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The Candle Maker
Every village has a mysterious character—someone to tell tales about, someone to fear. Meet The Candle Maker. One Christmas Eve in Victorian England, ten-year-old Benjamin Walker is forced to face the fabled old candle maker and see for himself if the ghastly rumors are true. Challenged by neighborhood bullies, lessons and lies, and an English bulldog along the way, Benjamin confronts his fears on a quest to discover the truth. But will this ragamuffin lad find the courage he needs in time to save a life?
44 pages, Paperback
First published July 9, 2015
441 people want to read
About the author
Laura Thomas
13 books265 followersA published, award-winning Christian author, Laura writes heartwarming encouragement for your soul… with the ultimate desire to inspire fiction readers in their real lives with her stories of hope.
Laura’s award-winning Christian romantic suspense novel is Captured in Frame, the first in her “Bite of Betrayal” series, published by Mountain Brook Ink in 2024. Book 2, The Final Word, was released in June 2025, with book 3 coming in July 2026.
Her Christian romantic suspense books in the “Flight to Freedom” series, originally published by Anaiah Press, have been republished by Mountain Brook Ink: The Glass Bottom Boat, The Lighthouse Baby, The Orphan Beach, and award-winning Christmas novellas The Christmas Cabin, and Snow Globe Secrets.
Laura also has a Christian teen fiction trilogy, marriage book, and middle-grade short novel published by Dancing With Bear Publishing, as well as several anthology books, devotionals, articles, Sunday school lessons, and stories published in magazines and online.
Laura is a hope*writers certified writing coach, a book-loving chocoholic mom and nanny, and is married to her high school sweetheart. Originally from the UK, they now live the empty nest life in Kelowna, British Columbia, with their French bulldog!
Find all her books, blog, bio, and writing coaching, and sign up for her free monthly newsletter at: www.laurathomasauthor.com
Laura’s award-winning Christian romantic suspense novel is Captured in Frame, the first in her “Bite of Betrayal” series, published by Mountain Brook Ink in 2024. Book 2, The Final Word, was released in June 2025, with book 3 coming in July 2026.
Her Christian romantic suspense books in the “Flight to Freedom” series, originally published by Anaiah Press, have been republished by Mountain Brook Ink: The Glass Bottom Boat, The Lighthouse Baby, The Orphan Beach, and award-winning Christmas novellas The Christmas Cabin, and Snow Globe Secrets.
Laura also has a Christian teen fiction trilogy, marriage book, and middle-grade short novel published by Dancing With Bear Publishing, as well as several anthology books, devotionals, articles, Sunday school lessons, and stories published in magazines and online.
Laura is a hope*writers certified writing coach, a book-loving chocoholic mom and nanny, and is married to her high school sweetheart. Originally from the UK, they now live the empty nest life in Kelowna, British Columbia, with their French bulldog!
Find all her books, blog, bio, and writing coaching, and sign up for her free monthly newsletter at: www.laurathomasauthor.com
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
January 24, 2016
Set in Victorian England, the Candle Maker is a charming story of a young boy named Benjamin and an old candle maker. Rumor has it that the candle maker is an evil man who kidnaps children. After confronting his fears, Benjamin learns that you can't always believe what you hear.
The story-telling in this book is excellent. Author Laura Thomas vividly portrays the Victorian setting through her picturesque words. It has an old fashioned quality that readers will find refreshing. Even though it is a quick read, there are enough twists and turns in the plot to keep it interesting. The message of not believing rumors you hear about others, is an important one for everyone to read. The time of the story is Christmas Eve. This makes it an ideal Christmas tale, but it would also be an enjoyable read any time of the year. Although the formatting is a little unusual, it does not detract from the charming story. The Candle Maker is a heart-warming story recommended for readers age 8 and older.
The story-telling in this book is excellent. Author Laura Thomas vividly portrays the Victorian setting through her picturesque words. It has an old fashioned quality that readers will find refreshing. Even though it is a quick read, there are enough twists and turns in the plot to keep it interesting. The message of not believing rumors you hear about others, is an important one for everyone to read. The time of the story is Christmas Eve. This makes it an ideal Christmas tale, but it would also be an enjoyable read any time of the year. Although the formatting is a little unusual, it does not detract from the charming story. The Candle Maker is a heart-warming story recommended for readers age 8 and older.
