空空的聖誕襪

by Richard Curtis

It's Christmas Eve. And there's one very important question on everyone's lips...have you been good this year?
For twins Sam and Charlie this is a big worry because Charlie is really quite bad. And sometimes, just sometimes, Santa has to get tough...

　　英國水石童書繪本大獎（Waterstones Children's Book Prize）得主、《誰來吃午餐》作者蕾貝卡•寇柏，又一溫馨動人力作！

　　宛如電影般的感人情節，一本關於愛與分享的美好聖誕繪本

　　―本書榮獲2014霍伊克兒童之心最佳繪本獎（Heart of Hawick Children's Book Awards）。
　　―好萊塢名編導理察‧柯提斯撰寫的美麗聖誕故事，令人感動又驚喜的情節，為聖誕節增添更多美好想像與氛圍。　　　　　―Amazon五顆星評價，讀者佳評如潮。

　　叮叮噹！叮叮噹！孩子們都期待聖誕老公公來送禮物！
　　但是，如果聖誕節一早醒來，
　　你卻發現妹妹的聖誕襪是空空的……
　　你會怎麼做？

　　每個孩子都滿心期待聖誕夜的來到，尤其是一早起床時看見床尾襪子裡的大驚喜！
　　小山和夏夏這對雙胞胎姐妹也不例外。不過啊，家人們都為夏夏感到有點兒擔心……
　　因為夏夏今年實在是太頑皮了……

　　聖誕老公公在午夜時分駕著馴鹿雪橇來到小山和夏夏家。然後，他非常無奈地做了一件自己並不喜歡的事情――將一只聖誕襪裝滿禮物，卻留下了另一隻空空的聖誕襪……

　　頑皮的夏夏這時醒了過來，她看到床尾裝得鼓鼓的聖誕襪，高興得不得了！但是同時她卻發現，小山聖誕襪竟然是空空的……
　　嗯，你可能已經猜到，聖誕老公公把小山和夏夏搞混了，她們畢竟是雙胞胎，外表只有極細微的差別。

　　夏夏一想到小山早上看到空襪子的表情……
　　她坐在床上，想了又想，想了又想……
　　接下來會發生什麼事情呢？

得獎紀錄

　　2014霍伊克兒童之心最佳繪本獎（Heart of Hawick Children's Book Awards）

英國Amazon讀者好評推薦

　　――這本書真是太棒了！我的四歲兒子好愛這個故事，而我自己讀著讀著竟然掉下眼淚……。這是一個純真無邪的故事，每個人物角色刻劃得非常真實，而且將人性善良的一面表露無遺。

　　――這本書是我要送外甥的聖誕禮物。我在送給他之前忍不住翻開來讀。這個故事既有趣又令人感動，圖畫又是如此美麗，

　　――一個打從心底讓人感動的聖誕童話，可以教導孩子們仁慈與為人著想。

　　――無論是雙胞胎或獨生小孩都很適合閱讀，尤其是那些有時有點頑皮、有時又乖乖的孩子們。我想每個小人兒都會因此更加興奮期待聖誕的到來。

　　――我想這本書一定會成為聖誕故事的經典！

Genres: Christmas, Picture Books, Childrens

Hardcover

First published January 1, 2012

About the author

Richard Whalley Anthony Curtis, CBE

Graduate of Harrow School and subsequently Christ Church, University of Oxford. Academy Award nominee and recipient of Emmy and BAFTA awards for screenwriting. He is also a director and producer. In 2007, he became a Fellow of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA).

Reviews

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has easily become both mine, and my daughter’s, favourite Christmas story. Sam (Samantha) and Charlie (Charlotte) are twins who are identical in every way apart from their behaviour – for while Sam is generally well behaved, Charlie has been, well, quite bad this year. So bad in fact that her parents are a little concerned that Santa won’t leave her any presents when he comes because, as we know, he is perfectly aware of who is naughty and who is nice…

As you would expect from Richard Curtis, this book is an utter delight. From those munched hedges on Christmas morning, to his perfectly captured picture of family life, he weaves an utterly magical story. Santa, though, makes a mistake and this causes a change of heart in more than one person…

This is a picture book for older children. My niece, who is five and my eight year old daughter, were utterly entranced. I think it is perfect for 4+ and, possibly, will be loved by adults reading it aloud as much as by the children they are reading it to. A really lovely story; clever, thought provoking and heart warming.

[Abi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Probably one of my favourite books I’ve read in the last couple of weeks, maybe because it reminds me of me and my triplet sister!
A beautiful story about the secret complexities of a bond between twins that only siblings will ever understand. A lovely Christmas story that children can just sit and enjoy, which is sometimes the most important thing :)

[Bex · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this story, it just make some feel warm inside and reminds me there is good at the heart of every little terror if you just look for it.

[Nivedita · Rating 5 out of 5]

It has been an absolute delight to feel this book in my hands while reading it. The book was indeed amazing and heartwarming and it turns out that no matter how much I love reading children's books, I've never had any psychical copy of any of the books I've loved. That is why this book brought me irresistible pleasure 💙

[Abril G. Karera · Rating 4 out of 5]

Es de esas historias para niños que tienen un perfecto equilibrio entre dedicarse a contar una historia, generar tensión y emoción; y al mismo tiempo, hacer evidente su enseñanza sin aplastar la moraleja en la nariz. Divertido.

[Gretchen Cole · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful little story--with fabulous illustrations--about how things aren't always as they seem. I loved it!

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved these illustrations. The story had enough complexity to make it interesting.

[Joseph · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just watched the Netflix movie That Christmas with my family, and only then noticed that one the books it's based on was in my holiday TBR list.

I actually think the book pulls this off a bit better than the film, and I liked the fun little ways that it used font size and formatting to enhance how you read it. I think it would have been a little stronger if we didn't see Santa come back, and just let the full stockings be a twist ending. (Also questioning if Charlie shouldn't have given all the presents to Sam rather than half. But I suppose that's expecting a lot of generosity for a small child.)

[E. K. · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Empty Stocking is a magical and heartwarming read about empathy, love and siblings.

I loved reading about the twins, 'nice' Sam and 'naughty' Charlie. The book beautifully illustrates how the complexities of what can be perceived as acts of naughtiness, might in fact have a lot of well intentioned love behind them. Highly recommend to all readers big and small, naughty and nice!

[Christina Reid · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full review to come!

[Ailis · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely children's book for Christmas with a good and easy to grasp message of repentance and sisterly love.

[Suzy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very nice book, my 2 year old daughter loved the illustrations, and I love the story as I have a "Charlie", and just like her although he can be naughty, hes good at heart.

[Rachelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is delightfully complex and surprising for a picture book. And it has Santa Claus in it. Score.

[Kirsty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this book, actually brought a tear to my eye - the misunderstood sibling!

Is a firm festive family favourite, highly recommended.