The Midnight Visitors

by Juliet David, Jo Parry (Illustrator)

Miriam was glad to be warm and cozy. There were so many people in the town but it was nice and peaceful inside her cowshed. Little did she know that she would soon be joined by Midnight Visitors . . . and not just any old visitors!

Snuggle up and enjoy the warm, soft feel the art and narrative bring to this delightful Christmas picture book with a difference.

Genres: Christmas, Picture Books, Childrens, Holiday, Christian, Animals

32 pages, Hardcover

First published September 27, 2015

About the author

Juliet David has written many children’s stories and Bible activity books. Her other interests include painting, music, and travel to Israel and other Bible lands. This experienced author lives in London with her family.

aka Claire Freedman

Reviews

[Sarah Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to Lion Hudson Plc and NetGalley.)

This was a really sweet and cute retelling of the Christmas story, from the point of view of a cow whose cowshed Mary and Joseph end up in. The story was really touching, and I loved the illustrations too.
9 out of 10

[Vera Godley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a sweet book with soft, lovely pictures that tell the story of Miriam, a cow. Miriam is settling down for the night in her cozy barn when first a family of rabbits and then a fox seek shelter for the night inside Miriam's barn. Then more visitors are ushered in - Mary and Joseph.

The Christ child is born and "Miriam moves from her warmed spot in the hay to make room for them." Miriam hears beautiful music (no angels are seen).. Then three shepherds visit.

So Miriam's barn sees Midnight Visitors.

This is definitely a story to categorize as folklore and definitely a diversion from the Biblical record of the Birth of Christ the Savior. Juliet David and Jo Parry have teamed up to create a sweet story. Many will enjoy it. Purists will not.

DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy from Kregel Publication to facilitate this review. Opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

[Stephanie (Reading is Better With Cupcakes) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This picture book is actually a story of the birth of Jesus and the Wise Men visiting. However, it is more than that. It is also a story about sharing and kindness.

The main character, more or less, is a cow who is trying to sleep in the barn. However, other creatures keep coming and asking if they can come spend the night as it is really cold out. After a small bit of consideration the cow decides to share.

It is a pretty cute book, and the illustrations are really bright and colorful. Very fun to look at.

This review is based on an eARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Jitendra Vishen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Note: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to Lion Hudson Publicatios and NetGalley.

This is a cute and lovely story. I liked Miriam and her command to Fox that no hunting in her barn.The pictures in the book are beautiful.

I give this book 5/5.

[Launna · Rating 3 out of 5]

A different version of the story of the nativity where a cow welcomes a family of bunnies, followed by a fox, an owl, Mary, Joseph, the baby Jesus and then the shepherds.

[Storywraps · Rating 5 out of 5]

This sweet tale is about the birth of a very special baby boy as seen through the eyes of a cow named Miriam. On a very cold and dark night she is tucked away in her cowshed but she can't help but notice how busy the little town is with copious crowds of people. As she settles herself down for the night she hears a tap, tap, tap at her door and a family of rabbits are waiting, shivering outside. They humbly request if they can come in out of the freezing cold as their little boy has a very nasty cough and needs some place warm to sleep. Miriam graciously invites them in and they at once snuggle down in the dry hay in a corner and are off to dreamland.

But that is just the beginning of the parade of callers that want to seek shelter that night and go to kind Miriam for help. A fox gains entry next and finds himself surrounded by a variety of other tiny creatures that already reside there. Everyone settles in for a good night's slumber.

The innkeeper then brings two young people and shows them around offering them safe sanctuary in the stable because all his other rooms are full. To Miriam's surprise she discovers the young woman is expecting a baby... and very, very soon. Miriam moves her warm body aside to make room for the couple to sleep and to her delight and joy a baby boy is born right there in the cowshed beside her.

Is that the last guests that will enter her warm abode that night? Is that the end of the tale?

No, more visitors file in that night, unexpected ones who come because they are guided by angels to do so. Everyone, animals and humans alike know that something truly special has transpired on that magical night. When the little baby boy is birthed into the world they know they have witnessed a true Christmas miracle, one that they will never ever forget and will pass on to many generations to come.

[Lindsey Silvestrini · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always appreciate a new spin on the Christmas story. And by spin I mean viewpoint or way it’s told; NOT changing the actual story. The Midnight Visitors is a cute story of the night of Jesus’s birth as experienced by Miriam, the cow! I sat down to read this with my six year old for her nightly reading. Even though we have some favorites, we always love a new Christmas book to enjoy!

The characters are drawn in an adorable fashion that makes them sweet and endearing. We usually only think of the animals as a small prop in the Christmas story but here they are the main event.

Miriam has a few other visitors before Mary and Joseph who are looking for warmth and shelter as well that parallels the story of Mary and Joseph. I was starting to wonder if they would even show up or if it would just be an analogy of sorts. They do appear towards the end, after Miriam has already taken in a few other friends.

There were a couple things I didn’t like. For example when the shepherds show up one of them calls to Mary and says “hey lady.” I’m not sure why he is made to be so bold and slightly rude but it was kind of a weird unnecessary thing in my opinion.
I also thought it was strange that even though they say Mary is pregnant, she doesn’t appear pregnant at all. It was an interesting choice by the illustrator.

Overall I really enjoyed the book and so did my kids. A couple things seemed out of sorts to me but it will still be added to our Christmas collection of books that we will enjoy year after year. The Midnight Visitors is a cute version of the story from a unique point of view.

[Mymcbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Review: It was cold outside and Miriam the cow is so glad to be inside the cowshed keeping warm. It was time for bed as Dan the herdsman has left for the day. As she settles in for the night she heard a knock on the door. It was Rita Rabbit and her little family. “It’s a bit late for visitors,” she complained. But since it was freezing cold outside she let them in. And not long after, there came several knocks, Freddy Fox stopped by and so did Dan’s boss, the innkeeper. He was showing a really tired looking man and his wife the cowshed. He told them to make themselves comfortable. Miriam thought to herself, “is this a cowshed or a hotel?’. Then she realized the woman was expecting a baby.

This is a story about the birth of Jesus. After their long journey to Bethlehem, Joseph and Mary realized that there was no place for them to stay because the inn was already full. They ended up spending the night in a stable, a place where animals were kept.

The message from this book is about sharing and caring for others. Miriam was able to share her warm cowshed with others, even the fox was on its best behavior. But to her biggest surprised she shared her cowshed with the baby Jesus, welcoming his birth into the world. The illustrations by Jo Parry is not only bright and bold but helps tell this wonderful story.



FTC Disclosure: I received a review copy of this book from Kregel Publications in exchange for a fair and honest review. I was not monetarily compensated for my opinion in any way.

[Meagan Myhren-Bennett · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Midnight Visitors
By Juliet David
Illustrated by Jo Parry

It was a ordinary night, cold and dark and quiet...

At least it was quiet until visitors started arriving in Miriam's cowshed. First a family of rabbits arrived seeking the warmth of the hay and the shed. They were soon joined by a fox and an owl.

Then a couple of people with a donkey arrived - seeking shelter with the menagerie already within. But these people were weary with travel. And the woman was expecting a child - and soon from the look of her.

Before too long the family of travelers had a baby and visitors of their own! Shepherds had heard of this little baby's birth and had to come see him.

What had started out as ordinary, cold night soon became one never to be forgotten by those who visited it that night. The Midnight Visitors is a sweet story and a delightful recounting of the Nativity for young children. This is in no way an in-depth story, but rather one that can lead into the full Biblical account. After reading the story parents could ask young listeners if they know who the strangers who came into the barn were. Who the baby was? What was the distant singing that Miriam heard?

The illustrations are delightful - I have a particular fondness for Freddy Fox as he reminds me of one of my doxies. In fact Freddy's picture on the cover is what made me really want to review this book when Kregel offered me the opportunity.

I was provided a copy of this book through Kregel's blogger program in exchange for my honest review.

[Andréa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Note: I received a digital review copy through NetGalley.

[Blue North · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful story about a lonely cow named Mariam. We meet Mariam in The Midnight Visitors by Juliet David Illustrated by Jo Parry. In the story, Mariam, the cow, lives with only one person, Dan, the farmer. One evening different visitors come to her door. They need a place to stay out of the cold. In the end, Mariam becomes happier with company and probably less boring.

