Saint Nicholas receives a fresh treatment in this made-up fable full of truth. Upon taking a wondrous journey with a magical donkey, young Nicholas learns his true calling through dreams, travel bridging time and space, and an encounter with the One who inspired his life. Any reader, young or old, who still has a sense of wonder will be embraced by this lovely and memorable tale. Complete with captivating illustrations by artist Margarita Sikorskaia, A Letter from Saint Nicholas, To Children of Every Age is sure to become a Christmas classic.
Jay Hornbacher has written and performed stories about Saint Nicholas for over thirty years and is now, at the age of eighty, putting them into print. Among his other writings is a one-man performance piece, Into the Darkness, Into the Light, a compilation of scripture, poetry, and characters he created, which he toured around the country. His sixty-year-career includes directing or acting in more than one hundred plays. He has served on the staffs of two Episcopal churches, designing education programs and creating liturgical drama. He lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota, with his wife Gayle Bintliff, a Lutheran pastor. His daughter Marya Hornbacher is a noted best-selling American author. Jay loves dogs, dreams, and the world of his wild imagination.
Margarita Sikorskaia was born in St. Petersburg, Russia, and grew up a free-spirited tomboy, climbing trees, zooming on a bike, getting dirty, and getting into trouble. But most of all she could sit quietly and draw for hours. Margarita came to the United States in 1990 having trained in art at the Hertzen Pedagogical University of St. Petersburg, and settled in Minneapolis. A prolific and passionate artist, she has exhibited her paintings throughout the country. Margarita turned her attention to illustration in 2009, and takes much pride and pleasure
“I know this storyteller well; I have listened to him spin his wild and wonderful tales since the day I was born. This story of wonder, of searching, of miracles and grace, takes us on a journey that is both strange and familiar, silly and sacred, and leads us ultimately to what is holy in us all. I am thrilled that readers young and old can now open this book and enter the warm, wise, and awesome world that I have known for so long—a world of fantastical stories that are, at the end of the day, deeply true.” —Marya Hornbacher, New York Times best-selling author of five books, including Madness: A Bipolar Life, Wasted, and other works
“The world is forever in need of astonishment. But how do we find the one thing that keeps us young? We need just an eye-blink and a sure-footed donkey when the path becomes dangerous. In his delightful tale with a touch of danger, Jay Hornbacher provides the way forward to the love that makes us whole.” —J. P. White, poet, novelist, and screenwriter
“Jay Hornbacher is an old soul with a young heart, and his enchanting book tells of a young Nicholas on an amazing journey to a timeless scene, led by a visionary beast who, in the end, is the lovable miracle of this creative Christmas tale.” —Steven Davis, UCC pastor and theologian
