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Cottonwood Winter: A C Story | 
| Author: Gary Slaughter
Publisher: Fletcher House
Category: Book
List Price: $24.00
Buy New: $8.00
You Save: $16.00 (67%)
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Avg. Customer Rating:  2 reviews
Sales Rank: 1138996
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 416
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.8
Dimensions (in): 9.1 x 6.2 x 1.3
ISBN: 0974420638
EAN: 9780974420639
ASIN: 0974420638
Publication Date: December 15, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
Cottonwood Winter: A Christmas Story is the sequel to the author's critically acclaimed Cottonwood Fall, finalist for the 2007 Benjamin Franklin Award for Popular Fiction. Set in a Michigan small town during the winter of 1944, this heartwarming story interweaves historic events on the European war front with home front mysteries, all to be solved by Jase Addison, the now adult narrator, and his best friend, the inimitable Danny Tucker. Storylines include dealing with the threat of a murderous German espionage agent and the baffling disappearance of a Santa Claus look alike. During a broadcast interview with author Gary Slaughter, John Seigenthaler, public television host of a Word on Words, refers to these two eleven-year-old boys as this generation's Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn. The Cottonwood novels attract those who cherish the memory of a simplier time and seek to relive the past or desire to share this important historical period with children and grandchildren. Readers of all ages are entertained by richly-detailed reminiscenses of home-front America during the last year of World War II and downright good humor.
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| Customer Reviews:
A Reading Treat for Young and Old Alike December 14, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Set during the last year of World War II in the small town of Riverton, Michigan (a fictionalized version of the author's hometown--Owosso, Michigan), Cottonwood Winter: A Christmas Story is a charming interweaving of history, mystery, comedy and good, wholesome storytelling. It's rare to find a novel that will appeal to readers from ages 9 to 90, but in Cottonwood Winter Gary Slaughter has truly created a story that educates as it entertains. Youngsters will keep reading the book out of interest in the antics of young heroes Jase Addison and Danny Tucker (perhaps not realizing that they're "accidentally" learning a lot about 1944 United States in the process). Older folks will read through feelings of nostalgia, as they recall their own wheres and whens during the war that Dwight Eisenhower called a "great and noble undertaking." Everyone in between will keep turning the pages because it's just an interesting and well-written story.
Admittedly, it's sometimes difficult to determine if Cottonwood Winter is a memoir or a novel. The first-person narrative is so pointed at times that it goes beyond the reasonably-biased voice of an unreliable narrator. After hearing Slaughter speak and read, it will be impossible for a reader not to hear Slaughter in the written words of Jase Addison. However, this doesn't necessarily deflect from the author's ingenious use of his own history to create an intriguing story.
The entire Cottonwood series (as Winter does follow Summer and Fall) is perfectly suited for gift-giving, reading in your favorite easy chair, and recommending to friends; but Winter can stand alone, as the reader doesn't feel thrown into an already-begun story. The novel holds its own as an enjoyable (and deceptively educational) reading experience.
Emily Booth Masters
Emily Booth Masters is the Director of Young Writers Programs for
Humanities Tennessee. Her work focuses on encouraging young people to
read, write and generally enhance their lives by developing a love for
literature and the written word.
This third in a series of books recounting the last year of World War II, as told from the perspective of a young boy living in a small town in Michigan, is certainly a Christmas gift to readers from award-winning author Gary Slaughter.
Jase Addison in this installment is certain to remind readers of Ralphie's ("A Christmas Story") wide-eyed and funny first-person account of adventures around the Christmas season.
There is something in this plot-driven novel for everybody. Readers who prefer an upbeat story will enjoy the adventures that also offer a nostalgic look back at life on the home front during World War II and is packed full of accurate historical information about the War and life in America during the 1940s. It's an ideal breezy read for Middle Schoolers needing to beef up on more recent American history, members of The Greatest Generation who will appreciate the rich details of everyday life that will ring true, and anyone who ever grew up in Michigan.
If you're fed up with angst-ridden characters in dysfunctional relationships, this is a breath of fresh air and the perfect novel to curl up by the fire to enjoy this winter.
Julie Schoerke
Cottonwood Winter makes me hungry for more. December 8, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
After reading Cottonwood Summer, Cottonwood Fall, and now Cottonwood Winter (a Christmas Story), I can hardly wait for the next of the series to arrive.
It is easy to understand why Gary Slaughter's second novel of the series, "Cottonwood Fall" was selected as the runner up earlier this year for the Benjamin Franklin Award, a very prestigious accomplishment for any author.
Each of the series so far have had just a little twist of differentness (is that a legal word?) to keep his writings unpredictable. The only thing that "is" predictable is that I will keep reading, as long as Gary keeps writing.
In Cottonwood Winter, the storyline follows not only the young boys Jase and Danny in their adventures, but also other colorful characters, that eventually channel down into the final chapters of the book, keeping you in suspense the whole time.
Not only are Gary's books entertaining, they are very educational in history of life in the mid 1940's, especially for the many interesting facts of WWII and its ties to Jase and Danny's small Midwest town.
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