The Christmas Pony By Melody Carlson

Eight-year-old Lucy Turnbull knew better than to wish for a pony that Christmas in 1937. Her mother had assured her in no uncertain terms that asking for a pony was the same as asking for the moon. Besides, the only extra mouths they needed at their boarding house were the paying kind. But when an interesting pair of strangers comes to town, Lucy starts to believe her Christmas wishes might just come true after all. The queen of the Christmas novel, Melody Carlson pens another magical tale of expectation and excitement as one little girl dreams big and the impossible becomes possible. Melody Carlson has written around 200 books for teens, women and children. That's a lot of books, but mostly she considers herself a "storyteller." Her books range from serious issues like schizophrenia (Finding Alice) to lighter topics like house-flipping (A Mile in My Flip-Flops) but most of the inspiration behind her fiction comes right out of real life. Her young adult novels (Diary of a Teenage Girl, TrueColors etc.) appeal to teenage girls around the world. Her annual Christmas novellas become more popular each year. She's won a number of awards (including the Rita and Gold Medallion) and some of her books have been optioned for film/TV. Carlson has two grown sons and makes her home in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and yellow Lab dog To say I was sad is the truth about this book. It was so good I hated to see it end. It was a very fast easy read! Every year I pick up Melody's Christmas books and read them. This is a book that warms you inside. You will know that prayers work after this  read. Little Lucy prays for three things, her mothers smile to come back, a new daddy and a Christmas pony. A little faith is all it takes!  You will want to grab a cup of hot chocolate and a quilt and settle in with this fun winter read. A copy of this book was given to me as a gift!