The Shepherd, the Angel, and Walter the Christmas Miracle Dog

by Dave Barry

Book Review by Erin Collazo Miller, About.com Guide

Dave Barry's Christmas novella, The Shepherd, the Angel, and Walter the Christmas Miracle Dog, is a slice of classic Americana. This story of a boy in a Christmas pageant in 1960 can be read in an hour, but it is packed full of nostalgic illustrations, funny stories and the sort of Christmas spirit that is more A Christmas Story than It's a Wonderful Life.

Pros

· Quick, fun read

· Barry is funny

· 'Shepherd' is nostalgic without being overly sentimental

Cons

· This is not a long or particularly substanative novel.

Description

· The story of a Christmas pageant, young love and family dog told from a boy's perspective.

· 1960s-specific references and illustrations fill the pages.

· This is a happy Christmas story marked by Barry's humor.

· Released in November 2006. 128 pages.

Guide Review - 'The Shepherd, the Angel, and Walter the Christmas Miracle Dog' by Dave Barry

The Shepherd, the Angel, and Walter the Christmas Miracle Dog by Dave Barry is a small book that would make a great Christmas present for the church pageant leader with a sense of humor or a stocking stuffer for the parent who loves Dave Barry. It is the sort of book one can finish in an hour, just right for Christmas afternoon on the sofa or early December between the holiday rush.

In The Shepherd, Barry writes from the perspective of a 13-year-old boy named Doug. Doug is a shepherd in the annual Christmas pageant, but is worried because his young love is playing Mary across from a seemingly perfect Joseph. Meanwhile, the family dog's health is failing fast and his parents aren't sure what to tell his little sister, who is on love with the dog.

The Shepherd has a simple plot, but Barry manages to weave in funny observation after funny observation, with many tangential anecdotes that will make you laugh. If you are looking for a quick read to get you in the Christmas spirit, Dave Barry's The Shepherd, the Angel, and Walter the Christmas Miracle Dog is a good choice.

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