The Christmas Story

Before we move on from the Christmas season, I wanted to squeeze in one more Christmas title, this time a straightforward retelling of the Nativity.  There are, of course, innumerable picture books of this nature, usually with undistinguished text combining the Matthew and Luke infancy narratives.  The only reason to choose one over another is in the visual content, and this is why I love The Christmas Story, a pop-up designed by Robert Sabuda.

Amazon refers to the book as an "exquisite pop-up retelling," and it certainly delivers as advertised. Sabuda is one of the best pop-up engineers in the world, and we've accumulated many of his books over the years.  Here he uses his trademark all-white images (with gold accents), to direct all of the reader's attention to the shape and structure of the tableau before him.  

One thing I especially like in Sabuda's designs are the way the action of the story literally unfolds as you open the page.  Thus you can see the shepherds kneeling down, the Christmas star spinning in the sky, and the wise men travelling across the page.  Pop-ups are often dismissed as of interest only to very young children, but this is a work of art anyone can pore over again and again.  And once you have read it a hundred times, Sabuda has kindly also made beautiful adaptations of The Twelve Days of Christmas and The Night Before Christmas to enjoy.

Ages: all ages, but 4+ to turn the pages on their own

Rating: A