Martha Whitmore Hickman

This loved story from the Bible has been told in probably hundreds of versions, some with symbols and complexities and imaginative additions. But for young children, for whom this may be their first introduction to the story of the birth of Jesus, a simple retelling of the story seemed more suitable, and that's what I have tried to do. The story carries its own magic and wonder--Joseph and Mary setting out on their journey, the tenderness of Joseph toward Mary, their relief at finding a place to stay, the birth of the child with the friendly animals close by, Mary and Joseph's astonishment and love for this baby, the long-awaited Messiah, whom God has entrusted to them.

The beautiful illustrations--from the luminous holy family to the tiny mice scampering across the stable floor--will gladden the hearts--and eyes--of children and adults alike. The illustrations are done by the distinguished Italian artist Guiliano Ferri, who also illustrated "And God Created Squash: How the World Began."

A distinctive feature of the illustration of the visit of the Wise Men is that Jesus is not a recumbent infant but a child sitting upright on Mary's lap. The chronology of the Wise Men's visit has different interpretations. We know that by the time the Wise Men arrived, Mary and Joseph and Jesus had moved from the stable to a house. The age of Jesus at the time of the visit is unknown, though he must have been under two, since we are told that it was after the Wise Men had come and gone that Herod decreed that all boy babies under two be killed. But in the lovely picture that illustrates the coming of the Wise Men, a wide-eyed Jesus is sitting upright, smiling and welcoming, on his mother's lap, with Joseph beside him, as the Wise Men kneel before the holy family, having presented their gifts.