There’s something about Christmas that gets most people craving nostalgia, a reminder of childhood. My sister has tasked herself with sending an e-mail blast every day of December with a classic clip of an old Christmas favorite, from the Heat Miser in Santa Claus is Coming to Town to a very old video of Santa preparing his workshop from some Disney classic that came out in the 30s.
“The Gift of the Magi” by O. Henry is a short story that my very favorite teacher first gave us to read in the fourth grade. It’s now become a common tale to tell, a tale of selfnessness and that ever-elusive “true meaning of Christmas,” but for some reason, this little story still resonates strongly with me, all these years. I remember going home to tell my father about it, and he, already familiar with the story, was thrilled that I had read it (or was capable, at nine, of reading and understanding it) and began sharing his favorite stories and books with me for the first time. I was already a reader, then, but “The Gift of the Magi” gave me something more: a way to connect, through literature, with others.
With Christmas fast approaching, I wanted to revisit the story, and this illustrated version by Joel Priddy was the perfect way to come back to a short I’ve known for so long. Priddy’s illustrations are the perfect foil for the story itself: classic, simple, with just the right amount of color.
In fact, they so well supported the story that I decided to hand this book off to The Country Boy, who is trying to read more in English but often trips up over unfamiliar words. The visual accompaniment of this version makes it far more approachable for readers of all ages (and levels of English mastery).
