This children's book is one of the few in which Joseph the Betrothed is depicted as an elderly man in accord with Holy Tradition. ( )

Exquisite, intricate scissor-cut illustrations wonderfully illuminate The Story of Christmas told in the poetic language of the King James Bible. By altering a few words, this is a deeply moving and spirit-touching read-aloud book for early childhood and young children's worship.

Big Kid Reaction: This is a beautifully illustrated book and I love how it begins with the angel Gabriel visiting Mary, not just the last "leg" of her and Joseph's trip to the Inn. I could not help but think that this is more for collectors than children, though.

Pros: Beautifully detailed illustrations make this a wonderful read-aloud choice for Advent.

Cons: The quality of the book is such that you want to take extra special care of it ... it may appeal more to adult collectors and Sunday school teachers.

To read our full review, go to The Reading Tub®.

Told through the eyes and hands of the talented illustrator Pamela Dalton, the story of the birth of Jesus Christ comes to life in the pages of this gorgeous picture book.

Pamela Dalton’s illustrated telling of The Story of Christmas is what I would consider a rare find. This is a story that is the crux of most Christian beliefs yet finding a version of the story that is appealing to both children and adults can be a daunting task. Often picture book versions of the story are much more cartoon in nature making them much too young for older readers and more mature versions of the story become quite boring for small children. Pairing the story with Pamela Dalton’s beautiful artwork was a brilliant idea. Not only does the story come to life, but it reaches a far broader audience than most versions have in the past.

Through this version of The Story of Christmas readers follow along with the text from the King James version of the Bible as Pamela Dalton’s gorgeous and intricate art bring the story to life. Our family will be reading this version for many years to come as it has quickly become a family favorite and I’m certain that other families in search of a high quality yet accurate portrayal of this important part of Christianity will love it as well.

Originally reviewed and copyrighted at my site, There's A Book. ( )