This moving tribute to the power of the human spirit to unite people even in times of battle is based on an actual event from World War I.
It is cold and clear on Christmas Eve night in 1914. 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."
Suddenly a strange sound pierces the darkness. Someone is singing a Christmas carol in German. Other German voices join in. When the song ends, Thomas and the other British soldiers sing "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen." Soon carols are sung back and forth across No Man's Land. Then a figure emerges in the dark, carrying a small Christmas tree with lighted candles. Slowly the British and German soldiers leave their trenches, and the war, behind to stand together in the open field.
This haunting story is based on an event in World War I known as the Christmas Truce and is adapted by award-winning songwriter John McCutcheon from his song of the same name. Henri Sørensen's formal, full-color oil paintings reinforce the emotional power and dignity of the story. The result is a timeless tale that will capture the imagination of readers of all ages.
Christmas bonus! A CD featuring readings of the story and recordings of "Silent Night" and "Christmas in the Trenches" is included in every book.
Intrigued by the story of the Christmas Truce? Interested in learning more about the history and soldiers of World War I? Check out www.christmasinthetrenches.info to learn more about this wonderful book.
"Warm, softly realistic paintings done by Henri Sorenson, an award-winning Danish children's book illustrator, evoke the mood and setting of the story perfectly. In his drawings of the faces of the soldiers, Sorenson does a particularly fine job of depicting the emotions that must have gripped the participants during this miraculous break in the violence.
"Christmas in the Trenches, with its accompanying CD, would make an excellent addition to the library's special collection for use on Remembrance Day. Taking into account the art, the story and the music-all for $24.95-it is a not-to-be-missed treasure."
-- CM Magazine
"If your child has ever wondered just what is so miraculous about Christmas, read together Christmas in the Trenches. . . Can there be anything more miraculous than that legendary Christmas truce?"
-- The Chronicle Herald (Halifax)
HENRI SORENSEN has illustrated over twenty books for children, including Christmas in the Trenches, The Printer and The Yellow Star: The Legend of King Christian X of Denmark. He is also the author-illustrator of two children's books, New Hope and Your First Step. Sorensen lives with his family in Aarhus, Denmark. Visit Henri's website at www.illustrations.dk.
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