The Story of Christmas

by Patricia A. Pingry, Alice Buckingham (Illustrator)

Overview

Discover the story of the first Christmas in this newly illustrated classic, perfect for little ones curious about the story behind their holiday celebrations.

Expertly crafted for the attention span of toddlers, this simple book tells the biblical story of Christmas—from the Annunciation to the birth of Jesus and the arrival of the wise men. The story also helps little listeners understand the connection between the first Christmas and today's celebrations and traditions. With bright illustrations and a toddler-friendly length of about 200 words, this book is an age-appropriate way to introduce the story of the Nativity. A perfect addition for Christmas stockings!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781546002338
Publisher:	Hachette Nashville
Publication date:	10/04/2022
Pages:	22
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 6.60(h) x 0.60(d)
Age Range:	1 - 4 Years

About the Author

Patricia A. Pingry has written dozens of children's books and edited hundreds more. Among her best-known titles are the perennial bestsellers The Story of Christmas and The Story of Easter. Together, these two titles have sold well over two million copies. Patricia lives in Nashville, Tennessee.

Editorial Reviews

2022-08-17
Originally published in 1998 with illustrations by Lorraine Wells, then republished in 2010 with art by Rebecca Thornburgh, Pingry’s Nativity story sees new life with fresh artwork by Buckingham.

A brown-skinned family gathers on Christmas and learns the story of Jesus’ birth, from the angel telling Mary that she will have a child, to Joseph and Mary traveling to Bethlehem, to, finally, the Wise Men celebrating the new baby’s birth. At the end, the present-day family exchanges gifts as a sign of love for each other and celebrates Jesus’ birthday. The somewhat bland text treads familiar ground; this is a story that’s been told and retold many times, though it does break the tale down into digestible pieces for young children. Because the explanations are fairly simple, it may not be helpful to those seeking to learn about the holiday. The illustrations, however, are cheery and warm. Notably, the biblical figures, except for a couple of light-skinned angels, are depicted in varying shades of brown skin—a welcome change from books about the Nativity that portray characters as White. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Worth wading through the text for the artwork, which offers a more inclusive portrayal of the Nativity. (Board book. 2-4)

Kirkus Reviews