Cody and Grandpa's Christmas Tradition

It's Christmas Eve, and Cody's family has all gathered for their traditional Christmas party--all except Grandpa, who is sitting quietly in his room, looking out his window at the cloudy sky. Grandpa tells Cody about his time in Vietnam and the Christmas Eve when a bright star appeared through the clouds, giving the soldiers hope. All of the men promised to look for the star every year and remember each other and those who didn't come home. Cody makes a new tradition: now the whole family will join Grandpa in looking for the star. This touching family story, accompanied by rich illustrations, tells the importance of traditions and honoring those who served their country.



Gary Metivier is an award-winning journalist and author. He is an anchor for the NBC affiliate KWQC-TV6, where he develops and produces stories on a variety of subjects. He lives in Iowa with his wife and sons.

Traci Van Wagoner is a professional illustrator, writer, and product developer. A member of SCBWI for more than 25 years, she graduated from Utah State University and the Fashion Institute of Technology.

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