The Lump of Coal by Lemony Snicket & Illus by Brett Helquist

Another non-over-the-top holiday book!

A holiday book from Lemony Snicket is just as amusing and clever as you would think it would be. And under the grumpy and almost cynical facade is a reminder of the everyday miracles we encounter in life. 

And the writing--

...this is a holiday story and so takes place in the dead of winter, when the air is grey and wet shoes line up in hallways, shivering and crying tears of sleet.

I love the writing. 

This is a little-ish book, all square, which makes it even more intriguing and satisfying. 

Miracles are like pimples, because once you start looking for them, you find more than you ever dreamed you would see. 

Miracles and pimples. A winning combination.

The miracle we are looking for here is purpose in the life of a tuxedo wearing lump of coal.

 Like many people dressed in black, the lump of coal was interested in becoming an artist. 

The miracle beings with a fortuitous tumble from a bag of charcoal, which sets the lump of coal free. He can now wander around and look for a purpose on his own. 

He went first to a gallery, but no luck. They didn't think much of a smudgy bit of coal who left dirty footprints where ever he went. 

The lump of coal then tried a Korean barbeque. Because second best to drawing on paper, is drawing rough black lines on...a breast of chicken or salmon by participating in a barbeque.

But that didn't really work out either. 

Then the lump of coal crossed paths with a department store Santa. 

This Santa had a naughty stepson who needed a lump of coal. 

They exchanged thoughts and ideas and....

The lump of coal ended up in a stocking on Christmas morning. 

Not a very glorious position for someone with dreams and ambitions. 

But then, the miracle really kicked into high gear. And it turned out that the naughty stepson was delighted to meet this talking lump of coal and had all kinds of ideas of what they could do together. 

Mostly to do with art, which the gallery sold for an enormous fortune. 

All these things are miracles. It is a miracle if you can find true friends, and it is a miracle if you have enough food to eat, and it is a miracle if you get to spend your days and evenings doing whatever it is you like to do, and the holiday season--like all the other seasons--is a good time not only to tell stories of miracles, but to think about the miracles in your own life, and to be grateful for them, and that's the end of this particular story. 

 I love this book. Keep looking for miracles. Every single day.