A Christmas Miracle at Ground Zero

 Title: A Christmas Miracle at Ground Zero

Author: Judith M. Ackerman

Publisher: The Storyteller Books

Genre: Children's Fiction

My Review: 

 A Christmas Miracle at Ground Zero is intended to be a story of hope. It is written by Judith Ackerman. Judith was born in Atlantic City, N.J. She is an award-winning designer and artist. When she became ill with Lupus, she discovered her love of inventing children's stories. She has two sons and seven grandchildren. She lives in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. 

This short story is about a family of mice who formerly lived in the walls of the twin towers. They pop out of the walls as tragedy has struck, America had been attacked. The mice observe people wandering around seeking loved ones who are missing. They note people coming from all across the country working tirelessly, trying to help. The mice wish that they could be helpful too. They finally get an idea that will hopefully spread some cheer. Will they get a Christmas miracle?

I appreciate the premise of this book. This is not an easy topic to write about, but the author does a good job of describing the details in an easy-to-understand manner, without bogging a child down. I love the illustrations that are done by Olivia Manta. They are vivid and engaging. They capture the essence of the story. The mice are cute and you can discern what they are feeling by the expressions on their faces. I also liked that the book is intended to be a book of hope and healing.

Unfortunately, a few things did not work for me. There were multiple run-on sentences in the story, beginning with the introduction, which disrupts the flow of reading. I would advise fixing this (if possible). Second, I do not think the story should start with once upon a time. This book is not a fairy tale. Parents or grandparents who read this book to their children will not appreciate that start. I know I did not. There were also a few minor grammar errors, which were not as obvious as the run-on sentences.

I think with a few minor editing tweaks this book would be a great way for parents (or grandparents) to initiate conversations with their children/grandchildren about what happened on 9/11 and why we still honor it today. The basic facts are in the story and could be added upon depending on the age of the child. I think this book is most suited for elementary-age students as I think some of the content might be scary to a younger child. I wanted to love this book, but as it stands I give it 3 stars. With additional edits, I would rate the book higher.

 ★★★/5

Synopsis:

The 20th Anniversary of 9/11 Commemorative Book. A Christmas Miracle at Ground Zero involves a family of mice. A father, mother and six baby mice, who lived in the walls and tunnels of the "Twin Towers" They pop up out of the smoke and rubble, only to find themselves in the midst of a tragic event! They can hear the sirens blaring and can see the police and firefighters frantically trying to rescue the people. It isn't long before you realize God ins in the midst of this story, as they experience and witness the outpouring of love of the American people and wish that they too could do something to help. When their efforts do not turn out as they hoped, an amazing miracle occurs! This is an American Keepsake!