"Painful pasts can make for the strongest futures, if we let them."
With her mother hospitalized during the holidays and her future uncertain, Clara Rose finds herself overlooked in the bustle and worry of the family. Fearing that talking about it will only make things worse, the little girl stays quiet and hides away her tears.
Then one snowy night, an odd but proper English elf shows up in her backyard, and Clara finds herself in a world of winter enchantment, discovering the healing wonders of embracing pain and sharing it with those she loves.
In a heartwarming tale set in the magic of childhood, master storyteller Grace Anne demonstrates the value of families sharing their hearts, their hurts, and their hopes in the face of life's greatest trials.
"The Winter Elf can only be described as a masterpiece of children's literature." ~ Andy Andrews , NewYork Times best-selling author
Grace Anne is able to convey a believable fantasy world trough the eyes of a child. The message of how to deal with emotional struggles at a young age is an inescapable reality, which Grace Anne handles very well. I would highly recommend for both personal enjoyment and a bedtime favorite for children.
I was one of the lucky few to receive a pre-release copy of this book. It is a very sweet, heartfelt tale that deals with the difficult topic of family illness. Highly recommended!
Oh my gosh! I love this story! A friend read it to her kids and recommended it to me, and it is absolutely beautiful and perfect for this time of year! Every family must read this at Christmastime! It’s a new holiday tradition and favorite!
A Magical Story For Young Children In Need Of Consolation
The Winter Elf by Grace Anne is a perfectly-crafted little fairy tale for young children in grief or pain. It is a bite-sized chunk of eternal truth delivered by a charming English elf. The Winter Elf is short, about the length of the fairy tales we all know, just right to hold the attention of an elementary-school child. It is apparent from the start that the Winter Elf was inspired by the writings of J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis. When lonely little Clara Rose meets Sydney Telson, the winter elf, on a snowy December night, we see the girl stepping across the threshold to another world very reminiscent of Narnia. The author places words of divine wisdom into the mouth of the enchanting character of the winter elf. Sydney tells Clara Rose what she needs to hear: that she is loved, that her pain is real and unavoidable, and that it will make her grow. As all great literature, this little story speaks to audiences of all ages. It’s beautiful evocative language reflects the author’s love of nature and her large family. Rather than talking down to children in simplistic language, Grace Anne immerses young readers into the poetry needed to reveal “the good, the true and the beautiful.” She inspires growth in language as well as in the spiritual life. I hope that this little book will be read at many fire places this winter, and that there will be many more such stories to come from this author... Read the entire review here: https://www.booksforcatholickids.org/...
This was a wonderful book to read aloud to our family. The book has a beautiful cover, and the illustrations are also beautiful. I thought The Winter Elf was well-written. Our whole family enjoyed it. We hope that there is a sequel! Grace is a talented young author. It was nice to have a meaningful short story to read to our children. I think The Winter Elf would make a great Christmas gift for families.
I was fortunate to receive a pre-release copy of The Winter Elf and what a delight! Grace Anne creates a magical world just right for children from her Letter to Grownups to the charismatic elf himself. Clara represents many children who just need a kind friend to listen to their troubles and hope during hardship. It’s the perfect little book to read out loud to your little ones.
This is a delightfully warm story about living through grief. It is the perfect length for children and contains the right amount of magic and wisdom. I will be sharing this story with my kids for years to come. I believe this story has the potential to become a famously remembered fable!
I ordered this book just because of the title. Then when I got it I realized it was a kids book and almost didnt read it. But I did. And even at 50something it was a story I needed to hear and a lesson to remind me things will get better. I will be passing this little treasure to my grandson who I think might enjoy this as well.