Christmas Tales 8

By Storm Cloud Publishing

Whether your Christmas is touched by joy or sadness, you’re wrangling kids or elves (is there much difference?), fending off dragons or sharing dinner with your woodland friends, or simply looking for that quiet time, there’s sure to be something in here for everyone.
With stories and poems from Jo Mularczyk, Debra Williams, Elizabeth Klein, Jill Barlow, Bobby Cohen, Jacqui, Hewlett, James Jesse, Sam Blake and Lucy Marbelone.
A Christmas-themed collection of short stories and poems suitable for kids 8-12 years – or that child in all of us.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Storm Cloud Publishing
• Release date: Nov 30, 2023
• ISBN: 9781925285642

Book preview

Christmas Tales 8

A collection of Christmas stories for kids 8 – 12 years

There are nine cheeky elves on the cover. Can you find them all?

Christmas Tales 8

Copyright remains with the individual authors

Published by Storm Cloud Publishing (2023)

ISBN: 978-1-925285-64-2 Smashwords Edition

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient.

If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, please go to Smashwords.com or any online bookstore and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of the authors.

Junior Fiction: A collection of Christmas themed short stories from writers all around the world.

Fun and adventure, Christmas celebrations, Family relationships, Animals, Poetry, Christmas legends, Santa Claus, the Magic of Christmas

Ages 8 – 12 years

Contents

The Best Fit

Jo Mularczyk

The Secret Christmas Gifts

Debra Williams

Dragon Nights

Elizabeth Klein

Photos with Santa

Jill Barlow

The Old Man Santa Claus

Bobby Cohen

The Gift of Christmas

Jacqui Hewlett

The Choirmaster and the Sugar Sticks

James Jesse

Christmas Star

Sam Blake

The Trouble with Emojis

Lucy Marbelone

About the Authors

Storm Cloud ebooks

The Best Fit

Jo Mularczyk

Gracie read the flier for what felt like the hundredth time.

Join Santa’s Workshop

Christmas helpers needed

Applicants must be friendly, hardworking and full of Christmas cheer

All welcome

‘But would I be welcome?’ Gracie wondered.

She knew she was friendly, and her father had taught her to be hardworking. He was the chief banker for the North Pole and he’d never missed a day’s work. As for Christmas cheer, her home was filled with decorations all year round and she knew every carol ever written. But there was one enormous problem… Gracie was a goblin.

The pictures on the flier were of smiling elves in petite elfin suits. They wore dainty elfin hats and cute pointed shoes. Gracie wiggled her huge goblin feet with a sigh. She turned to her wardrobe. Nothing petite in there.

Her mother had always made Gracie’s clothes when she was a young goblin. Now Gracie did it herself. She bought the fabric from the North Pole Textile Store by special order. Sometimes they sold her curtain material or even bed sheets which could be a little embarrassing. Gracie tried not to mind too much though, because most of the time they would make up special extra-large reams of fabric for her.

Gracie reached into her wardrobe and selected a red shirt and her most festive overalls. She tried them on and gazed in the mirror. Something was still missing. A pair of candy cane earrings completed the image of Christmas cheer. She waggled her head and watched as the earrings jangled. They were actual candy cane decorations which Gracie had modified to make earrings large enough for her goblin-sized ears.

You can’t get more full of Christmas cheer than that, Gracie laughed.

In a moment of confidence, Gracie lifted her head proudly and headed off to Santa’s workshop.

There was a large group of elves waiting outside the doors. They vibrated with chatter and laughter. Gracie lingered nervously at the back.

The door opened to reveal Donny, Santa’s chief elf. He nodded a greeting to the waiting crowd and the bell on the end of his jaunty little elf hat jingled.

"It’s wonderful to see all you eager elves. As you know, Christmas is only a month away,