Publisher's Synopsis
In the small, quiet town of northern Ontario, in Canada, 8-year-old Callum stumbles upon an abandoned treehouse hidden high up in an old oak tree on an abandoned property at the edge of town. Among the dusty beams and forgotten memories, he finds an ancient-looking book with gold-leaf trim titled Age of Cael. Intrigued, Callum and his best friend Jimmy, a curious 7-year-old, begin reading its pages. They are transported into the mystical ancient world of Cael, a young boy living in a druid village at the dawn of Christianity's spread across Europe.
As they delve deeper into Cael's journey, they uncover ancient traditions, sacred rituals, and the blending of the people's customs with new Christian beliefs. The story reaches a pivotal moment during the Winter Solstice celebration, when three monks arrive in Cael's village, sharing the story of Christ's birth and the words given to all from the Good Book. In a symbolic and surprising twist, the villagers' evergreen branches-woven into a circle for their winter solstice rituals -are reimagined as part of a new celebration for the birth of Christ, Christmas only days after the winter solstice. Guided by the monks, the villagers hang evergreen wreaths and place gifts beneath an evergreen tree as offerings for the birth of Jesus, blending the ancient symbol of the evergreen's eternal life with the Christian message of hope and light, even in the darkness of winter. Eager to learn more, Cael joins the monks at their monastery, where he learns to read, write, and document his village's history. In the end, Cael's transformation and acceptance of Christianity lead him to write the very book that Callum and Jimmy are now reading, connecting past and present in a story of faith, tradition, family, and friendship. Winter's Light Story is a tale of discovery, blending history and imagination, as two modern-day boys uncover the timeless journey of one boy's quest for knowledge and faith.
