I love the season of Advent! One of my favorite things to do during the four weeks leading up to Christmas is read books that help me focus on this special time. So, during the month of December, I put away all other reading and get some of my “old friends” off the bookshelf. If you’re looking for a way to gather your family together during the holiday hustle a bustle and zero in on the true meaning of Christmas, these books will do the job. From youngest to oldest, your family is sure to find something they love and remember in each of these stories. Merry Christmas!
The Small One
When a young boy’s father has to sell his beloved donkey because they are poor, the boy is heartbroken at the thought of being separated from his old friend. But when the child takes Small One to town on his father’s orders, it begins a journey for the old, weak donkey that eventually leads him to the manger on the night that changed the world forever. The Small One, by Alex Walsh, illustrated by Jesse Clay (Disney 1997) is a great for a read-aloud book for preschool and early elementary children, and an independent read for older children. The story of The Small One takes readers on the journey with Mary and Joseph and reminds us all that even the weakest and smallest of creatures is valuable in God’s eyes.
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, by Barbara Robinson (Harper Trophy 1988), is one of my all-time favorite Christmas reads. This is one we usually read aloud as a family in order to enjoy all of its funny and poignant moments together. The star of the show in this story? The Herdman family, who are, according to everyone at the church, probably the worst children in the history of the world. But when the Herdmans hear they can get free food if they come to church and sign up for the Christmas pageant, all heck breaks loose. In just a few short minutes, the yearly Christmas pageant is filled with Herdmans; all the way down to Gladys, the littlest and meanest Herdman of them all who is somehow cast as the Angel of the Lord. This story will make you laugh and cry as the Christmas story unfolds in a most unlikely way. The Best Christmas Pageant Ever reminds us all that everyone is welcome in the Nativity scene.
The Story of the Other Wiseman
"I do not know where this little story came from--out of the air, perhaps. One thing is certain, it is not written in any other book, nor is it to be found among the ancient lore of the East. And yet I have never felt as if it were my own. It was a gift, and it seemed to me as if I knew the Giver."
--Henry Van Dyke
The Story of the Other Wise Man, by Henry Van Dyke (published first in 1896) is truly a gift for all who read it. In this book, Artaban, the fourth wise man, is determined to make the journey to see the promised messiah. From the very outset, his journey is marked by delay, and the precious gifts he saves to honor the newborn King must be used to save the lives of others. Only one precious gift remains, as Artaban spends the rest of his life on his quest, only to meet the Messiah in the most surprising way of all. Joining Artaban on his journey will help you and your family understand the true meaning of selfless love.
Shepherds Abiding
Shepherds Abiding, by Jan Karon, (Penguin 2004) is part of the beloved Mitford series of books chronicling the life of an Episcopal priest, Father Tim, in the tiny mountain town of Mitford. Father Tim and his wife Cynthia love Christmas, as does most of the town of Mitford, and in Shepherds Abiding, each person is challenged to do more than they ever thought possible; both for others and for themselves. A visit to Mitford is always a good thing, but a visit there at Christmas is especially comforting. From Father Tim’s transformation of a wayward Nativity scene for his wife, Uncle Billy’s search for the perfect gift for Miss Rose to the transformation of Hope and the local book store, this book is pure Christmas Joy. Shepherds Abiding helps us all see what is possible when love breaks through.
Patti Richards - Patti Richards is a freelance writer and editor, former teacher, wife and mother of three. Patti writes children’s books and stories ...
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