THE NEW EDITION OF "MERRY MYRRH THE CHRISTMAS BAT" IS NOW PUBLISHED THROUGH PANDAMONIUM PUBLISHING! THE ORIGINAL EDITION IS OUT OF PRINT
WINNER OF THE WINTER 2019 PINNACLE BOOK ACHIEVEMENT AWARD IN THE CHILDREN'S CHRISTMAS STORY CATEGORY AND
HONOURABLE MENTION IN THE 2020 PURPLE DRAGONFLY BOOK AWARDS (HOLIDAY CATEGORY)!
Illustrations by Alex Zgud.
Originally published by Guardian Angel Publishing.
Originally launched November 17th, 2018 at Indigo Yonge & Eglinton, Toronto.
Myrrh is a young and very merry brown bat named after one of the gifts of the Magi. He experiences the wonders of his first Christmas among the decorations of a farmhouse, as well as the kindness of the family that discovers him in their home!
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Fun Merry Myrrh activities:
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Check out these REVIEWS for "Merry Myrrh, the Christmas Bat"!
Story Monsters Ink Shelf/Christmas Shelf/Midwest Book Review:
Christmas joy fills the air with a life all its own. Every year it arrives with promises of wonder, whispers of hope, and a sense of well-being for any who are open to it, whether man, or beast, or even a family of little brown barn bats. Animals develop habits and patterns in their lives much like we do. Well, certainly this sweet little family of bats does! They close every year with the enchantment of Christmas lights, smells, and happy feelings, to keep them warm through
their winter hibernation. The author and illustrator bring delightful animation, and a new awareness to these charming barn bats and their plight. More can be learned, and even help offered in preserving these little creatures. (Ages 4-7)
-- Darleen Wohlfeil, StoryMonsters Ink, December 2018 issue
...The story is lovingly illustrated, with gorgeous detail, by Alex Zgud. Readers will feel as if they are looking in the window and seeing the wondrous scene that Myrrh and Sensa see. And like Myrrh, we’ll want to get closer and closer. This adventure could very well be Myrrh’s last one, if not for the kindness of the human farmhouse family.
“Merry Myrrh, the Christmas Bat” is highly recommended for children ages 4 – 7. The younger ones will enjoy the artwork as the story is read to them and the older ones can read it themselves or read to younger siblings. This is a lovely story to be shared and enjoyed each Christmas.
-- Penelope Anne Cole, Children's Book Author
Reader Views Kids:
“Merry Myrrh The Christmas Bat” by Regan W.H. Macaulay is the story about a baby bat who has an interest in Christmas after hearing about its excitement from his parents. Myrrh’s parents are named Mr. and Mrs. Raft, and they are barn bats. Before Myrrh was born, every year they would wake up during the winter to look in the window of a house and see all of the Christmas decorations. The bats see the Nativity first by the window, with the Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh. Then they see the Christmas tree with pretty ornaments and tinsel around it. Next, they see the candles on the mantel over the fire with the stockings and toy sleigh with reindeer. After seeing all of this, the bats go back to the barn and sleep the rest of the winter. Then Myrrh was born, and he was named that because they loved Christmas so much.
The bats talked about Christmas a lot, but they wouldn’t let Myrrh go with them. Myrrh got his friend Sensa Squirrel to wake him up early so he could go on his own, without his parents knowing. When he looked in the window, he saw all of the pretty Christmas decorations, and he saw that the window wasn’t closed all the way. He snuck into the house and got into things and that made the people inside wake up and find him. They were nice and took him back outside to the barn where his parents were waiting for him. His parents forgave Myrrh for sneaking out and they all went back to sleep. I really liked this book because I like reading Christmas books. This was a fun story that I think is a good one to read around Christmas time, or any time of the year. -- Lydia Dehning, Age 6
A Note from Mom: “Merry Myrrh, The Christmas Bat” by Regan W.H. Macaulay was a cute story about the feelings that Christmas can give us. I liked how the author made it a point to talk about both sides of Christmas, the Christian and the secular sides; too often it seems like Christmas is made to be just a secular holiday, when there are quite a few people that celebrate the Christian aspect of the holiday as much, if not more. At the end, the story shows a loving and forgiving set of parents and paints a lovely picture of Christmastime for kids of all ages.
