What do you think?
Rate this book
Who Built the Stable?: A Nativity Poem
Who built the stable where Jesus lay? Multiple Coretta Scott King Award–winner Ashley Bryan has a very good idea in this beautiful and moving new layer to the nativity story.
The boy looked in the infant’s eyes
And in his heart he knew
The babe would be a carpenter
He’d be a shepherd too.
This beautifully crafted picture book that envisions a young boy, a shepherd and carpenter both who, out of love and kindness, cleared the way for another shepherd and carpenter to be born on Christmas day. Told in gentle rhyme and illustrated with Ashley Bryan’s enormous talent, this is a picture book that captures the reason for the season in all its wonder and beauty, celebrating Christmas, the kindness of children, and the new hope born with each new baby.
The boy looked in the infant’s eyes
And in his heart he knew
The babe would be a carpenter
He’d be a shepherd too.
This beautifully crafted picture book that envisions a young boy, a shepherd and carpenter both who, out of love and kindness, cleared the way for another shepherd and carpenter to be born on Christmas day. Told in gentle rhyme and illustrated with Ashley Bryan’s enormous talent, this is a picture book that captures the reason for the season in all its wonder and beauty, celebrating Christmas, the kindness of children, and the new hope born with each new baby.
40 pages, Hardcover
First published October 2, 2012
About the author
Ashley Bryan
122 books60 followersAshley Bryan was an illustrator, children's author, and poet.
Ashley Bryan (1923–2022) grew up to the sound of his mother singing from morning to night, and he shared the joy of song with children. A beloved illustrator, he was named a Newbery Honoree for his picture book, Freedom Over Me. He also received the Coretta Scott King—Virginia Hamilton Lifetime Achievement Award, the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award, was a May Hill Arbuthnot lecturer, a Coretta Scott King Award winner, and the recipient of countless other awards and recognitions. His books include Freedom Over Me; Sail Away; Beautiful Blackbird; Beat the Story-Drum, Pum Pum; Let It Shine; Ashley Bryan’s Book of Puppets; and What a Wonderful World. He lived in Islesford, one of the Cranberry Isles off the coast of Maine.
Ashley Bryan (1923–2022) grew up to the sound of his mother singing from morning to night, and he shared the joy of song with children. A beloved illustrator, he was named a Newbery Honoree for his picture book, Freedom Over Me. He also received the Coretta Scott King—Virginia Hamilton Lifetime Achievement Award, the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award, was a May Hill Arbuthnot lecturer, a Coretta Scott King Award winner, and the recipient of countless other awards and recognitions. His books include Freedom Over Me; Sail Away; Beautiful Blackbird; Beat the Story-Drum, Pum Pum; Let It Shine; Ashley Bryan’s Book of Puppets; and What a Wonderful World. He lived in Islesford, one of the Cranberry Isles off the coast of Maine.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
March 17, 2019
This is only a little bit related to the Nativity story or to the Bible.
At first I didn't care for it because the text seemed unfocused and the colors were extremely bright and jumbled, but the illustration calmed down a bit and by the end I really appreciated the morale about individuals welcoming and helping one another.
I learned of this illustrator in Artist to Artist: 23 Major Illustrators Talk to Children about Their Art.
At first I didn't care for it because the text seemed unfocused and the colors were extremely bright and jumbled, but the illustration calmed down a bit and by the end I really appreciated the morale about individuals welcoming and helping one another.
I learned of this illustrator in Artist to Artist: 23 Major Illustrators Talk to Children about Their Art.
December 5, 2016
This is not what I picture when I picture Christmas books...but it is beautiful in its own unique way. It is bright and colorful and invokes images of Africa and the bright colors and patterns there. The text is a poem wondering who built the stable where Mary and Joseph stayed and where baby Jesus lay. The poem says it was a little boy, learning from his father how to be a carpenter. My favorite part is the last stanza:
The boy looked in the infant's eyes
And in his heart he knew:
The babe would be a carpenter.
He'd be a shepherd too.
The boy looked in the infant's eyes
And in his heart he knew:
The babe would be a carpenter.
He'd be a shepherd too.
December 11, 2012
Always nice to see a darker-skinned Jesus. And this kind of accuracy seems even more important in a children's book. Beautiful, color-rich illustrations.
April 9, 2019
This Nativity poem has a rhythmic beat to it that allows for a really great flow of the book. The story is about the little boy who provided the stable for Mary to give birth to Jesus in. It gives a different perspective on an age old story that you never really thought about before, Mary was about to have her child but where was she going to do it? Then they stumble across a little boy that is more than willing to help. Ashley Bryan always brings his creativity to the next level by layering colors and images on top of each other leaving no blank space on the page. By filling each page it allows for younger audiences to look at the image for an extended period of time. Since this book has to do with the story of Jesus being born and the Nativity scene it can't be read in public school classrooms but I think it would be really great in a private school or church setting where they can talk about this story openly.
