The Night of His Birth

by Katherine Paterson, Lisa Aisato (Illustrator)

Sing out, my soul, the wonder . . .

Mary's baby has arrived, and she can't contain her joy! As Joseph sleeps, she examines her newborn's tiny mouth, his wild hair, his little hands. Yet what's most wondrous is that this child is not just Mary's own but a gift that God has shared with everyone.

Poetic text by Newbery Medalist Katherine Paterson and striking images by Lisa Aisato reveal the intimacy of that unforgettable night long ago, when the mother of Jesus was the first to welcome him into a world he would change forever.

Genres: Christmas, Picture Books, Childrens, Holiday, Religion, Christian, Family

32 pages, Hardcover

Published September 17, 2019

About the author

Katherine Womeldorf Paterson is an American writer best known for children's novels, including Bridge to Terabithia. For four different books published 1975–1980, she won two Newbery Medals and two National Book Awards. She is one of four people to win the two major international awards; for "lasting contribution to children's literature" she won the biennial Hans Christian Andersen Award for Writing in 1998 and for her career contribution to "children's and young adult literature in the broadest sense" she won the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award from the Swedish Arts Council in 2006, the biggest monetary prize in children's literature. Also for her body of work she was awarded the NSK Neustadt Prize for Children's Literature in 2007 and the Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal from the American Library Association in 2013. She was the second US National Ambassador for Young People's Literature, serving 2010 and 2011.

Reviews

[Darla]

A wonderful family read for Christmas Eve.

Reading this gorgeous book is a worship experience in and of itself. I am anticipating giving this as a gift this Christmas and buying a copy for my own collection. So beautifully done!

[Panda Incognito]

This Nativity picture book tells the story of Jesus's birth from Mary's perspective, incorporating fictional details while remaining faithful to Scripture. The illustrations are radiant, striking, and occasionally strange, and they suit the poetic text, which does not shy away from the challenging elements of the virgin birth. Most Nativity storybooks sanitize the story and strip it of its divine strangeness, but this one embraces the whole biblical account without any obfuscation or sentimentality, conveying through art and text the tremendous weight of knowing that your newborn baby is God-made-man. Elements of this may appeal most to adults, but children who are raised on the biblical story and can identify everything wrong with their Nativity picture books (e.g., Small Me) will love this.

However, because this book presumes an existing familiarity with the biblical account, some secular readers may trip over unexpected references to Isaiah or to Mary's cousin Elizabeth, who are both mentioned in significant ways but are not explained to the reader. I wish that the author had provided key Bible passages or references in the back of the book to supplement the story for people who are not familiar with the Bible, but hopefully the book will inspire readers to look it up for themselves.

[Jeanie]

Sing Out, my soul, the wonder....

Mary the mother of Jesus speaks in this lyrical picture book for children. It is a very mature in emotion and words so I am not sure that all children will enjoy it, however, it would not stop me from purchasing and reading this with the little ones that I love.

What strikes me the most is the worshipful prose of Mary's heart and that where we want our hearts to be when we remember the birth of Christ.

Highly recommend.

A Special Thank You to FlyAway Books and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.

[Jennifer]

The Night of His Birth is pure beauty: the poignant poetry of its text coalesces with the sumptuous artistry of its illustrations to recreate the Word made flesh. I was already a fan of multi-award winning children's author Katherine Paterson, so discovering her new Christmas picture book piqued my interest. Now, I have one more reason to love Paterson--she introduced me to Norwegian artist Lisa Aisato, and the lens of my imagination has been indelibly altered by her rendition of the Christmas story. Paint pools and spills across each page as she captures the familiar characters' reaction to the miracle of Christmas with distinctly drawn faces and hauntingly beautiful animated expressions. Aisato brings us face to face with Mary's parents' tear-filled faces as they grieve their daughter's news. She ushers us into Joseph's peaceful presence as God speaks to him in his dreams. We sit at Mary's feet and witness the ecstasy on her face as she cradles the creator of the world in her arms. We taste the intimacy of a mother's kiss atop the crown of her newborn's head and touch his tiny finger tips nearly reaching out of the page. But my favorite illustration brings the reader eye to eye--literally--with the boy born to be the Savior of the world. Throughout the symmetry of the first and last pages, dark becomes light but the theme remains, "Sing out, my soul, the wonder..." A magnificat for the modern reader and tribute to the Artist of our salvation, "who uses our hopes, fears, dreams, and especially our tears, on the canvas of our souls, rendering something beautiful" (Richard Paul Evans). "For Jennifer, with gratitude and love from all the Patersons." For Jennifer, indeed. This is a classic Christmas masterpiece that has made its way to #1 on my wish list this year to savor for every holiday season yet to come.

