Happy Birthday, Christmas Child!: A Counting Nativity Book

by Laura Sassi, Gabi Murphy (Illustrator)

Overview

An ECPA 2023 Christmas Bestseller!
Join Mary and Joseph, angels, shepherds, sheep, and various stable critters as they celebrate the birthday of a very special baby in this RHYMING COUNTING BOOK for little readers and their families. 

“A fun and engaging introduction to the Christmas story.” —School Library Journal

Written by bestselling author Laura Sassi and illustrated by Gabi Murphy, Happy Birthday, Christmas Child! celebrates the warmth, wonder and excitement of the night Jesus was born. Written in gentle rhyme with bright adorable illustrations and lots of things for little ones to notice, name, and count, it’s sure to be a Christmas favorite!

Intended for little ones ages 0 - 4 and their families, Happy Birthday, Christmas Child is:

• sturdy board book perfect for little hands
• a charming introduction to the wonder and joy of Christmas
• a spark for conversation about how Christmas is when we celebrate Jesus’ birth 
• a fun way for toddlers and preschoolers to practice counting and naming things
• a great gift option for Christmas, birthdays, baby showers, children’s ministry, preschool programs and more

Visit happybirthdaychristmaschild.com for lots of wonderful free resources – plan a birthday party for Jesus, activity pages, and more!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781640607996
Publisher:	Paraclete Press
Publication date:	10/04/2022
Pages:	10
Sales rank:	725,130
Product dimensions:	7.10(w) x 7.20(h) x 0.30(d)
Age Range:	1 - 4 Years

About the Author

Laura Sassi has a passion for telling stories in prose and rhyme. Her books with Paraclete Press include Happy Birthday, Christmas Child, My Tender Heart Bible, MyTender Heart Prayer Book and My Tender Heart Devotions, coming in 2024.  In addition, she is the author of multiple books for young children including the best-selling Goodnight, Ark, Love Is Kind , Diva Delores and the Opera House Mouse, Little Ewe, and Bunny Finds Easter. She also writes stories and poems for various children’s publications. 

Laura had a fulfilling teaching career before becoming a children’s author. She’s been a homeschool mom, children’s ministry director, historic museum interpreter, and more. She writes daily from her home in New Jersey and finds special joy in sharing messages of kindness, comfort, and faith through story at school visits, church gatherings, and other events. 
 

Gabi Murphy's career in art was built on the enthusiasm of a bubbly, eccentric art teacher who claimed with exuberant arm waving: "Darling, you must do art!" She has been a freelance artist for over 35 years and has spent happy hours creating lots of cutesy, fluffy characters. She has recently studied acrylic and oil painting at ISoA and has also discovered an interest in digital art. Everything and anything can trigger a scribble session, but color is her greatest inspiration.

Editorial Reviews

A fun and engaging introduction to the Christmas story.” —School Library Journal

"Young readers can count to 10 and celebrate the first Christmas with this short, sweet and sturdy board book. The lyrical rhyming text and warm illustrations are just right for introducing kids to the sights, sounds and wonder of the Nativity story." —National Catholic Register

“You will not be able to read this book without smiling! Every single page of this counting Christmas offering from Laura Sassi is filled with delight. From one stable to ten tiny toes, this book is a joyous, fun, interactive way to celebrate the season with little ones.” —Glenys Nellist, author of Snuggle Time Christmas Stories and Good News! It's Christmas!

“A creative re-telling of a timeless story—young children will smile with the turn of each page.” —Christine Voegeli, Director of Children's Ministry at New Providence Presbyterian Church

“Happy Birthday, Christmas Child has everything I’m looking for in a faith-based picture book—lilting rhymes, a sweet story, and, most importantly, Biblical truth! It deserves a place in your holiday book basket.” —Kristin Wynalda, creator of Big Books, Little Ears

From the Publisher

09/01/2022

Toddler-PreS—In a cozy little stable full of happy animals, Mary and Joseph, expecting a baby, gratefully find respite on a dark night. Everyone knows something special is happening, and visitors, both animal and human, come from near and far to welcome the travelers. Excitement builds as the baby kicks and a choir of angels announces his birth. Stars glow and love flows to express a very Happy Birthday to the special Christmas Child. This is a charming, five-spread board book; the youngest of readers can count a stable, mice, spiders, bales of hay, shepherds, angels, and more. The text is simple and rhyming and tells the Nativity story in a manner that young children will enjoy. The expressions on the faces are happy and calm, and the whole scene evokes a sense of safety, serenity, and joy. The color palette consists of deep blues, warm browns, and bright yellow, wrapping the story in warmth and presenting it with a lovely glow. The secondary characters play important supporting roles and represent a diversity of sizes, ages, and color. VERDICT A fun and engaging introduction to the Christmas story.—Amy Shepherd

School Library Journal