My favorite animals were Ron and Rita rabbit and their family of three. Lo and behold, I had trouble counting the number of rabbits in the family. Due to my unease with numbers I'm still not sure of the number in the family. While counting, I might have confused a fuzzy tail or two. At first, I missed Ron, the father, altogether. I almost missed the ladybug on a page who unfortunately does not have a name. It is fun seeing which animal pets are in pictures but not given names or asked to stay over.

The picture book is really good. It teaches children the importance of making friends.The story also touches on Mary and Joseph and the birth of baby Jesus. The illustrations are delightful. I love the dotty black eyes. I could also read the facial expressions as they changed from page to page. I have to give the book a big moo, moo for making my day.kregel.com/juliet-david/the-midni...
kregel.com/autores/juliet-david
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[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kregel has a fun new book out for Christmas called The Midnight Visitors by Juliet David. This book gives a different point of view for the story of Jesus' miraculous birth. The animals in the stable are the ones filling us in on what happened that night in Bethlehem. Miriam the cow is snug in her warm bed of hay, when others animals come knocking on her door looking for a warm place to stay the night. But little did Miriam know that a special couple would also come to stay in her small stable since there was no room for them in the Inn.

I thought that the story was cute in how it was told from the perspective of the animals staying in the stable. It's a great way to get children to think about what it would of been like that night when Jesus was born in place that was probably smelly, and dirty. The illustrations are filled with vivid colors and the animals look cute and cuddly. This book is for children ages 2-4 years old. If you're looking for a fun, new Christmas book for your younger kids, make sure to check this one out.

Recommendations: I would check this one out at my local library rather than buying it.
How Many Stars: I would give this book 3.5 stars out of 5.

You can view the book on Amazon.com by clicking here.

***I received this book free from Kregel Publications in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Carla · Rating 5 out of 5]

As the Christmas season approaches, this book is a perfect addition to any family library. This version of the story of Christ's birth is told from the perspective of Miriam the cow. It is a cold night and Miriam has not idea that her cowshed is going to be as busy as it becomes. One by one the visitors arrive and Miriam permits the them to sleep snug and safe in her cowshed as long as they promise to be peaceful with one another. First the rabbit family, then the fox followed by a young couple where the woman is with child. Miriam gives up her warm spot in the hay to the pregnant woman and falls asleep in another part of the barn. When she is awakened by a crying child she is so happy and proud that her cowshed was the birthplace of this baby. As the visitors continue to arrive she is so proud of what has happened in her humble home. This is a beautiful story that children will love especially those that love animals. It's a perfect way to tell the story of Jesus' birth in a new way. The illustrations in this book are amazing. They are clear and rich but have a soft quality to them that children and adults will love.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Jane Maritz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christmas. It’s all about Jesus.

Since we want the focus at our house to be on Him, you’ll see a lot more nativity books in our house right now than Santa books (nothing personal against Santa, mind you). It’s easy for those books to blend together with the same storyline every time, though. So I’m constantly on the lookout for books that tell the story from different angles and with different twists.

Here’s a sweet book for the littles that tells the story from the cow’s perspective.

Adorable! This book is pure sweetness! Adorable animals making adorable sounds, climaxing with a special sweet baby. The words and colorful illustrations work very well together.

Read-aloud Sounds. Many pages highlight simple sounds that make this a fun read-aloud for the littles. “Ruff Ruff,” “To whit – to whoo,” Knock, knock!” to give a few.

Humor. There’s some good humor in the book to make it fun for the olders, as well! For instance, the innkeeper tells Mary and Joseph, “It’s the best I can do.” This is followed by the main character cow’s, thoughts: “What a cheek. There’s nothing wrong with my cowshed!”

Overall, a terrific book to add to your Christmas collection. It’s about Jesus, and it’s written in a fun, sweet way that is guaranteed to appeal to your little ones.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really cute book for younger children. Written from Miriam, the cow's, perspective. She is just bedding down for a good night's rest on a cold evening when she hears a Tap Tap Tap at the door. A family of rabbits is looking for a warm place to stay. Finally getting re-settled, she hears a Rat Tat Tat noise. The cutest fox is also looking for a warm place to snuggle up for the night. (This part was kind of funny because he says "Ruff - Ruff" and my daughter was reading it and she gives me this look and starts laughing. "Foxes don't say Ruff Ruff", she said. "Dogs do!" Actually, according to a google search, foxes do sound a bit like dogs with more of a yip.) Eventually, some special visitors show up. Being this is a Christmas season book, I bet you can guess who they were.