September 1, 2015
Laura Thomas weaves a wonderful boy-tale in The Candle Maker. The characters are all male with the exception of the hero’s mother. The story runs true to life with its themes of bullying, rumours that downright frighten children, kindness, bravery, and the ultimate triumph of good over bad. Thomas creates word pictures in which I felt the frigid winter even though I read this book in the peak of summer. The intrigue and suspense provided twists I was not expecting. The formatting of the book could be improved but Thomas’s imagination, creativity and story telling is sure to captivate the middle grade reader.
May 22, 2016
Benjamin is a young boy living in England back in the time when things were tough, families struggled to make ends meet and survive. It was a dog eat dog world, scary for a young boy. Benjamin has been told by his older brother, friends at school to beware of the candle maker. "He is EVIL. He kidnaps children who come into his store." This is something that Benjamin took to heart and truly believed, which is where you start as you read this story. You will quickly see that is not the truth as you read the story and learn a important lesson. Don't always believe what you hear. Because sometimes it is not true, but instead a hurtful lie.
Laura Thomas engages the reader quickly in this story, which is something that needs to be done when you are focusing on a book for pre-teens and teenagers. They have to be hooked in, and she does this with such ease you don't even realize that you have half the book read. This story is fast paced with many twists and turns which help to keep the reader focused on the story.
I would recommend this book to middle school aged children and even those upper elementary school children who can read at a more advanced level. But this story could easily be used as a Christmas time read aloud story for teachers to use in their classrooms. There are many lessons to be learned from this book, which can be understood by children of all ages.
You will not be disappointed in this book. So take a moment to sit down and read it.
Laura Thomas engages the reader quickly in this story, which is something that needs to be done when you are focusing on a book for pre-teens and teenagers. They have to be hooked in, and she does this with such ease you don't even realize that you have half the book read. This story is fast paced with many twists and turns which help to keep the reader focused on the story.
I would recommend this book to middle school aged children and even those upper elementary school children who can read at a more advanced level. But this story could easily be used as a Christmas time read aloud story for teachers to use in their classrooms. There are many lessons to be learned from this book, which can be understood by children of all ages.
You will not be disappointed in this book. So take a moment to sit down and read it.
May 8, 2017
This book is so great and it has such wholesome values in the story; like don’t judge a book by its cover. I have read this book several times and like it even more than before! I totally would recommend this book to anyone and everyone!
September 20, 2016
My ten-year-old granddaughter and I found this story very engaging; her interest peaked when Butch needed help.
The action and suspense drew me in from the beginning. Ten-year-old Benjamin is both likable and believable, and we can readily empathize with his wants, fears, and compassion. The setting, too, is vivid; cold and poverty play a major role in building our empathy with both boy and dog.
The adults in the story are quick to point out the lesson—“what the Good Book says about taming the tongue”—but there is so much more here. Perseverance in the face of discomfort and danger, compassion when it’s easier to look the other way, generosity, secret wishes that are best unfulfilled, courage and unexpected friendship, as well as a delightful Christmas surprise all play a part in this beautiful story. Best of all, the Light of the World shines in the streets and alleys of Victorian England through the prayer, faith and kindness of one little boy and his family.
The action and suspense drew me in from the beginning. Ten-year-old Benjamin is both likable and believable, and we can readily empathize with his wants, fears, and compassion. The setting, too, is vivid; cold and poverty play a major role in building our empathy with both boy and dog.
The adults in the story are quick to point out the lesson—“what the Good Book says about taming the tongue”—but there is so much more here. Perseverance in the face of discomfort and danger, compassion when it’s easier to look the other way, generosity, secret wishes that are best unfulfilled, courage and unexpected friendship, as well as a delightful Christmas surprise all play a part in this beautiful story. Best of all, the Light of the World shines in the streets and alleys of Victorian England through the prayer, faith and kindness of one little boy and his family.
December 27, 2016
This is a really sweet short story for the Christmas season.
I recommend reading it with your little ones.
I recommend reading it with your little ones.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews