The Christmas Ornament
The Story
A warm, loving story of Maggie, a six-year-old deaf girl, in her search for her mother, Mary, who created fantasy Christmas ornaments. Maggie-with her great-grandfather, John Samuel Lindle-discovers a red balloon, one that has traveled from Port Royal, California to Texas. The little girl calls it her "magic balloon." The balloon will lead Maggie to her mother.
Exerpt
Mary . . . made . . . Maggie presses her nose to the frosty window. Once again her gloved fingers sign the words: Mary . . . made . . .
Maggie's eyes sparkle, catching glints of light from the department store window display: Christmas ornaments, silver and gold, cascade in a shimmering waterfall of iridescent colors, each globe radiating rainbow-hued light into the snowy night. But one, only one-a crystalline sphere hanging from a gold ribbon-captivates her. This ornament, cupped lovingly in the branches of the Christmas tree, cradles the light, giving birth from deep within to the image of a fantasy queen.
To six-year-old Maggie this is more than a Christmas ornament. It has life.
Soft snow falls on tiny girl's cheeks. She blinks, and her eyelashes brush away the flakes. Maggie shivers and hugs her red coat to her body. She wears green stockings and yellow rubber boots. One finger pokes out of a hole in a knit glove.
She tugs her stocking cap tighter to her ears, then reaches out and touches the department store window, trying to press through the glass to caress the translucent queen.
Again her fingers flutter: Mary . . . made . . .
"Well, just look at that, isn't she a doll," a passing shopper says, holding tightly to the arm of her husband, careful not to slip on the icy carpet of white. "Isn't that a cute outfit? She looks like a Christmas bell."
Quotes and Accolades
"Cork Millner's The Christmas Ornament is a joy!"