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A Midnight Clear: Family Christmas Stories
Each Christmas Eve when John Paterson was a pastor, he read an original story to his congregation--a story that illuminated the true meaning of the holiday season, written by his wife, two-time Newbery Medalist Katherine Paterson. Now you, too, can share them. Whether depicting a child coping with disappointment, friendship between young and old, or a couple awaiting the birth of their baby, these stories present a vision of hope and peace harking back to that first Christmas over two thousand years ago. Here is the perfect holiday gift for friends, families, and church congregations--to read aloud and share throughout the Christmas season and beyond.
224 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1995
About the author
Katherine Paterson
127 books2,045 followersFrom author's website:
People are always asking me questions I don't have answers for. One is, "When did you first know that you wanted to become a writer?" The fact is that I never wanted to be a writer, at least not when I was a child, or even a young woman. Today I want very much to be a writer. But when I was ten, I wanted to be either a movie star or a missionary. When I was twenty, I wanted to get married and have lots of children.
Another question I can't answer is, "When did you begin writing?" I can't remember. I know I began reading when I was four or five, because I couldn't stand not being able to. I must have tried writing soon afterward. Fortunately, very few samples of my early writing survived the eighteen moves I made before I was eighteen years old. I say fortunately, because the samples that did manage to survive are terrible, with the single exception of a rather nice letter I wrote to my father when I was seven. We were living in Shanghai, and my father was working in our old home territory, which at the time was across various battle lines. I missed him very much, and in telling him so, I managed a piece of writing I am not ashamed of to this day.
A lot has happened to me since I wrote that letter. The following year, we had to refugee a second time because war between Japan and the United States seemed inevitable. During World War II, we lived in Virginia and North Carolina, and when our family's return to China was indefinitely postponed, we moved to various towns in North Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia, before my parents settled in Winchester, Virginia.
By that time, I was ready to begin college. I spent four years at King College in Bristol, Tennessee, doing what I loved best-reading English and American literature-and avoiding math whenever possible.
My dream of becoming a movie star never came true, but I did a lot of acting all through school, and the first writing for which I got any applause consisted of plays I wrote for my sixth-grade friends to act out.
On the way to becoming a missionary, I spent a year teaching in a rural school in northern Virginia, where almost all my children were like Jesse Aarons. I'll never forget that wonderful class. A teacher I once met at a meeting in Virginia told me that when she read Bridge to Terabithia to her class, one of the girls told her that her mother had been in that Lovettsville sixth grade. I am very happy that those children, now grown up with children of their own, know about the book. I hope they can tell by reading it how much they meant to me.
After Lovettsville, I spent two years in graduate school in Richmond, Virginia, studying Bible and Christian education; then I went to Japan. My childhood dream was, of course, to be a missionary to China and eat Chinese food three times a day. But China was closed to Americans in 1957, and a Japanese friend urged me to go to Japan instead. I remembered the Japanese as the enemy. They were the ones who dropped the bombs and then occupied the towns where I had lived as a child. I was afraid of the Japanese, and so I hated them. But my friend persuaded me to put aside those childish feelings and give myself a chance to view the Japanese in a new way.
If you've read my early books, you must know that I came to love Japan and feel very much at home there. I went to language school, and lived and worked in that country for four years. I had every intention of spending the rest of my life among the Japanese. But when I returned to the States for a year of study in New York, I met a young Presbyterian pastor who changed the direction of my life once again. We were married in 1962.
I suppose my life as a writer really began in 1964. The Presbyterian church asked me to write some curriculum materials for fifth- and sixth-graders. Since the church had given me a scholarship to study and I had married instead of going back to work in Japan, I felt I owed them something for their m
People are always asking me questions I don't have answers for. One is, "When did you first know that you wanted to become a writer?" The fact is that I never wanted to be a writer, at least not when I was a child, or even a young woman. Today I want very much to be a writer. But when I was ten, I wanted to be either a movie star or a missionary. When I was twenty, I wanted to get married and have lots of children.
