jrk's Full Review: Eugene Peterson - The Christmas Troll
Several years ago, I wrote a children's book. It was a good story, even if I do say so myself. My sister illustrated it, and her watercolors were wonderful (and, no, I'm not biased – much). The book has never been published.
Finding a publisher willing to invest in producing children's picture books can be a daunting task. For every book that gets published, hundreds, maybe even thousands, get rejected. I accept that. Life goes on.
So this preamble is not one of sour grapes – I don't feel particularly dejected by our inability to interest a publisher. My sister, on the hand, well, that's another story …
But, as I've tried to explain to her, you shouldn't necessarily view rejection as a condemnation of the quality of your work. Timing, luck, finances, any number of things come into play.
Celebrity Sells
Being a celebrity certainly helps in getting publisher acceptance. I'm not saying the children's books created by such celebrities as Jamie Lee Curtis, Madonna, John Lithgow, Jay Leno and others lack merit, but name recognition certainly didn't hurt any of them.
Christianity Sells Even Better
Then, of course, there's another avenue that seems to work wonders: Call it a Christian book and it seems you can publish – and succeed in selling – just about anything.
That surely explains how Eugene Peterson's first children's book, "The Christmas Troll," succeeded in getting published. He enjoys name recognition as the author of more than 20 books for adults, including "The Message: The New Testament in Contemporary Language," which has sold more than 9 million copies. And "The Christmas Troll" purports to be a Christian book. This sounds like a definite recipe for success to me.
Pretty Packages
In all fairness, I must say that Will Terry's illustrations for the book are terrific. They offer rich, vibrant colors full of light, with so much texture you'd swear you can practically feel the paintings. Sadly, because the story they illustrate is so revolting, not even Terry's lovely work seems to justify the $14.99 suggested retail price of the book.
The book's flyleaf and publisher's blurb claim that the story is an allegory meant to remind readers that not all gifts come wrapped in shiny paper and tied up with ribbons, and that we need to stay alert for unexpected gifts from God. Well, that sounded promising, but instead I found a very pretty package – all tied up with the shiny paper and bows of Will Terry's illustrations – totally lacking in any unexpected gift from either God or the author.
How Can You Spoil Something Rotten?
"The Christmas Troll" targets readers in the 4-8 age range. Unless we have some particularly precocious 4-year-olds surfing Epinions, I doubt revelation of the plot here will constitute much of a spoiler. But you've been warned.
The story begins on Christmas Eve. Andrew has decided to run away from home because he's angry that his parents won't let him open any of his Christmas presents. Unfortunately for the readers, we must trudge through hundreds of words and six very long pages of text before we find out why Andrew is so angry that he has decided to run into the dark forest with his little sister, Lindsay.
OK, so now we're in the dark forest, and we know why Andrew's angry. We also know that Andrew's friend Jonathan had opened nearly all his presents. And that Jonathan said there were trolls in the woods. And that Jonathan lied a lot. And a whole bunch of other stuff that really does nothing to move the story along. Man, oh, man, does Peterson ever ramble!
But we are, by now, expecting a troll, and we get one.
Angry Andrew runs off in fright, abandoning his trusting little sister to her fate with the troll. He feels bad about leaving her behind, but he's too scared to go back – until she calls out to let him know the troll is nice.
So, angry Andrew returns, and he and Lindsay have a blast playing with the troll, who's ugly but nice. At this point, the author unleashes his message:
"Andrew had just remembered that he was supposed to be angry and that he was running away from home and that Christmas was ruined because his mother hadn't let him open even one gift early. But what was this new feeling? He felt like he had hoped to feel on Christmas Eve by opening that gift under the tree: surprised and wonderful. He had just met his first troll and he was feeling fantastic!"
Angry Andrew's revelation now takes a truly stomach-churning turn. Instead of being content to have discovered this "gift," Andrew starts to cajole the troll into coming home with him so he can show him off to his parents and his friend Jonathan. And he goes on and on explaining to the troll why it's important that he show Jonathan all about gifts from God that don't come wrapped up in packages so he, too, can learn all about God's gifts.
So, we have a selfish, angry, cowardly, and annoyingly pushy little boy who now purportedly understands the true meaning of Christmas and God's gifts. Just gag me with a goblin’s stick; this book teaches nothing but selfishness.
But it must be a good Christian book – it talks a lot about God and Jesus. And quite a few Christian Web sites are pushing the book for its positive Christian message.
Let's Hear It for Ribbons and Wrappings
What a pity I have a conscience and principles. It'd be oh so easy to toss a few random God and Jesus references into my story and call it a Christian book. It might even succeed in getting published.
How ironic that Peterson’s "The Christmas Troll" seems to prove the exact opposite of the message he claims to deliver: His gift isn't nearly as impressive as the ribbons and shiny paper of Christianity he's wrapped it in.
This touching Christmas allegory reminds readers young and old alike to stay alert for God s most unexpected gifts. It s Christmas Eve and Andrew is u...More at Buy.com Marketplaces
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