitely was not.

I enjoyed this book because it is a book about love; not the romantic kind of love, but the bigger LOVE. It is a story about a family and a community. It is a story about believing in something that has no physicality and the faith of that belief even when general society, and sometimes even family, scoffs at them.

It is a well written story with believable characters in anywhere USA.
Profile Image for The_5ft_reader.
507 reviews8 followers
November 29, 2024
A cute Xmas story about family, love and believing in Christmas magic 🎄
1,299 reviews24 followers
November 19, 2023
10 year old Travis spots a small bell among the leaves
he and his seven year old sister Natalie are raking up. Natalie believes it came from Santa’s sleigh but Travis doesn’t. Later on, Travis runs away from home after his father yelled at him but he was captured by a mean old man who used him to clean up his house.

His parents get the town to help them locate their missing son but Natalie meets an elf who came to get the bell after Travis rang it. The elf promises her that Santa will help find her missing brother and when he discovers his parents still love him even after he ran away he rings the bell over and over. Santa and the elf find him and Santa causes some Christmas magic that enables Travis to escape and be reunited with his family once again.

This is a wonderful story about the magic of Christmas and the coming together of a town to
find a lost boy! I enjoyed it and recommend it as a yearly reading to remind us of the truly magical reason we celebrate Christmas-remembering the birth of our Savior and the love He and we should have year round towards all those we meet! How that love brings everyone together for a common cause!
Profile Image for R.
858 reviews5 followers
June 21, 2022
This may be absolutely perfect for some young readers (and older readers with young children). It wasn't perfect for me, though.

I do enjoy young adult books and even children's books. However, this one just got to the point that I had to DNF it because I didn't find it interesting enough to keep going for even a quick read.

It is essentially divided into two parts. I'll call these the North Pole parts and the non-North Pole parts (to keep from giving anything away). What I learned from reading it is that I would have enjoyed a book based most heavily on the North Pole parts, but I found the non-North Pole parts to simply not be that compellingly written. I stopped reading it when I realized that I didn't care enough about the resolution to keep going.

It may be someone's favorite Christmas read, but it wasn't mine.
890 reviews6 followers
November 25, 2024
Jim has been out of work for a year, and he is struggling to find his Christmas spirit, in fact he's been really cranky, and His son Travis and daughter Natalie seem to catch the worse of it. Trais runs away thinking his parents don't love him anymore, he gets taken by a bad man who wants to use him for slave labor Meanwhile Jim, his wife Susan and their neighbors have organized a massive search for Travis and an elf is looking for the bell Travis found in fact both he and Santa get involved in the search for Travis but after a long convoluted trip Travis is rescued and the bell saved. Wonderful Christmas Story. Great Read.
Profile Image for Debyi  Kucera (Book&BuJo).
877 reviews52 followers
February 11, 2024
The Magic Sleigh Bell by W. Peter Elliott is a medium-paced story about family and connection, about believing in something you cannot see, such as the Christmas spirit.

The writing style is geared toward children/middle grade, yet the content is better suited for young adult. This could be a book for younger readers if this is read as a family to discuss some of the more difficult elements in the story.

Honestly, for me, the book fell a bit flat. I can see how others will enjoy it, but I felt it was cheesy and rushed.

Check trigger warnings before reading.
106 reviews2 followers
December 8, 2025
Best Christmas

This story was not what I expected.It was BETTER!! Christmas,elves,reindeer and,of course,Santa Claus made it the best Christmas story I have read in a long time. This author needs to be read and followed.I recommend reading this series and remembering what it was like being a child at Christmas! Merry Christmas to one and all (Happy Hanukkah,Kwanza,too) Enjoy your holiday season!
Profile Image for Sharon Samms.
67 reviews2 followers
November 8, 2017
Loved it

Keeping the Christmas spirit alive through the eyes of Natalie and Trevor is the basis of this story. Although Travis doesn't think he believes in Santa anymore, he 'll be surprised to find out differently.
213 reviews
November 10, 2018
Sweet

A lovely Christmas story. A sweet treat that I enjoyed reading. A family filled with love even in difficult times, and a happy ending to please everyone.
872 reviews3 followers
November 10, 2019
great feel good story, it is a must read for Christmas.
Profile Image for Debra.
203 reviews1 follower
Read
December 23, 2020
I would recommend that everyone should read this book. It is absolutely wonderful. A story to read every Christmas. Fabulous.
112 reviews2 followers
November 7, 2021
Christmas Magic of the First Order

I felt like a kid all over again and recommended this story for anyone! Brings back the wonderment of childhood.
33 reviews
November 19, 2023
Great story for kids

I enjoyed the storytelling, which included some tension...but not too much that kids wouldn't enjoy the story. A fun Santa story...
Profile Image for Lisa Sandberg.
298 reviews16 followers
November 22, 2023
Good little short story about believing in the magic of the Christmas season.
Profile Image for Barb Wiggins.
157 reviews3 followers
November 23, 2024
Magic Sleigh Bell.the

Excellent. I love stories of Santa, Elves and the Magic of Christmas. This is a well written short story. Enjoy!
Profile Image for Julie Barrett.
9,218 reviews206 followers
November 17, 2016
The Magic Sleigh Bell
Story starts out with Travis and his sister Natalie and they are raking leaves when they find an object. They claim it's one of the bells from Santa's sleigh from last year.
Jim, the dad is looking for work and in no mood to celebrate the holidays. Susan tries to keep the kids busy and out of trouble.
While the parents are at an adult party the kids decide to follow tradition and put the decorations up throughout the house....the mess when the parents come home and they punish the kids til dinner is ready...
Travis decides he's never gonna get banished to his room again...
Story also follows Dasher and others at the North Pole and how they will take a spin around to try to find that bell...
Things get a bit out of hand but Natalie may have the answer...
Great story, really scary at times...
186 reviews
December 24, 2012
The Magic Sleigh Bell is a story of a family struggling at Christmas as the father is out of work. The 7-year-old daughter and 10-year-old son are raking leaves and find a bell, which the girl believes must have been Santa's sleigh bell that had fallen in the eaves. The boy doesn't really believe, but he keeps the bell. As things happen in the family right before Christmas, Santa and his elves have to use a little magic to help him believe again.
Profile Image for Nola Arganbright.
1,592 reviews32 followers
December 24, 2014
A wonderful Christmas story for children and adults. The story is a great reminder of many of the things that make up the Christmas Spirit and Season. Sleigh bells, reindeer, Santa, elves, snow and the love that spreads through families at this time of year. It is a strong storyline although I admit being a little uncomfortable during a scene where Travis wanders from home. There is a strong moral content but parents should give the story a quick review before sharing it with their children.
Profile Image for Keziah.
223 reviews12 followers
December 27, 2013
I really liked the story, reading it right before Christmas.
It was good, but sometimes it just seemed too scripted, too robotic. I found that the characters had too little difficuties solving their problems. That being said, it was still enjoyable.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews

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