[Tina Loves To Read]

The pictures in this book was so pretty, and I loved the book. I won this book from a goodreads giveaway, but this is 100% my opinion.

[Goszaczyta]

▪️𝗥𝗘𝗖𝗘𝗡𝗭𝗝𝗔 ▪️

Często sięgamy po książki, by poczuć więcej i odkryć, to co jeszcze nieodkryte. Wydawać by się mogło, że o narodzinach Jezusa wiemy już wszystko. Nic bardziej mylnego. Dzięki Katherine Paterson możemy jeszcze raz przyjrzeć się chwili narodzin i w poetycki sposób poznać na nowo chwile, gdy wydarzył się CUD.

🌟 Jest noc. Maryja urodziła syna. Z ogromnym wzruszeniem i przejęciem obserwuje jego małe rączki, usta i niesforne czarne włoski. Czuję, jak wypełnia ją ogromna matczyna miłość. Jest szczęśliwa, jednak wie, że została powołana przez Boga, a jej mały cud jest darem dla całej ludzkości. 🌟

„Tej nocy przyszedłeś na świat” Katherine Paterson to poetycka historia o narodzinach Jezusa wzbogacona o przepiękne ilustracje Lisy Aisato, które idealnie oddają emocje towarzyszące Maryi podczas narodzin jej dziecka. Autorka z niezwykłą wrażliwością przedstawia nam postać Maryi, która nie jest tylko postacią znaną nam z Ewangelii, a kobietą z krwi i kości, która cieszy się z narodzin dziecka, mając jednocześnie świadomość, że nie będzie należał ON tylko do niej, lecz jest darem dla całej ludzkości. Autorka poprzez tę historię uświadamia nam, jakie emocje towarzyszą każdej matce, podczas narodzin dziecka.

To krótka, ale bardzo treściwa historia, która zawiera w sobie wiele wartości. „Tej nocy przyszedłeś na świat” to nie tylko przepiękna powieść graficzna. To przede wszystkim zapadająca w pamięć historia o cudzie narodzin, o sile matczynej miłości i o cudzie życia.

Z całego serca polecam Wam ten tytuł. Wzruszenie gwarantowane 💙

[Faith Elizabeth Hough]

This book very nearly became the book that I give to all my children, nieces and nephews, godchildren, random people in the streets...

There is a lack of truly beautiful Christmas books that focus on the historical and spiritual aspects of Christmas instead of modern sentimentalism. (And I say that as a bit of a modern sentimentalist--I enjoy Santa Claus stories and O. Henry's "Gift of the Magi" and feel-good folktales as much as anyone has a right to.) So I was thrilled when the incredibly talented Katherine Paterson paired up with amazing illustrator Lisa Aisato to tell the Christmas story from a historical, spiritual perspective.

There were moments in this book that left me breathless with their beauty. There's a tiny description of Mary holding Jesus, a tiny bit of milk pooled in the corner of his mouth as he sleeps, that brought tears to my eyes. Overall, this attention to realistic and beautiful details--in words and illustrations--makes the story stand out from the average.

But here's the thing. I know the author is using her imagination to bring the story to life, and I happen to disagree with where her imagination went for a few details. If her details were less convincing, it might not bother me as much. But precisely because her power with words is so great, I have to take issue with some of them. There's this one line, describing Ann and Joachim's reaction to discovering Mary's pregnancy: "They are sick with shame." Ann is said to meet Mary "with angry tears." Of course we have no Biblical record of how Ann and Joachim reacted; I have often wondered myself how they reacted to Mary's news. But I like to believe that throughout the confusion and worry they must have felt, they still trusted their daughter and God in a way that would take them beyond "angry tears." Because Paterson's imagining of this reaction is written from Mary's point of view, it gives it an aura of narrative truth on par with the details taken straight from the Biblical record--there seems to be no room for doubt or another interpretation.

