Review and Giveaway: The First Christmas Night

The First Christmas Night

About the Book:

Here is a beautiful retelling of the birth of Jesus on that joyous night in Bethlehem so long ago. The poem begins with the arrival of Mary and Joseph in Bethlehem through Christ's birth, the angels' appearance to the shepherds, and the visit by the Wise Men. The simple, yet elegant, verses will appeal to little ones and are accompanied by the rich oil illustrations of Christine Kornacki. Ages 4-8.

My Comments:

It is books like this that make me wish my kids were still little.  As noted above, this tells the story of the first Christmas and does it with the meter of The Night Before Christmas.  Here is a sample:

Twas the very first Christmas when all through the town not a creature was stirring--there was not a sound.  The moon, shining bright in the heavens so high, gave the luster of midday to the Bethlehem sky. The animals were nestled in warm cozy places, with looks of contentment of each of their faces.  And Mary and Joseph, so tired from the road had just settled in to a humble abode. 

 Well, you know the rest of the story.

The book is beautifully illustrated and the cover shows the style of the pictures.  In short, this is the perfect book to read to young children to tell them the Christmas story. 

I'd like to thank the publisher and Flyby Promotions for providing me with a complimentary review copy.  My copy will be donated to my daughter's Catholic school and when I was describing the book to the librarian/early childhood religion teacher, she said it sounded like the perfect book to read to the Pre-K and Kindergarten religion classes.  I agree.  Grade:  A.

Giveaway:

Not only does my daughter's school get a copy of the book, so does one of my readers.  To enter the giveaway, leave a comment telling me who you want the book for (my son, my daughter, my school...no names necessary).  Also leave me your email address so I can contact you if you win.  For an extra entry, share this on your blog or on facebook and leave me a link.   Good luck.

About the Author

Keith Christopher is a composer, arranger, orchestrator, and educator, and he has served as editor and producer for several major music publishers. In addition to writing and studio producing, Keith served on the faculty at the Blair School of Music of Vanderbilt University in Nashville. He lives in Hendersonville, Tennessee, with his wife and two children.

About the Illustrator 

At a very early age, Christine Kornacki developed a love for painting and bringing stories to life. After receiving a BFA in illustration from the University of Hartford, her dreams of illustrating children's books began to take shape, including illustrating the best-selling The Sparkle Box for Ideal's Children's Books. Christine's recent work also includes illustrating the six-book series for the American Girl historical doll characters Marie-Grace and Cecile.  She spends her days painting in her studio, which adjoins a charming cafe in New Haven, Connecticut.