The Gifts of the Animals: A Christmas Tale

“Loosely based on a 12th century Latin song” turned English Christmas hymn—“The Animal Carol”—this story imagines how the animals in the celebrated Bethlehem stable might have made way for Jesus’s birth. In realistic illustrations, each docile beast offers its own preparation in turn: “The ox that stands in the drafty shed/ drops straw into a manger bed”; “The sheep tear loose bits of their wool/ to make the bed feel soft and full.” A tired Mary and Joseph are welcomed in, and Christ is born before being set in the animals’ carefully prepared trough. Hospitality and joy emanate from the lowly scene, drawing the creatures, angels, and local shepherds in to celebration. Gerber’s gentle rhyme flows seamlessly, while Shimokawara’s softly hued art sets a peaceful, sleepy scene, making it ideal for bedtime reading. Postscript includes a condensed retelling of Christ’s birth from the book of Luke. A sweetly wrought spin on the traditional Nativity story. Ages 3–8. (Sept.)