A beautiful, moving holiday book about peace, understanding, and unity from award-winning musician John McCutcheon. Based on the real-life WWI event known as the Christmas Truce.
Grammy Award nominee in the Best Spoken Word Album for Children category!
It is cold and clear on Christmas Eve night in 1914. Suddenly, a strange sound pierces the darkness. Someone is singing a Christmas carol in German.
Francis Tolliver and his fellow British soldiers are holed up in muddy trenches along the Western Front. Their enemies?German soldiers?lie in wait just across a field known as ?No Man?s Land.? As the Germans? carol ends, Tolliver and the other British soldiers sing ?God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen.? Soon carols are being sung back and forth. Then a figure emerges in the dark, carrying a small Christmas tree with lighted candles. The British and German soldiers slowly leave their trenches?and the war?behind to stand together in the open field.
This haunting story, based on an event in World War I known as the Christmas Truce, is adapted by award-winning songwriter John McCutcheon from his song of the same name. Henri Sørensen?s traditional, full-color oil paintings reinforce the emotional power and dignity of the story. Back matter features more information about the historical event, and a CD featuring readings of the story and recordings of ?Silent Night? and ?Christmas in the Trenches? is included.
Also available from John McCutcheon:
Flowers for Sarajevo
Awards:
Grammy Awards (Nominee, Best Spoken Word Album for Children)
Notable Books for a Global Society ?International Reading Association
Teachers? Choices (Intermediate) ?International Reading Association
Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People ?National Council for Social Studies, Children?s Book Council
Parents? Choice Silver Honor ?Parents? Choice Foundation
Updates Available: Updates Available: Update available for Picture Gallery Module