It is only days before Christmas 1943 and seven-year-old Patrick Collins has just lost his mother in a car accident. Kindly Katharine Townsend works for Child Services and takes him to stay with his grandfather Ian while his father is found. Shawn Collins is a bomber pilot stationed in England, and finding him is proving a bit difficult. But the hardest thing of all is going to be reconciling father and son, who have refused to speak to each other for all of Patrick’s life. And what is so wrong about Patrick wanting to own the beautifully carved wooden soldier in Ian’s attic?

This is a story about the power of prayers and simple faith, of reconciliation and coming to terms with loss of loved ones. It is also a heart-warming story about Christmas being a time of miracles, and I can assure you that although much of the book is certainly sad there is plenty of happiness as well. There is also a good evocation of wartime Philadelphia, of coupons and telegrams, newsreels and Victory gardens, that forms an interesting backdrop to the story. Bringing it all to life from page one is the small but well drawn cast of characters that I quickly came to truly care about. After I had put the book down I wanted more, so I was pleased to read on the final page that this is going to have a sequel in 2010 called The Homecoming (Amazon US || UK). A really involving Christmas read that reminded me what the season is all about.