Silver Packages: An Appalachian Christmas Story

A dear teacher friend recommended this book and said she couldn't read it to her class without crying! I thought I would be able to read it to my grandson without tearing up, but alas...he had to finish the last few pages! (Much to his delight!) It is such a gentle, tender story. Even when you KNOW what the outcome will be, you can't help but FEEL the emotions the writer conveys so well! Outstanding illustrations put this book in a rare class!

If you want to read a great book then read Silver Packages because it will just touch your heart. It all started when no one had anything so every Christmas a man came and threw silver packages out the back of the train. Chris Soentpiet's illustrations are colorful and interesting.

My favorite part in the story is where Frankie does not get what he wants. I like the illustrations, because they are very realistic. I give this book five stars. Read this book to find out what are in the Silver Packages.

Having lived in Appalachia for many years, I was excited to read a book based upon the efforts of "The Santa Train." (Which, Kitt, does exist, and which uses the means described in the story, like it or not). The real train traverses areas of West Virginia and Kentucky every December, and provides a semblance of Christmas to children in some of America's poorest communities. This story elegantly captures the essece of the spiritual reality behind the experience as well as the sense of rootedness and comunity that ties the region together. I am a chaplain now, living in the midwest, and every Christmas I read it to children at the hospital where I work. They understand it immediately, and find it to be healing, hopeful, and helpful.

On the first reading of this book, I found my voice catching in a number of spots. The illustrations are so tastefully done and the story is so beautifully told. Our family was especially touched by the reminder of the importance of giving something back to those around us.