A Return to Christmas by Chris Heimerdinger

Until he was three years old, Artemus Holiday and his twin brother, Andrew, had shared the adventures of life together. But when young Artemus lost his brother in a terrible tragedy on Christmas day, the miracle of the Christmas season seemed forever shrouded by a cloud of sadness and despair.

But miracles have been known to happen during this time of year.

This heartwarming Christmas story follows the lives of two eleven-year-old heroes--the weary and cynical Artemus and an outcast named Chess, a homeless con artist with a heart of gold. Through a simple twist of fate, these boys will find themselves swept into the adventure of a lifetime--one that takes them beyond their wildest imaginings.


This book is a Prince and the Pauper Christmas story. Twins separated at a young age, one poor, the other rich, they swap places unknowingly and learn lessons they each need.
I liked this story the first time I read it.  It's an easy and quick read. Many different situations and solutions are convenient but the story is a good one.

Ratings:
S: None
L: None
V: Some slapping, punching, etc.


Page 69 test:
""Tell me something, Mom." Chess said to Charlotte that morning at breakfast. It surprised even him how easily "Mom" and "Dad" now came to his lips. "How come we hardly got any Christmas decorations?"
Chess knew he might be treading on thin ground by interfering with family custom. But after last night, he'd started to believe he might infallible. He could do or say anything; it didn't matter. His membership in this family was inextricable. After eleven years of loneliness and chaos, the gods of destiny were finally smiling down. As a result, Chess Folsom was determined to live to the fullest every fantasy every orphan had ever craved. At the top of his list was a full-blown, no-holds-barred family Christmas extravaganza.
However, to his consternation, his question only seemed to have caused a rather uncomfortable hush.
"What do you mean?" Charlotte replied uneasily, still in in hopes that someone might change the subject. No one came to the rescue.
"I mean, look at this place," said Chess. "You call that a Christmas tree? How come we don't go out and get a real tree? And real Christmas lights--hundreds of 'em. I bet we could do up this place twice as good as anybody else in this neighborhood. We could create a light show bright enough to be seen from the moon!"
Chess could feel the mood in the room growing tense, but he chose to ignore it. How could such a subject possibly be..."