Illustrated by Violet Vandor
32 pages
Publisher: Honeycomb Adventures Press, LLC, 2012
If you're looking for a book to share the biblical Christmas story with your kids this season, this is a great one! It's for slightly older children due to the amount of text on each page, maybe ages six to ten.
The things I liked most about The First Christmas were:
- Biblical accuracy. I like that it tells the story as the Bible does, but does so in easy-to-understand terms a child can understand.
- Simple text. Even though there is considerable text on each page, it is written simply. Yet it doesn't dumb it down to baby talk, either, which shows respect for the child.
- Thought provoking interaction. At the end of each page, Green asks questions to draw the child into the story and help him relate to the characters. For instance, when telling the story of Zechariah and Elizabeth expecting their baby, John, Green asks the reader: If someone told you a very old lady was going to have a baby, would you believe it? How do you think Zechariah told his wife about the angel's message without talking?
- Coloring page illustrations. The pictures are simply drawn, which I believe will appeal to children.
- Family activity at the end. I love that this book ends with the fun family activity of making a Bible quilt, Christmas tree skirt, tablecloth, or wall hanging out of the illustrations. Green gives instructions on how to do this and offers alternative ways to complete it. What a terrific family keepsake!
I highly recommend this book as a resource for teaching your children the true meaning of Christmas in a fun, interactive way.
(I received a free, digital copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions expressed are my own.)
Linda
