THE SCARECROW WHO WAITED FOR CHRISTMAS

About the Book

The scarecrow that farmer Hiram Browne built had outlived its usefulness, for as the gray squirrel declared, “No corn has grown there for many a year.” Sensing the approach of advancing years, Hiram sought to advise his weather-beaten craft. But the scarecrow was more than the wood, straw, and cloth that Hiram had invested. The scarecrow had a heart. Having survived the onslaught of the New England winter, "Although I'm but a scarecrow, I have a soldier's heart." As a soldier, he was determined to claim a glorious destiny serving the newborn king. Church bells broke the midnight stillness with clarion chimes proclaiming the holy birth. It was then that the meaning of Christmas dawned in his soldier heart. Joyful children echoed yuletide gladness, their arms laden with Christmas gifts. But only one gift was given to a little boy in the old house. This was the true gift of the Christ Child’s appearing, and to the sick little boy, it brought healing on its wings. This magical story captures the meaning of Christmas in a unique and beautiful way, concluding with a happy and surprise ending.

About the Author

Nellie Schaub is a graduate of Pennsylvania State University, with postgraduate studies at Kutztown University. She majored in art education and social studies. She has taught in Phillipsburg, New Jersey, and in her hometown, Hazleton, Pennsylvania. Born and raised in Northeastern Pennsylvania, she can recall the twilight years of the reign of King Coal. As a child, she would awake to the sound of colliery whistles calling miners to their work sites far below ground. Anthracite coal was the black gem that fueled the Industrial Revolution in America. The sound of coal rushing down a chute meant warm winters, for it delivered steady, cozy heat. The winters of her youth were long and snowy, and the jingle of chains on passing cars was a familiar winter tune. She is the mother of three children: Zade and Mary Teresa Constantine, and Deanna Schaub. She is retired and living in her hometown, where she enjoys a hobby of puppetry. She has performed her story, “The Scarecrow Who Waited for Christmas,” using a combination of narrator, music, and animal puppets for appreciative audiences at numerous holiday events.