Ralph, The Tallest Elf

Ralph, the Tallest Elf began in a very strange way. One Christmas season I purchased a t-shirt that said, I have had it with elves up to here!" There was a line about the height of my belt. At the time, I thought it was funny, and the words to an old Christmas song kept playing in my mind, "Have yourself a merry little Christmas ... " And so, much like Ralph in the poem, I changed a few words to those you will hear him sing. But then, it struck me - it wasn't funny to a short person, and how would I feel if it were me?

My mother loved to write poetry, and I guess some rubbed off, because over the next few days, I wrote "Ralph, the Tallest Elf' to redeem myself in my own eyes. To my surprise, with invaluable assistance from a good friend and editor, Joyce Gilmour, the poem took on a life of its own. I sent a copy as a Christmas gift to all those on my email list and received many replies stating how much they enjoyed the poem by sharing it with their children or grandchildren. With a little good luck, I was put in touch with Erica Missey in San Antonio, and she agreed to do the artwork you see enclosed within these covers.

Fantastic! With bullying being so prevalent in our schools today, I believe the message Ralph brings is told in two of my favorite lines: "You can be big, no matter your size." And "What really matters is Christmas in your heart." I hope your young ones will remember these words and the moral of "Ralph, the Tallest Elf' all through the year. Now, open the cover and enjoy! -- Karl Boyd

"Here Karl Boyd goes again, in his own sweet whimsical way to remind us of a lesson worth repeating. A beautiful story of how all people should be treated, with a carefully woven message that appeals to all ages. Thanks Karl for yet another treasure!" -- Mary Grammer, Redlands, CA