The Lump of Coal: A Christmas Holiday Book for Kids

When the Christmas holidays come around, legend has it that Santa Claus has determined all year long, whom may be naughty or nice. This is not limited to children but all ages and all walks of life, and to elaborate upon this, Writer Lemony Snicket and Artist Brett Helquist eloquently show how a lump of coal that usually ends up in the stocking of an individual that has not quite been nice, debunks the myth. However, one may not understand the premise unless one perceives the so-called bigger picture that Snicket portrays within the story The Lump of Coal.The story begins as any other folktale or myth that has lasted for ages. But the unique element about The Lump of Coal, one may not even consider that there is a lesson to be learned or any significance to an object that tends to be associated with a form of unworthiness. But Snicket cleverly retells the story of the lump of coal that happened to be an artist and the many encounters of setbacks that it experienced due to the undesirable factors that have been linked with a lump of coal. Creatively, Snicket turns the inanimate object to something worthy of believing in and a voice to prove it after it meets a corner street Santa Claus that has a disobedient stepson Jasper and seeks the lump coal to teach Jasper a lesson; the lump of coal finds himself in the hands of Jasper and something miraculous happens.Although, uniquely told in a somewhat similar vein as an Aesop's fable, The Lump Coal offers an interesting lesson for all readers that misconceptions may arise when misunderstandings are present. It is only through patience and understanding and the chance for things such as a lump of coal to show that out of the bad, the good prevails under fortunate circumstances.

We did a coal themed stocking for my teenage son this year. Even for a 13 year this book was a fun addition!!! We all read it together Christmas morning. Really cute story. Perfect for the theme.

This is both hilarious and sweet. If your family celebrates Christmas and Hanukkah, we recommend you also get The Latkah That Could Not Stop Screaming, by the same author.

I liked that the lump of coal kept trying and found his miracle. Teagan liked that the story was about never giving up! It was surprising that the boy was happy to get coal and they could make art together! Great illustrations, too!

True Christmas Spirit 😉

When my 6-yr-old grandson asked Santa for coal this year, I had two surprises. The first being I didn't even know fake coal was available, and the second surprise to see this book, "The Lump of Coal", suggested by Amazon on the same page of the coal. A perfect combination!! The drawings are wonderful and the story is great with a beautiful moral at the end. This is a book I'm sure my grandson Nicholas will always keep; he (and his mother) loved this book. Thanks, Lemony Snicket, for a timeless classic. And thank you Amazon..you always seem to have everything..even fake coal. :)

This is a book about miracles and perspective. 'You don't always get what you want, but you get what you need,' a wise songwriter once wrote. This book is the perfect gift for anyone who feels that things NEVER turn out right for them. Like me. I bought this book for myself because I love Lemony Snicket. I've already read it several times and I laugh in exactly the same spots every time. I had a horrible day today -- NOTHING went right -- and I came home and read this book. Perspective changed. Mood improved. Try it. You'll love it.

Besides the good story, I like the fact that Lemony Snicket(as in most of his books) uses big words and also gives definitions to them. Sometimes, I can't stand contemporary writing that uses too many "slangy" words or very informal writing that butcher English literature (not that I major in one nor am very good at it), like, you know, I mean words that many kids use, totally teen. (No sarcasm there...) ;)Young children might not get the sarcasm from the book but it doesn't matter.

Typical Snicket. Quirky and fun!If you've ever suggested to your children that they may receive 'a lump of coal' at Christmas then this is a must for Santa to put in their stocking!

This book is a must for any Lemony Snicket fan young or old.Brilliant tale and a wonderful book throughout.I would thoroughly recommend this to anyone.

The parcel arrived much earlier than the scheduled day, in perfect conditions.The item is perfect, detailed as in the description!Mr. Snicket writes always funny stories!I would recommend it!

O conto traz um novo olhar sobre a criança que pode ser considerada como uma má criança. O que uma criança que ganha um pedaço de carvão pode fazer com seu presente?

Gave this to my 6 year old son in his stocking...it was a bit of a weird story for his age.