BETHLEHEM BARN

The animals in the barn at the first Christmas speak their minds in this debut picture book that provides a retelling of the traditional Christian story.

On a winter night, all is normal in the barn. Cow is hungry; Donkey is playful; Sheep wants peace and quiet; Chicken is flustered; and no one listens to Bird. But when they start to speak in human language and Cow finds a baby in her hay, the animals realize something big is happening. Bird explains that the human child is the baby mentioned in prophecies that she overheard at the temple. Donkey has the animals in awe as he explains he brought the infant to the barn. Quickly, the animals team up to offer gifts to the child just as their language returns to moos and clucks. Those familiar with the Christmas story and the legend that animals gained the power of human speech that night won’t find anything new here. But Westgate-Silva’s sense of humor makes the retelling enjoyable—and perhaps a good choice to adapt for a church Christmas pageant. The animals’ varying voices are distinct at first; as the tale becomes more serious, they sound closer to Scripture than silliness. Veteran illustrator Piwowarski captures the comedy of the animals in his textured, digital paintings while offering respectful depictions of the Holy Family. The outlines of camels on the last page give a clue to the next part of the story.

A clever and amusing animal tale that’s well suited for Sunday school audiences.