Book Review: Good King Wenceslas
By James Keefe
If you’re like most people chances are you have heard the annual holiday reference to Good King Wenceslas but you have never quite understood his story or what it has to do with Christmas.
Out now from Deseret Book.com is a new illustrated children’s volume that beautifully tells the story in word and picture and includes a DVD copy of the narration of the story supplied by actress Jane Seymour, who performed the narration set to stunning music and dance as part of the annual Christmas Concert of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square in 2011.
The story tells of a good king who set out on a snowy Christmas with his faithful page to deliver food, wood and comfort to a poor peasant family.
The Good King’s desire is for all in his kingdom to enjoy a bounteous Christmas but most of all he hopes that by following in the King’s footsteps his faithful page will come to learn the value of sacrifice and giving.
Interwoven into the story line are the words to the Christmas carol “Good King Wenceslas”. The brilliant combination of festive illustration, lyrics and the story combine to make a memorable Christmas experience in print.
This book is a must-have for any serious Christmas storyteller and belongs along side the classics of Christmas shared with our children each season. The story is a quick read and carries our highest recommendation.
The music and words come together wonderfully in the companion DVD bonus that is part of the book, a preview of which is provided below.
On the video it showed a book illustration… Wow very engaging and each person in the illustration seemed to come to life…. The video was good too… But call me old fashioned… I really wanted to see more of that book.