Local Author Shares His Story About the Greatest Christmas Ever [VIDEO]

Here's a thoughtful book to share with children this holiday season: The Greatest Christmas Ever looks at the tough subject of a homeless family spending the holidays in a shelter. It's the first book to be published by Sherman Oaks-based company 2 Dads Publishing.

Author and co-publisher Sergio Liden told Patch that the book reveals to children that, even if hard times have made holiday celebrations less lavish than in previous years, the festive season can still be fun and meaningful. Liden believes that, in today's economic climate, it's a book that will resonate with many.

"It's dedicated to everybody who celebrates Christmas all year long," said Liden, "and to the idea of being able to express love to each other all the time."

Although it's a work of fiction, Liden said that the themes reflected in the book stem largely from his own life experiences.

Liden, who lives in Van Nuys with his wife and two young children, said he was raised by an alcoholic mother and that he himself had battled alcoholism from the age of 6 before finally becoming sober at age 17. He said he spent some of his youth at a Van Nuys psychiatric facility, then lived in group homes and was homeless for a year.

The Greatest Christmas Ever is available to download as an e-book for free or for an optional donation to the National Coalition for the Homeless.