Synopsis
A young boy gets his wish after the other shepherds leave him behind in this golden, heartwarming holiday tale from a leading author and illustrator.
"I bring you news of great joy. For tonight, in Bethlehem, a child has been born, a savior who is Christ the Lord." When the shepherds are invited to follow the star to visit the child, one young boy is told to stay and mind the flock. But the Angel Gabriel returns for him, taking the boy on a magical, memorable flight to be the first to witness the Christmas miracle. With a gently wry narration by Michael Morpurgo and expressive illustrations by the extraordinary Quentin Blake, this inviting, uplifting story is destined to become a holiday tradition.
Children's Literature
Every Christmas, Grandpa gathers the children around the fire and tells an amazing story. Although our narrator loves to listen, he imagines that the story is just a fantasy. When Grandpa was a young shepherd watching over the flocks, he and his fellow shepherds are visited one night by the angel Gabriel. The angel brings astounding news of the birth of a king and bids the shepherds to follow a star to find the baby, but someone must stay with the sheep, and Grandpa is left behind. Feeling lonely and disappointed, Grandpa stays with the sheep. To his amazement, the angel Gabriel returns for him and flies him to the manger where the young boy is allowed to see the baby Jesus. Suddenly, as Grandpa finishes his annual retelling of the story, angels appear before our narrator's eyes, and his heart is touched by the power of the story. This gentle retelling of the nativity story will appeal to young readers because of its narrator's own young perspective. Through the eyes of a young boy, the story retains all of its magic while personalizing what it might have been like to be there. Quentin Blake's familiar whimsical illustrations add to the magic. Reviewer: Leah Hanson