Silent Night, Holy Night: The Story of the Christmas Truce

by Stephen Wunderli, David Warner (Narrator)

December 1914 was grim for the thousands of soldiers who had dug into the frozen trenches on either side of Flanders Field. What lay between them in the early months of the First Great War was a field of sorrow - No Man's Land - littered with barbed wire and decaying corpses. This sober background is the setting for this very powerful and poignant true story previously known as "The Christmas Truce." For two days, their guns were silent as men who had shot at each other only hours before experienced a miracle, as they laid down their weapons to exchange gifts and special holiday traditions. This common bond of Christmas was shared in a spontaneous celebration that culminated in the singing of the beloved carol "Silent Night." Almost a century later this amazing story is retold by Walter Cronkite with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square in this beautiful Christmas gift book, Beautifully illustrated by Robert T. Barrett. A CD with Walter Cronkite's incomparable narration of the story and the Choir's stirring rendition of "Silent Night" is included with this must-have Christmas keepsake. This book and CD will become a Christmas tradition for families across the country. The book contains Cronkite's narration and so families can listen to the CD as they follow along in the book. This story of peace on earth is as applicable today as it was then.

Genres: Christmas, Picture Books, History, Nonfiction

32 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2003

About the author

STEPHEN WUNDERLI, author of The Blue Between the Clouds and The Heartbeat of Halftime, lives in Salt Lake City, Utah, with his wife and four children.

Reviews

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many years ago, well, 40 to be exact, my husband and I celebrated our first Christmas together as newlyweds. As was not so uncommon in those days we were poor students and our first Christmas tree was decorated with only candy canes and red gingham bows. It was so skinny it had to be wedged into the tree stand with cardboard shims which eventually would compact, causing our tree to fall over during the night three times between December 1st and Christmas Day. We got to decorate three times! Our gifts were inexpensive and few but we were very happy. That year we started a couple of traditions - buying a snowflake ornament. Dressing up for Christmas Eve so we could spend Christmas Day in our jammies if so inclined. And purchasing a Christmas book every year with the plan to read one every night during the advent season to our imagined future children.

Well, somewhere, somehow, the snowflakes have become not 40 but around 200 and our modest Christmas library, first consisting of The Night Before Christmas and How the Grinch Stole Christmas, became equally bloated. So we parsed some out to our kids and gave some more away to friends with littles, and gave some more to the friends of the library. This year is the year the remainder will be rehoused. Except for those first two, those I’m keeping, along with a very few others. Which is how I’ve come to be rereading them during the wind up to Christmas.

And here is another, beloved by me, true Christmas story. I hold back one star only because this is a picture book but is really for older children and might be only truly appreciated by teens and adults. Telling the story of a Christmas truce between German and British forces dug into the trenches of Flanders, Belgium, it may be a little too much for younger readers.

My great-uncle Jimmy served in Belgium during WWI and I am unaware of any stories he might ever have shared about his service. I do know that sensing my early teenaged aggravation at being put upon to help her deliver a foil wrapped plate of Christmas dinner to her older brother at his modest, messy, approximately 185 degrees F in December home, and actually sit and visit for a few minutes, my grandmother turned to me on our way back to the car and simply said, “He wasn’t always like this.” Being a stupid teenager, gasping for fresh air, he may have had 63 cats or that could be my imagination, and still a little weirded out by his perpetually sunken, weepy, red eyes I asked not a single question. But I did remember and as an adult I have since wondered many things about what he was like, what happened to him during the war, how had he changed? There is, after all, more than one way to lose your life.

Back to the book - this comes with a CD of Walter Cronkite reading the story and music from that performance, including Silent Night by the Tabernacle Choir, and a violinist playing Handel’s Largo while Cronkite reads. Lovely. The thing I most love about this story is found on the last page, the last thing mentioned in the afterward: that after their Christmas Day truce the soldiers would not fire on one another again. When ordered to fire they aimed their guns into the air. They all had to be transferred before the war could start back up again.

[Benjamin · Rating 5 out of 5]

The bittersweet story of the World War 1 Christmas Truce…

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting story about the WWI Christmas truce. Just watched a documentary about the world wars and this made it sad. But still a nice story of not fighting on Christmas. A tad wordy

[April · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sweet family tradition. We've read this book for years during the holiday season and love it every time.