Sadly, that limits the readership to which I can recommend this story. Adults, by all means read this--you'll probably love it! But you may want to use caution before giving it to all your nieces and nephews and godchildren, at least without consulting their parents first.

[Gladimore]

This is one of my new favorite retellings of the birth of Jesus Christ! The illustrations were the first things to catch my eye, they are just breathtaking! The story is told through the eyes of Mary, who gives birth to him, and how she is toiling over giving birth to this child. From being rejected by her family to having to give birth to a child that she never asked for, she can't help but love this child. He is the son of God and she has worshipped her Lord, by giving birth to his son. This book is breathtaking!
#thenightofhisbirth #Netgalley

[Julie Toole]

I can't say that I liked this book. I love the illustrations, they are so inviting and warm! They're the reason I wanted to read it. To me, the story is not for children. I really didn't like some of the wording, such as "God summoned me, as though to play a divine joke on a prideful world." I found it inappropriate and a little disrespectful.

[Anita]

The Nativity told from Mary's perspective. Beautiful illustrations and well told.

[Carla]

This Nativity picture book tells the story of Jesus' birth from Mary's perspective. It is fictional, in that we do not know what Mary was thinking, but it remains true to scripture. This is not for young children, but older ones (i.e. 10 and up). One of the reasons I say that is the illustrations. They are beautifully done, but often a bit strange, which fits this beautiful story, but I don't think young children will understand that. It is also not a sanitized story and talks about Mary's pregnancy and how her parents and others would feel about that. There are some beautiful moments in this story that will take your breath away, (especially mothers) when Mary talks about being one with her child. Overall, this is a beautiful story and would be a great edition to a church library or a family library with some guidance. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book upon request. The rating, ideas and opinions shared are my own.

[Reeds]

First and last page says, "Sing out, my soul, the wonder..."
I love the atmosphere of worshiping God in this book.
I love the idea of children taking time to stop and think about the wonder that is the God who loves us. I wish this blessing had been taught to me when I was young. I felt like I was supposed to do a bunch of good things to show off to God instead of looking at all the wonders that He does and seeing how impressive He is.

I was looking for a gift idea for a child I know, this will make a good one.

[Lori]

Stunning illustrations and a wonderful account of the Nativity of Jesus through the eyes of his mother Mary. This lovely book would make a wonderful gift! It deserves a Caldecott nomination. I received this book through a GoodReads giveaway with the hopes, but not a requirement, of an honest review.

[Sydnee Blackburn]

It had potential and I was hopeful I would love it. And I almost did, because the prose and imagery is beautiful, but it fell short in terms of theology which can’t be overlooked.

[Lady reading under the Willow]

Just beautiful. ❤

[Hope Alden]

This was a really sweet nativity book from Mary’s perspective, which I enjoyed. Giving the girl credit!!

[Tarissa]

A story of the first Christmas night unfolds, from Mary's point of view, as she holds her baby boy, Jesus, and ponders all that He will become...

The paintings are unbelievably good! I'm inspired just looking at the majestic, almost magical, landscapes.

This is not the easiest read (for young readers), as there are some bigger words they could stumble over, but it's wonderful to be read aloud with the family.

JUST BEAUTIFUL.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a free copy in return for an honest opinion.

[Ruth]

My new favorite Christmas story, and I own dozens and have read even more. Absolutely gorgeous art and prose combine to bear witness of Mary's wonder and joy at the birth of her Son.

[Clwseattle]

I agree with the reviewer here who said The Night of His Birth is not a book for children.

The added fictional narrative, the snotty narrative regarding the "those shepherds, smelling of their sheep", and especially that about St. Anne and St. Joachim, the parents of the Virgin Mary, is unnecessarily ugly and degrading.

"When I returned so full of joy from Elizabeth's house, she met me with angry tears. She could not believe the good news my swelling body bore. My own mother - who once held me, just as I hold this child of mine."

"My father did not speak, but I could see the questions in his eyes. Does she lie? Has she gone mad? And which is better, there being no comfort in either answer. They are sick with shame, for they are simple, pious people who care what the neighbors say."

Even though many of the illustrations are lovely, the scorn depicted on the face of St. Anne is an exceptionally vicious representation of the authors fiction.

