Stephan J. Myers

Sweetly rhythmic and smoothly rhyming, Stephan Myer’s children’s Christmas story, the Prayer, reads a little like The Night Before Christmas crossed with a touch of Dickens. The illustrations have a warmly Dickensian feel too. And the story’s as dark as any Dickens plot, as a homeless child wishes someone who with gifts would share from the bounty they’ve got. The Prayer is humanly sad, spiritual haunting, and beautifully faithful without being tied to any faith. It’s a lovely Christmas tale for any time of year, and a wise lesson to guide a growing child.

Disclosure: It was free so I bought it.… (mehr)

First off, I’d like to say the illustrations were very impressive. I wanted to reach out and hug the little boy as he sat on the street. They were colorful, very realistic, and beautifully done.

The thing most beneficial about this read is the underlying messages. I found something different each time I read this. On the first read, it rang similar, in some areas, to A Christmas Carol, where the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future come to visit. If the boy was representative of the spirit, who hadn't been giving to others, then each stop at the window could show his growth into a young man, and his being taken away at the end as a punishment of sorts for not learning his lesson: to give to those less fortunate.

Upon a second read, it could simply be the boy facing the harsh reality there are some people who are so prosperous that they have forgotten what it was like to be him. The divide is created, and this happens a lot more than one may realize. Think of the homeless person on the street who’s seeking food or some spare change. How many people actually stop and provide as opposed to those who walk away and tell him to go to a shelter?

No matter the interpretation, this simple, well crafted read is highly recommended, as a testament to the importance of helping others and the end result if one does not.… (mehr)