Treasures of the Snow: A Story of Switzerland

We read this as a family when I was a child. It was very good. Recently, I read it to my second grade class, they were enthralled. This is a very accessible book on consequences, forgiveness, redemption, and love.

The setting is the Swiss Alps where the author lived as a child. The story is spun in a simple way the pulls you in. This book will delight and touch the hearts of readers of all ages. I loaned it to my husbands grandmother and she loved it, and I'm reading it out loud to my kids. I can tell that it even has my five year old thinking because he brings up incidents from the book to talk about while we are in the car driving etc. A beautiful story!

When I was 9 years old I read this book. I didn't remember much about the story, but when I saw it in a book store all the warm feelings came flooding back, and I bought it to read to my daughters.They have so enjoyed it! Our oldest is 8, and our youngest is 5, and we've had a difficult time getting the 5-year-old to sit through "chapter books". But she was enthralled from the start, especially because of the cat and the kittens! It's a gentle story that depicts the love of Jesus in a simple way, without forcing it. It's just part of life, exactly as it's supposed to be.A beautiful story that I'm sure my daughters will carry with them, too!

This is a very good book. The author is obviously indebted to Johanna Spyri's Heidi, but in a good way. This book can be read aloud to children as young as 5, but young teenagers will also enjoy it. Be aware, though, that St. John's original text is out of print. What Moody and Scripture Union currently publish is an "updated" version--good if your child struggles with reading; but if your child is literate, get a used copy!

High in the Swiss Alps, three children are playing on the grassy slopes. Annette and Lucien are neighbors and live in Swiss chalets. Lucien is just thirteen and when Annette acts angrily towards him, he takes it out on her young brother Danny. After holding a kitten over a cliff, he drops the kitten (which lands a few feet below on a ledge) and Danny goes after it. When Danny can't be found, Annette goes looking for Lucien who thinks Danny is dead. Lucien is beside himself with guilt and turns to an old woodcarver for encouragement. He learns to carve little wooden animals which he then intends to give to Danny. Annette is quite mean and destroys his woodwork and spreads gossip about him at school. The charm of this story is the lessons the children learn. Will Annette learn to forgive or will bitterness consume her? This story has a sad beginning and an uplifting ending. The story has some surprises and we also find out who the old woodcarver really is. Both he and Lucien tell each other their secrets and in doing so, help to heal the lives of three families. There is also a movie distributed by Institute in Basic Life Principles which I would also recommend for children. As you read you can imagine the bell-jingling horses and sleighs in the winter. ~The Rebecca Review

TREASURES OF THE SNOW is a beautifully written, engaging story. The characters come alive--if I ever visit the Alps, I almost expect to meet Annette, Dani, and Lucien sledding down the mountainside! The story captures the innocence of childhood and the joys found in little things, as well as the tremendous consequences of both hatred and forgiveness. It is one of those children's books that will impact the reader forever.

This book is vivid in its desciption of what the consequences are when we judge and do not forgive others. It explains equally as well what the healing power of repentance and forgiveness can bring as we heed the Saviors knock at the door. I found this book very uplifting and would recommend it to anyone.