Some of the most wondrous gifts cost nothing. This is a story of such gifts.

On a silent and magical Christmas Eve night, three children and their grandparents bear gifts down the starlit path to a stable. They take this peaceful, wintry journey to thank the visitors of centuries ago for their historic and holy visit. The children deliver simple gifts and sincere gratitude to the visitors in tribute for that long-ago night honoring a newborn babe.

Illustrator Andrew Holmquist’s striking combination of glowing yellow interior scenes and deep blue exterior scenes captures the iconic images in a perfect light. The characters in the stable fill the page with such presence and quiet majesty that readers might catch themselves holding a breath.

Author Patrick “Packy” Mader continues his theme of heartwarming intergenerational stories from rural traditions with Visiting the Visitors, which joins a small stable of books celebrating growth of self and relationships: Opa & Oma Together, Oma Finds a Miracle, and Big Brother Has Wheels.

This wondrous Christmas story will draw children, parents, and grandparents together in a new yet timeless holiday tradition.

Praise for Visiting the Visitors

“Author Patrick Mader and illustrator Andrew Holmquist have brought a burst of grace into the world for us this Christmas, and for all the Christmases yet to come. Visiting the Visitors spoke tenderly and meaningfully to the heart and mind of this grandfather, and I am confident that it will do the same for others, young and old alike. It is a crystal-clear story that reveals its deeper resonances effortlessly and naturally, like a blooming rose.” —Tom Hegg, author of A Cup of Christmas Tea and the Peef series