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Christmas in the Barn: A Christmas Holiday Book for Kids Hardcover – Illustrated, September 20, 2016
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From the bestselling author of classics like Goodnight Moon and The Runaway Bunny comes a Christmas story sure to delight generations of new readers, reillustrated in 2016 by the beloved Llama Llama creator, Anna Dewdney.
In this reissued edition by Margaret Wise Brown, Christmas in the Barn tells a childlike interpretation of the Nativity story with all-new full-color illustrations from New York Times bestselling illustrator Anna Dewdney, creator of the Llama Llama series.
"Brown's tender, lyrical account of the Nativity has been reissued...with illustrations that expand the succinct text, giving a quiet sense of grandeur while at the same time making readers feel a part of the events. A lovely book for a new generation of readers," says School Library Journal.
- Reading age4 - 8 years
- Print length40 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- Grade levelPreschool - 3
- Lexile measureAD510L
- Dimensions11.1 x 0.5 x 9.1 inches
- PublisherHarperCollins
- Publication dateSeptember 20, 2016
- ISBN-100062379860
- ISBN-13978-0062379863
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Editorial Reviews
From School Library Journal
Review
“Dewdney’s striking, mixed-media paintings have a loose, post-impressionistic flavor...Brown’s short, rhyming text is accessible and satisfying, with clever inclusions of well-known phrases from traditional Christmas carols.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
From the Back Cover
What child is this who is born here
Where the oxen stomp and peer . . .
When Christmas in the Barn was first published in 1952, it demonstrated all of Margaret Wise Brown’s mastery at skillfully fashioning a truly childlike interpretation of the Nativity story. This beautiful full-color edition, with new art by bestselling illustrator Anna Dewdney, will delight generations of new readers.
Margaret Wise Brown, cherished for her unique ability to convey a child’s experience and perspective of the world, transformed the landscape of children’s literature with such beloved classics as Goodnight Moon and The Runaway Bunny. Other perennial favorites by Ms. Brown include Nibble Nibble; My World; Where Have You Been?; Christmas in the Barn; and Sneakers, the Seaside Cat.
About the Author
Margaret Wise Brown, cherished for her unique ability to convey a child’s experience and perspective of the world, transformed the landscape of children’s literature with such beloved classics as Goodnight Moon and The Runaway Bunny. Other perennial favorites by Ms. Brown include My World; Christmas in the Barn; The Dead Bird; North, South, East, West; and Good Day, Good Night.
Anna Dewdney was the bestselling author and illustrator of over fifteen award-winning children’s books, including a new edition of Margaret Wise Brown's beloved Christmas in the Barn and the bestselling and beloved Llama Llama books, which have been translated into over ten languages.
Product details
- Publisher : HarperCollins
- Publication date : September 20, 2016
- Edition : Illustrated
- Language : English
- Print length : 40 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0062379860
- ISBN-13 : 978-0062379863
- Item Weight : 14.4 ounces
- Reading age : 4 - 8 years
- Dimensions : 11.1 x 0.5 x 9.1 inches
- Grade level : Preschool - 3
- Lexile measure : AD510L
- Best Sellers Rank: #315,824 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #381 in Children's Baby Animal Books
- #474 in Children's Farm Animal Books (Books)
- #541 in Children's Christmas Books (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
About the author

Margaret Wise Brown wrote hundreds of books and stories during her life, but she is best known for Goodnight Moon and Runaway Bunny. Even though she died over 45 years ago, her books still sell very well. Margaret loved animals. Most of her books have animals as characters in the story. She liked to write books that had a rhythm to them. Sometimes she would put a hard word into the story or poem. She thought this made children think harder when they are reading. She wrote all the time. There are many scraps of paper where she quickly wrote down a story idea or a poem. She said she dreamed stories and then had to write them down in the morning before she forgot them. She tried to write the way children wanted to hear a story, which often isn't the same way an adult would tell a story. She also taught illustrators to draw the way a child saw things. One time she gave two puppies to someone who was going to draw a book with that kind of dog. The illustrator painted many pictures one day and then fell asleep. When he woke up, the papers he painted on were bare. The puppies had licked all the paint off the paper. Margaret died after surgery for a bursting appendix while in France. She had many friends who still miss her. They say she was a creative genius who made a room come to life with her excitement. Margaret saw herself as something else - a writer of songs and nonsense.
Customer reviews
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Customers love this Christmas book, with one mentioning it's a frequent bedtime story in their home. The edition features original illustrations that customers appreciate. The rhyme scheme receives mixed reactions, with several customers finding the rhymes awkward.
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Customers love the story of this Christmas book, describing it as beautiful and perfect for the holiday season, with one customer noting it's a frequent bedtime read in their home.
