Jesus Is Born

Adapted from the familiar passages from the Gospels of Luke and Matthew, Piper’s (The Child of Christmas) interpretation of the Nativity features crisp sentences and a confident narrative flow (“All at once the sky went dark. The shepherds were astonished. Had they all been dreaming? Or had they really seen angels, and was the message true?”), resulting in a captivating retelling. Gilbert’s (The Frog Prince) pale colored-pencil compositions are alternately delicate and dramatic, with scenes that include shepherds cowering in fear and Mary gently kissing her newborn’s face while being embraced by Joseph. The illustrator’s human figures are nearly photo-realistic in their detail, and they capture a wealth of emotion in their facial expressions and body language. It’s a thorough and reverential account, whose gentle language and detail-rich illustrations invite multiple readings and careful perusal. Ages 4–8. (Oct.)