TEST
Despite being a family of non-believers, every year we pull out our holiday paraphernalia. We dress the tree, hanging with care the delicate glass ornaments gifted to us over the many years, sentimentally rub our fingers over the ones our children made, pull out the stepladder and put our angel to balance precariously on the top branch. We play endless Spotify holiday playlists (here’s my favorite) and watch Love, Actually and Elf for the millionth time. And we bring out our beloved holiday books. We giggle over Morris’ Disappearing Bag, admire the wit of Auntie Claus, and wipe away the tears as we marvel over The Christmas Miracle Of Jonathan Toomey.
Published first in 1995, Susan Wojciechowski’s profoundly moving tale is many things. It’s a meditation on grief, a testament to learning to live after soul-crushing loss, a paean to power of selfless love, and celebration of the Christ’s story. Not only is the prose pitch perfect but the illustrations are Caldecott worthy. (If your family listens to audiobooks, the narration by James Earl Jones is sublime and, oh happy day, free for all to hear.)
The book introduces us to Jonathan Toomey, a woodcarver in a small town in colonial America. He keeps to himself and the townspeople, who call him Mr. Gloomy, see him as a curmudgeon who complains when the birds sing and the children play.
The village people didn’t know it, but there was a reason for his gloom, a reason for his grumbling, a reason why he walked hunched over, as if carrying a great weight on his shoulders. Some years earlier, when Jonathan Toomey was young and full of life and full of love, his wife and baby had become very ill. And, because those were the days before hospitals and medicines and skilled doctors, his wife and baby had died, three days apart from each other. So Jonathan Toomey had packed his belongings into a wagon and travelled till his tears stopped. He settled into a tiny house at the edge of a village to do his wood-carving.
One day, in early December, there’s a knock on his door. It’s the Widow McDowell and her seven year old son Thomas. They’re new to the village and have heard that Jonathan is the best wood carver in the area. In their move, they lost a much loved Nativity set and they’d like him to remake it. Despite asserting that there are no miracles and that Christmas is pish-posh, he agrees to do the work.
A week later, the widow and Thomas come to check on Jonathan’s progress–Thomas wants to be a woodcarver and he sits by Jonathan’s side as his mother knits. They are at first silent but then,
Thomas whispered, “Mr Toomey, excuse me, but you’re carving my sheep wrong.” The widow McDowell’s knitting-needles stopped clicking. Jonathan Toomey’s knife stopped carving. Thomas went on. “It’s a beautiful sheep, nice and curly, but my sheep looked happy.” “That’s pish-posh,” said Mr Toomey. “Sheep are sheep. They cannot look happy.” “Mine did,” said Thomas. “They knew they were with the Baby Jesus, so they were happy.”
I won’t spoil the rest of the story except to say that the tale of this Christmas miracle is one that never–never–fails to fill me with joy. It reminds me that there are no greater gifts–or strengths–than faith, hope, and love. To read it is to immerse yourself in their power.
I wish you and yours a holiday season filled with love and joy. Thank you for all your support and insight this year. I look forward to 2020 and another year (it will be our 25th) reading and discussing books with you!
All the best,
Dabney
P.S. This is the first A+ I’ve ever given here at AAR.
Buy it at: Amazon/Apple Books/Barnes & Noble/Kobo
Visit our Amazon Storefront
Grade: A+
Book Type: Fiction
Sensuality: N/A
Review Date: 25/12/19
Publication Date: 09/1995
Recent Comments …
Yep
This sounds delightful! I’m grabbing it, thanks
excellent book: interesting, funny dialogs, deep understanding of each character, interesting secondary characters, and also sexy.
I don’t think anyone expects you to post UK prices – it’s just a shame that such a great sale…
I’m sorry about that. We don’t have any way to post British prices as an American based site.
I have several of her books on my TBR and after reading this am moving them up the pile.
Impenitent social media enthusiast. Relational trend spotter. Enjoys both carpe diem and the fish of the day.
Related Reviews
I’m not sure how I missed this the first time around but it sounds absolutely lovely. I’m off to check it out.
I do love it.
I just spotted this review and heartily agree. The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey is a favorite of mine, too.
It really is amazing.
Aww, this is a sweet review, Dabney!
Thanks. It’s such a lovely book and one that trusts the reader.
What a beautiful story, Ms. Grinnan. I had never heard of it before. James Earl Jones’s narration was beautiful. It brought me to tears.
If I may suggest two additional lovely Christmas stories you may find equally beautiful, I highly recommend “The Littlest Angel” by Charles Tazewell. This version has charming illustrations: https://www.amazon.com/Littlest-Angel-Charles-Tazewell/dp/0824955498.
Also, “Martin the Cobbler” by Leo Tolstoy.
There is something beautiful about Christmas, even to us non-believers. As for myself, I was raised somewhat religious, so I tend to swing between atheism and agnosticism. Religion has wounded me psychologically in some ways, all that fear of hell drummed into me in religious classes as a child. But I like to think, if there is a Jesus, he would love and forgive me despite my being a terrible sinner. When I see some of the evil in the world, I tell myself, “Now, Nan. Are you really upset about being an erotic writer? It’s just pretend, after all. They’re just stories to make people happy.” Then the other part of me, the wounded part, says, “Don’t you think you’ll have some explaining to do when you reach those Pearly Gates- if they exist?”
Sorry to ramble. Merry Christmas, Ms. Grinnan. And everyone here at All about Romance.
Thank you.
One thing I give thanks for is that I was raised by a powerfully quiet Christian and and agnostic. No guilt, just the message that Christ loves us and wants us to love and aid others. The Jesus I grew up with, I am sure, is sex positive!
Thanks for replying to my post. I too was raised by a powerfully quiet Christian (Catholic) and an agonistic/atheist (who was raised Catholic). It was more something that happened to me in religion classes that set me on edge- not my home life, thankfully. I’ve always been a sensitive person, despite my crusty exterior. And when I first heard about hell around the 2nd grade, the teacher said something so terrifying (which I have blocked out and can’t remember), that I have been left slightly shaken ever since. The sad thing is, I don’t think she was a bad person. She probably really believed she was keeping us on the straight and narrow.
“The Jesus I grew up with, I am sure, is sex positive!” I like that. It seems to me he was always having dinner parties with tax collectors and prostitutes, and turning water into wine. Sounds like he knew how to have a good time!
Thank you, Dabs. And God bless you. Merry Christmas!