A Hanna’s Christmas surprise for Santa Lucia Day
No, it’s not back in print—as I wrote that subject title I suddenly realized I might be setting some of you up for disappointment. But I hope you’ll find this almost as good a surprise. This time of year, I get a lot of email from readers looking for copies of Hanna’s Christmas, which has been out of print for, I don’t know, a decade at least. Sometimes the letters sound pretty frustrated: as the holidays approach, used copies of the book jump to astronomical rates in the resale market. I don’t have any available for sale myself—I didn’t even hold on to enough copies for my own children. (I didn’t have quite as many kids when I wrote the book.)
But a couple of days ago, I got a lovely email from a teacher who said her class really wanted to hear the story, and would I consider reading it aloud in a video. Would you believe that has never occurred to me? It was a great idea, and that’s what I’ve done. I made a short video intro below and then comes a second video with the reading of the book. I hope you’ll enjoy it!
(Direct link here.)
Lori B says:
Love it! Our local library (in SW Ontario) has a copy, but it’s near impossible to get a chance to read it every year, it’s so popular!
On December 13, 2013 at 3:38 am
Alice Gunther says:
No words to say how much I LOVE this!
On December 13, 2013 at 4:28 am
Laura Grace Weldon says:
I dearly wish you could get the rights back to all of your out of print books. Perhaps legions of Lissa fans could storm the publisher’s office with “release imprisoned books” signs! I’d be the one with the bullhorn, leading angry readers in chants.
On December 13, 2013 at 4:42 am
Stef says:
this is so wonderful, Lissa!! thank you!! (but i still hope you get it reprinted somehow 🙂 )
On December 13, 2013 at 4:48 am
Penny says:
Yay! What a great and fun idea 🙂
On December 13, 2013 at 5:51 am
kimberlee says:
Oh, happy day! Thank you thank you thank you! Hooray!
Santa Lucia blessings on you and yours!
On December 13, 2013 at 6:20 am
Sarah says:
That’s great! My kids loved it. My Anna wants a copy now because “Hanna’s Christmas is a REALLY good book!”
On December 13, 2013 at 2:48 pm
thegirlwhopaintedtrees (Julie) says:
We love Santa Lucia day and celebrate it every year. I am so glad I found a link to you reading your book. I’ve seen people blog about it but could never afford the price tag. It was very generous of you to take the time to film the pictures and read it aloud for us. My children and I truly appreciate it!
On December 13, 2013 at 3:46 pm
April says:
Thank you for this! I hope this gets reprinted, but this is such a blessing until that day.
On December 14, 2013 at 8:35 am
Penny says:
Happy Birthday Lissa! I hope you spend it in the ways you like best, and that it holds unexpected happy surprises! xo
On December 17, 2013 at 5:50 am
Anne V. says:
Laura was so excited to “meet”you, finally. She says thank you for the wonderful Christmas gift ! Loved it!
On December 17, 2013 at 7:37 pm