Citation:
Robinson, Barbara. (1972). The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.
New York, NY: Avon
Books.
Summary:
Everyone knew the Herdsmans were the most
misbehaved bunch of children known to mankind. They fought amongs themselves,
and with anyone that crossed their path. They lied, stole,
cheated, vandalized, and kept the town's police force
busy. Imagine the town's reaction when this "motley crew" up and
decided they wanted to sta in the local church's annual Christmas pageant.
Knowing nothing about Jesus, or the story of Christmas, made for an interesing
rehearsal process. The Herdsmans investigated the details of the story armed
with questions and indignation over the messiah being born in a barn. Their
fresh set of eyes and open mind brought a new perspective to the narrator
and the town as a whole.
Impressions:
I chose this holiday themed book to read
(ironically in the middle of a Texas summer), because it was a title my sister
had loved and read every year. I had never gotten around to reading it myself.
I managed to dig out her old, frayed, and dilapidated copy to read. It provided
a wonderful sense of nostalgia as I tore through this hilarious tale of
meeting people where they are, rather than where you think they "should
be." It seemed to me the author did have a bit of a spiritual/religious
agenda, but it was unobtrusive and exacted very nicely for audience members who
may otherwise have been turned off by the message.
Usage in the Library:
This book obviously lends itself to some
holiday time activities. You could gather a "Favorite Holiday
Classics" read-aloud in the library at lunch time. The idea would be to
bring together teachers and other staff who would be willing to read their
favorite Christmas time stories (or an excerpt from it) aloud, as children
eat their lunch. Examples of titles may include: The Night Before Christmas,
The Grinch That Stole Christmas, an excerpt from Little Women during one of the
holiday scenes, etc. Since the library would already be decked out for the
holidays with themed displays, and hopefully a Christmas tree, it will create a
nice environment for the kids. Some nice touches might include lamp lighting
or christmas lights (so that it's a little dimmer than the
usual overhead lighting in the library), some holiday music in the
background (or a fire crackling sound effect), and some hot cocoa or eggnog for
participants to enjoy. You could conclude the program with some kind of
Christmas craft that students could take home or decorate the library with.
Review:
The "worst kids in the history of the world"
are laugh-out-loud outrageous in this rollicking picture-book adaptation of
Robinson's 1972 novel. Cornell's (My Mommy Hung the Moon) humorous, energetic
illustrations highlight the incorrigible Herdman siblings' naughtiness, as
they're pictured acting out well beyond the shenanigans chronicled in the
punchy text. At Sunday school, they "stole all the money out of the
collection plate," and the fact that they don't know the Nativity story
"didn't stop them from picking out the best parts for
themselves." As in the original version, they steal the show, providing a
satisfying primer for kids not yet ready for Robinson's longer holiday treat.
Ages 4-8. (Sept.)
Review Citation:
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.
(2011). Publishers Weekly, 258(39), 71.
No comments:
Post a Comment