Another question I can't answer is, "When did you begin writing?" I can't remember. I know I began reading when I was four or five, because I couldn't stand not being able to. I must have tried writing soon afterward. Fortunately, very few samples of my early writing survived the eighteen moves I made before I was eighteen years old. I say fortunately, because the samples that did manage to survive are terrible, with the single exception of a rather nice letter I wrote to my father when I was seven. We were living in Shanghai, and my father was working in our old home territory, which at the time was across various battle lines. I missed him very much, and in telling him so, I managed a piece of writing I am not ashamed of to this day.
A lot has happened to me since I wrote that letter. The following year, we had to refugee a second time because war between Japan and the United States seemed inevitable. During World War II, we lived in Virginia and North Carolina, and when our family's return to China was indefinitely postponed, we moved to various towns in North Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia, before my parents settled in Winchester, Virginia.
By that time, I was ready to begin college. I spent four years at King College in Bristol, Tennessee, doing what I loved best-reading English and American literature-and avoiding math whenever possible.
My dream of becoming a movie star never came true, but I did a lot of acting all through school, and the first writing for which I got any applause consisted of plays I wrote for my sixth-grade friends to act out.
On the way to becoming a missionary, I spent a year teaching in a rural school in northern Virginia, where almost all my children were like Jesse Aarons. I'll never forget that wonderful class. A teacher I once met at a meeting in Virginia told me that when she read Bridge to Terabithia to her class, one of the girls told her that her mother had been in that Lovettsville sixth grade. I am very happy that those children, now grown up with children of their own, know about the book. I hope they can tell by reading it how much they meant to me.
After Lovettsville, I spent two years in graduate school in Richmond, Virginia, studying Bible and Christian education; then I went to Japan. My childhood dream was, of course, to be a missionary to China and eat Chinese food three times a day. But China was closed to Americans in 1957, and a Japanese friend urged me to go to Japan instead. I remembered the Japanese as the enemy. They were the ones who dropped the bombs and then occupied the towns where I had lived as a child. I was afraid of the Japanese, and so I hated them. But my friend persuaded me to put aside those childish feelings and give myself a chance to view the Japanese in a new way.
If you've read my early books, you must know that I came to love Japan and feel very much at home there. I went to language school, and lived and worked in that country for four years. I had every intention of spending the rest of my life among the Japanese. But when I returned to the States for a year of study in New York, I met a young Presbyterian pastor who changed the direction of my life once again. We were married in 1962.
I suppose my life as a writer really began in 1964. The Presbyterian church asked me to write some curriculum materials for fifth- and sixth-graders. Since the church had given me a scholarship to study and I had married instead of going back to work in Japan, I felt I owed them something for their m
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 87 reviews
December 13, 2022
I was hoping for a few good Christmas stories in this collection, but unfortunately none of them seemed very well done. They were short (which I was expecting), trite, and the characters were flat.
Merit Badges - This story never seemed to go anywhere. I liked the idea of making friends with some older people in a nursing home, but the staff was awful and didn't even act like they cared for the people living there.
Poor Little Innocent Lamb - It sounded sort of like the Christmas movie "Miss Lettie and Me" only it was not the same and so blah and boring that I didn't care what happened to anyone.
Star Lady - This one was odd. I did like Buddy trying to bring some Christmas cheer, but that was it.
Exultate Jubilate - Not a story I would expect any children to be interested in. It was strange, and I didn't care for the fact that the father wasn't a Christian example to his family.
The Handmaid of the Lord - I have to admit that I felt sorry for Rachel. It seemed that all anyone did was laugh at her or make fun of her. No one cared that she wanted a special part in the Christmas program. No one cared that she was going to have a part and then have it taken away at the last minute. It made me frustrated. No she wasn't perfect and did get a little obnoxious at times, but I sympathized with her.
Merit Badges - This story never seemed to go anywhere. I liked the idea of making friends with some older people in a nursing home, but the staff was awful and didn't even act like they cared for the people living there.
Poor Little Innocent Lamb - It sounded sort of like the Christmas movie "Miss Lettie and Me" only it was not the same and so blah and boring that I didn't care what happened to anyone.
Star Lady - This one was odd. I did like Buddy trying to bring some Christmas cheer, but that was it.
Exultate Jubilate - Not a story I would expect any children to be interested in. It was strange, and I didn't care for the fact that the father wasn't a Christian example to his family.
