My Christmas Attic

Cute little story about a little boy with dyslexia who has wild iminagnation . His Dad has been lost at war., he has so ideas that dad has been captured . Never figured out in end if the dad came home or if he dreams it.

The author delivered a touching story of a family's hopes and dreams - dashed. The year was 1952. For many, it was a time of misery. A half a world away, the United States was at War. Many hearts broken, there were countless soldiers who never made it back home alive from the Forgotten War - Korea.

This tale sets its sights on one GI in particular. Missing in action or killed in action, the government couldn't be sure. There was one thing for certain, though; two innocent victims were left in his wake - his wife, Cora, and young son, Jake. With special attention given, the young protagonist was well-drawn. From beginning to end, the insurmountable burden that fell upon their lives pulled at my aching heartstrings.

As if life wasn't already doling out enough lemons, Jake had a learning disability known as dyslexia. For him, some words came out backwards while others just simply got jumbled up during his reading sessions in class. For his struggles, the bullies had a field day with his emotions. His anxiety became so acute that his time in school was worse than troubling. It weighed heavily upon his mind.

To help escape the reality of his daily woes, Jake painstakingly set up a Christmas scene in the attic. It was really more of a dedication to his father - a memorial. Meant for his eyes only, many of his father's personal items became part of the Christmas scene. Alone in the attic, Jake would get lost in his own world of dreams that rushed him to distant galaxies. Finding solace in that small secluded space, he hoped for it to last forever. Deep down inside he knew that nothing ever does.

Many unexpected twists to his already dire predicament waited just around the corner in this well-written storyline. It was time to strap on my seat belt; the narrative was about to go into overdrive. With dry eyes a thing of the past, I was unprepared for the ending.

There's no reading this enchanting book without getting moved in the process. For a jaunt back in time when everything in life seemed to come to a screeching standstill, hope always remained with each new passing a day. I heartily recommend this book that apparently, keeps giving. I might also recommend coming prepared. Have a tissue at the ready; it may prove to be a bit of a tearjerker.

I would like to extend my gratitude to NetGalley and Sunbury Press, Inc. / Brown Posey Press for this ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.