Games Toys: BookLook Blogger Review: The Very First Christmas by Jan and Mike Berenstain

BookLook's Blogger Review Program recently offered me The Very First Christmas written by Jan and Mike Berenstain to review. I am gearing up for Christmas time so I jumped on the chance to add a new book to my Christmas collection. My daughter, Alyssa (Age 8) will receive this Zonderkidz published book as a gift for our growing Christmas book collection. Teaching about the real reason we celebrate can be a task without the right tools. This book will definitely be helpful.

Authors

Stan and Jan Berenstain introduced the first Berenstain Bear book series in 1962. Mike Berenstain grew up watching his parents work together to write about and draw these lovable bears. Eventually he started drawing and writing about them too. Though Stan died in 2005 and Jan in 2012, Mike continues to create the delightful Bear adventures from the family home and studio in Pennsylvania, in an area that looks much like the sunny dirt road deep in Bear Country.

Book Description

A Christmas story from the bestselling Berenstain Bears Living Lights series. The Berenstain Bears brand and Living Lights series continue their proven tradition of teaching children valuable lessons in a fun and creative way. In the 8x8 softcover format, the Berenstain Bears and the Night Jesus was Born gives fans of the Berenstain Bears the story of Jesus’ coming … from the angel’s announcement of a new baby to the visit of the three wise men. This newest Christmas title in the Berenstain series is perfect for gift-giving or as an easy addition to any holiday library.

My Thoughts and Review
The dedication page shares Luke 2:11-12 with their readers "Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." There is a place behind the front glossy cover for your child to write their name inside the book if you desire. I think the scripture reference adds a special touch to and builds the foundation for this spiritual book.

There are no page numbers, but this short 24-page softcover children's picture book will surely be one your child will want to read over and over again. The adorable classic characters always share such relevant and meaningful messages. This paperback book will help you and your family focus on the TRUE meaning of Christmas. The information read seemed accurate besides of course the use of the Berenstain bears as the main characters. The illustrations were simple and the characters displayed a friendly mood.

The story begins with the Bear cubs asking Papa Bear if he was going to read to them so he decided to read the story of The Very First Christmas from their storybook Bible. It discusses all the major events from the Christmas story beginning with Mary's visit from the Angel to Joseph's dream about King Herod. No specific name was given for the Angel that visited Mary or Joseph.

The back of the book contains Activities and Questions from Brother and Sister Bear for you to discuss with your children. One of the fun activities was to build a diorama showing the first Christmas. I know that my daughter will enjoy that activity! The other activity was to create Christmas cards with biblical messages for your neighborhood friends. This is the perfect time to get started on these projects and to utilize them during the Christmas or Advent season.

I HIGHLY recommend this affordable book for children between the ages of 4-8. As previously stated, I plan on giving this book to my daughter as an early Christmas book gift. We read MANY Christmas books during the month of December as part of our Book Tree Advent Countdown. I can't wait to see her projects after reading the book. I suggest reading this book before Christmas if possible and in conjunction with the projects at the back of the book. This book would make a great Christmas Day or stocking stuffer gift.

Price
Zondervan $3.99
Amazon $3.99

Disclaimer
I received a complimentary, free copy of this book from the publisher as part of the BookLook Blogger Review Team Program in exchange for an honest review on my blog. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this information in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."