Friday, November 9, 2012

Book Review: Keeping Holiday

Keeping Holiday. Starr Meade. 2008. Illustrated by Justin Gerard. 192 pages.

I recently reread Starr Meade's children's book, Keeping Holiday, an allegory for children about discovering the true meaning of Christmas. The first time I read it I had mixed feelings about it, loving some aspects of this one, and not-quite-liking other aspects of it. In some ways that is still true the second time around. On the one hand, I love the message/theme of this one! I like some of the imagery. I really love the spiritual themes and messages incorporated into this one. Particularly the main theme:
You can't find the Founder; he finds you. He's not just the Founder, he's the Finder too.
Keeping Holiday is a fun adventure starring two young children, two cousins, Dylan and Clare. These two are visiting the town/city of "Holiday." But for the first time they are venturing outside the "visitor's center" where they have always stayed and are exploring in a very personal ways the proper-city of Holiday. This "real" Holiday makes the other Holiday seem so shallow, so less-than by comparison. Their journey to the real Holiday, their journey to the Founder, their journey to learning how to keep holiday all year long, all their lives through, will be filled with one adventure after another. They'll meet so many characters, learn so many lessons, etc. I can't say that I was a fan of all these characters. Like Missy Mistletoe, etc. But overall, I did enjoy this one.
 

 © Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

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