December 8, 2017
Joyful, vibrant illustrations depict an ethnically diverse society and tell a new story about a young carpenter shepherd who built the stable where Jesus was born and sheltered. The poem and illustrations suggest to me the way that in seizing an opportunity to show kindness, the boy was sort of an angel as well, and the impact of such simple kindness, the author indicates, might have far reaching effects.
December 19, 2018
Summary: A rhyming poem about a young carpenter apprentice who builds the stable and invites in Mary & Joseph.
Why Did I Read This: Catholic Storytime
Review: The illustrations in the book are amazing. I love them so much. The story is good, but the poetry leaves something to be desired.
Why Did I Read This: Catholic Storytime
Review: The illustrations in the book are amazing. I love them so much. The story is good, but the poetry leaves something to be desired.
June 26, 2019
The illustrations are beautiful, but I feel like it takes too many liberties with the story for this to be a classic Christmas book. (A shepherd boy, who happens to be the one who built the stable, is the one to direct them to the stable for their stay in Bethlehem.)
December 2, 2017
A quick poem with colorful illustrations depicting an imagined young apprentice who built the stable where baby Jesus was born.
January 25, 2018
Beautiful illustrations!!! The story would be better for older children.
December 10, 2019
The illustrations were my favourite part of this book.
March 9, 2022
Vibrant illustrations, insightful poem. A thought-provoking treasure of color and imagery.
December 13, 2022
….
This gorgeously illustrated poem about the nativity was a lunch time favorite. We just had to keep Parker’s fries saturated fingers from touching.
L
This gorgeously illustrated poem about the nativity was a lunch time favorite. We just had to keep Parker’s fries saturated fingers from touching.
L
December 24, 2022
Beautiful illustrations!
December 27, 2022
What a BEAUTIFUL book! The illustrations are magnificent!
June 19, 2023
Gorgeous illustrations!
November 12, 2025
The art work is so colorful - what a wonderful thought & account of the nativity! Jesus birth is for everyone 😊
February 17, 2017
I'm usually not a fan of religious picture books, but the illustrations in this one are gorgeous. I was also happy to see that Mary, Joseph, and Jesus were not whitewashed, as is usually the case.
December 13, 2012
Dazzling art meets an equally vibrant poem in this Christmas book that focuses on the shepherd boy who built the stable where Jesus was born. Award-winning illustrator and author, Ashley Bryan has crafted a story of the young boy who built the stable, a boy who is also a shepherd and a carpenter. It is a story of craft and devotion, also one of diversity and acceptance. Told in rhyming verse, this is a Christmas story that celebrates children and all they have to offer at the most joyous time of the year.
While the poem has gentle rhymes, it also has a beautiful strength of story at its core that makes it very appropriate for the celebration of the Nativity. Creating a story of another child whose own service echoes that of Jesus’ own is a powerful statement about how we can all have a role no matter how young we are.
The art here is simply spectacular. It reminds me of stained glass with its thicker outlines and brilliant colors. Filled with swirls of colors, the images fairly dance on the page, creating a new vision of the holiday that is much more than green, red and white. Beautiful!
Add some real beauty to your holiday with this bright, vibrant book that speaks to the true meaning of Christmas. Appropriate for ages 5-7.
While the poem has gentle rhymes, it also has a beautiful strength of story at its core that makes it very appropriate for the celebration of the Nativity. Creating a story of another child whose own service echoes that of Jesus’ own is a powerful statement about how we can all have a role no matter how young we are.
The art here is simply spectacular. It reminds me of stained glass with its thicker outlines and brilliant colors. Filled with swirls of colors, the images fairly dance on the page, creating a new vision of the holiday that is much more than green, red and white. Beautiful!
Add some real beauty to your holiday with this bright, vibrant book that speaks to the true meaning of Christmas. Appropriate for ages 5-7.
December 2, 2013
This book is in celebration of Christmas with a different perspective. There is a young boy, who is a shepherd and a carpenter, who made the stable for baby Jesus to be born on Christmas day. The poem is musical and the illustrations have rich colors that give it a holiday feel. All of the characters are dark skinned (Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus) and the illustrations really do tell the story almost by themselves. I think this would be fun one to use in the classroom before the Christmas break to show children how “diverse” Christmas really is. This book is easy to read for elementary students and it will really change the way the students think about Christmas. This is a great to book to use in the classroom before Christmas break because it teaches about the holiday from a completely different perspective than other Christmas books. I think comparing this book with traditional Christmas books would be interesting for the children and if you have a diverse classroom it could help the African American students in your classroom feel more included.
