Coming Through the Blizzard: A Christmas Story

by Eileen Spinelli, Jenny Tylden-Wright (Illustrator)

One Christmas Eve not long ago it snowed.
And snowed.
And snowed. Who will come through the blizzard to the Christmas Eve service at the little blue church? The minister and the custodian, Tom Cat and a starling, and a little boy in his mother's arms. But something is still missing. Not until the last guest arrives will Christmas finally come.

Genres: Picture Books, Christmas, Childrens, Holiday

32 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 1999

About the author

Eileen Spinelli is an award-winning children's book author from southeastern Pennsylvania. She has written over 100 picture books and novels for children. Her husband is Jerry Spinelli, who also writes books for children.

Reviews

[Sharon]

This is another favorite of mine; we read this every year during Advent.

[Danette]

12/6/19 Read with Naomi and Julia

[Anna Wooliver Phillips]

This is a great book with quilt like illustrations. But seriously that cat is a panther in disguise watch out. 😂

[Jenny]

It is Christmas Eve and there has been a blizzard. The minister lights candles and prepares, wondering: Will anyone come to the church for the Christmas Eve service? A starling came and then the custodian. One by one, animals and people enter the church.

Dec. 2020: After a most unusual year...this book touched me differently than before. I long for big gatherings. I feel such gratitude for church services. I love that people left the warmth of their homes and made the sacrifices necessary to gather in church on Christmas Eve to celebrate together the Savior's birth. We gathered last Sunday, but like other weeks this year, there were only a few of us...we sat 6 or more feet apart and we left quietly after the service ended. I long for hugs and handshakes and a full chapel and all that I have known and experienced in the past at Christmastime. Hopefully, 2021 will offer a return to all that I love and have missed this year.

[Luisa Knight]

A wintry story about who will make it to the church on Christmas Eve.

Ages: 3 - 7

Cleanliness: nothing to note.

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[Kylie Hodgson]

I absolutely loved everything about this book. The story is about people assembling in a church and preparing for the Christmas celebration. It starts off with the minister preparing the church the night before and the leads to the janitor cleaning the church the morning of Christmas. Finally Christmas day comes and many people begin to assemble in the church. The church fills up and finally it is Christmas.
The illustrations of this book are beautiful and done with colored pencil. They add an element to the story that the text does not.

[Josiah]

I would give this book at least one and a half stars.
Simplicity of speech seems to be a watermark in almost all of Eileen Spinelli's writing. Upon reading a book of hers I can't always put my finger on just why I like it, but I always do seem to like it. Coming Through the Blizzard is no different.
This basic Christmas story is a nice, short read that I enjoyed completely. The gorgeous artwork of Jenny Tylden-Wright wonderfully accents the minimal text.

[Tricia]

Beautifully illustrated book recounts the arrival in church on Christmas of creatures one by one from the tomcat to the moth to custodian and finally, Christmas in the form of a stranger. Captures the warm and cheerful mood related to the holiday.

[Laura]

A sweet church-based true-spirit-of-Christmas book.

[Kristin]

Pictures have great color. Story didn't catch River's attention, so I improvised and the pictures came to life.