Average Tale
This "Christmas Tale" is very simple & focuses on the animals in the stable on the night of Jesus' birth. Not that children would know, but the stable would have been overrun with animals during the census, where this story indicates only 5 animals with plenty of room to spare. There is nothing remarkable in the telling of the story - I think the book is popular not for the words it contains, but the pictures.
The pictures are certainly the highlight of the book. The detail and feeling captured in these full-page illustrations is commendable. My complaint here is that each page looks like confetti was dumped on it, or some sort if weird light play. Why the illustrator decided to put colorful dots all over his otherwise fine work I do not know, but it is regrettably distracting.
All in all its a decent Christmas story for young children that can provide a springboard into discussing the truth of Christmas, but its not a personal library "must have."
Story: 3 stars
Illustrations: 4 stars
Average: 3.5 stars
This "Christmas Tale" is very simple & focuses on the animals in the stable on the night of Jesus' birth. Not that children would know, but the stable would have been overrun with animals during the census, where this story indicates only 5 animals with plenty of room to spare. There is nothing remarkable in the telling of the story - I think the book is popular not for the words it contains, but the pictures.
The pictures are certainly the highlight of the book. The detail and feeling captured in these full-page illustrations is commendable. My complaint here is that each page looks like confetti was dumped on it, or some sort if weird light play. Why the illustrator decided to put colorful dots all over his otherwise fine work I do not know, but it is regrettably distracting.
All in all its a decent Christmas story for young children that can provide a springboard into discussing the truth of Christmas, but its not a personal library "must have."
Story: 3 stars
Illustrations: 4 stars
Average: 3.5 stars
