Book Review: Santa Claus, The Easter Bunny, The Tooth Fairy and Jesus

Santa Claus, The Easter Bunny, The Tooth Fairy and JESUS.

David Vaughn Parry, Sr.

Illustrated by Christine Alt Parry

When I requested this book, I did not know exactly what I would receive in the way of material to review, but I was pleased.

The well put together collection of graphics contained in the cover art portrays four of the central characters in the book and four of America's greatest cultural "myths". The who thrust of the story is that there are only three myths and one true story.

The cover presents pictures of Santa Claus and the strap of his pack over his shoulder, a tooth being carried off somehow by a sort of spritely ephemerous spirit, a hare, and a photo portrait of Jesus looking quizical - asking me to discount the arguments against his story because they are not logical. Only the truth is logical and he is the truth, so he seems to be saying with his eyes,

Logic is the basis of this truth, a point of contact for the reader with the author. This is not dull, dusty logic of old men in power or of doubters and detractors, but one of high spirits, joy, and jubilation as well. There is a Good Spirit overall in this book, and not an imaginary one.

This is not Bible-thumping at all or a Bible tract that attacks the reader or brow beats him or her into guilt or terror, as a few of them do. This book is not guilt-bearing, scary, or highly emotional. It is plain good humor fun with a dose of facts as the author understands them. The text progresses through a logical course of culturally experienced belief and disillusionment in myths and legends such as Santa Claus, Easter Bunny, and Tooth Fairy. However this is where the story takes a turn toward hope and presents to the reader that that the story of Jesus Christ does not have holes, pitfalls, or lies as are present and finally obvious in the the childhood myths that break hearts when they are found out as false.

In the 1980s, an Oklahoma minister that was healed of terminal diseases at age 17 solely by reading and believing the Bible healing passages wrote a document about faith. Reverend Kenneth Hagin wrote to answer questions put to him by the Faithful and by non-believers as well. They had asked it were right for children to be taught to believe in a mythical Santa Claus, then next, to be allowed to discover that he is false; but then, to be asked to believe in God.

Reverend Hagin wrote his answer from a viewpoint that, to him, was practical, common sense, and logical.

In his document, this Reverend Hagin held that children would likely not believe in an invisible Jesus, if they do not have some precedent to for such a faith in the unseen and his used Santa as an example in this case.

Reverend Hagin instructed adult readers that they might well let children believe, but also to explain clearly that the man called Santa Clauswas an icon or avatar - a representation of a larger spirit of Christmas. Children, he felt, could feel the Christmas spirit in the joy of the Christmas holiday season, in churchgoing during Christmas, and in receiving and giving presents; moreover, to help the less fortunate with gifts as well as sharing love among them and with their own families and friends.

Reverend Kenneth Hagin believed that this would prepare children for future faith in a larger Spirit; namely, the Holy Spirit. He seems to be saying that the icon of Santa Claus might be used as a representative of Christmas in a parallel of Jesus Christ as a represenative of God to mankind.

The author of this book, Mr. Vaughn Parry, teaches the reader that as disappointed as kids can be when they discover or are told that there is no Santa Claus, they can have as strong an opportunity available not to lose faith in a real Jesus Christ.

Mr. Parry offers several logical reasons for his instruction about the fourth and truest story among the four, as opposed to three myths that are associated with no such logic. The author uses a common sense, logical approach, as did Kenneth Hagin, but goes further with it.

Christmas toys and games often end up broken on the same day as they are received, but Mr. Parry reveals that the gift of Jesus is permanent and real. The legend of the Easter Bunny is a harder to maintain and his candy is consumed quickly and is gone; the Tooth Fairy is hard to support, what with light sleeping children and parents that forget or fall asleep.

The author of this book presents evidence that Jesus Christ of Nazareth is not a man of myths and legends, but of miracles and truths. Sometimes scientis and non-believers speculate to the contrary, but Vaughn Parry uses a logic that is hard to oppose.

His evidence is that the supposed myths of the four characters highlighted in his book look as though they begin in the same manner. However, only one of these "heroes" - the last - provides a happy ending that can be used for a basis of real faith for those who chose it.

Three out of four of these childhood legends presented in our culture dissolve into extras on a set of light created by the remaining hero. The hare and the phantom tooth-collecting sprite are reduced to lies that hurt children unnecessarily. In contrast, legend of Jesus cannot be positively disproved with full certainty or to a statistical significance.

The book uses hilarious illustrations by Christine Alt Parry that season the text with joy that clothes what Mr. Parry writes with personality and substance. I like the opne where wedding guests taste water that Jesus has turned into wine --It becomes a wine tasting event! One guest states, "The wine has grassy undertones..." Another offers, "I detect notes of seaweed, myself!"

I did not expect at all what I witnessed as I turned to the last page of the book. On the final leaf was a drawing that caused me to laugh out loud and practically spray my beverage through my nose.

Topday, some time later, I keep hearing the song used in the cartoon in my head and cannot stop it: a Rick James melody with Christian lyrics. But I actually want to keep it there.

The language used in the writing of this story is very clear and understandable. There is a bit of mild scatological reference used to show the frustrations felt by detractors to the Jesus story where their logic does not quite hold up and they look for other evidence against him. However, the words are very mild and make the frustrations real to to the reader.

Santa Claus, The Easter Bunny, The Tooth Fairy and JESUS is long enough to be interesting and short enough to keep the reader's attention. A single reading session can finish the book while it provides a new viewpoint from which to consider the story of Jesus, or to research it further.

This book is an offering in good humor, not a brow-beating demand. It is not at all pushy or preachy. Children, older youth, and adults of all ages can read it quickly and accept it or not, but will likely at least look into it further.

This fun book might even be a good present to slip into Easter baskets and Christmas stockings.