Red Ants and Drums — D.W. Cantrell

This is the second story in a series of stories about Todd Thomas Turner the Third from Tallapoosa. In this delightful tale, Todd is persuaded by a wild and crazy bird to look in on a small eight-year-old boy named Samuel Jay Noel, who seems to have a grave problem. When Todd does meet the boy, he learns that the child's imagination keeps him in a world of snowmen and Christmas trees. As their friendship grows, Todd also discovers Sam's biggest wish for Christmas is a set of red drums. The small brown frog with large yellow-green eyes decides to grant the young boy three special magical wishes that are designed for Sam and Sam alone. It doesn't take the boy long to make his first wish, to travel back in time and play a part in the first Christmas story. Along the journey, Samuel is reminded about the love a mother and a father have for their child, as well as the love he has for his parents. This story is designed for children ages eight and up, but within these pages lies a message for children of all ages, young and old. Merry Christmas, and may God bless you.