A Christmas Carol [adapted - Penguin Reader]

Classic, a few details I didn't remember. ( )

I read this to my young children over the course of a week or so of bedtime stories. Lots of questions were asked as the language is antiquated and unfamiliar to them. But they enjoyed it enough. More than the story for me, I enjoyed the addition of some reviews from attendees to Dickens' readings of A Christmas Carol which were included at the conclusion of the tale. The story itself is so well-known, but getting that glimpse into the past was a pleasant surprise. ( )

This was the book I chose to read to my APK class for the month of December. Seeing as they are a group of 5 and 6 year olds, it took them a little bit to adjust to a book that was not only set in a time where electricity was unfathomable but also written in a type of prose that was far different from your standard read aloud book. However, with several lengthy explanations on things like setting they quickly took to the story and began to pick out the important lessons. I loved seeing how they tackled a story far above their reading level and how they compared it to the movie most of them had already watched. A great piece of classic literature to introduce them to and I’ll definitely be reading it again next year. ( )

I read this classic out loud with my 10 year old son this year. He was familiar with the story from Mickey's A Christmas Carol, but I was still really proud of him for understanding the old fashioned vocabulary and syntax. It was fun to read a classic with him.

Original publication date: 1843
Author’s nationality: British
Original language: English
Length: 112 pages
Rating: 5 stars
Format/where I acquired the book: a pretty Christmas edition
Why I read this: wanted to try a classic with my son ( )

Christmas is an occasion for people to give love, it is an act of loving, kindness and goodness. Old Scrooge was a man with an icy heart. With him, Christmas is something of a distraction and good gestures were so unecessary. However, after a strange night, a dream, Scrooge's spirituality completely changed who he was. Meeting with ghosts on Christmas Eve and reminiscing the past is a precious lesson not only for Scrooge but for generations of readers. The book is really a meaningful gift that Charles Dickens gives everyone, good text, attractive and colorful story, this is truly an indispensable book on Christmas holidays. Here are some lessons that I can learn from A Christmas Carol:

1. Money is not everything.
Don't think that life's purpose is to be come as much wealthy as possible. We should learn to be happy with what we have and recognize the benefits of simplicity.

2. Money will not follow when you pass away

The right attitude toward money is: treat money as a flow. You need to spend to have more money "flowing" into our life. We need to spend money on meaningful, useful things.

3. We can learn from others' mistakes

On the eve of Christmas, Ebeneezer was visited by the ghost of his old friend Jacob Marley. Old Marley, wrapped around by chains, told him that after death, people would be punished for their sins by wearing these heavy chains forever. When we go, we will leave everything, nothing can be brought. Even the richest man cannot take money with him when he dies.
With all these lessons, A Christmas carol is such a book for everyone this Christmas. ( )