The best Christmas pageant ever

This simple retelling of the Nativity opens fittingly with a moon-faced owl, whose hushed watchfulness sets the tone for the book, which doubles as a bedtime tale. Told largely through the gathering of the animals, as befits a Christmas story for very young readers, Thompson's rendition emphasizes mood and setting. Bean's atmospheric illustrations, in earthy tones of black, taupe and slate blue, give this quiet tale of maternal devotion a distinctive and appropriately lovely look. A CHRISTMAS GOODNIGHT By Nola Buck. Illustrated by Sarah Jane Wright. 24 pp. Katherine Tegen/HarperCollins. $12.99. (Picture book; ages 2 to 5) "Goodnight to the angel choir./Goodnight to the star above./Goodnight to the Holy Family./Goodnight to the ones we love," run the couplets of this pleasing bedtime book, which grounds the Nativity story in the young reader's own familial experience. (On a very good night.) A debut for Wright, the illustrator, "A Christmas Goodnight" features sweet-faced children and animals and an especially cozy-looking manger, which work well with Buck's graceful rhymes. THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER By Barbara Robinson. Illustrated by Laura Cornell. 40 pp. Harper/HarperCollins. $16.99. (Picture book; ages 4 to 8) Their subject matter may be solemn, but Christmas pageants are opportune moments for comedy. This picture book adaptation of Robinson's popular 1972 novel of the same name features the Herdmans - "the worst kids in the history of the world" - and their takeover of the town's annual pageant. The frantic, comedic drawings by Cornell, who illustrates Jamie Lee Curtis's children's books, suit this tale of holiday misbehavior and unanticipated generosity, which she amplifies in scribbly, animated style. THE STORY OF CHRISTMAS From the King James Bible. Illustrated by Pamela Dalton. 32 pp. Handprint/Chronicle. $17.99. (Picture book; ages 4 to 8) Dalton's extraordinary illustrations for Katherine Paterson's retelling of "Brother Sun, Sister Moon" won rave reviews this past summer. Here, she uses the same intricate cut-paper artwork set against a dramatic black background, to great effect. Shimmering as in an illuminated text, the angel Gabriel, the Wise Men and the Virgin Mary reflect medieval iconography as well as the American folk art tradition. Children will enjoy contemplating the serene scenes to the cadence of the archaic language in the text. THE THIRD GIFT By Linda Sue Park. Illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline. 32 pp. Clarion/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. $16.99. (Picture book; ages 6 to 9) Park, a Newbery medalist, strikes a highly original note in this beautifully told and exquisitely illustrated story about a boy who learns from his father how to cultivate myrrh in the Arab desert. Myrrh, drops of which the father and son call tears, is drawn from tree sap, then used as medicine, flavoring, salve and funereal incense. "When you smell the tears at a funeral, you know that someone truly beloved has died," the boy explains. Today's collection is destined for three men in fine robes, who add it to their stock of gold and frankincense. "The gifts are for a baby," they tell him. PAMELA PAUL ONLINE A slide show of this week's illustrated books at nytimes.com/books.

Gr 3-6-This beloved classic by Barbara Robinson (HarpCollins, 1972) about six very unruly children who teach a whole church about the true meaning of the birth of Christ is brought to life by the narrator, C. J. Critt. By using only her voice, she gives each character its own personality. With slight voice inflections and gentle changes in the pacing of the narration, she gives listeners a real understanding of the story. While the pacing of the narration is at times a little fast during the body of the text, the pauses at commas, periods and between paragraphs are longer than normally heard in general conversation. While this doesn't distract from the pleasure of just listening to the story, it will cause some problems if used as a read-a-long with older students. Due to the subject matter, public school libraries will find its uses limited. Since the book and the TV movie are so popular, public libraries will find a built in audience.ÄAnn West LaPrise, Detroit Public Library, MI (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

The Herdmans are the worst kids in the history of the world. They lie, steal, smoke cigars, swear, and hit little kids. So no one is prepared when this outlaw family invades church one Sunday and decides to take over the annual Christmas pageant. None of the Herdmans has ever heard the Christmas story before. Their interpretation of the tale--the Wise Men are a bunch of dirty spies and Herod needs a good beating--has a lot of people up in arms. But it will make this year's pageant the most unusual anyone has seen and, just possibly, the best one ever. "Wiry-tough, tender-hearted, unsentimental, and consistently funny." --The London Sunday Times "The book is outrageous, lively, funny, and wonderful. The Christmas story takes on a strangely moving depth of meaning and shines through with a new brilliance." --Denver Post Barbara Robinson has written many popular books for children, including The Best Halloween Ever, The Best School Year Ever, and My Brother Louis Measures Wormsand Other Louis Stories. The Best Christmas Pageant Ever is an ALA Notable Children's Book and was filmed as a television movie. Elaine Stritch, a superlative dramatic actress, won a Tony® Award for her one-woman show, Elaine Stritch, At Liberty. A four-time Tony® nominee, she has starred in numerous plays and musicals including Bus Stop, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf, Company, and A Delicate Balance. She received a Grammy nomination for her recording of The Best Halloween Ever. Excerpted from The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.