This author/illustrator impressively blends (1) beautiful pictures, (2) a story kids can follow, (3) whimsical rhymes, (4) the gospel message, (5) a moral lesson without being moralistic. Parents or people in children’s ministry know that in a Christian book, you almost NEVER get all five of those elements. You’re lucky to get two or three, but this book shoots 5/5. As an added theological bonus, Christmas is kept in its biblical perspective: leading to the cross, empty tomb, and making sinners into a new creation. Don’t hesitate to buy the book outside of the Advent season, because although the story begins at Christmas and deals with a character type in those biblical narratives, it is wide enough in focus to work any time of year.
