The Lump of Coal facts for kids
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| Author | Daniel Handler (as Lemony Snicket) |
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| Illustrator | Brett Helquist |
| Cover artist | Brett Helquist |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Humor |
| Publisher | HarperCollins |
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Publication date
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September 30, 2008 |
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The Lump of Coal is a funny Christmas short story written by Lemony Snicket. The pictures in the book were drawn by Brett Helquist. It first appeared in a magazine called USA Weekend in 2004. Later, in 2008, it was released as its own book.
This story is a bit of a joke on classic children's Christmas tales. It makes fun of poems like "Twas the Night Before Christmas". Even though it has pictures and is short, the book uses some interesting words. Readers who like A Series of Unfortunate Events will notice Lemony Snicket's special style. The main character is smart and talented, but some people don't understand him.
What's the Story About?
The story takes place around Christmas time. A special character, a living lump of coal, falls off a barbecue grill. This lump of coal has a big wish: he wants a miracle to happen. He is also very artistic and dreams of becoming an artist. So, he decides to go on an adventure to find his place in the art world.
First, the lump of coal finds an art gallery. He thinks it shows art made by other lumps of coal. But when he goes inside, he is sad to find out that the art is made by humans. These artists just use lumps of coal to create their artwork.
Next, he discovers a Korean restaurant. It's called Mr. Wong's Korean Restaurant and Secretarial School. He goes in, hoping to find something, but learns that everything used there must be 100% Korean. This is a bit strange, because the owner doesn't even use a Korean name or real Korean spices!
The lump of coal keeps walking down the street. He then bumps into a man dressed like Santa Claus. The lump of coal tells the man all about his problem and his dream. The man gets a clever idea. He suggests putting the lump of coal into his son Jasper's Christmas stocking. Jasper is a bit of a spoiled kid.
When Jasper finds the lump of coal, he is super excited! He has always wanted to make art using coal. So, Jasper starts drawing portraits, and soon, he and the lump of coal become very rich. They even move to Korea. There, they open a real Korean restaurant and also have an art gallery. It's a happy ending for both of them!
