This book, by Langston Hughes, is a cute version of the story the first Christmas. There are many adaptations that reflect the first Christmas, but I think Hughes did a good job in showing that Christmas is for everyone to celebrate. Whether or not you’re white, black, or Asian, the story of Christmas reflects everyone who believes in it. Hughes provided great rhyme to go with the storytelling. And I think the illustrator did a great job in providing colorful pictures reflecting the words being read. I enjoyed this book because I haven’t seen the story of the first Christmas told in this way, and I think it is a great way to show diversity in something that is so largely celebrated. ( )

This book is about the birth of Jesus. This would be a good story to tell during the Christmas season.

This poetry book tells the story of the real Christmas story and how three Wise Men, one who is specifically a brown man, went to visit Jesus who had just been born. The poem also tells of how we can come and bring Jesus the gift of our heart just as the Wise Men brought gifts.
The poetry in this book flows and is organized well in order for a child to understand what the story is about. The poem also brings a sense of emotion about the story and changes how the reader might feel.
A teacher could use this in a classroom to show students the Christmas story and to also show that different cultures portray the characters differently. For example, most of the characters in this story are Black, whereas most American Christmas stories and nativities show the characters as White.
The setting in this book takes place in a barn which is appropriate to show children where Jesus might have been born and the type of setting He was in at the time. The setting includes animals, the night sky, and the characters included in the story.
Media: Oil Paints ( )