The illustrations in this book are colorful and beautiful. The story is short and sweet. It doesn't ever really name the mother and father or the baby, but if you know the Christmas story, you get the gist of who they are. It's a night not just Miriam but the kids will remember forever.

I received this book from Kregel blog tours in exchange for my honest review.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Midnight Visitors is by Juliet David and illustrated by Jo Perry. It's a sweet, calm story about the birth of baby Jesus in a stable.

The story is about a cow named Miriam who lets in other animals into her warm barn one night when suddenly the innkeeper brings in two other guests. It's Mary and Joseph, and Miriam is sure she will never forget what happened in her lowly barn.

The story is cute, but I didn't like how the shepherd's talked. It was too modern and it irritated me enough to change the wording. haha I like books to be as authentic as they can in speech and actions for the time period. Also, you would need to explain to your child that it's Mary and Joseph who entered the barn because it wasn't clear to a small child. Anyway, I loved the illustrations and how the story was so peaceful. It would be fun to read this book by the Christmas tree before bed.

I was given this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Mazzou B · Rating 2 out of 5]

This children's book would make a sweet Christmas gift! Or add it to your family's library and bring it out specifically for Christmas time every year. Your young ones will be delighted by the colorful, adorable illustrations and the childlike story within.
The story is from the make-believe perspective of a cow named Miriam who lives in the barn in which Jesus was born. She at first reluctantly and then more willingingly allows a variety of animals into the barn to escape the cold winter weather. Finally, Joseph and Mary arrive and the baby Jesus is born. The shepherds come worship the newborn Saviour and Miriam is in awe that she is blessed by the honor of sharing the abode with Him.
Personally, this kind of book is too fictitious for me I but I can't deny that the pictures are really sweet and children will be delighted by it.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my review.

[Jezire C Akin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This recent release comes at just the perfect time for the holiday season. The story follows a little fox who wants to spend the night in a stable to come in from the cold night. He is welcomed in and is there to witness the miracle of Jesus' birth.

The animals are all expertly drawn and the color scheme is rich and inviting. This is a great spin on the classic tale of the birth of Christ and I found that it would be a fun new perspective for children to see it from this adorable foxes point of view.

I would recommend this story for the upcoming holiday season and if you want a great way to approach the religious story associated with Christmas in a fun yet insightful way this book is exactly what you need.

I received this book from netgalley.com and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This is an adorable book that revolves around a cow, on a cold night, right about to settle down for sleep. But, her rest keeps getting interrupted by visitors who need shelter from the cold. With some consideration for others' feelings, she graciously allows them to come in for the night.
But one leads to another, and another, and another, until finally a human couple show up to sleep in the barn with her. In the morning, what does she find in her feeding trough? A baby boy, just born, called Jesus, by his parents who have bedded down for the night with Miriam the cow.
The pictures are sweet and fuzzy, no harsh colors, lines, or feelings. My favorite illustration is that of the fox.
My daughters both loved it and it is just the right age range for my youngest to try to read herself.

[Richelle Zirkle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This adorable story of Christ's birth is told from the perspective of Miriam the cow... She had no idea when the day began that the hay manger in her cowshed would hold the baby Jesus. One by one, Miriam permits the other animals to sleep snug and safe in her cowshed as long as they promise to be peaceful with one another. Her "guests" just keep coming... From Mary and Joseph to the birth of Christ to the visit from the three wise men, this is a beautiful story that our animal loving children will love, and it's a perfect way to tell this story in a new way. Plus, the illustrations in this book really put it at 5+ stars for me... They are clear and rich but have a soft quality to them. This book is a must have!

I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[crashqueen73 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another children's Christmas book with gorgeous illustrations!! That fat owl on the title page is simply divine! and the moon behind the tree in all that green! and those fluffy white sheep grazing on the sloping hill in front of the stable. Mmmmm. Beautiful!

