Christmas Smiles is a heartwarming modern-day tale of family and belonging. All the characters were realistic, but I thought Laina, the main character, to be especially well done. I just wanted to hug and comfort this twelve-year-old girl who’s dealing with the loss of her parents, feeling unwanted and unloved in the home of her uncle. All is not as it seems, however, as a little mystery develops around an unexpected scare–which, of course, increased my reasons for reading this story almost in one sitting. When all I wanted was for the family to be happy together, a twist made it end even better than I was hoping.

This atmospheric short story set on a snowy farm at Christmastime will inspire you to cherish the family around you.