Book Review: Christmas Night Fair and Bright

I bought this book yesterday and couldn't put off telling you about it because it's on sale at Berean right now for $5. In short, it's a must! Here is a great description:

With simple words and rhyme scheme ideal for children ages 4 to 7, Julie Stiegemeyer recreates the sights and sounds of the first Christmas. Christmas Night emphasizes the two natures of Christ -- His abject humility and His ultimate divinity. With each verse, Jesus' perfect life and death on our behalf is underscored.

Most of Christmas Night takes place in the humble stall as a paradoxical setting for the birth of the King of kings and the Lord of lords: "Jesus has no kingly hall. Jesus has no fortress tall. Home becomes a cattle stall for Jesus, born for us. So sequined stars become a crown, night, a robe to wrap around, God's own Son to earth came down, He's Jesus, born for us."

Christmas Night predictably recounts the events of that first Christmas, but it also includes the flight to Egypt, an event not typically found in children's Christmas books. This additional information helps children begin to see Jesus' birth as the beginning of a life story that will culminate in His ascension into heaven.

My favorite part of this book is that they pointed to the cross in the middle of the Christmas story. "Jesus, born to us" is the last line of every "verse", and half way through the book Timothy was asking to be the one to say that line. I love it! This book kept my preschoolers' attention while communicating the gospel and has gorgeous illustrations as well. It is a welcomed addition to our Christmas library!

FYI: In addition to this picture book, there is the Jesus Born for Us Christmas Service CD-ROM, which basically is an entire worship service planned around this book. Here is a sample.