Winter's Gift

I was introduced to this story years ago when on a Christmas Eve one of our newscasters read it on TV. Yes, the tears ran but it is the quintessential Christmas story. It was read for many years and then the last 2 years he changed stories so having forgotten the name of it I went looking for it so I could read it again. This last Christmas he read it again so I had to order it.It is one of the sweetest stories ever. It is a story for all ages, from babies to the elderly.

good book for you kids. pictures were great. thank you

The illustrations are beautiful. Beautiful drawings and colors. But the story is a bit implausible. It is unlikely that an elderly man not working with large animals would be able to lift a horse lying in the snow on its side using only his scarf. That the horse is wild and not domestic or familiar to him would be difficult to manage it outside or in the barn. And then for him to fall asleep in the barn would likely chill him even to his own death (which is kind of where I thought it was going) But that aside, the thread of the star on the tree and the foal's marking, the story about helping a mother to be have a baby at Christmas time and what the man receives from his kindness is heartwarming. Helping another and the joy it creates in our lives.A gentle tale of kindness and connection together with the exquisite drawings make this a lovely book for all ages.

I gave this for a gift for my granddaughter. Very beautiful book.

A child in our kindergarten classroom selected this book to read, and it is a beauty. The story opens on Christmas Eve, but we read it in snowy January and it didn't seem out of place at all. The book speaks to loneliness and loss of hope -- and of providential gifts. It definitely stirred up empathy in our children for the plight of the little old man and the wandering mare. The pictures are the kind you want to linger over for a while to fully appreciate all the details. This book reminds me of Owl Moon-- it casts a spell over you and, for a few minutes, you are feel as if you really are out in the woods on a cold, dark, winter night.

Such a sweet book! It has a Christmas theme but mostly winter!! I put out seasonal books in a basket for my kids and I left this one out through January!

How lovely to read a simply told and beautifully illustrated children's book. There is nothing commercial about this book, nothing planned by the PR people to make it fancy and salable as often happens in the large publishing houses. It is left alone, and it's natural and it's so refreshing to read something so pure.An old man lives alone on the edge of the woods and is a widower. A wild mare gets lost from its herd. It is almost Christmastime, very cold and snowy, with a dismal outlook for both mare and man.The illustrations are very striking, the text is well crafted, simple and the words are well chosen. What a perfect Christmas gift for any child. Above all, it is a message of hope.

A beautiful and touching story of two lonely souls who find companionship and peace during Christmas........Can’t wait to read it to my grandkids.

This is the kind of children's book I really love. A simple, sad, sweet little love story that turns around and ends in an uplifting and beautiful way.Some kids would not like the sad parts. My son, 12, for example. But my daughter, 8, really seems to "get" that the incredibly sweet ending makes up for it. Life is like that. Not always happy but overall beautiful and absolutely worth the pain.I bought this book after falling in love with it at the library. I will keep it long after my kids move out. That tells you I bought it for me as much as for my daughter.Another great book I'd recommend along these lines is called Moon and Star: A Christmas Story. Again... a little sad but ends so beautifully with lots of love involved and even a little magic. Wonderful.

Great seller! Would buy again!