On the other hand, as offensive and ugly as it's withering narrative is, The Night of His Birth is refreshingly pro-life, celebrating the birth of a child in the difficult circumstances imagined by the hubris of a misguided author evidently trying to improve upon the worlds greatest story. There are those who could learn from that celebration.

1 star. I am sorely disappointed with The Night of His Birth, a book that could have told the story as reverent instead of bastardized fictional opinion.

[Andrea]

I'm most familiar with Katherine Paterson because of her book Bridge to Terabithia, which was one of my favorites as a kid. I had no idea that she wrote picture books as well!

This is the story of Jesus' birth told from the point of view of Mary, which is a unique perspective I have not come across in children's literature. Paterson imagines the conflicting thoughts that could have been in her head as this story unfolded. It also touches on the doubt that I have always believed others in Mary's life would have initially had as well. But it does so in a gentle way that is not going to cause children to doubt Mary's story.

It is the ultimate love letter from Mary to her precious son. And the words are illustrated with magical, beautiful pictures that echo the enchantment. They are absolutely stunning. I think this is one of my new favorite Christmas picture books.

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for fulfilling my review request. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Leigh]

I received a digital ARC from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

What a beautiful book. The illustrations are beyond lovely and the text is so deep and thoughtful. My biggest regret about this book is that it will.be marketed toward children when it is parents who will find Mary's narrative so moving. Though this is indeed the story of the Nativity, it's told in a more indirect way. The blessed Mother tells it as the story of her son's birth, noting "God is the host of this celebration at which I am also a guest." It wraps her faith and devotion into this love story about her newborn.

I can't say enough good things about this one. As someone who has long since thought bookstores and libraries should start finding ways to help adult readers discover some of the amazing books that exist in children's literature, this book should most certainly be of the first they recommend.

[Reading For Funs]

I received The Night of His Birth through a Goodreads Giveaway.

The Night of His Birth is an absolutely stunning work of art. The illustrations are gorgeous, and I found myself completely distracted by them. I must have flipped through the book several times just staring at the various scenes. At first, I was concerned that the writing would not be able to hold a candle to such spectacular illustrations, but the author quickly proved me wrong. The birth of Jesus is a story nearly every Christian child grows up hearing and seeing, and I never thought I could be surprised by a retelling of it. However, the author did a wonderful job of telling the story of Jesus and his birth through the point of view of Mary herself.

I fully recommend The Night of His Birth to anyone looking for a beautiful book to read to the family, particularly on Christmas night. I can see this book being a family staple around the holidays, and a great treat to read to children.

[Jennifer]

This book reads like a poem, it's lyrical and beautiful and the illustrations are whimsical and beautiful. However, I think it misses its target audience. The vocabulary and sentence structure are just too much for the normal demographic for picture books (0 to about 2nd grade). This beautiful book will just go right over their heads. However, it's a wonderful book to add to your Christmas collection if you, as an adult, like to read picture book holiday stories, especially at Christmas time (which I do). Any child familiar with the Nativity story will enjoy the pictures and know (mostly) what's happening because they are already familiar. This is definitely not the book to use to introduce the Nativity story. But it's a gorgeous book.

Disclaimer: I received a free electronic copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Michelle Kidwell]

The Night of His Birth
by Katherine Paterson

Flyaway Books

Children’s Fiction , Religion & Spirituality

Pub Date 17 Sep 2019

I am reviewing a copy of The Night if His Birth through Flyaway Books and Netgalley:

This children’s book tells the story of Jesus birth in this beautifully written and illustrated book, I would definitely recommend this one to the children in your life.

Mary has just given birth to Jesus and she cannot contain her joy. While Joseph is sleeping she examines Jesus, his eyes, his tiny fingers, his hands, marveling in the fact that she gave birth to a son that was not her own, but was God’s gift to mankind, God’s own child.

The poetic text by Newberry award winning author Katherine Patterson and stunning illustrations done by Lisa Aisato shows us the intimacy of that long ago night when the mother of Jesus was the first to welcome him into a world he would change forever.

I give The Night of His Birth five out of five Stars!

Happy Reading!

