No Room at the Inn, by Jean M. Malone, is a Station Stop 2 level in the All Aboard Reading series for early readers. The sentences are brief and the length of the book is just right.The story begins by describing the commonplace ways we celebrate Christmas and explains the holiday is about more than meals, cookies, and presents. It reminds us that we are celebrating the birthday of Jesus Christ, who was born over 2000 years ago.
The text is clear that Jesus is God's only Son, brought to Earth to bring peace, and it defines the story of his birth as the Nativity. The story includes many details that others often leave out, like how Joseph was unsure about the situation with Mary until the angel Gabriel visited him, and what a manger really is. Other details I enjoyed were the map showing the journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem, and the explanation of the gifts of the Magi. The author defines frankincense as a kind of candle and myrrh as a sweet-smelling oil. The soft, simple illustrations by Bryan Langdo are sweet.
The book suggests how we can celebrate the event of Jesus' birth in our time by singing, decorating with a nativity, stars, or angels, and by giving gifts.
What I Like: The entire Christmas story is there: all the details of the angel Gabriel visiting Mary and Joseph, the census as cause for Jesus to be born in the stable, and the definition of the Three Wisemen's gifts. This will become a regular classic on our our Christmas shelf. It was a nice surprise after paying a very low price through Scholastic.
What I Dislike: Like many other stories of Jesus' birth, this book tells that the Magi visited him at the stable, which is not exactly how it's told in the Bible. I have a little trouble equating the level number on any early reading book to grade level or reading ability.
Overall Rating: Very Good.
Age Appeal: Ages 4 to 8.
Publisher Info: Grosset & Dunlap, 2009; ISBN: 978-0448452173; Paperback $3.99.
Buy it Now at Christianbook.com for $2.99.
OR Buy it at Amazon.com for $3.99.
1 comment:
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