The Night I Met Father Christmas cover art

The Night I Met Father Christmas

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The Night I Met Father Christmas

By: Ben Miller
Narrated by: Ben Miller
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About this listen

 ‘A sheer delight for all kids both big AND small’ Ruth Jones

'Bubbles with warmth and mischievous humour . . . irresistible' Alexander Armstrong

'Wonderful, funny, magical' Chris Evans on How I Became a Dog Called Midnight

Enter a world of wonder with this heartfelt Christmas classic from bestselling children's author Ben Miller.

Jackson knows all about the flying reindeer, he knows about the elves and the secret North Pole workshop, he knows about the magic that allows Father Christmas to deliver presents around the world in just one night, but there's one thing he doesn't know . . . how did Father Christmas become Father Christmas?

That all changes when, one Christmas Eve, Jackson meets Father Christmas and hears his incredible story.

So begins an enchanting fairy-tale into a magical snowy landscape, where Torvil, a mean-spirited and miserly elf, is about to discover the true meaning of Christmas. This might not have been the story Jackson was expecting but, as Father Christmas tells him, no good story ever is...

With beautiful illustrations throughout from Daniela Jaglenka Terrazzini and warm, funny words from Ben Miller, this book will remind everyone of the true spirit of Christmas and prove once and for all that Father Christmas really does exist!

Praise for Ben Miller
'A magical adventure' Sunday Express on The Day I Fell Into a Fairytale
'Great for reading aloud' The Week Junior on The Day I Fell Into a Fairytale
'A fire-side gem of a story' Abi Elphinstone on The Night I Met Father Christmas
'Fabulous' Sunday Express on The Boy Who Made the World Disappear
'Enchanting, funny and intriguing in equal measure' Philip Ardagh on The Night I Met Father Christmas
'Each of [Ben’s] five books is joyous and thoughtful' Red Magazine©2018 Ben Miller (P)2018 Simon & Schuster UK Chapter Books & Readers Fiction Literature & Fiction Celebration Winter Christmas Fantasy Elf Celebrity Funny Feel-Good

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All stars
Most relevant  
Love it and I love all the voices
It was so good one of my fav author

My review

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It took me a little while to get into this but I can honestly say, I throughly enjoyed this story and the narration was fantastic. Would thoroughly recommend for a light hearted easy read!

Fabulous

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Thoroughly enjoyed every word. The perfect listen for Christmas. Loved the surprising unfolding of Father Christmas's story.

Delightful

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A wonderful twist on Santa Claus and a perfect Christmas story for all ages! All the Christmas magic read wonderfully by the author would recommend for any age!

So Christmassy!

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How the story was so good I felt like I was Jackson in Santa's

Muzic

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Two stories for the price of one, or rather, a new version of A Christmas Carol with Father Christmas as the protagonist, and a boy who meets him being told his story.

Ben Miller makes an affable narrator for his own work, and writes a highly competent story with bookends and asides from the characters telling a story as we follow the travels of a sleigh on Christmas Eve and the story of an unusual Scrooge.

I thought I'd found the ideal Christmas story when Matt Haig brought us the origin story (and sequels) of Father Christmas, but I am happy to add Miller's tale to our December reading list.

Jackson knows a lot about Christmas, but has a few questions for the man himself. Like many before him, he stays up on December 24th planning to meet the man. And surprisingly, he does, and finds himself learning more than he ever expected about the elves and what Christmas is really all about.

The story Jackson is told is interspersed with his journey alongside Father Christmas, and both contain a wisp of magic as we watch them deliver gifts. The story of a mean-spirited elf called Torvil immediately shows its shared structure and themes with Dickens' classic, but gives us the unique setting of the elves' village, and builds in elements that will eventually fit our shared picture of Christmas.

Miller voices all his own characters, and does it well, though I did find his choice for Torvil didn't fit my image of the elf. It was a story that might confuse young listeners as the story being told stops regularly to return to Jackson , but I think readers won't have an issue following it and children listening shouldn't have an issue as long as they are old enough to understand that books do not always follow a linear pattern.

I loved the use of A Christmas Carol and how it was adapted for the elves world, and also how it fit into Jackson's story. It felt seasonal, magical and is a lovely read to lead into the festive period. I'll be listening with my 7-year-old next month in the run-up to Christmas.

With thanks to Nudge Books for providing a sample Audible copy.

A (Father) Christmas Carol.

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It is a lovely book and makes you think that anyone can change even if you are lonely and miserable just like Torvil Christmas is shown to be in the book.It is a great Christmas story and you can believe anything once you have read this book.

Lovely Christmas story

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fantastic story and wonderful naration didnt want it to end.lovely christmas story. looking for more by ben miller

lloved it

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wow, just an excellent story with links to some of the classic Christmas stories. A really nice warm feeling of giving when.. really sets you back to thr true meaning of Christmas and gifting and helping each other.

well worth a listen 👍🎄🎅

Fantastic and Magical

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it's so well read
British dry sarcasm that fitted with the narrative

new way of telling a type of Christmas carol story without the bah humbug
perfect Xmas story for kids and adults aswell

what a lovely story

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