Lizs Book Snuggery
A Small Miracle cover

Nativity Picture Books to Sample and Savor for the Holy Day of Christmas

As Christmas nears, there are many parents who struggle each year, balancing the holy day and holiday aspects of Christmas.

So, I thought it would be a good idea for The Snuggery to search out what I consider some classic reads with beautiful illustrations from folk art renditions to one that uses master works from The Metropolitan Museum of Art, to portray the story of the Nativity. Some are full-size picture books and some are board books that can stand up to many readings, with sometimes not so gentle handling.

These stories and their common theme, some of which reach across cultural divides, each in their own unique narration and art, tell the miracle of the great gift of Christmas in a unique and child-accessible way. They use both human and sometimes animal witnesses to an event occurring over 2,000 years ago, that continues to resonate in today’s ever more secular society.

You may want to include some in your child’s own library and save to read on Christmas Eve.

Classic Nativity Picture Books

The Christmas Story – The Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Friendly Beasts – Tomie de Paola

The First Christmas – Jan Pienkowski

The Christmas Story (Little Golden Books) Jane Werner Watson and Eloise Wilkin

The Little Drummer Boy – Ezra Jack Keats

The Story of Christmas – Pamela Dalton

A Night of Great Joy – Mary Englebreit

A Small Miracle – Peter Collington A modern parable told through a wordless picture book. It is unforgettable!

The Other Wise Man – Henry Van Dyke; illustrator Robert Barrett

The Christmas Cat – Maryann MacDonald; illustrator Amy Bates

Room for a Little One – Martin Waddell: illustrator Jason Cockscroft

Nativity – Cynthia Rylant

A Charlie Brown Christmas – Charles Schultz

Who is Coming to Our House? – Joseph Slate; illustrator Ashley Wolff

The Christmas Story –  Robert Sabuda

Joy to the World: Christmas Stories and Songs – Tomie de Paola

Christmas in the Barn – Margaret Wise Brown

I have also included a link at the bottom of the blog which includes, perhaps, some I have mentioned, but others nativity reads as well.

https://www.theguardian.com/childrens-books-site/2014/dec/15/best-

childrens-books-on-the-nativity-christmas

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