a beautiful version of the Christmas story
Title: On Angels’ Wings
Author: Michael Morpurgo
Illustrator: Quentin Blake
Published by: Egmont UK
RRP: £5.99 or only £2.90 here
Best for: families looking for a different route into the Christmas story, full of wonder and beauty
Best bit: glorious story telling by Michael matched by stunning illustration by Quentin – a match made in heaven?
Worst bit: I’d love a whole series telling the Christmas story from different people’s perspectives
More: I first got this book when my children were little, maybe 5 and 6, and still their favourite Christmas book, even afforded a space all year on the Favourites Shelf of our new Book Nook.
The story is of the first Christmas, told by an old shepherd to his grandson and friends. He is remembering an event which happened to him as a boy, so you aren’t immediately aware it’s the Christmas story, and by the time you are, you’ve been drawn in by the wonderful story telling and spectacular pictures.
It doesn’t strictly tell the story as it occurs in Luke’s gospel, but instead imagines what it would have been like to be the shepherds that night when the angel’s came, to imagine what they might have been doing, what their lives were like, what they might have said and done. It cleverly focuses on the young boy shepherd (the teller of the story) which helps young children identify with the character, and as he comes close to the new born Christ, so do we.
I would definitely recommend adding this to you Christmas book collection, it’s small and good value and an all round fabulous book.
This book is an easy read, and Traci’s approach is very gentle, encouraging us to focus on the life and resurrection of Jesus rather than on the gruesome details of his death. (She’s not saying avoid his death, but rather not to focus on the details with younger children.)
Traci gives an excellent introduction, which includes encouragement to choose some of the activities and set intentions, without setting ourselves up for guilt and being realistic about what ‘doing spiritual practice’