[emyrose8]

3.5- I LOVE the illustrations in this book. They are absolutely stunning. I would love to have a physical copy of the book so I could curl up and pour over the art. The text is beautiful too, very poetic and has a good cadence. There are a lot of words though, and I can't imagine any of my students sitting still to listen to all of it. The phrasing of the text has an 'old timey' feel, which is great, but again, not something that will hook a kid's attention.

In my opinion, moms will get the most of this one as opposed to kids (maybe young adults, it's a little too high a level for most middle schoolers). I'm not a mom, but I hope to be one someday, and as I read I could put myself in Mary's position and feel what she might have felt. It's a very unique take on the story of Jesus's birth. This is a book of love and joy and worship.

Thanks Netgalley for the ARC!

[Allison]

This is a visually stunning book with a provocative perspective. Mary, recently delivered, contemplates the gift that was given to the world through her. She is filled with awe but also with love for the new-born at her breast. This book takes the traditional Christmas story and grounds it with details like the disapproval and disappointment of her parents when they discover she is pregnant, the bewilderment of Joseph at receipt of the same news, the details of the grime-covered shepherds reaching out to touch the baby, the drop of Mary’s milk at the corner of Jesus’ mouth. All these images combine to make it a very contemporary story. Would I buy this for my primary school library? Would I share it with a class? It seems more like a book for adults who want to deepen their understanding of the Christmas story. A beautiful gift from Katherine Paterson for a special recipient.

[C.]

This is a beautiful children's Christmas book, telling the story of the birth of Christ from the point of view of Mary. While a simple story, familiar to many who know the Christmas story, this one is accompanied by beautiful illustrations, and a point of view that is unwaveringly that of a proud mother.

From my perspective, there's nothing deeply unique about the text. It's well written, but it doesn't necessarily tell something new. The illustrations that accompany it, however, make the book well worth buying and reading. The style is gorgeous, the family feels solidly Middle Eastern, and they combine beautifully with the text, creating something that is really enjoyable.

I'll be recommending this both for our children's collection and in general to other children's/school collections.

Thank you to the publisher for allowing me to take a look at this title on NetGalley.

[Susan]

This lovely book by the two time Newbery Medalist, Katherine Paterson, tells the story of the night of Christ’s birth so very long ago. Lisa Aisato’s striking illustrations help us feel the joy and wonder of that miraculous night, as Patterson’s poetic text vividly describes not only Mary’s thoughts and feelings about the unforgettable evening, but also her uncertainty and fear as she awaited the miracle. We are there the night she first held her son, the son of God. It is the night the shepherds came in awe to touch the face of the newborn baby. It is the night Joseph gently washed his new son for the first time and then collapsed in exhaustion. But most importantly, it is the night Mary experiences more joy than she could have ever imagined.

This is a book you’ll definitely want to add to your family’s holiday collection. It’s available now.

[Charlotte]

Katherine Paterson's storytelling is always captivating, and this beautiful picture book is no exception. While the title might seem to suggest that this is about the events of that first night of Jesus's life, it's really his mother Mary's musings on the Annunciation, her family's response to her pregnancy, Joseph's acceptance, and her own reception of the the Gift that was Jesus.

The illustrations match the mood of the text well and are mostly quite beautiful. I found some of the depictions of people disturbing-- the shepherds have absurdly crooked noses and Mary's parents look wooden and knobby. But most of the pages beg to be lingered over, the colors and shadows drawing the eye inward.

I would use this book as part of a children's sermon or as a tool for visual contemplative prayer. It's a book that invites intergenerational wondering.
#NetGalley, #TheNightofHisBirth

[Mx Phoebe]

Mary tells the story of Jesus’ birth.

Mary glowingly tells the story of how Jesus came to be.

Author Katherine Paterson beautifully scripts Mary’s joy at the birth of God’s gift. Lisa Aisato then illustrates it with delicacy and water in The Night of His Birth (Flyaway Books, 9781947888128, 2019). It is a wonderful children’s book for the holidays. It tells the tale of how Mary came to be impregnated and how her family reacted. It shares how Mary felt about the baby.

This is a warm and cozy book to read to a child about the birth of Jesus. A great way to get into the holiday spirit and explain how Jesus’ birth came to be in simple language.

Age range: 6-10 years.

I received this book for free in a Goodreads Giveaway and give my opinion without prejudice and voluntarily.