I’m excited to share with you two unique Christmas pictures books that have released this month. As we head into the holiday season, be sure to check these out! They would make the perfect gift for the child in your life.

Meanwhile, Back at the Manger by Brenda Covert

Summary

This unique retelling of the Christmas story tells two stories at the same time: Thomas, the stable boy, decides to go fishing with his friend Eli, but meanwhile, back at his stable, baby Jesus is born. Will Thomas get back in time to see baby Jesus, surrounded by shepherds and animals, or will he miss the most important event to ever happen in his stable?

Review

Meanwhile, Back at the Manger by Brenda Covert is a great read-aloud for parents, and older children will enjoy reading the story by themselves, too. The recommended audience is ages 4-8, and younger children will enjoy hearing the story as well. The illustrations are beautiful and colorful; I especially enjoyed looking at the different animals.

Children will enjoy following the dual storylines and be eagerly waiting to find out when Thomas will return to the stable and what will happen. The repetition of the book’s title, Meanwhile, Back at the Manger, helps the story stick with kids.

Also, children can learn from Thomas’ experience. Thomas doesn’t like his job at the stable and thinks that fishing will be more fun, but instead, it leaves him exhausted and stinking like fish. He wishes he had stayed at the stable and slept, and readers know all that he has missed while he was gone. Thomas’ experience reminds children to be content with where they are in life and that God can use the ordinary to do the extraordinary.

To hear about the author’s journey to writing Meanwhile, Back at the Manger and more, check out this week’s Write2Ignite podcast here.

A Squirrelly Christmas by Megan K. Palmer

Summary

This year, it’s the squirrel’s turn to decorate the forest Christmas tree. The other animals are counting on the two squirrels, Clover and Pumpkin, to uphold this important Christmas tradition. But instead of working together, Clover and Pumpkin race to see who can get to the top of the tree first. As the other animals look on, they wonder: what decorations will Clover and Pumpkin choose? And will their hasty scurrying lead to disaster?

Review

A Squirrely Christmas by Megan K. Palmer is a fun Christmas story for ages 2-7. Kids will enjoy the unique way this story is told through speech bubbles, somewhat like a graphic novel or comic strip. Parents can point out what each character is saying and read with different voices, making it a fun read-aloud. A Squirrelly Christmas gives kids a different reading experience on their own, as they follow each character’s dialogue.

Children (and adults) will love the adorable animals in the illustrations. (The white rabbit is my favorite.) Each character fits its animal personality: the squirrels quickly scurry up the tree, the turtle tells them to slow down, and the wise owl is in charge of the Christmas Tree Decorating Extravaganza. My favorite illustrations are the two-page spreads of Clover and Pumpkin decorating the tree surrounded by onomatopoeia words that parents and kids will enjoy saying.

Clover and Pumpkin also teach children important lessons about apologizing, working together, and the adage of “haste makes waste.” When Clover and Pumpkin’s haste leads to them crashing in a tangle of lights, they decide to stop rushing, apologize to each other, and start over. They realize that their actions could not only harm themselves but also let all of the other animals down. I love how the end of the story shows the previous years’ Christmas trees and tells who will decorate the tree next year. This ending reminded me of one of my favorite children’s books, My Lucky Day by Keiko Kasza.

GIVEAWAYS!

Each author has generously agreed to give away a copy of her book. To enter, please leave a comment on this post and specify which book you would like to have by November 28^th.

Kathryn Dover enjoys writing short stories and has been blogging for Write2Ignite since 2019. She graduated as valedictorian from Presbyterian College with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics while also minoring in history and creative writing. In addition, she served on the school’s newspaper staff for two years, completing over a dozen articles and photo essays. In her free time, she enjoys reading, photography, playing with her pets, and growing houseplants. You can connect with her on LinkedIn.