Book excerpt: In Australia, Christmas comes in the middle of the summer-and this is the hottest one anyone can remember. The O'Day family's sheep farm is ravaged by drought and wildfires and it looks like a year without presents for eight-year-old Ned and 16-year-old Sarah. That is, until Ned catches sight of an old man with a long, white beard! Based on a popular feature film that has become a holiday classic, this is the heartwarming story of a family overcoming the worst of odds-and a little boy's dreams that bring a whole community together in the true spirit of Christmas.