RAR #254: What’s So Great About A Christmas Carol?

Read-Aloud Revival ®

"Marley was dead, to begin with."

That is one of the most famous first lines in English literature. It comes from A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, which is perhaps the greatest Christmas ghost story ever told.

What is it that speaks to so many of us about this story of Scrooge and his ghosts?

Today I want to talk about what makes this story so beloved and enduring–from its original bestselling release in 1843 through countless adaptations–to the place of fondness and tradition it has in so many of our homes today.

In this episode, you’ll hear from RAR Premium members; Joe Sutphin, who did the beautiful illustrations for Little Christmas Carol; Samantha Silva, author of Mr. Dickens and His Carol; and some RAR kids on the lasting impact of Dickens’s tale and what they love so much about A Christmas Carol.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• Why we love A Christmas Carol as a read-aloud for the whole family
• How Joe Sutphin illustrated and populated Scrooge’s world for Little Christmas Carol
• The real backstory of why Dickens wrote A Christmas Carol, which inspired Samantha Silva’s novel

Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:

• Read-Aloud Revival
• Waxwing Books
• Subscribe to the Newsletter

Find the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/all-about-a-christmas-carol

📖 Order your copy of Painting Wonder: How Pauline Baynes Illustrated the Worlds of C. S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien by Katie Wray Schon.