"A classic! I love Margaret Wise Brown's books! This one is beautiful and sweet. A hit with both the kids and myself!" Read more
"...It is a great story, highly recommend." Read more
"beautiful storyline and illustrations to begin learning about the meaning of the holiday. Perfect for our young grandchildren!" Read more
"...to children who's parents are not religious, and have it be just a nice story with no Biblical reference whatsoever, though my own children have..." Read more
Customers love the illustrations in this book, particularly noting the original artwork and beautiful pictures.
"A classic! I love Margaret Wise Brown's books! This one is beautiful and sweet. A hit with both the kids and myself!" Read more
"beautiful storyline and illustrations to begin learning about the meaning of the holiday. Perfect for our young grandchildren!" Read more
"...The illustrations are far from charming in my opinion. The people look sinister on one page and the faces actually look more deformed than sweet...." Read more
"...The illustrations are simple, but very beautifully done, and the girls love pointing out the animals..." Read more
Customers have mixed opinions about the rhyme scheme of the book, with several noting that the rhymes seemed awkward.
"...Wise Brown, I was really expecting so much more... the rhymes seemed awkward, it isn't really the story of the birth of Jesus, so much as the story..." Read more
"Love the author- and her simplistic writing style was consistent in this story of Christmas. Great story. New book. Worth every penny." Read more
"...What's not to like??? But I was disappointed. The rhyming is forced and awkward in places...." Read more
"Horrible pictures and forced rhymes. Wanted a simple nativity poem but this was bad and the pictures are even worse...." Read more
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Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on February 14, 2024Format: HardcoverVerified PurchaseThe media could not be loaded.
- Reviewed in the United States on December 30, 2016Format: PaperbackVerified PurchaseA classic! I love Margaret Wise Brown's books! This one is beautiful and sweet. A hit with both the kids and myself!
- Reviewed in the United States on January 10, 2018Format: HardcoverVerified PurchaseThis was suggested to us by our Children's Ministry Group at church. It is a great story, highly recommend.
- Reviewed in the United States on December 2, 2016Format: PaperbackVerified Purchasebeautiful storyline and illustrations to begin learning about the meaning of the holiday. Perfect for our young grandchildren!
- Reviewed in the United States on November 23, 2011Format: PaperbackVerified PurchaseI have to say that when we first got this book last Christmas, I was very disappointed. From Margaret Wise Brown, I was really expecting so much more... the rhymes seemed awkward, it isn't really the story of the birth of Jesus, so much as the story of a random couple who had "lost their way" and ended up sleeping in a barn that night. And there isn't so much of an actual STORY to it at all, for that matter. Random kind of rhyming lines about the sounds that the animals make and everyone being together, safe, and warm in the 'ancient barn,' with absolutley NO explanation of who these people were or what they were doing there, and bits of various old Christmas carols thrown in. Aaaaand of course, we don't use words like oxen, cattle, lowed, and ass around her to describe animals or their sounds! It just wasn't the cut-and-dry for kids version of the nativity story that I was looking for.
HOWEVER, my then 3-year old adored it from day one. Now she is 4, and both she and my 18 month old still really like this book. We've left it out all year, and it is a frequent bedtime story in our home. As time passed,I got over my initial disappointment, and have grown very fond of it myself. It's nice. It has a very warm and comforting feeling in the dozy way the words run. The illustrations are simple, but very beautifully done, and the girls love pointing out the animals (particularly the bunnies that seem to be watching the story unfold) on every page. The girls have learned all of the new words (always good), and it provides a nice loose frame that allows the parent to explain the true story of Christmas to their children - which is really how it should be, anyway. I DO love the bits of carols thrown in, and as my daughters learn those classics, they will be reminded of this book. I also have a small in-home daycare, and all of THOSE little ones like this book, too. I like that it's a vague enough story that I can read it to children who's parents are not religious, and have it be just a nice story with no Biblical reference whatsoever, though my own children have learned about who the illustrated characters represent, and why they are so important in our lives.
So, all that said and one year later, I HIGHLY recommend this book to everyone, regardless of religion, and think that if you give it a chance, you'll come to love it too!
(I should also mention that to this day we've never read her book "Big Red Barn," so to us this was all new.)
- Reviewed in the United States on January 9, 2018Format: PaperbackVerified PurchaseClassic book! Love this edition with original illustrations.
- Reviewed in the United States on December 28, 2013Format: PaperbackVerified PurchaseLove the author- and her simplistic writing style was consistent in this story of Christmas. Great story. New book. Worth every penny.
- Reviewed in the United States on January 9, 2021The condition was fair. The spine was broken and there was no dust jacket. I didn't see it state that there was no dust jacket so that was disappointing.
Top reviews from other countries
- Terry AmesReviewed in Canada on January 29, 2018
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Format: HardcoverVerified PurchaseA great choice for over 5 year olds. A gentle story about the meaning of Christmas.
- FJ HappinessReviewed in Canada on January 5, 2015
3.0 out of 5 stars Three Stars
An interesting take, but not the true story