[Raelene · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is really a beautiful and touching story about the uniting spirit of Christmas during a rough, cold, long war. It is beautifully told and accompanied with excellent music by the Tabernacle Choir. A Christmas classic.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the amazing and unbelievable true story of Christmas 1914 in Flanders Field. British and German soldiers temporarily ceased fighting to celebrate the holiday. They came out of their trenches to sing, play, and pray together. Clearly they didn’t hate each other even though they were on opposite sides of a war.

“The guns were silent for a day. And when soldiers from both sides returned to their trenches after Christmas and the command to resume was issued, they would fire only at the clouds. The war would not continue until replacements were rotated in”

(This story is also in Keepsake Christmas Stories - Holiday Favorites as Performed with The Tabernacle Choir.)

[Rhonda Gregware · Rating 5 out of 5]

This picture book (with enclosed CD narrated by Walter Cronkite and sung by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir) tells some of the story of the Christmas truce during World War I, when German troops on one side and British, French and Belgian on the other came together in peace for the holiday. This book does not tell all of the stories of that night, from what I've read, up to 100,000 soldiers along the battle lines experienced the truce in different ways. It's a powerful, historical peek at the human spirit celebrating together in the midst of war.

[Angie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This true story, told and illustrated beautifully, inspires the feelings of peace, love and unity one seeks for especially at Christmastime.

Now to the Lord sing praises,
All you within this place,
And with true love and brotherhood
Each other now embrace;
This holy tide of Christmas
All other doth efface.
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful true story of soldiers turning No Man’s Land into common ground. This book will be more appreciated by older children and adults who have some sense of what war is like, and can therefore appreciate how miraculous this Christmas truce was.

[Annelise Rogers · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful telling of the WWI Christmas Truce between German and British soldiers. Beautiful illustrations that truly convey the mood of the story.

[Anita · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice retelling of the WWI Christmas ceasefire.

[Suzan · Rating 5 out of 5]

December 1914 thousands of soldiers were dug into the frozen trenches on either side of Flanders Field. For two days, they stopped shooting at each other, laid down their weapons, and exchanged gifts and special holiday traditions. It was a spontaneous celebration that culminated in the singing of "Silent Night." This book comes with a CD narrated by Walter Cronkite and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir singing Silent Night. It's a beautiful story.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This touching bit of humanity found in the midst of the horrors of war, is a true account of the Christmas truce in 1914. The book includes a CD with the story narrated by Walter Cronkite and "Silent Night" sung by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Be sure to listen to the CD but also read it in its entirety. Beautiful!

[Jennifer Hughes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'd heard the legends of this story before, so reading a story based on the actual accounts of survivors and news was fascinating. There is a lot more to the story than what I'd heard. The only thing I didn't like was that the pictures of war at the front were a little harsh for a picture book that is ostensibly for children.

[Annemarie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVE this book! I was at the concert when Walter Cronkite read this story and I was so glad to see them make it into a storybook. It has really touched me. I love the story, and the pictures are beautiful. It's one that I read often. It's a beautiful book.

[Marilyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, what a wow. I love this (true) story. I read the chapter book for adults on the subject. This was so much more moving. Probably being concise, the story is more real. Trying to collect picture books for December book "advent" with my girls. THanks for the idea, Shauna!

[Teri · Rating 4 out of 5]

The thing that was really nice about this book was the CD! Listen to it instead of reading it yourself. Walter Cronkite is the narrator and when you read about a violinist playing "Largo", you actually get to hear "Largo."

[Rayni · Rating 5 out of 5]

One wouldn't think of this as a picture book, but the illustrations were beautiful. What a heart-breaking book, but yet one of the goodness of mankind. I "read" it on Pearl Harbor Day.

[Teri · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great war story from WW1 where soldiers on opposing sides lay down their arms and celebrate Christmas. It is narrated by Walter Cronkite with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.(Comes with CD)

[Nadine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Added to my collection 2009

[Terrah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great story, but for older kids.

[Etta Mcquade · Rating 4 out of 5]

A touching true account of Christmas 1914 at Flanders Field, and nicely illustrated, which brought tears to my eyes.

[Jody Kyburz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fifth graders loved it! Great way to combine World War I history with Christmas...or vice versa!

[Joy Marie Curtis · Rating 5 out of 5]

beautiful!! images

[Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic Christmas book! Plus it is a true story, way awesome!

[livvy.jane33 · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars
Amazing. Really shows the power music can have.