Book review: 'Christmas Legacy' relates blessings of service

"BILL'S CHRISTMAS LEGACY," by Shawn D. Moon and illustrations by Jackie Brimhall, Bonneville Books, $8.99, 70 pages (ages 12 and up)

“Bill’s Legacy,” by Shawn D. Moon with illustrations by Jackie Brimhall, is a story that touches on the blessings of service, missionary work and the real joy of the Christmas season.

The book, based on a true story, tells the story of Mark Tanner, a teenager with a good heart wrapped up in adolescent agitation. When his dad tells him of their new assignment to help care for their disabled neighbor, Mark is not exactly thrilled.

He reluctantly agrees to help his dad take their neighbor, Wilhelm Krause or “Old Bill,” for a walk every day. Unable to communicate due to a stroke, Mark still learns some profound lesson from Bill.

Above all he learns about the joy of service, and those lessons become even more valuable as he heads to Japan for a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

When the reason for the season gets lost in the glitter, stories like “Bill’s Christmas Legacy” remind us of the real gifts of service and faith.

The author, Moon, is an executive vice president at FranklinCovey and lives in Lindon with his family.

After attending BYU and the University of Utah for five years and not being able to settle on just one major, Connie Lewis decided to be a writer so she could keep studying all things wonderful and new.