Deeply lovely.
Customer Rating: 
Anticipating the birth of a baby is a magical time, and every birth is a miracle. This wonderful book shows scenes of Mary and Joseph preparing for the birth of Jesus, and the text reflects their feelings of wonder and excitement:
"Little one, we knew you'd come.
We hoped. We dreamed. We watched for you. We counted the days till you were due. We waited. How we longed for you, and the day that you were born."
As you read along, watching Mary and Joseph travel to the stable and welcome the infant Jesus with loving joy, the words reflect not only their feelings, but the feelings of every parent waiting for their child's birth. This book is a warm and wondrous joining of the joy of Christmas and the joy of all births. Especially wonderful for new or expectant parents at Christmastime.
Gorgeous depiction of motherhood and the Christ-child
Customer Rating: 
This is a lyrical celebration of motherhood and the baby born that first Christmas. As all good picture books should, the text and illustrations share equal portion in telling this story.
Award-winning author Sally Lloyd-Jones gives an intimate portrayal of the hope and anticipation held by Mary, Joseph and all those waiting for the Messiah to come. Her words are tender and passionate; they speak the heart of all mothers waiting for their precious little ones to be born. Coupled with Jackie Morris's gorgeous illustrations, Ms. Jones's poem becomes an awesome story of faith.
While mostly watercolor, the illustrations are remarkably bold and detailed. They depict Mary and Joseph's journey, their stay with animals in a stable, shepherds and angels, even the trek of the magi. The pages (and cover) are accented in gold (glitter on the cover). Celtic style borders are also used.
What I Like: Everything. The illustrations are amazing! This book would not be the same without them. The text is heartfelt, renewing a sense of awe in the birth of Jesus. Also, not many children's books emphasize the promise of Jesus, the messianic prophecies. This one hints at that, at the longing and yearning of the Jewish people for their Savior. It's wonderful.
What I Dislike: This not a dislike as much as an admonition: don't make this the only Nativity book in your child's library. While an excellent book, it requires much explanation, especially for younger children. The characters are never named. It's obvious who they are because of the illustrations, but someone who doesn't know the story might be confused.
Overall Rating: Very good!
Tanya -- Christian Children's Book Review