Bryan, A. (2012). Who built the stable?: A nativity poem. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers.
Bryan, A. (2012). Who built the stable?: A nativity poem. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers.
February 17, 2013
An expanded version of this review (with pictures!) is also posted over on my website, Travels with Mary.
Who Built the Stable? A Nativity Poem by Ashley Blake is a poem that describes the shepherd who built the stable where Jesus was born. The poem itself is musical and winding, I think it would work wonderfully as a read-aloud to young children-- personally, I'm going to save this one to read to my own children as a bedtime story, especially during the Advent season.
Wow! I am so impressed with Ashley Bryan's images. He is an incredible artist and writer.
I love the sentiments behind the art for this book. The colors are rich and the illustrations are absolutely gorgeous-- I'm also so incredibly pleased not to see another whitewashed nativity story! Bryan says he began working on this poem and the artwork during an annual trip to Africa and I think he's done an excellent job incorporating so many cultures and mediums into his artwork. I am so glad that this book is now in my personal library!
Who Built the Stable? A Nativity Poem by Ashley Blake is a poem that describes the shepherd who built the stable where Jesus was born. The poem itself is musical and winding, I think it would work wonderfully as a read-aloud to young children-- personally, I'm going to save this one to read to my own children as a bedtime story, especially during the Advent season.
Wow! I am so impressed with Ashley Bryan's images. He is an incredible artist and writer.
I love the sentiments behind the art for this book. The colors are rich and the illustrations are absolutely gorgeous-- I'm also so incredibly pleased not to see another whitewashed nativity story! Bryan says he began working on this poem and the artwork during an annual trip to Africa and I think he's done an excellent job incorporating so many cultures and mediums into his artwork. I am so glad that this book is now in my personal library!
January 22, 2013
This book is actually a poem with pictures. I would describe the pictures as looking like stain glass windows with rich blended colors. All the characters are dark skinned, even Mary, Joseph and Baby Jesus. The best part of the book is the pictures that go along with the poem. The poem itself is well written. You will need to remember the author has taken liberties with the Bible story. The basis of the poem is describing how a little shepherd is the person who built the stable and showed the family where it was. It is an interesting take on the Christmas story and I love the including of dark skinned characters. I gave this book 5/5 stars as the pictures alone make this book worth reading!
November 20, 2012
The art of poetry and the art of painting explode in this new Christmas story about the birth of Jesus. The paintings were rendered in tempera and acrylic to create a vibrant story that describes a little boy's journey to see the newborn King. This young sheepherder and carpenter helped to build a stable then invited Mary and Joseph a place to stay the night of the Census.
Poetry is a great way to tell a story. It's beauty blends well with the bright colors. Children and adults will be charmed by this story.
Reviewed from a library copy.
Poetry is a great way to tell a story. It's beauty blends well with the bright colors. Children and adults will be charmed by this story.
Reviewed from a library copy.
November 20, 2013
The author begins to wonder just who built the stable Jesus was born in, and comes up with a story.
A young shepherd boy, apprentice to his father, a carpenter builds the stable for his animals. One night he sees an amazing star, and runs into a couple looking for shelter. That night their child is born in the stable.
Not he most interesting story for me. The book got four stars, thought, because the artwork in it is amazing. Lots of bright, cheerful colours are used and capture the readers attention. He has a very unique painting style.
A young shepherd boy, apprentice to his father, a carpenter builds the stable for his animals. One night he sees an amazing star, and runs into a couple looking for shelter. That night their child is born in the stable.
Not he most interesting story for me. The book got four stars, thought, because the artwork in it is amazing. Lots of bright, cheerful colours are used and capture the readers attention. He has a very unique painting style.
November 1, 2012
The story of Mary and Joseph traveling far and wide in search of shelter on Christmas Eve night is a familiar one, but this poem fills in a few more details about that night. Told through the eyes of a child, readers find out who built the stable and how one act of kindess changed the world. Illustrations are in tempera and acrylic and brightly colored. A good read aloud, especially for Christmas.
November 21, 2015
This book talks about the birth of Jesus in smooth prose and vibrant illustrations. I believe it would be another good introductory book for young children about the story of Jesus, just don't expect a snow white baby Jesus here.
May 1, 2012
Lovely vibrant illustrations and a simple poem
November 2, 2012
Beautifully illustrated nativity story.
November 23, 2012
I'm not a big fan of religious books, but I applaud this one for showing Bible figures as they really were--dark-skinned Middle Eastern people.
December 5, 2012
Beautiful illustrations
December 18, 2012
The illustrations are beautifully colorful, but I did not know what to make of the nativity poem. It doesn't seem to agree with the traditional nativity story, and focuses on kindness.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews