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

by Dave Barry

In this hilarious (USA Today) national bestseller, Pulitzer Prize winning humorist Dave Barry pens one of the warmest, most delightful Christmas stories ever.

The year is 1960, and the Christmas pageant at St. John's Episcopal Church is a very big deal. Doug Barnes is a shepherd this year, which is better than being a Three King, because you get to carry a stick. There are problems, however. The girl he likes is playing Mary opposite a Joseph who is depressingly smart, athletic, and cute; the family dog is doing poorly, and they have no idea what they're going to tell Doug's little sister, Becky; and his dad's just gotten a flat tire, which means they might not even get to the pageant. But Christmas is a time of miracles. And for Doug and his family, this will be the most miraculous Christmas of all.

Genres: Christmas, Humor, Fiction, Holiday, Book Club, Comedy, Audiobook

117 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Dave Barry is a humor writer. For 25 years he was a syndicated columnist whose work appeared in more than 500 newspapers in the United States and abroad. In 1988 he won the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary. Many people are still trying to figure out how this happened.
Dave has also written many books, virtually none of which contain useful information. Two of his books were used as the basis for the CBS TV sitcom "Dave's World," in which Harry Anderson played a much taller version of Dave.
Dave plays lead guitar in a literary rock band called the Rock Bottom Remainders, whose other members include Stephen King, Amy Tan, Ridley Pearson and Mitch Albom. They are not musically skilled, but they are extremely loud. Dave has also made many TV appearances, including one on the David Letterman show where he proved that it is possible to set fire to a pair of men's underpants with a Barbie doll.
In his spare time, Dave is a candidate for president of the United States. If elected, his highest priority will be to seek the death penalty for whoever is responsible for making Americans install low-flow toilets.
Dave lives in Miami, Florida, with his wife, Michelle, a sportswriter. He has a son, Rob, and a daughter, Sophie, neither of whom thinks he's funny.

Reviews

[Mike]

That was like a nice cup of cocoa on a winter day: too short, heart warming, and leaves you with a good feeling even after it is finished. It is a super quick read and told a simple, humorous, and endearing story about Christmas, family pets, adolescent boys' worldview, and the many humorous characters that populate this run of the mill New York town in the 1960's. It is perfect book to curl up with during a winter night to read and luxuriate in. I will also never hear the phrase "He's with Jesus now" without thinking of this book and laughing.

[Melki]

Essentially a 117-page joke - but the punchline is a good one!

[Valerie Book Valkyrie]

2.5 Christmas Pageant Stars rounded up to 3 "Live" Nativity Stars by virtue of a Most Satisfying Ending™.

Not Barry's best but the book itself is a quality compact hardcover surrounded by an attractive heavy duty dust jacket (entirely suitable for gift giving), and the denouement is gone-dog gritty 🧚‍♀️🙋🏼👍.

[Negin]

I love Dave Barry and this book didn’t disappoint. I was laughing for most of it and crying happy tears for the rest. This is a short and quick read and an absolute delight to read at this time of year.

[Howard]

4 Stars for The Shepherd, The Angel, and Walter The Miracle Dog (audiobook) by Dave Barry read by the author.

This was a fun Christmas book, it’s perfect for anyone who is a fan of A Christmas Story. It really felt like it could have been another chapters in that movie.

[Cindy Rollins]

This is a favorite family Christmas read-aloud. I just had a lot of fun reading it to my dog-loving students. There is one quick paragraph about 'bras' which might causes blushes to some children but for the most part it is delightfully poignant and hilariously funny.

[RJ - Slayer of Trolls]

There are two things that Pulitzer-Prize winning humorist Dave Barry can really write about: 1) the perspective of awkward teenage boys and 2) dogs. A third subject would be exploding whales, but there are none of those in this book unfortunately. However, Barry is able to include both of those first two subjects in this short but sweet and amusing Christmas tale set in 1960 in the fictional town of Asquont, NY which bears absolutely no resemblance whatsoever to the actual town of Armonk, NY where Barry grew up (or, as he says in the Dedication, "any resemblance between (the townfolk of Armonk) and the characters in this book is, frankly, a bewildering coincidence."). The story, told from the perspective of an awkward teenage boy, is about the wacky hijinks involved with the production of the annual Christmas pageant and it is also about the family dogs Frank and Walter. Did I mention that it's short? The book clocks in at 117 pages, all of which are double-spaced in VERY LARGE TYPEFACE with plenty of pictures of nostalgic holiday images from a more innocent age, really more of a short story than an actual book, yet it is priced at - I swear I am not making this up - $15.95, ensuring that the Barry Family will be able to vacation in Bermuda again this year. Hopefully they will be able to avoid any exploding whales.

[Renee's little gr library]

a little sad. a little happy with a few laughs

[Robin]

In the time it took for a load of laundry to dry, I read this little gem. I've been looking for something sweet to achieve a better state of mind for the holiday season. This was the right pick. Charming.

[Sarah Poss]

My husband read this out loud and we both laughed and laughed. It was wonderful.

[Emily Weathers]

This is a funny, fun, warm story told from the point of view of an adolescent boy (and there’s a dog) — just what I needed at this time of year when I’m grading essays! My 13 yr. old enjoyed it too and asked if we could own it. My husband is currently reading it. Rarely do two of the four of us read the same book; we’re hitting a record three out of four, with the fourth/youngest waiting in queue. We should read it aloud together!

[Jenny]

This is a funny, charming, sweet, nostalgic Christmas story. I laughed - I cried. Get the audio version (read by Dave himself) for everyone on your Christmas list!

[Judy]

You can always depend on Dave Barry for laughs. But this is also a heart-warming story of a young boy, a Christmas pageant and love for a dog.

[Beth Brekke]

I like to read a Christmas themed story during the season. I haven't had a lot of time for any reading but I did manage this little gem just before Epiphany. It's short, sweet and hilarious! At just 116 pages, I can't say much about the story-line, I'll just say that I laughed a lot and read it all in one sitting and might do so again next Christmas.

[Jennie]

What a treat to listen to the author read this story to us. It was so lovely to have all of us laughing together as we listened to the antics of one family’s bizarre yet meaningful Christmas in the 60’s.

[Aaron Lindsey]

I like to read a Christmas book early each December to get psyched up for the holiday, and since Dave Barry has always been able to make me laugh, this one was a no-brained.
Without a doubt, this is the funniest Christmas book I’ve ever read. I think I really got on my wife’s nerves last night because I kept laughing loudly while she was trying to watch YouTube.
It’s also a great story with plenty of nostalgia from Christmas past.

[Matt]

This is a great short story that our family listens to annually. It captures the reality of American family life with plenty of silliness. We like the audiobook because we hear Dave articulate the words in his own voice.

[Michele The Bookish Tea Room]

I read this book to the kids this year and just like when I read it 15 years ago, it was hilarious!! We all loved it! What a great Christmas family story,

[Dara S.]

A humorous story about Christmas. It tells the story of the church Christmas program and a dog named Walter.

[Meredith]

This is a Dave Barry book, so of course it's funny. I can't imagine him writing a book that isn't funny. But it was also surprisingly heartfelt, with a similar feel to The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. Also, Frank made me cry. I can see this becoming a Christmas tradition for me.

[PFramp]

Fun, light read that made me smile

[Watchdogg]

My GR friend Beth recently read and commented on this book, and I realized I hadn't read any Christmas related stories this year and decided I would read this one. It's funny from start to finish but it presents a series of haphazard events ending on Christmas Day that drives home the message behind the reason for celebrating Christmas in the first place. In other words, the real Christmas message is not lost in this tale. In fact, although reached in a comical way, its meaningfulness is there loud and clear.

Let me share a personal anecdote. I was born on Christmas Day in 1945. I've been told that my little cousin, Rosemary, upon hearing of my birth, cried when she found out that my mother did not name me Jesus. Later, my mother was heard to have said that her due date was on Ground Hog Day and that my arrival on Christmas was to her a great blessing. I remind myself of that personal story from time to time throughout the year. I'm grateful for the story of Christmas year-round.

OK - it's January - Merry Christmas to all. 4 bright and shiny Christmas stars.

[SouthWestZippy]

Taken from the book jacket. "The year is 1960, and as it is every year, the Christmas pageant at St. John's Episcopal Church, directed by Mrs. Elkins, who used to be in the Theater in New York, and who is tall and skinny with hair the color of the orange part of a candy corn, is a very big deal. Doug is a shepherd this year, which is better than being a Three King, because for one thing, you get to carry a stick." Things happen in this very realistic family setting, some funny and some not. Book is a quick read with a touch of sadness and lots of humor.

[Lisa]

What a hoot! We read this while traveling to our church mission trip in Kentucky. A quick read, a bit off-color, but heart-warming as well as humorous! A nice Christmas read - could be done in one hour, out-loud. The author takes you back to family in the 60s, small town, small church experiences, as well as the central role family pets play in a child's life.

[Lois Brady]

Read it, then listened to it with my husband on the way to Thanksgiving. To hear him burst out laughing or snicker along was so worth it! Takes me right back to when I was little, performing in church Christmas pageants, the high jinks we got up to, the joy of being with your peers and cracking each other up despite getting in trouble for it.

[Heather]

This book had me in tears from laughing so hard! My husband said it was funny to hear me giggle. This is a must read, especially if you are stressed from the holidays. Quick and Witty read.

[Audrey]

Very funny and sweet. The best part were the great vintage photos--loved them! It's a fun, quick read for December when you just need a good laugh, in an hour or less.

[Jordan]

A touching, lighthearted Christmas romp with the trademark Dave Barry hilarity. A ton of fun to read aloud.

[Teri]

This is a short, cute book in the vein of A Christmas Story about a young boy, Doug Barnes, who is playing a shepherd in his church's youth play on the birth of Jesus for Christmas. Wherever Doug and his fellow shepherds are chaos ensues, exasperating Mrs. Elkins, the play's director. Although Doug tries to be the good kid to try and win the heart of the young girl, Judy Flanders, playing Mary, he still constantly gets caught up in the shenanigans of his friends. The story also centers around Frank, the lovable canine of the Barnes family. Frank's not doing too well, and the family is concerned about how Doug's sister, who is Frank's constant companion, would take the news should something happen to the beloved family member. They cross their fingers in hopes that all goes well until after the holidays...but you know it won't.

Classic Dave Berry story and writing. Some laugh-out-loud moments.

[Karen Clements]

Warning: This book is a choking hazard! Do not attempt to read while eating or drinking, as you will likely injure yourself when you burst out laughing at Barry's story. Barry adopts the voice of junior high student Doug Barnes, who lives in the New York suburbs in 1960. It's Christmas and Doug is once more in the annual Christmas Eve pageant, but he's dealing with such crises as a girl he really likes (who is Mary opposite the perfect Joseph), car ants (now you have to read it!), mischievous fellow pageant shepherds, a longsuffering pageant director, a really sick family dog, and the flat tire that threatens to derail everything. Easily read in a single sitting, this is perfect for setting the holiday mood. The illustrations help evoke the nostalgia throughout the book. You'll laugh and cry and laugh some more.
Highly recommended