The Handmaid of the Lord - I have to admit that I felt sorry for Rachel. It seemed that all anyone did was laugh at her or make fun of her. No one cared that she wanted a special part in the Christmas program. No one cared that she was going to have a part and then have it taken away at the last minute. It made me frustrated. No she wasn't perfect and did get a little obnoxious at times, but I sympathized with her.
Shelved as 'tbr-mountain'
January 30, 2022This little book of Christmas stories is a gift from a dear friend from a few years ago. I picked it up at the start of December, hoping to nudge myself into the spirit of the season. The stories are a little dated now, but uplifting and inspiring and better written than I had expected, a pleasant surprise.
I only got to page 68/212 before Christmas, so I'm reshelving it for now and will finish it next December.
I only got to page 68/212 before Christmas, so I'm reshelving it for now and will finish it next December.
December 26, 2011
A collection of short stories for Christmas, this book as a whole was disappointing. The majority of the stories were weak right from the beginning. Others started to become stronger only to abruptly end, many times stumping me as to how the ending related or summed up the story at all. Maybe I completely missed the point? There was one story called, "Star Lady" that was actually pretty good. The rest I could have done without.
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November 26, 2012Katherine Paterson is a two-time Newbery medal award winning author. Her writings are crisp, poignant and deal with difficult situations. The Same Stuff As Stars, Jacob I Have Loved, A Bridge to Terabithia, The Great Gilly Tomkins are but a few of her excellent books.
A Midnight Clear is a small book of short stories that capture the meaning of Christmas. Never resorting to smultz or over dramatization, the tales are heartwarming and lovely. ( )
A Midnight Clear is a small book of short stories that capture the meaning of Christmas. Never resorting to smultz or over dramatization, the tales are heartwarming and lovely. ( )
July 10, 2020
A quick read for a library Bingo. I bought this book for my daughter years ago. We both just recently read it. Five different stories of kindness in the holiday season that left me feeling good.
September 13, 2022
I'm generally not a short stories person, and I find most short stories collections unsatisfying somehow. But I really enjoyed all of these.
December 11, 2020
Wholesome, Christmas-themed short stories. I teared up against my will a few times.
December 14, 2015
This book reveals the magic of Christmas in different stories. Merit Badges is a charming tale about a poor boy who befriends a rich woman and touches her heart. He is supposed to befriend a poor lonely woman and he's certain that the woman living in this rambling big house is perfect. Poor Little Innocent Lamb is about a child who is deposited upon a relative who resents her presence. The handyman recognizes that the child needs love and attention. He gives the child a lamb whose mother could only nurse one of her twins. They story develops from that point. Exultate Jubilate takes an unusual twist featuring a man who resembles the Grinch who encounters a bedraggled young man selling greens. The Handmaid of the Lord is about a minister's daughter who wants to play Mary in the Christmas pageant. It appears that she will get the part when the girl selected falls and breaks both arms. I love reading groups of short stories such as these, perhaps because the tale is so concise.
December 21, 2018
Two-time Newberry Medalist Katherine Paterson has written some beloved children's tales (including Bridge to Terabithia), so I was excited to pick this one up from a used book store, expecting much from this collection of short stories. But I just was not really interested in any of the stories and hurried through it. Each taught a lesson without being preachy, such as reaching out and volunteering rather than only expecting gifts at Christmas and another about a busy dad skipping out on Christmas Eve church service to put a wooden pony who gets a knock on his door and opportunity to offer kindness to one more unfortunate than himself. I didn't like one in particular about a preacher's daughter who wanted the part of Mary so bad in the church's annual nativity play, that she became a bit of a jerk in the process. These stories seemed like a modern take on Christmas stories with less sugary and predictable nature than Christmas with Anne but just didn't quite hit the mark for me.
December 4, 2018
This book really surprised me..and not in the way I thought it would. A Midnight Clear is a collection of 12 Christmas-themed short stories. Some are tales re-told in an updated way. There is a Scrooge character. There is a nativity story. There is a child's Christmas pageant story. Each tale starts well, the characters are "believable". The stories continue and the plot develops and gets interesting and then the stories just end. What happened to the characters...perhaps it was meant for the reader to develop the conclusion?
