Little Christmas Carol

by Charles Dickens, Joe Sutphin (illustrator)

Enjoy Charles Dickens’ beloved masterpiece, freshly imagined within an enchanting woodland realm.

In 1843, Charles Dickens penned a story—a classic Christmas tale full of ghosts and the endearing humbug Ebenezer Scrooge. That story—which has captivated readers for over 50 years—is now accompanied by the delightful illustrations of Joe Sutphin. With charming woodland characters and settings that families will adore, readers will be transformed by A Little Christmas Carol. A tale of greed, regret, loneliness, reflection, compassion, hope, and a joyfully changed life, this beautifully illustrated edition will enliven the timeless classic for readers young and old.

For the perfect family read-aloud, make A Little Christmas Carol a part of your family’s Christmas tradition. This new edition makes a wonderful gift.

It is good to be children sometimes, and never better than at Christmas, when its mighty Founder was a child himself. —Charles Dickens

Genres: Christmas, Classics, Fiction, Picture Books, Childrens, Middle Grade, Chapter Books

144 pages, Hardcover

Published September 3, 2024

About the author

Charles John Huffam Dickens (1812-1870) was a writer and social critic who created some of the world's best-known fictional characters and is regarded as the greatest novelist of the Victorian era. His works enjoyed unprecedented popularity during his lifetime, and by the twentieth century critics and scholars had recognised him as a literary genius. His novels and short stories enjoy lasting popularity.

Dickens left school to work in a factory when his father was incarcerated in a debtors' prison. Despite his lack of formal education, he edited a weekly journal for 20 years, wrote 15 novels, five novellas, hundreds of short stories and non-fiction articles, lectured and performed extensively, was an indefatigable letter writer, and campaigned vigorously for children's rights, education, and other social reforms.

Dickens was regarded as the literary colossus of his age. His 1843 novella, A Christmas Carol, remains popular and continues to inspire adaptations in every artistic genre. Oliver Twist and Great Expectations are also frequently adapted, and, like many of his novels, evoke images of early Victorian London. His 1859 novel, A Tale of Two Cities, set in London and Paris, is his best-known work of historical fiction. Dickens's creative genius has been praised by fellow writers—from Leo Tolstoy to George Orwell and G. K. Chesterton—for its realism, comedy, prose style, unique characterisations, and social criticism. On the other hand, Oscar Wilde, Henry James, and Virginia Woolf complained of a lack of psychological depth, loose writing, and a vein of saccharine sentimentalism. The term Dickensian is used to describe something that is reminiscent of Dickens and his writings, such as poor social conditions or comically repulsive characters.

On 8 June 1870, Dickens suffered another stroke at his home after a full day's work on Edwin Drood. He never regained consciousness, and the next day he died at Gad's Hill Place. Contrary to his wish to be buried at Rochester Cathedral "in an inexpensive, unostentatious, and strictly private manner," he was laid to rest in the Poets' Corner of Westminster Abbey. A printed epitaph circulated at the time of the funeral reads: "To the Memory of Charles Dickens (England's most popular author) who died at his residence, Higham, near Rochester, Kent, 9 June 1870, aged 58 years. He was a sympathiser with the poor, the suffering, and the oppressed; and by his death, one of England's greatest writers is lost to the world." His last words were: "On the ground", in response to his sister-in-law Georgina's request that he lie down.

(from Wikipedia)

Reviews

[Leilani Curtis · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely wonderful edition. Very close to the original with light editing. The vocabulary, and Dickens' wit, still very much intact. Joe Sutphin's illustrations are some of our favorites, and the way he portrayed the characters in their "woodland creature" forms make this THE most accessible, and still robust and rich, telling of "A Christmas Carol" for my whole family of six kids, 11 and younger. Highly highly recommend!

[•✿ Mår¥ Låmß ✿• · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite part was the art, the artist was the same from the Wingfeather Saga books 💗

[Jenn Little · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you loved Joe Sutphin’s Little Pilgrim’s Progress, this book won’t disappoint! Very lightly adapted with many beautiful drawings generously dispersed throughout! For my part I wish it was left completely unedited, but I do see why he chose most of his adaptations. We read A Christmas Carol every year and the kids really enjoyed the illustrations in this one. It helped keep the attention of my youngest(4y) for much longer than I thought it would! This version could be very helpful if you have a sensitive kiddo as the ghosts are all friendly animals. Even the Ghost of Christmas Future(a raven), while dressed exactly as described, wasn’t too frightening. I will definitely be using this for many years to come!

[Nathaniel Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is simply one of the best books ever written. But presenting all the characters as animals in this version makes it simply charming. The illustrations are sweet. And while not direct, the Gospel is whispering through this wonderful story. I love reading this book every year, and now I have another version I love!

[Lia · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the highlights of our Christmas season this year was reading this story each night. We all loved it ❤️🎄

[Joy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a truly delightful version of the classic! It is slightly edited but only very slightly, most of it is straight from the original. The illustrations and reimagining the characters in animal form make this version a lovely holiday read aloud to share with your kids. Certainly a new holiday tradition!

[Emma Grace Blumer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely delightful. A must own! Just like Sutphin’s Little Pilgrim’s Progress, one we will revisit again and again.

[Casey Dick · Rating 4 out of 5]

We all adored this family read aloud this Christmas season!

[Heather Hyndman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five stars for the quality of this classic tale and its many valuable life lessons. I did expect the text to be simplified more than it was to match the age group the beautiful illustrations would tend to engage. There was lots of pausing to explain the sophisticated language and what was going on for the kids, but in the end it was worth the effort.

[Annalise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely delightful anthropomorphism in both illustrations and the original text. Gorgeous book and would buy for the cover alone! Reading A Christmas Carol remains my favourite fireside holiday tradition.

[Amber (Her Home and Hearts) Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Step back in time to snowy London and the Victorian world of A Little Christmas Carol!
The presentation of this book is stunning: a beautiful blue hardcover complete with gold embossing and a ribbon marker. You won't be able to resist opening it and traveling along with miserly Mr. Scrooge as he learns that Christmas is more than just a "bah-humbug" of a day after three special visitors take him on the journeys of a lifetime. This lightly adapted classic is brimming with illustrations, and it's certain to bring nostalgia to adults, entertainment to children, and heart touching emotions to all who read it this Christmas season.
5/5 ⭐️ for this gorgeous edition!

A special thank you to Moody Publisher for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[MikaReadsFantasy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Little Christmas Carol, based on the classic text by Charles Dickens and envisioned and illustrated by Joe Sutphin, is a charming reimagining of a beloved holiday tale. In this adaptation, the familiar story unfolds in a world populated entirely by animals, bringing a fresh sense of warmth and playfulness to the timeless narrative.

The illustrations are absolutely beautiful and elevate the story at every turn. Joe Sutphin’s artwork creates a whimsical, wintery atmosphere that feels both cozy and magical, perfectly capturing the spirit of the season. Each page invites the reader to linger and take in the details.

This book is a wonderful choice for a Christmas gift and is especially perfect to share with a child as a read-aloud during the holidays. It was an amazing experience from start to finish, and I truly loved it.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The whole family loved this one! We read it at bed time, so even my husband got to enjoy it. We read aloud Little Pilgrim’s Progress last year with the same illustrator, so I was excited to see Little Christmas Carol come out.

I loved that the language was meatier, but still accessible to my kids. I myself haven’t actually ever read A Christmas Carol, so I feel like this was a good introduction for all of us.

The illustrations were plentiful and phenomenal. I would love for more classics to be published in this manner.

[Courtney Z · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a delightful version of the classic story. I love Joe Sutphin’s illustrations… he can draw so much emotion into a rabbits face! The language didn’t seem very updated to me(which is part of the charm, no complaints here about that) but because of that I will need to wait awhile to read it to my daughter. I am looking forward to that day!

[Shelby]

“He had no further interactions with spirits, but it was always said of him that he knew how to keep Christmas well, if anyone alive possessed the knowledge. May that be truly said of us, and all of us!”

This has become a yearly read for us!

[Anna Caranci · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sweet twist to a classic, having all of the well-known characters as animals, beautifully illustrated.

[Kassie Cox · Rating 5 out of 5]

All the feels 🥹🎄❤️🫶🏻

[Elaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

The boys and I listened to Tim Curry’s audiobook of A Christmas Carol while looking at the illustrations in The Little Christmas Carol. I was actually very impressed at how lightly Joe Sutphin edited The Little Christmas Carol, but I didn’t feel up to spectral voices so near my bedtime.

[Kara · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s A Christmas Carol with darling illustrations. My kids loved it. I loved it. What could be better? Spoiler: not much.

[Jessica Kirsch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely lovely. The text is loftier than I remember, and I had to explain plenty of passages to the children, but all, even down to the 5 year old, LOVED it. And the illustrations are stunning.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

We read this with the Read Aloud Revival Christmas School. The wording of this version is very close to Dickens original story, except for the replacement of people with woodland creatures. The original is not an easy read, and neither is this one, but in a good way. We loved the illustrations! I was so impressed that my kids sat through the whole story over a several week period. With the addition of the activities of Christmas School, they played pretend ghosts and even named their toys after Dickens characters.

[Brent · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful illustrations, and mildly edited Dickens text working in perfect harmony.

A joy to read!

[Claire Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

2025 - family read aloud requested by the kids, so it might become a yearly read for us. As we read, I was reminded that A Christmas Carol is really meant to be read aloud. So much more poignant that way.

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2024 - This is a very lightly edited version of Dickens’ original with beautiful illustrations! A perfect copy for our family. Just like a Little Pilgrim’s Progress, the original story is intact but the characters are woodland animals which makes it super fun for the kids. We did this as a read-aloud and all the kids (4-12) were enraptured. Only the two older kids had read the original before, but the younger two followed along just fine. I will say this was the first time I read A Christmas Carol aloud which made it so much more fun! I loved it before but now even more.

[Blessing Bloodworth (naptimereaders) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have started reading A Christmas Carol for myself every holiday season; and while it’s not an inherently gospel-centered story, the themes of compassion, hope, repentance, and restoration point my heart to the greatest story of Redemption that God works in those who trust in Him. I love using books and stories to weave in meaningful moments to have conversations on these themes with my kids, and seeing them make some of those connections on their own is so rewarding!

If you have been wanting to try out this Christmas classic within your own family, this hardback illustrated edition is a great place to start! While most of the original language is kept true, the inviting woodland setting allows children to connect to the story in a fresh way. Dickens wrote this tale with the intention of it being read-aloud; what better place for that to take place than within a family gathered together.
I greatly enjoyed it and found it an artful imagining of the important and classic story from Dickens, but I’ll be waiting a year or two before reading it to my girls. They are a bit on the young side; but even still, the charming illustrations and classic story make this a book all ages can truly enjoy.

[Sophie Miller]

After taking months off, we finally finished.

After Moody’s reprint of a delightfully illustrated Little Pilgrim’s Progress, I was so excited for a children’s version of A Christmas Carol, one of my favorite classics. However, it was a miss for me in regard to it being marketed as a younger children’s book (though the illustrations, as in Little Pilgrim’s Progress, were beautiful). I suppose my expectations were misplaced, but, besides changing the content from humans to woodland creatures, the book was unchanged and the original language was difficult for our girl. I would have greatly appreciated more simplification, otherwise I could have just read her the original copy and saved $30.

If you have older kids and want to challenge them with Dickens’ original language but with fun illustrations, this would be worth it!

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read "A Christmas Carol" every year, and it is one of the books which I have multiple copies of. Earlier this year, I discovered this little gem, so eagerly snapped it up for it to then wait for the festive season.

Little Christmas Carol is an absolutely beautiful adaptation of a festive classic. Joe Suthpin has brought this tale to a whole new level, in regards to the cuteness factor. His illustrations, depicting the characters as different animals such as chipmunks, owls, moles, mice and so on, are truly exquisite. It was the cover illustration which captured my attention, but then also seeing the illustrations, I knew that it was going to be a book which I needed to add to my own collection.

This is a truly wonderful edition of a classic tale. Beautiful and well crafted, meaning that it can easily become a Christmas tradition in many households.

[Meredith Broadwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was not prepared for how much I would love this book! The language was beautiful, the lesson is for everyone, and it was funny to boot.

I've never read the original, but I did know the basic premise of the story. We glanced at the original a couple of times and were surprised how closely this edition's language followed it. My husband read it aloud to me and our three kids (ages 6, 7, and 8). My 6yo followed the basic plot with a bit of assistance, my middle child got a lot more out of it, and my oldest was right there with the grownups. Each night when my husband decided it was bedtime, I was with the kids... just one more page, please?

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This edition is just lovely. We have read the classic version by Dickens as a family before so to go through this again was wonderful. My seven-year old especially appreciated the beautiful illustrations so that is helpful for younger children. Whereas, at the end my teen stated that a Christmas Carol is "really good" so wins all around. So thankful that we have someone illustrating these timeless and beautiful classics to make an introduction to the story more inviting for some kids/adults who would not read them otherwise.

[Gwendolyn Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Our first Dickens as a family! Definitely challenging to read out loud but really fun since we all were familiar with the story & a perfect book for December. We read this along with RAR and learned so many things! One of the coolest ones was the reason behind the book being broken into “staves” - staves is plural of “staff” like a musical staff. And since the book is a Christmas “carol,” dickens was making a play on words by breaking the chapters into staves! How fun is that?!

Joe Sutphin’s illustrations are adorable and make the story such a family friend readaloud!

[Simeon Brazzell · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's "A Christmas Carol" but with animals and illustrations. It is rewritten for children and to be read aloud to children. However, it is not a dumbed down version that avoids the hard stuff. It hits hard where it needs to and gives you the full emotional and spiritual experience that the original does. Very well done!

The first book they did, "Little Pilgrim's Progress" belongs on every Christian family's bookshelf. I'd almost say the same for this.