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On Christmas Day
Goodnight Moon author, Margaret Wise Brown, gently invites all of creation to the manger in this beautiful Christmas board book.
All is warm and bright in this peaceful look at the first Christmas night. In lilting verse, Margaret Wise Brown welcomes animals and children to the manger where baby Jesus lies. Children will want to snuggle in close as they hear the gentle “O come all ye children/ O come one and all/ O come to the stable in Bethlehem's stall.” In soft, cozy hues, watercolor illustrations depict the newborn King surrounded by his adoring guests. This simple Christmas board book encourages families to slow down and marvel at the meaning of Christmas.
All is warm and bright in this peaceful look at the first Christmas night. In lilting verse, Margaret Wise Brown welcomes animals and children to the manger where baby Jesus lies. Children will want to snuggle in close as they hear the gentle “O come all ye children/ O come one and all/ O come to the stable in Bethlehem's stall.” In soft, cozy hues, watercolor illustrations depict the newborn King surrounded by his adoring guests. This simple Christmas board book encourages families to slow down and marvel at the meaning of Christmas.
20 pages, Board Book
Published October 1, 2019
About the author
Margaret Wise Brown
409 books1,345 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.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
December 5, 2025
I get that it's a toddler book but even this is too overly simplistic, offering little context about who the baby is or why His birth is significant. While its gentle tone might appeal to children under two, there is no mention of Jesus' name, His purpose, or the fulfillment of God’s promise to send a Saviour.
The book reads like a lullaby, inviting animals, birds, and children to gather around a newborn baby and celebrate love and forgiveness on Christmas Day, but it lacks the theological depth to explain why this event matters.
The line "For all is forgiven on this Christmas Day" is a troubling oversimplification of the gospel, almost misstating it entirely. Jesus' birth marks the beginning of God’s rescue plan, and true forgiveness comes through His life, death, and resurrection, not just His birth.
Ultimately, this is a Christmas book with Christian themes, but it’s more suited for a general, non Christian audience, as it falls short of conveying the true, gospel centred meaning of the holiday.
The book reads like a lullaby, inviting animals, birds, and children to gather around a newborn baby and celebrate love and forgiveness on Christmas Day, but it lacks the theological depth to explain why this event matters.
The line "For all is forgiven on this Christmas Day" is a troubling oversimplification of the gospel, almost misstating it entirely. Jesus' birth marks the beginning of God’s rescue plan, and true forgiveness comes through His life, death, and resurrection, not just His birth.
Ultimately, this is a Christmas book with Christian themes, but it’s more suited for a general, non Christian audience, as it falls short of conveying the true, gospel centred meaning of the holiday.
November 9, 2019
Lovely and simple story.
November 16, 2021
Beautifully simple book. Most of the pages only have two short lines, so it fits my 2 year old's attention span. The rhyming is nice (lyrical) and is complimented by Phyllis Harris's soft art.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews