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Christmas in the Barn
Key Features Description Lyrical text relates the birth of a child in a barn among the animals, with illustrations which depict the barn and people of a present-day farm. Lyrical text relates the birth of a child in a barn among the animals, with illustrations which depict the barn and people of a present-day farm. Product Details Item #: NTS982609 9780439826099 Paperback Book 32 Pre-K - 2 Lexile® AD570L Guided Reading GR Level K DRA 16 - 18 ACR 3.2 Christmas in the Barn Paperback Book 3.71 Out Of Stock Out Of Stock Email me when back in stock Top {{#if inStock}} {{#if isSubscribe}} {{button.label}} {{else}} {{button.label}} {{/if}} {{/if}} {{#if isOutofStock}} {{oosMessage}} {{#if isTSO}}
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32 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1952
4 people are currently reading
396 people want to read
About the author
Margaret Wise Brown
396 books1,256 followersMargaret Wise Brown wrote hundreds of books and stories during her life, but she is best known for Goodnight Moon and The Runaway Bunny. Even though she died nearly 70 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 107 reviews
December 1, 2018
This text is from 1952 and for some reason they decided to have a new illustrator come up with new pictures and reissue the book in 2016. Interesting. I’m counting this as 1952 as that is the original text. I don’t like that practice. Margaret has no control or way in the matter since she’s dead. OH well, 1st world problems.
It’s a simple book set in the desert of Bethlehem. (there are more than one illustrator so Anna Dewdney sets it in a desert, not the snow) It’s about the animals in the barn the night Jesus was born. They are cute animals. There is a sentence per page. It tells a simple message for a straight forward story. It does have a silent sense of awe for the story.
I think this was a little young for the kids. It was quick though. They thought this was an ok story. As soon as it was done they wanted to go on to the next book. They gave it 2 stars by the Niece and 3 star by the nephew.
It’s a simple book set in the desert of Bethlehem. (there are more than one illustrator so Anna Dewdney sets it in a desert, not the snow) It’s about the animals in the barn the night Jesus was born. They are cute animals. There is a sentence per page. It tells a simple message for a straight forward story. It does have a silent sense of awe for the story.
I think this was a little young for the kids. It was quick though. They thought this was an ok story. As soon as it was done they wanted to go on to the next book. They gave it 2 stars by the Niece and 3 star by the nephew.
November 15, 2022
Nice story, darling illustrations, but I'm not sure why it looks like a character from Anne of Green Gables is in the barn having a baby? Why set it in Canada when it's supposed to be in Israel?
Ages: 4 - 8
Cleanliness: nothing to note.
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Ages: 4 - 8
Cleanliness: nothing to note.
**Like my reviews? Then you should follow me! Because I have hundreds more just like this one. With each review, I provide a Cleanliness Report, mentioning any objectionable content I come across so that parents and/or conscientious readers (like me) can determine beforehand whether they want to read a book or not. Content surprises are super annoying, especially when you’re 100+ pages in, so here’s my attempt to help you avoid that!
So Follow or Friend me here on GoodReads! And be sure to check out my bio page to learn a little about me and the Picture Book/Chapter Book Calendars I sell on Etsy!
December 2, 2017
I read/own the version illustrated by Barbara Cooney, because why would you read any other version. A spare, restful telling of the Nativity story set on a New England farm. The baby born is never explicitly identified as Jesus, but that makes it fun to search with my daughters for clues and allusions that reveal his identity (the star, "Because there was no room in the inn," "When hail," shepherds and sheep, "What child is this," "Away in a manger," et al.). The illustrations are excellent--pretty much the same style as in the Caldecott-winner Chanticleer and the Fox, which Cooney illustrated right around the same time.
December 2, 2018
Christmas In the Barn, illustrated by Barbara Cooney
"In a big warm barn / In an ancient field / The oxen lowed, / the donkey squealed, the horses stomped, / the cattled sighed / And quietly the daylight died / In the sunset of the west." So begins this lovely retelling of the Nativity Story from 1952. Author Margaret Wise Brown's poetic text makes several references to famouse Christmas carols, with phrases like "what child is this," or "away in a manger" sprinkled throughout, while illustrator Barbara Cooney's artwork sets the ancient story in what looks like an early to mid-twentieth-century New England farmyard. The tale concludes with both textual and visual warmth, depicting Mary and Joseph, the manger animals, and some visiting shepherds as they all gather around the little Christ Child..
This story from the pen of Margaret Wise Brown has been illustrated by a number of different artists over the years, from Barbara Cooney (the first and best, in my opinion), to Diane Goode and (most recently) Anna Dewdney. Although I found the Dewdney quite engaging (I have not as yet read the Goode), all in all I prefer this original version illustrated by Cooney. There is just an immense charm to the visuals here, which alternate between black and white two-page spreads and those which utilize a limited color palette of red, yellow and blue. Whichever style she is using however, there is always a feeling of depth and of mystery to her illustrations, and a feeling of tenderness that is particularly pronounced in the depiction of the animals and of the little baby. Highly recommended, both to Cooney fans, and to anyone looking for poetic, well-written Nativity stories.
"In a big warm barn / In an ancient field / The oxen lowed, / the donkey squealed, the horses stomped, / the cattled sighed / And quietly the daylight died / In the sunset of the west." So begins this lovely retelling of the Nativity Story from 1952. Author Margaret Wise Brown's poetic text makes several references to famouse Christmas carols, with phrases like "what child is this," or "away in a manger" sprinkled throughout, while illustrator Barbara Cooney's artwork sets the ancient story in what looks like an early to mid-twentieth-century New England farmyard. The tale concludes with both textual and visual warmth, depicting Mary and Joseph, the manger animals, and some visiting shepherds as they all gather around the little Christ Child..
This story from the pen of Margaret Wise Brown has been illustrated by a number of different artists over the years, from Barbara Cooney (the first and best, in my opinion), to Diane Goode and (most recently) Anna Dewdney. Although I found the Dewdney quite engaging (I have not as yet read the Goode), all in all I prefer this original version illustrated by Cooney. There is just an immense charm to the visuals here, which alternate between black and white two-page spreads and those which utilize a limited color palette of red, yellow and blue. Whichever style she is using however, there is always a feeling of depth and of mystery to her illustrations, and a feeling of tenderness that is particularly pronounced in the depiction of the animals and of the little baby. Highly recommended, both to Cooney fans, and to anyone looking for poetic, well-written Nativity stories.
November 21, 2018
Christmas In the Barn, illustrated by Anna Dewdney
From the pen of Margaret Wise Brown, author of such childhood classics as Goodnight Moon and The Runaway Bunny , comes this poetic retelling of the story of the Nativity. Incorporating snippets of established carols - "away in a manger, no crib for his bed" - the simple narrative here follows the tale of Mary and Joseph, and how they came to "a big warm barn in an ancient field" where a miracle occurred...
Originally published in 1952, and accompanied by the artwork of Barbara Cooney, Christmas In the Barn has been reissued this year (2016) with new illustrations by Anne Dewdney, the creator of the popular Llama Llama picture-books. The result is an engaging Christmas book, one which presents a well-known story in a child-friendly way. As an admirer of Cooney's, I'd like to track down the original and compare her artwork with Dewdney's, but overall I was pleased with this version.
From the pen of Margaret Wise Brown, author of such childhood classics as Goodnight Moon and The Runaway Bunny , comes this poetic retelling of the story of the Nativity. Incorporating snippets of established carols - "away in a manger, no crib for his bed" - the simple narrative here follows the tale of Mary and Joseph, and how they came to "a big warm barn in an ancient field" where a miracle occurred...
Originally published in 1952, and accompanied by the artwork of Barbara Cooney, Christmas In the Barn has been reissued this year (2016) with new illustrations by Anne Dewdney, the creator of the popular Llama Llama picture-books. The result is an engaging Christmas book, one which presents a well-known story in a child-friendly way. As an admirer of Cooney's, I'd like to track down the original and compare her artwork with Dewdney's, but overall I was pleased with this version.
December 26, 2021
Gramby's Storytime for Elinor ~
Margaret Wise Brown's Christmas in the Barn describes the birth of Jesus in a lyrical and simple text . It is beautifully illustrated by Barbara Cooney. It's my favorite of all the nativity books that I have read over the years to my children and grandchildren . My edition was published in 1985.
Margaret Wise Brown's Christmas in the Barn describes the birth of Jesus in a lyrical and simple text . It is beautifully illustrated by Barbara Cooney. It's my favorite of all the nativity books that I have read over the years to my children and grandchildren . My edition was published in 1985.
December 24, 2019
The nativity story told simply and beautifully as only Margaret Wise Brown can. The illustrations show a rural American setting with a red barn. A fun change, although of course it's not authentic. I like the idea of every culture (including our own) imagining Jesus Christ coming to their own land.
December 14, 2018
A nice simple retelling of the Christmas story. Lots of beautiful illustration and simple wording. Good for 2-4 yr. olds.
April 1, 2016
My daughter rediscovered this book, which somehow didn't get put away with the rest of our holiday books. The illustrations are lovely as art, but confusing in context. The text is the nativity story (with some rhymes and lines that don't flow well) and refer to an "ancient barn." However, the pictures look like a fairly modern (w/in last 200-300 years) American barn, sort of New Englandy, in snow. I'm not a biblical scholar, but I don't remember there being Americans or snow in the nativity story... Other reviews mentioned the red barn as a reference to another of MWB's books, but that still doesn't really lend enough reason to make such an odd retelling choice.
November 7, 2017
It's hard not to love this book, though it has a few flaws. The simple, powerful verse tells a version of the birth of Christ. The charming illustrations are of a modern barn, a modern couple. And though it doesn't make sense to pair the two, the end result is sweet, perfect for sharing around a Yuletide fire with popcorn and hot chocolate. The last two rhymes are slightly off, but the whole text could easily be memorized with its lilting cadence and strong narrative. The illustrations include a few sneaky tributes to Brown's best-loved books. It's sometimes difficult to find room for another Christmas picture book, but this one is too pleasant to do without.
January 3, 2015
Not really suitable for an Australian audience where trying to rhyme ass with grass! I also found the story confusing, unable to tell whether it was supposed to be a retelling of the first nativity or a parody. It spoke of a lost couple in an ancient barn yet the pictures showed a modern red American barn, whilst referring to an ancient field. The question was asked as to who the child was yet never answered. I expected more from this author and illustrator and was disappointed.
January 16, 2015
Christmas in the Barn by Margaret Wise Brown
Audio version so I am not seeing the colorful pictures.
Children's book about the reason for the season-the birth of Christ.
Setting: the barn and who is there, the animals and the sounds.
Christmas day and the sound of an infant crying and the animals all gather as the gifts arrive.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).
Audio version so I am not seeing the colorful pictures.
Children's book about the reason for the season-the birth of Christ.
Setting: the barn and who is there, the animals and the sounds.
Christmas day and the sound of an infant crying and the animals all gather as the gifts arrive.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).
October 12, 2016
A childlike interpretation of the Nativity story. The text is read aloud friendly and the oil paint, pastel, pencil, and marker illustrations are a must see.
I think this title will appeal to a broad base of readers as it is not full of bible verses and religious names/terms, rather the story is stripped bare and is simply told as a couple finding shelter in a barn and welcoming a child.
Great gift item or for seasonal sharing with PreK-2.
I think this title will appeal to a broad base of readers as it is not full of bible verses and religious names/terms, rather the story is stripped bare and is simply told as a couple finding shelter in a barn and welcoming a child.
Great gift item or for seasonal sharing with PreK-2.
March 31, 2015
No, dear, don't try to retell the nativity story.
We're a very religious family so this was extremely weird and somewhat confusing to me.
This is the nativity story set in what the author calls an "ancient field" but in the illustrations show what is clearly a large American barn. In the snow. THE SNOW! Weird. Also, the author rhymes ass with grass and that's just lazy.
We're a very religious family so this was extremely weird and somewhat confusing to me.
This is the nativity story set in what the author calls an "ancient field" but in the illustrations show what is clearly a large American barn. In the snow. THE SNOW! Weird. Also, the author rhymes ass with grass and that's just lazy.
December 13, 2016
I read the 2016 revision illustrated by Anna Dewdney. Classic and vintage text, poetic to the ear. (Includes the donkey term "ass" as per a rhyme with grass ad a vintage term.) Illustrated iin a similar fashion to Llama Llama books, perhaps pastels.
May 18, 2017
HOW did Margaret Wise Brown always do this? What key did she have to constructing sentences that descend into calm like a baby being gently lowered into a crib? Her strings of short clauses, the occasional internal rhyme, all of it creates a hypnotic, reverential read aloud that is nevertheless clear-eyed and unsentimental.
Bow to the master.
Bow to the master.
October 29, 2016
A lovely retelling of the Christmas story! And the late Anna Dewdney lovingly illustrated this new edition of this Margaret Wise Brown classic. Be sure to share this precious story with little ones over the Christmas holidays. As Linus would say, "That's what Christmas is all about...."
January 18, 2018
I found both the text and the illustrations a little strange, without a good flow. It is yet another Christmas book inconsistent with the Bible in that the Magi arrive at the stable with the shepherds. There are better choices out there.
January 2, 2018
Also saw the version illustrated by Anna Dewdney.
Also saw the version illustrated by Diane Goode.
Also saw the version illustrated by Diane Goode.
November 25, 2016
Perfection. Sticks to the Biblical account, beautiful illustrations, a little rhyme.. not too much text.
December 8, 2016
Dewdney's illustrations make this a lovely tale to read (and pushed it from 3 to 4 stars for me).
December 1, 2020
It was good, written by the author of the Good Night Moon and the Big Red Barn, it’s a Christmas story in rhyme, with a few references to famous Christmas songs. Not all rhymes work. This really needs more context. Adults know the story but for the young ones this has very little in terms of story.
December 20, 2017
I had to use a DICTIONARY for a picture book. Merry Christmas, Victoria. You're ignorant.
December 9, 2020
There are better Nativity books
July 1, 2020
This is a sweet children’s picture book that details the classic Christmas nativity story and Mary and Joseph’s journey to the barn.
July 14, 2019
By the author of Good Night, Moon.
December 22, 2008
Ours is not an especially religious family. We ARE very spiritual, and we have a great respect for the many religious traditions that we encounter in our life. And we have a great love for good story. When looking for holiday books for Rabbit, I wanted to cover as many bases as possible to start teaching him about the amazing richness of this season: Christian Christmas books, Chanukkah books, Solstice, and Santa Clause books were all on the menu.
I was delighted when I found Christmas in the Barn, by Margaret Wise Brown(author of Goodnight Moon and The Runaway Bunny, to name a few). The story is very simple and straightforward: a family finds shelter, warmth and love in their time of need in an ancient barn. The structure of the story is unusual for a child's book in that the story is set in what looks to be 19th century New England. The arrival of a man and a woman on a donkey parallels the traditional Christmas story, but the emphasis is on the sense of comfort, safety, and wonder of the Child's birth. Rabbit was very happy pointing out the animals in the barn(the use of the archaic name for cows --kine-- especially delighted *me*), and the fact that the baby was loved and cared for by everyone in the barn made a great impression on him. There are shepherds, wisemen, and a star; there are lovely, graceful illustrations. I think I will look for this book(specifically this edition with the artwork of Barbara Cooney) to add to our family's collection for future holiday reading!
I was delighted when I found Christmas in the Barn, by Margaret Wise Brown(author of Goodnight Moon and The Runaway Bunny, to name a few). The story is very simple and straightforward: a family finds shelter, warmth and love in their time of need in an ancient barn. The structure of the story is unusual for a child's book in that the story is set in what looks to be 19th century New England. The arrival of a man and a woman on a donkey parallels the traditional Christmas story, but the emphasis is on the sense of comfort, safety, and wonder of the Child's birth. Rabbit was very happy pointing out the animals in the barn(the use of the archaic name for cows --kine-- especially delighted *me*), and the fact that the baby was loved and cared for by everyone in the barn made a great impression on him. There are shepherds, wisemen, and a star; there are lovely, graceful illustrations. I think I will look for this book(specifically this edition with the artwork of Barbara Cooney) to add to our family's collection for future holiday reading!
June 30, 2017
Brown, Margaret Wise. Christmas in the Barn, illustrated by Anna Dewdney. Harper, 2016. $17.99. PICTURE BOOK. 978-0062379863
Author Margaret Wise Brown’s (Good Night Moon) use of words and well-placed rhymes are perfect for telling the story of the birth of Jesus Christ. She set’s the scene in the barn, the animals and their sounds, Mary and Joseph, the star, the shepherds, and the three wise men. The text was originally published in 1952, but is given new life by beautiful new illustrations. Illustrator Anne Dewdney uses oil paint, pastel, pencil, and marker, to create one-of-a-kind illustrations. The full-color illustrations are warm and bright, despite being at night. The animals are rendered with expressive faces. The humans wear smiles and looks of contentment. This book would be a beautiful addition to any Christmas collection.
Pre-K, EL (K-3)-ADVISABLE. Samantha Hastings, MA, MLS.
http://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2017/...
Author Margaret Wise Brown’s (Good Night Moon) use of words and well-placed rhymes are perfect for telling the story of the birth of Jesus Christ. She set’s the scene in the barn, the animals and their sounds, Mary and Joseph, the star, the shepherds, and the three wise men. The text was originally published in 1952, but is given new life by beautiful new illustrations. Illustrator Anne Dewdney uses oil paint, pastel, pencil, and marker, to create one-of-a-kind illustrations. The full-color illustrations are warm and bright, despite being at night. The animals are rendered with expressive faces. The humans wear smiles and looks of contentment. This book would be a beautiful addition to any Christmas collection.
Pre-K, EL (K-3)-ADVISABLE. Samantha Hastings, MA, MLS.
http://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2017/...
Read
December 23, 2009This book is a kind of combination of a traditional Nativity retelling and the popular board book Big Red Barn Board Book. Brown interweaves familiar phrases from The Big Red Barn with the biblical story, as well as phrases from traditional Christmas carols, in her characteristically pleasant, soothing rhythm. The illustrations (both the modern version illustrated by Diane Goode and the original by Barbara Cooney) depict a modern couple having a baby in an American-style barn -- an innovation some parents may love and others may object to. The text doesn't flow as well as Brown's other books, but it's a pretty good one-time read.
November 28, 2012
In this book, Brown tells the story of the first Christmas in a child’s eyes. It represents the nativity scene in many ways. I enjoyed the simplicity of the story. With minimal text and rhyming words, the book flows nicely. If allowed, a teacher could use this around Christmas time in a preschool or kindergarten class to introduce the kids to the nativity story. However, since most schools do not allow this it would be perfect for parents to read to their children around the holidays if it fits their beliefs.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 107 reviews