Come and See

Come and See tells the story of the night of Jesus' birth, told from the viewpoint of a village child. In this beautifully illustrated book by Monica Mayper, the shepherds awaken the sleeping villagers, telling them, "Come see, Come out and see."

The boy and his entire village go to witness the family, and they rejoice by feasting and dancing in the starlight.
This interpretation is not exactly as it was told in the Bible and it never specifically states why this baby is so special other than to say, "Come see the world made new. The same old world, but new." The plot is all about the culminating celebration that takes place around the stable.

The book is written in flowing poetic verse, and Stacey Schuett's artwork accentuates that miraculous night with bold lines and dark, soft colors, highlighted with gold and purple.

What I Like: This is a truly gorgeous book! The illustrations create a peaceful, joyous scene of that night. The ethnicity of the characters is more accurate to the region than the traditional images we normally see. For early readers, the repetition of phrases makes it a great read-aloud.

What I Dislike: The story focuses more on the shepherds and villagers and doesn't mention the name Jesus anywhere other than the book's jacket. It never states that the baby is the Son of God. This book is more about people rejoicing.

Overall Rating: Good.

Age Appeal: Ages 4 to 8.

Publisher Info: Harper Collins Publishers, 1999; ISBN: 0060235268 ; Hardback $14.95.

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