Christmas Gift

this is an easy read and a truly great story. Christmas in the days of horses and the great depression. When a christmas gift is delivered in a storm by children and an old tractor. Every detail of the great and wonderful machine is told; A story of family history,love and it even has a ghost.. This should be a christmas classic for the american reader. A+++

This Depression era story is anything but depressing: rich in hope, humor and intergenerational discoveray, this charmer was originally published as "The Melodeon"--a small household organ. Thirteen-year-old James has been shipped out to his grandparents' farm in Michigan, when his Philadelphia parents can no longer afford to provide for him. This city boy has a lot to learn in a rural setting, but he comes of age that special, unforgettable Christmas Eve, when he discovers that grandparents are people too. He and Will undertake a difficult enterprise which will bring joy to his grandmother and delight a humble congregation in a rebuilt church. James discovers that Will and Ella are not just his grandparents, but a son and a daugher-in-law; that they are three-dimensional persons with their own emotions, memories, and foibles--unique individuals in their own right, deserving of respect and compassion. The true Christmas spirit is revealed to James his first winter away from his parents; gifts freely offered from the heart with a personal sacrifice to benefit an entire congregation. Not to mention putting graceful closure to intergenerational distress--the binding of family wounds in loving victory of the soul. A wonderful and truly enjoyable tale for readers of all ages, with a surprise touch of Fantasy near the end!