The Story of Christmas

by Vivian French

Book Overview

With bright illustrations and an engaging narrative, this gentle story captures all the wonder and excitement of the first Christmas day. (Ages 2-5) The story of Jesus' birth is among the best-known and best-loved stories in the world. Vivian French offers a simple retelling that follows Mary and Joseph as they journey to Bethlehem and celebrate the birth of Jesus with the shepherds and wise men. Complemented by Jane Chapman's vivid and joyful illustrations,...

• Format: Board book
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0763650455
• ISBN13: 9780763650452
• Release Date: September 2010
• Publisher: Candlewick Press (MA)
• Length: 22 Pages
• Weight: 0.72 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 6.7" x 7.5"
• Age Range: 2 to 5 years

Customer Reviews

simply told and accurate

I love this story book as it tells the story of Christmas cheerfully, simply and accurately in language comprehensible to under fives. It starts with God sending the Angel Gabriel to Nazareth to speak to Mary, then Joseph. It explains clearly why they had to go to Bethlehem, what happened when they got there, going on to angels appearing to very ordinary looking shepherds in the fields. It ends with the wise men visiting, and the angels celebrating in heaven that God's Son was born. There is none of Mary and Joseph knocking on every door with "no vacancies" signs, or pious sounding rhymes which obscure the true meaning. Instead, Mary and Joseph meet up with uncles, aunts and cousins in Bethlehem. The greek word so often mistranslated as "inn" is in fact the same word used to describe the "upper room" (i.e. the main room of the house), hence the need to sleep in a stable. It is great to find a Christmas story that takes account of this.