Follow the events of Jesus’ birth as you read this lovely picture book written by Max Lucado with Randy Frazee and Karen Hill and illustrated by Fausto. The Christmas Story for Children tells readers about the birth of a special baby whose story is filled with love for us all. Young readers as well as their parents will appreciate the beautiful words and artwork that convey the message that we are loved and cherished.
A holiday companion book to the award-winning and bestselling The Story for Children.
Max Lucado has the heart of a pastor and the pen of a poet. He is a preacher who writes and a writer who preaches, though none would call him preachy. This unique combination of gifts led Christianity Today to label him “America’s Pastor,” but he prefers to go by “Max” and leave the titles behind.
Since 1985 this Texas pastor has taken pen to paper, sharing his heart and his stories with readers around the globe. And readers have responded, snapping up more than 50 million copies of his 60 plus titles during the last two decades.
Max Lucado is one of the rare authors who can craft memorable books for readers of all ages, races and creeds. He has written bestselling books for both children and adults, from illustrated storybooks to nonfiction and biblical commentary. Though he is known best for his nonfiction books for adults, Max won Campus Life magazine’s “favorite author” designation so consistently that the category was deleted for many years from the teen reader’s annual awards.
Max’s gift of turning a phrase has turned into one of Hallmark’s most popular branded greeting cards lines, selling 6 million cards in just three years. His word and stories have been repackaged in just about every format imaginable, including DVDs, CD-ROMs, music CDs, apparel, giftware, calendars, study Bibles and even plush products. And his books have been translated into more than 28 languages worldwide.
Yet all these books and products find their wellspring in a single source: the pulpit at Oak Hills Church in San Antonio, Texas. All Max’s books for adults have been birthed as sermons for the congregation at Oak Hills Church—perhaps one of the reasons Readers Digest dubbed him “America’s Best Preacher” in 2005.
Max and Denalyn Lucado celebrated 25 years of marriage in August 2006. They served as missionaries in Brazil before coming to San Antonio, where they have lived since 1998. Their three almost-grown daughters, (Jenna, Andrea, Sara) recall no other home. Both the heart and the pen of this pastor/writer have found fertile ground under the Texas sun.
Fausto Bianchi was born on Lake Como and now lives and works in Varese, Italy. He lives with his wife, child, and a dog and cat. Fausto has done illustrations for several Italian publishing houses and advertising agencies. He especially enjoys working with watercolors and has begun to use digital formats to create the same watercolor effects.
My Impressions:
The Christmas Story for Children is taken from the best-selling children’s book The Story for Children. It is a retelling of Jesus’ birth. I like that the story opens with the people of God anxiously awaiting their Messiah. The book makes it clear that the people had been waiting for centuries, but when the time was right, God entered into our world. The heart of the story is the nativity, but also includes Jesus’ early ministry. It definitely makes clear that the story from the Gospels did not begin and end in the stable. The illustrations are beautiful. The detail overlaying the watercolors creates a depth that draws the eye. The Christmas Story for Children would be a wonderful addition to family story time.
Recommended.
Audience: children ages 5-12.
(Thanks to Zonderkidz for a review copy. The opinions expressed are mine alone.)
To purchase this book, click on the image below.
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