Peter Collington

An impoverished old woman, living alone in a wooden caravan outside a small English village, awakens one morning before Christmas to the realization that she has no food, and no money. Taking her accordion, she goes into the village to busk, but no one gives her anything for her troubles. Eventually, driven by desperation, she sells the accordion, only to have her money stolen by a young thief on a bicycle. Things look bleak, but this doesn't stop the old woman from intervening, when the thief tries to steal the church's charity bucket. Her actions in restoring the church's Nativity scene are rewarded when the wooden figures in the scene come to life, creating a happy and warm Christmas for her after all...

A lovely Christmas tale told through the illustrations alone, A Small Miracle is the fourth wordless picture-book (and the fifth title overall) that I have read from British artist Peter Collington, following upon such titles as On Christmas Eve and The Tooth Fairy. His artwork here is beautiful, capturing the woman's sense of despair and desperation, when confronted with hunger and poverty, and her sense of wonder and joy, when her selfless act is rewarded in the end. This would make an excellent springboard for discussion of poverty and compassion with young children, especially at the holidays. Recommended to picture-book readers looking for poignant and beautiful Christmas stories, and to anyone who appreciates wordless narratives.… (meer)