One Night in Bethlehem

There are few kids who don't enjoy a touch-and-feel books, making Jill Roman Lord's One Night in Bethlehem a welcome addition to the Christmas bookshelf.

This board book begins with a mother and toddler boy playing with a nativity set. The little boy wonders what he might have done if he'd been present the night Jesus was born.

If he'd been a lamb, he thinks, he would have cuddled up to Jesus to keep him warm. If he'd been a cow, he would have mooed so loud everyone would know Jesus Christ was born. If he'd been an angel, he would have sung praises the loudest. If he'd been a shepherd, he'd have been the first to see Jesus. If he'd been a wise man, he would have brought the baby the gift of a teddy bear.

On all but the first and last two-page spread, there is a texture to touch: the lamb's coat, the cow's suede hide, an angel's silky robe, a shepherd's rough tunic, a glittery star, and a teddy's soft fur.

The book ends:

"Although I wasn't there that night
or near the manger stall,
I still can spread the news about
God's greatest gift of all.
I still can hoot and holler and
sing praises to His name
and shout, 'I love you, Jesus!
I'm so very glad you came.'"

What I Like: Lord is a proven writer with excellent skills; One Night in Bethlehem's rhyming text is easy to read and ignites children's imaginations about one of the greatest events in history. The illustrations by Paige Keiser are soft, showing the toddler boy as his imagined shepherd, angel, and wise man. Both my children also enjoyed the touch and feel aspect of the book.

What I Dislike: I think the touch and feels should have offered better variety.
Overall Rating: Very good.

Age Appeal: Baby and up.
Publishing Info: Candy Cane Press; 2011; ISBN: 978-0824918637; board book, 16 pgs., $8.99.

Buy Now at Amazon.com for $8.99

OR buy at ChristianBook.com for $7.19

Special Info: Read our other reviews of books by Jill Roman Lord.

Mommy Whispers

A young mother looks at her newborn daughter, and it’s love at first sight… a love that grows and endures. Jenny Lee Sulpizio’s book Mommy Whispers captures the profoundly rooted connection between mother and daughter with a series of tender memories passed down from one generation to the next.

The story follows a girl from birth to adulthood. During each stage of the child’s life, her mother is there to pray for her, encourage her, and whisper this same refrain: “You are God’s gift to me, forever you will be.”

The bright colors, smiling faces, and whimsical energy of Peg Lozier’s illustrations capture the sentiments perfectly.

What I Like: Mommy Whispers holds the same kind of rich remembrance and parental devotion depicted in Robert Munsch’s bestselling story Love You Forever. It also enfolds in a similar fashion, lovingly providing snapshot images of certain stages of life, from infant to toddler to grade school to dating to marriage and then finally to birth again. I especially appreciated the prayer aspect. Any parent could learn a lesson from the well-crafted prayers Sulpizio weaves into the story.

What I Dislike: It is a little pricey for a paperback. But that shouldn't be a huge deterrent. And... this isn’t really a dislike… but a note. I think the story ---the poignant, fathomless love of a mother for her child… and then that child experiencing the same depth of emotion when she becomes a mother herself—would be better understood and appreciated by the adults reading it. I would likely give this book as a baby shower gift… to the pregnant mother rather than to the expected baby!

Overall Rating: Excellent

Age Appeal: None listed. It's described as a keepsake book. The snuggle factor might make it appropriate for the preschool through kindergarten crowd.

Publisher Info: Isaac Publishing, 2010; ISBN: 978-1609200138; Paperback (or kindle), 34 pages, $12.95

This book is NOT available at Christianbook.com.
Buy it at Amazon.com for $11.81.
OR Buy the kindle version for $6.99

Eli the Stable Boy

Author Keith Ogorek used to tell this bedtime story to his daughters when they were children. Now published, Eli the Stable Boy can be shared with your children.

Eli is a young boy living in Bethlehem. His father is a shepherd. Eli desperately wants to follow his father into the fields with the sheep, but he also wants to make good choices. When their father asks Eli and his sister, Leah, to stay back and clean the stables, Leah chooses to abandon their work and play with her friends instead, but Eli decides to honor his word.

Eli prepares to head home after a long day of difficult, smelly work, but as he exits the stable, he meets a stranger accompanied by a donkey and a very pregnant wife. The man asks if they may spend the night in the stable. Eli considers what would be the right choice. He considers what he has heard from the rabbi and what he would want someone to do for his mother or his sister, then welcomes the strangers into the now cleaned stalls. He then leaves to fetch some water for them. When he returns, he hears a baby's cries and then sees his father running from the hills to find the Messiah. At the end of the story, readers learn that the baby's name is Jesus.

Eric Walton served as illustrator. His drawings are simple and primarily feature earth tones.

What I Like: This is a well-written, sweet story. It teaches good work ethics and the importance of honoring one's word.

What I Dislike: There is nothing overtly wrong with this story, but there is also nothing extraordinary that makes it stand out among a sea of other Christmas books telling similar stories and targeting the same audience. There seems to be an imbalance between the amount of text per illustration, which I've reflected in "Age Appeal" below. Also, as with most self-published books, the price is high.

Overall Rating: Good.

Age Appeal: The publisher doesn't specify, but I would say, based on the length of the story, 6-10.

Publisher Info: AuthorHouse, 2009; ISBN: 1449041167; Paperback; 28 pages; $13.99

Buy it at Amazon.com for $10.85!

Troo's Big Climb

At one time or another, most young children feel their parents are holding them back from doing things they really could do. Like the little tree kangaroo in Troo's Big Climb, they believe their parents think they are incapable babies. If this sounds like your child, this level 2 "I Can Read" book by Cheryl Crouch is a great addition to your family bookshelf.

Troo brags to Rilla, the water rat, that he can climb the highest tree in the rainforest. Rilla doesn't believe him; she dares him to do it, even though Troo's parents have told him not to. Because Troo wants to prove his parents wrong, he takes Rilla up on her challenge.

The climb seems easy - although Troo stops a moment when he see his home from high up in the tree: Would his parents be happy if they knew? But when he reaches the top, he can't help but shout with glee.

Then a hawk tries to grab him. Troo jumps to a lower branch, but the branch breaks and sends Troo tumbling downward until he crashes to the ground.

"Rilla screamed, 'Are you dead?'
Troo moaned. 'Maybe.'"

Troo's parents come running. First, they ensure he's okay. Then Troo admits he disobeyed them. His parents say:

"God says you should obey us. You did not obey, and you got hurt. This tree...is not safe, even for a big, strong climber like you."

Oh! Trro's parents did not think he was a small, weak baby. They loved him. They wanted him to be safe."

And so, his loving parents carry him home.

What I Like: Both my children (ages 3 and 6) love this story. Both can well relate to the feelings Troo expresses - and both responded well to the reminder that parents are trying to protect their children when they say "no." The whimsical illustrations by Kevin Zimmer are also excellent.

What I Dislike: Nothing.
Overall Rating: Excellent.

Age Appeal: 4 to 8, but kids as young as 2 will enjoy having this book read to them, too.
Publishing Info: Zonderkidz; 2011; ISBN: 978-0310718086; paperback, 32 pgs., $3.99.

Buy Now at Amazon.com for $3.99 (or spend $2.99 for the Kindle edition)

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