In intricately stitched mixed-media art that could pass for the handiwork of some very crafty elves, Beaton (Mother Goose Remembers) creates a want-to-touch-it backdrop for this board book Nativity story. Colorful compositions of felt, beads and fabric exude a childlike charm, while Capucilli's (the Biscuit books) economical sentences and unfettered phrasing are just right for the intended audience. Youngest book-lovers will also appreciate the die-cuts that let a holographic star shine out from the last spread onto all the others. Just one quibble: the beads used for Mary's unnaturally colored blue eyes give her a somewhat demented look. Ages 1-4. (Oct.)
