
What a gorgeous retelling of one of, if not the most famous stories.
The nativity has one true star, and it isn’t the baby who is born on that special day. This book tells the story of how the angels came up with an imaginative way to let everyone know the good news. What I like most is how the star isn’t brash, nor the best candidate for the job, but through an excellent attitude and a willingness to help, they shine their brightest to bring joy to all. What a great message for children!
Hilary Robinson is a fantastic author who always pitches her tales so well for her audience. This is clearly aimed at the younger pupils we teach, with lovely crafted sentences sprinkled with rhyme a joy to read. Hats off to Ciara Ni Dhuinn who creates illustrations that will attract the attention of the biggest reading humbug.

Now for the teacher bit. Books that tell the story of the Nativity from different points of view, or with an interesting focus, are a must for Primary schools. In the build-up to Christmas, I find sharing stories like The Christmas Star, and Refuge, are the perfect way to embed the children’s understanding how important each person or, in these cases, non-human aspects roles are.
A perfectly gentle retelling that makes the reader know how important it is to shine your brightest to be your best self.
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