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32 pp.
| Flyaway
| September, 2019
|
TradeISBN 978-1-947-88812-8$18.00
(2)
K-3
Illustrated by
Lisa Aisato.
This is a lyrical meditation on Christ's birth, told by His mother Mary as the newborn sleeps in her arms. "Can you believe it? God's anointed one upon my breast, with milk, just there, at the corner of his tiny mouth." Although unduly ponderous for a picture-book audience, the text reads aloud beautifully, and the watery, speckled illustrations convey the humble humanity of mother and Child alike.
Reviewer: Roger Sutton
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
November, 2019
32 pp.
| Cavendish
| April, 2012
|
TradeISBN 978-0-7614-6135-7$17.99
(3)
K-3
Illustrated by
Tonya Engel.
One of Mexico's most beloved stories is treated both reverently and poetically in this retelling. Bernier-Grand's rich language captures the humility of the poor Aztec Juan Diego who witnessed apparitions of the Virgin Mary, Our Lady of Guadalupe, in sixteenth-century Mexico. Engel's soft illustrations have a luminous feel perfectly suited to this religious miracle story.
32 pp.
| Eerdmans
| September, 2012
|
TradeISBN 978-0-8028-5397-4$17.00
(4)
K-3
Illustrated by
Stephen Alcorn.
In the manger on the first Christmas night, Mary describes the quiet she craves as she cradles her newborn baby and wonders "what will become of him." Alcorn includes classic Nativity elements in his muted, soft mixed-media illustrations. Hopkins's lyrical text lacks focus and presents an adult longing that is unlikely to speak to young children.
(4)
K-3
Illustrated by
Steve Johnson
&
Lou Fancher.
Grandma Lupita tells Rose and a friend the story of Juan Diego, summoned in 1531 by the Lady of Guadalupe to build a church. Juan Diego struggles to attract support from his town, but he eventually succeeds by way of a miracle. The illustrations capture the tenderness of the story and accurately depict the time period, but the decorative borders are distracting.
40 pp.
| SteinerBooks
| May, 2011
|
TradeISBN 978-0-88010-719-8$17.95
(4)
K-3
Illustrated by
Amy Córdova.
Córdova and Gollogly retell the story of Juan Diego--born Talking Eagle or Cuauhtlatoatzin--and his miraculous encounters with "Mary, the Mother of God." The bishop doesn't believe Juan until he produces his cloak, with roses spilling out and the imprint of Mary upon it. The text, though wordy (at times ponderously so), effectively communicates events. Vibrant-hued illustrations depict the scenes.
223 pp.
| Zondervan
| September, 2010
|
TradeISBN 978-0-310-72078-2$15.99
(2)
YA
Fifteen-year-old Mary Rudine, nicknamed Mister, "used to be / a good Christian girl..." In a series of one- to two-page prose poems, Mister describes her fall from grace. Mister's voice is poignant and utterly genuine, but what really elevates the novel above other good-girl-gets-pregnant fare is the character of Mary, mother of Jesus, whose all-too-familiar experiences as a pregnant teenager comfort Mister.
Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
November, 2010
(3)
YA
After his mother dies, Dylan and his father retreat to Florida to be closer to Dylan's aging grandmother. Soon, a Virgin Mary sighting in tree bark floods the town with worshippers, including Angela who helps Dylan let go and move forward with his life. The entertaining, sometimes emotional story breezes right along with its well-formulated characters.
32 pp.
| HarperBlessings
| October, 2008
|
TradeISBN 978-0-06-147997-7$16.99
(4)
K-3
Illustrated by
Tim Ladwig.
This Nativity story, told in rhyming verse from Mary's perspective, allows Mary to express her love and enjoy the quiet time she has with her baby before she must share him with the world. While neither the text nor the requisite glowing art stand out, new mothers may appreciate the book's sentiment.
40 pp.
| McElderry
| October, 2006
|
TradeISBN 0-689-87692-0$19.95
(4)
4-6
Most children won't be drawn immediately to Demi's book about Mary, the mother of Jesus, portrayed here as a healer and visionary. The text is a series of quotes from the New Testament and other sources. Demi's characteristically detailed and majestic paintings don't personalize Mary, but they do give the book weight and solemnity.
(2)
K-3
Illustrated by
Sergio Martinez.
This Southwest "Cinderella" story includes elements of European fairy tales, Christian imagery, and Spanish folklore. When her father marries a haughty widow with two vain daughters, Teresa's life becomes miserable. A "woman in blue" comes to the rescue in exchange for Teresa's kindness to an old man and a baby. Golden light suffuses the watercolor paintings, while accurate details root the story in the colonial Spanish tradition.
32 pp.
| Putnam
| October, 1999
|
TradeISBN 0-399-23400-4$$15.99
(3)
K-3
The young people chosen to portray Mary and Joseph in the Santa Fe Las Posadas celebration are delayed by a snowstorm. Instead, another couple arrives to act the part of the Holy Family. Later, Sister Angie discovers that her beloved carving of Mary and Joseph seems to have come to life to save the pageant. DePaola's characteristic warm illustrations and detailed retelling of the miracle make this a satisfying Christmas story.
32 pp.
| Boyds
| October, 1998
|
TradeISBN 1-56397-714-1$$14.95
(4)
K-3
Illustrated by
Kasi Kubiak.
The oft-told story of Jesus' birth is presented from his mother's perspective. The rather sentimental narrative begins with the angel Gabriel's visit to Mary and continues with the events that follow--up to Mary, Jesus, and Joseph's flight to Egypt. Realistic, sometimes stiff acrylic paintings give figures a stage-lit look, as if they're participating in a Christmas play.
(3)
K-3
Drawing on the Gospels, apocryphal material, and her own imagination, Mayer re-creates, in graceful prose, the early life of the Virgin Mary from her conception and birth to her education, marriage, and the birth of her son Jesus. Fine art paintings by Titian, Giotto di Bondone, and others illustrate the elegant volume. Source notes are appended.