December 15, 2018
Here are five short stories about kids and different church related events that take place around Christmas time. My favorites were Merit Badges was Poor Little Innocent Lamb. I know these are short stories, but it still seemed like they ended abruptly or were just too short.
Its a little bland to recommend for your average kids. Its excellent for church oriented Christian families of all ages though.
Its a little bland to recommend for your average kids. Its excellent for church oriented Christian families of all ages though.
January 3, 2019
My sister scored this find of Katherine Paterson. Every Christmas Eve, Kstherine’s Husband would read short story that his wife had written to illustrate once again the meaning ofChristmas. Each story has wonderful and true characters that abound in the real world. Love the honesty and beauty each story brought... especially loved the one of Rachel not seeing her part in the Christmas play and then the importance she shows at the end!
December 14, 2017
I actually read two collections of Patterson's short stories. Angels and Other Strangers was the other one, but realized I might be accused of trying to rack up my year end score if I counted each separately. A couple of these are stellar - really 5 star, and a couple are meh? maybe 3 star. Good seasonal reads.
December 29, 2020
My favorite story is Exultate Jubilate which was a play on A Christmas Carol. Star Lady was endearing, and Merit Badges was funny and had a good message. Poor Little Innocent Lamb was okay, but I didn't enjoy the ending as much. The Handmaid of the Lord was my least favorite despite having a happy-ish ending. I read the first three stories aloud, but they are more appropriate for upper elementary kids or older.
January 13, 2021
This was a fun collection of short stories that moves the different aspects of the Christmas story into modern times. While I was a little thrown by the stories moving to very different cultures, they each had a unique voice and drew me in to the characters. This is a book I will revisit in the future.
January 31, 2017
5 short stories about Christmas. She's an author that I like, but these didn't jump out at me. Cute stories, some religion. Nice if you want short stories that show how to be happy with what you have in the moment.
December 24, 2019
As with all short story compilations I’ve read, I liked some stories better than others.
I did find it interesting that these were all written initially for her husband to share in Christmas services.
I did find it interesting that these were all written initially for her husband to share in Christmas services.
December 4, 2020
E picked out this collection of short stories for her first Christmas read-aloud this year. I went into it expecting to enjoy it, but was ultimately disappointed. The characters were flat, the plots uninspiring, and the theology a bit sketchy. This one will not be returning to our shelves.
Shelved as 'abandoned'
December 8, 2020Isaac and I read the first 2 short stories in this book. We liked one of them, but 1 of them seemed a little too adult to be in a children's book. We decided to quit this one and start a different Christmas book, since we weren't liking the short stories and changing characters over and over.
December 29, 2022
12 vignettes, each a story on its own and all having a title that relates it to part of the Biblical Christmas story.
Something to read each day before December 25 or one for each of the Twelve days that follow.
Something to read each day before December 25 or one for each of the Twelve days that follow.
January 2, 2018
5 stories about Christmas - each one provides a unique perspective about how people experience Christmas and service during the season.
December 22, 2016
I think the best books are small, like good things come in small packages. This is a lovely book full of great stories for the Christmas season.
July 11, 2017
The wrap it up quickly and make it pretty endings to these stories just didn't ring true.
Very disappointed.
Very disappointed.
December 15, 2017
Interesting book of close to a dozen short stories about Christmas season. The first story was enlightening and funny! Some were a little stiff and rigged and hard to follow.
December 27, 2018
Beautiful Christmas stories that tell the true meaning of Christmas. Should be read every Christmas.
March 23, 2020
Solid stories. A fair amount of overlap with Angels and Other Strangers and A Stubborn Sweetness.
November 30, 2020
Everything She Ever Writes I Read!
December 14, 2020
Unsurprising for Katherine Patterson: tender, beautiful, without being too sweet.
December 28, 2020
I thought all the stories were wonderful but I felt like some or most ended abruptly...left me wondering, what if?
December 21, 2021
This is a lovely selection of Christmas stories.
My favorites were "Star Lady" and "Poor Little Innocent Lamb."
My favorites were "Star Lady" and "Poor Little Innocent Lamb."
Displaying 1 - 30 of 87 reviews