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A Christmas Carol in 20 Minutes a Day
Reading with your kids has a profound impact on their development, and now it's easier than ever! In A Christmas Carol in 20 Minutes a Day , the unabridged text of the beloved story of old Scrooge and the three Christmas ghosts is broken down into easy, twenty-minute chunks―perfect for daily read-alouds. Thoughtful questions after each passage boost comprehension and facilitate meaningful discussion, while definitions in the margins make it easy for parents to explain what challenging words might mean. Learn vocabulary, strengthen literacy, introduce the classics, and bond over beautiful literature with A Christmas Carol in 20 Minutes a Day !
- GenresChristmas
180 pages, Hardcover
Published October 19, 2021
1 person is currently reading
10 people want to read
About the author
Charles Dickens
12.9k books31.5k followersCharles 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)
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)
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
December 14, 2023
I used this version to read with my kids. It has really useful vocabulary, and some good questions at the end of each section. There are 14 days, and it was a good amount for each day!
December 15, 2022
Fantastic version. Very effective for reading aloud to a group of students. Love the vocabulary listing and discussion questions.
January 18, 2023
I buy my son (6yo) new Christmas books every year. We read through them all every year leading up to the holiday. It started with very simple board books for his first Christmas and this year I thought I'd attempt a "classic", but woof. I love the definitions and explanations along the side bar - sometimes I would read those instead of reading the actual word. The discussion prompts at the end of each section were nice, too. It's definitely geared toward slightly older kids, and I gave up on finishing it with him this past year. I'm hopeful that he'll have more focus in coming years, though!
December 18, 2024
I love that this edition of A Christmas Carol breaks the staves into much smaller pieces perfect for bedtime reading. The discussion questions at the end of each segment were helpful to see what the kids weren’t quite grasping about the story. The definitions of some of the more unfamiliar words came in handy several times.
December 27, 2023
A Charles Dickens classic that needs to be a "perennial yuletide staple"
December 28, 2024
A timely reminder of the importance of kindness, family and friends. A great Christmas read!
December 26, 2025
Tried to do this as a read aloud with my kids (10 and 12). They just weren't into it, even after I switched to the audiobook with Hugh Grant. I finished it alone because I love it.
December 31, 2025
What a great way to introduce a classic! I wish there were more options if books like this.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews