Janet Lunn's Young Protagonists in One Hundred Shining Candles Are Laura Ingalls-Esque

We’re in tough economic times right now. Nonetheless, that won’t stop millions of Americans from emptying their wallets this holiday season, all in an effort to create an extra bit of Christmas happiness. The spectacle of brightly wrapped presents spilling out from under a dazzling tree is one to which many have become accustomed. That includes me. But Janet Lunn’s One Hundred Shining Candles, illustrated by Lindsay Grater, takes us back to a less extravagant time.

This story takes place in the forests of northern Canada in 1800, so while it’s not quite the same years or locations recollected in the Little House on the Prairie series, it’s close enough for this story to fit in well with those of Laura Ingalls Wilder. The main character is Lucy, a creative, passionate girl of ten whose long, dark braids are yet another reminder of little Laura. She too has a sibling close to her age, but it’s a younger brother instead of an older sister. And instead of a dog, Lucy’s family has a cat. They all live together in a cabin, and though her father works hard, they haven’t any money to spare.

Ma does insist upon one extravagance as December draws to a close. She must have flour to make two loaves of Christmas bread, one for the family and one for the birds in the forest. Her generous example evidently rubs off on Lucy, because the girl hatches a plan to craft an extra-special surprise for her parents, and seven-year-old Dan soon becomes her co-conspirator. They both heard the schoolmaster’s dreamy remembrance of the time he saw a hundred candles all lit up for Christmas. Now their task is to try to replicate that scene at home, albeit on a smaller scale. But that means creating the candles from scratch, and procuring the needed materials. Are these two kids up to the task?

One neat thing about this book is the way it instructs children on a very specific handcrafting process. It’s so involved that I doubt many children will be inspired to give it a shot themselves, but it might make them more appreciative of all the hard work that goes into creating everyday items. There are other aspects of the story that may teach kids a thing or two about history, but just as important are the lessons Lucy and Dan learn about perseverance and selflessness.

Lunn is rather verbose; several pages feature multiple paragraphs, and some of the words might prove a challenge, though that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The pictures, which were made with colored pencil and watercolors, are not on a level with Garth Williams, who illustrated the Little House series, but they evoke the setting well, helping readers to root themselves in a particular time. As Paul Simon might say: “A time of innocence, a time of confidences.” A time when a treasured penny could help provide a small Christmas miracle.