Then the story begins from Miriam the cow's point of view. The animal illustrations are very "cutesy". Freddy fox is adorable. He, along with a small collection of animals arrive to make use of Miriam's barn and then Mary and Joseph turn up. A baby is born and everyone is happy.

The book definitely fits into the "cutesy" category for me. Maybe just a little TOO cute- ified for me.

This would suit really little children between 2-4 years.

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

With plenty of people in town on a cold night Miriam the cow is glad it's nice and quiet in her cowshed. When visitors start showing up to spend the night she has no idea that the most important visitor of all is about to arrive.
I loved this little story. The colorful illustrations allow the story to jump from the pages, and the easy to read text will have children reading along in no time at all. I loved the various animals, it was easy to imagine them coming into the shed on a cold winter night. A great telling of the Christmas story one that will capture the eye and imagination of young and old alike. A great gift, one that could easily become a Christmas favorite.

A complimentary copy of this book was provided for review.

[Maureen Timerman · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Midnight Visitors is a beautifully illustrated hard covered book perfect for little hands. They will be drawn to the book by looking at its cover, and pointing to all of the visitors at the manger.
Miriam is the cow in this story and this is her manger, and she doesn’t seem to be getting much sleep this evening, everyone needs a place out of the cold. Thus her home becomes the setting for our Savior’s birth.
A perfect book for this time of the year, and a treasure to keep from year to year, get ready to share with your little ones.
I received this book through Kregel Publishing, and was not required to give a positive review.

[library lola · Rating 2 out of 5]

It seems that I am in the minority with my feelings on this book. My main problem was how displaced the story and characters seemed. It's a story of animals making room for each other in a stable and it turns out to be the stable where Baby Jesus is born. Seems great, but the animals are not ones that would have been in that area of the world and the animals all have very modern, very American, names. The names of some of the animal characters are Rita, Sammie, Ronnie, and Freddy.

Also, the language used is much to modern. At one point a Shepherd exclaims, "Sorry, Lady!"

It may seem nit-picky, but it made the book seem very disjointed to me.

[Hil · Rating 2 out of 5]

http://www.raisingfairiesandknights.c...

Raising Fairies and Knights Review

I was very surprised to learn this part way through the book but it is a Christian book and the animals are in the barn where baby Jesus is to be born. The story opens with a cow alone in the barn and lonely. She is happy when she gets some company and other animals to join her. Then a pregnant woman and man join them and baby Jesus is born. Not a big fan of reading obviously Christian books to my kids as I am pagan. But, it was not too over the top so I did not mind too much. It was a nice story about the animals but not one I would buy.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a unique retelling of the Christmas story from the point of view of the cow, Miriam. It's a very cold night, and visitors keep tapping on the barn door to see if they can come in the warm barn for the night! First the rabbits, then the fox, then Mary and Joseph! And while Miriam doesn't get much sleep, the excitement of the evening overjoys her. I really liked the illustrations too - they were bright and colorful and made Miriam look like the friendliest cow ever (I'd love to share her barn on a cold night!)

[Sharee · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Midnight Visitors by Juliet David is a sweet story. It’s also beautifully illustrated by Jo Parry. When a cow named Miriam has her barn invaded by other furry friends, her loneliness is gone. Unexpectedly, she also has a few human visitors, one of whom is extra special.

I loved The Midnight Visitors and would absolutely recommend it for your Christmas reading this year! I received this book from Kregel Publications in exchange for my honest opinion which I’ve provided here.

https://wordynerdyblog.wordpress.com/...

[Katrina Roets · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this sweet book about Miriam and how she shared her space, not only with other animals on a cold night, but the baby Jesus himself. The story is perfect for children and I can't say enough good about the illustrations. This is a book that would be treasured by any child. My only regret is that my children aren't young enough to cuddle up and read with. Luckily for us though, they have a baby brother who can enjoy it for years to come.

[Jossie Solheim · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a cute story with cute illustrations, but it was really lacking something, and my son lost interest before we had even made it to the end, as did I. It just didn't really seem to have a purpose I guess, other than the obvious and I think having a fox and bunnies in the nativity just comes across as a bit strange also and completely irrelevant.

[Donna Maguire · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is quite a cute story with gorgeous images to illustrate the tale. Its very easy for small children to follow but I did find that the ending was a bit short but don't let that put you off. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.