I liked The Story of Christmas because in some places, it explains the Christmas story in words that children can understand and because the illustrations of the people show emotion that interpret the story. For example, the book begins with “Nearly two thousand years ago there lived in Nazareth, a little town in Judea, a girl named Mary.” This gives children context for the story that helps children understand the story, and using the word “girl” allows children to connect to the fact that Mary is young. The illustrations give more meaning to the text through the expressions of the people. For example, when the angels come to the shepherd to tell them about Jesus’ birth, there are mixed expressions on their faces: ones of confusion, nervousness, and fright. This allows the reader to understand how the characters were feeling and what they were thinking. The main message of this book is how the events of Jesus’ birth occurred, and given that it is based off passages in the Bible, the message is also that Jesus was born into the world as a baby but was also the Savior of all men. ( )

I believe this to be the most perfect and most perfectly awe-inspiring illustrated re-telling of the Nativity story ever. The Annunciation angel in luminous blue tones and the expression of breathless awe on Mary's face, the three kings dreaming (if memory serves, this one was a re-working of a bas-relief at Cologne), the return to the vine-shaded house at Nazareth, these are illustrations to go back to again and again and again. ( )