The Christmas Pearl Audiobook By Dorothea Benton Frank cover art

The Christmas Pearl

 Preview
LIMITED TIME OFFER

3 months free
Try for $0.00
Offer ends July 31, 2025 at 11:59PM PT.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 3 months. Cancel anytime.

The Christmas Pearl

By: Dorothea Benton Frank
Narrated by: Celia Weston
Try for $0.00

$0.00/mo. after 3 months. Offer ends July 31, 2025 at 11:59PM PT. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $8.18

Buy for $8.18

Confirm purchase
Pay using card ending in
Switch payment method
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use, License, and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.
Cancel

Theodora is the matriarch of a family that has grown into a bunch of truculent knuckleheads. While she's finally gotten them all together in South Carolina to celebrate, this Christmas looks nothing like the extravagant, homey holidays of her childhood.

What happened to the days when Christmas meant tables groaning with home-cooked goodies, over-the-top decorations, and long chats in front of the fire with Pearl, her grandmother's beloved housekeeper and closest confidante?

Luckily for Theodora, a special someone who heard her plea for help arrives, with pockets full of enough Gullah magic and common sense to make Theodora's Christmas the love-filled miracle it's meant to be.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your My Library section along with the audio.

©2007 Dorothea Benton Frank (P)2007 HarperCollins Publishers Christian Fiction Classics & Allegories Genre Fiction Small Town & Rural
Heartwarming Tale • Magical Christmas Story • Authentic Southern Accent • Vivid Characters • Nostalgic Atmosphere
Highly rated for:
All stars
Most relevant  
I read this book every year. This year I listened to it. The narrator was superb. Her accent was authentic and reminded me of many ladies in my past who passed long ago. I laughed, cried and wished for more! I’ll listen again every year!

A Holiday Requirement

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Narrator was Great! Loved the accent! Made you feel like you were in Charleston! Thanks!

Cute story for the Holidays!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
A friend insisted I get this book as she said it was her favorite Christmas story. I obliged and thanked her! This begins as a story of Christmases long ago in the south with a family who have a black cook/housekeeper named Pearl. Pearl is no subservient woman though. She is the teller's grandmother's best friend. Pearl rules the roost.

Many years later, as the author is well past 80 she remembers the wonder of her childhood Christmases and wants to bring some of that magic to her fractured family. The beginning of their time together is frought with anger, boredom, and disunity. As they wait for a hired cook to help, named Jewel, the teller realizes that the woman who comes is none other than Pearl. She hopes to "get her wings" by this assignment. The rest of the story is by turns funny, painful and totally heartwarming as Pear uses a bit of magic and her wisdom to heal the wounds of a family grown bitter and jaded. The book is lovely. I found myself nodding as I see others around me who have gone sullen and jaded. I wish for all of them a Pearl to bring out the real issues and also reconciliation and a renewed sense of family and love. This will be a part of many Christmases to come for me.

A bit of faith and magic bring family together

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Christmas story about a wonderful believable family and all the issues we have. Very sweet and magical Christmas story, highly recommend.

Feel good Christmas story!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I listen to this book every Christmas. The story and characters are perfect. And Pearl is such a comfort to me as well as Theodora, her thoughts, her memories, her worries, and her Christmas spirit. Highly recommend listening to this book as the reader's accent is on point.

The Christmas Pearl is wonderful!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
The story itself was great. I loved every word of it. Being from the South I have to say It was the narrator that made it!! She was absolutely amazing!!! I am now looking for other books she has narrated.

Wonderful!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Loved the story - especially Theodora and Pearl. Nice short Christmas Story for book club this week

Fabulous narration!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
This was just the story I needed to generate a little Christmas spirit. It hits all the right notes: Nostalgia, Love, humor, imagination and the eternal hope that the Christmas season evokes without being too sappy. The narrator is delightful, I would swear she was just sitting next to me telling me her life story and the comeuppins her family gets. I think I will listen to this one every year from now on, I have a fondness for Christmas stories and this is my favorite so far.

Magical

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
one of my favorite Christmas stories to listen to. this story is heart reflective and nostalgic with lots of Hope for a family plagued with modern problems. love can always find a way!

love a bit of "magic" at Christmas time

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
This was a most endearing story. I believe it speaks to the heart of today’s grand parents. The story is an illustration of what many of us wish we could accomplish through love. I compare it to the story of Mary Poppins, who appears in the midst of chaos and heartache and magically enables the characters to see life differently. The character, Rose is vividly brought to life by the writer and the narrator nailed the details of her inflections and demeanor. Lovely Christmas story!!

A Modern day Mary Poppins

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
See more reviews