The Journey Home — Vincent J. Sachar

In this thrilling and heartwarming Christmas novella with remembrances of traditions that have made Christmas what it is, Jody Newman has exchanged life on a small family-owned ranch in Wyoming for a fast-paced high-opportunity life in New York City. In doing so, she shed all her small town values and ideals, including the celebration of Christmas.Now, for the first time in years, Jody returns to Wyoming to spend the Holidays with her family. While there she gains fresh insights on things she lost along the way. She sees how neighbors respond to one another, how little it takes to bring joy into the hearts of people, and the things people value that have nothing to do with exorbitant price tags or fame.As a bitter winter storm moves in, Jody's twin five-year-old brother and sister disappear in the frozen dark forest behind the family home---an area that houses grizzly bears, a rogue cougar, and the man in the woods---a mysterious stranger.Jody is amazed at how rapidly neighbors, sheriff department personnel, search and rescue teams, and medical personnel are on the scene risking their lives in an effort to find these little ones.As darkness moves in, the threat of freezing temperatures has the rescue teams pressed against time. Fears that the children may have been abducted escalate. It becomes clear that it will take a Christmas miracle to save them.And at the same time, Jody realizes that she needs a miracle in her own life.