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elcome to
the Storybook Advent Calendar™,
a collection of bedtime stories, poems and prayers for children
focusing on the basic Kingdom Principles. Non-denominational,
the stories included cover a variety of Christmas inspired
themes, both secular and non-secular with writers ranging from
beloved classics by Charles Dickens and Hans Christian Andersen
to seven original stories and adaptations created specially for
this book.
We chose to
include some of the best literature from the past three hundred
and fifty years in their original context, along with historical
notes. In some cases these may seem a little difficult for
children to understand, but there is a reason we chose not to
‘dumb down’ the stories. In 2004 I had the opportunity to read
John Taylor Gatto’s
Underground History of American Education
(JohnTaylorGatto.com). Several facts impressed me in this
book. The first was an essay written by an 8-year-old child in
the 1840s. The grammar, style and context are equivalent to
college level work produced today.
Another fact
I discovered states that in 1940, 97% of white children and 80%
of black children were fully literate and reading at a college
level by age 10. Gatto goes on to note that multiple studies
prove it only takes 30-hours to teach a child to read. I was
floored.
Gatto notes
that somebody in the mid-1920s decided that children are only
able to learn 550 words a year through elementary school. This
became policy during the 1940s. The age appropriate notations on
children’s books follow this 550 word rule. Children raised on
this literary diet have an average vocabulary of 4,500 words by
age ten. Children whose parents reject this and encourage their
children to read outside their grade level average a vocabulary
of nearly 10,000 words at the same age. These statistics deal
just with vocabulary. Children not weaned on a literary diet
tend to excel in comprehension, history, writing, communication
and other essential skills for success. This is why we’re not
dumbing this book down. Another reason is below.
As I began
to travel the world and engage people in other cultures, I
realized how far behind my contemporaries I was in literature
and spent about five years catching up on the classics. Due to
these experiences, we’ve chosen to include many of the great
writers and Christian philosophers undiscovered by children in
the American elementary and secondary education system. Adding
these amazing writers makes this little book of bedtime stories
more than an inspirational collection; these writers make it a
terrific introduction into the world of literature and a
wonderful learning tool for parents and children alike.
When
possible, we’ve included the year and country where a given
story or carol was created in, as well as an historical citation
about the author, lyricist and/or composer. In the Appendix,
we’ve included the most common prayers and Christian citations
ranging from the Apostle’s Creed to the Ten
Commandments.
 Since
Christianity is a worldwide faith, we’ve included stories from
around the world to reflect its global reach.
As a result
of my journalism, interfaith and human rights work, we, Michael
and I, are able to include a story to be read over two nights
called Matthew, Mohammed and Micah. This story discusses
the similarities and differences between Christianity, Islam and
Judaism. It speaks a little about Christmas, but goes into depth
on Hanukkah and Eid al-Adha. We’re assuming those reading this
book know what Christmas is, yet may not be familiar with
Hanukkah or Eid.
We’ve been
very pleased with the feedback from all three faiths about the
story. Overwhelmingly people love it, commenting that it
significantly helps in understanding other faiths. Parents have
especially appreciated it because many work with people of all
three faiths; the story allows them to appreciate the holidays
and customs of others and has opened several new friendships.
Because the
information is a bit complex in Matthew, Mohammed and Micah,
we’re recommending it for children over the age of eight. For
children under eight, we’ve included a story by L. Frank Baum,
(the author of The Wizard of Oz), an excerpt from his
book, The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus.
FINAL
THOUGHTS
Our greatest
hope is that this book will bring hours of joy to you and your
children, while stimulating curiosity about classic literature,
music and the sister faiths sharing our origin. Christ came for
all humanity; he was a gift to all, believer and non. As
Christians, it is so important that we continue to walk in his
footsteps, share the good news and seek understanding with all
people, regardless of faith with whom we share this planet. How
we behave is how the rest of the world sees Christians.
This book
is a celebration of our faith and its meaning.
Merry
Christmas and a blessed, safe and peaceful New Year!
Lewis Brech |
