Two travelers seek shelter in a barn after being told there is no room at the inn. The barn is warm, and there are many animals, but they are safe all together. Soon a baby is born and a bright star guides three wise men to the barn. Shepherds and sheep also arrive to see the child sleeping in the hay. Everyone is safe in that ancient barn, and all is well.

The Bottom Line: First published in 1952, bestselling children's author Margaret Wise Brown retells the story of Mary, Joseph, and the birth of Christ as perhaps a child would. Loosely illustrated paintings in oil, pastel, pencil, and marker accentuate this spare story with rhyming text. This simple story of the Nativity is ideal for ages 3 - 6.

This review also appears at the Mini Book Bytes Book Review Blog. ( )

Christmas In the Barn, illustrated by Barbara Cooney

"In a big warm barn / In an ancient field / The oxen lowed, / the donkey squealed, the horses stomped, / the cattled sighed / And quietly the daylight died / In the sunset of the west." So begins this lovely retelling of the Nativity Story from 1952. Author Margaret Wise Brown's poetic text makes several references to famouse Christmas carols, with phrases like "what child is this," or "away in a manger" sprinkled throughout, while illustrator Barbara Cooney's artwork sets the ancient story in what looks like an early to mid-twentieth-century New England farmyard. The tale concludes with both textual and visual warmth, depicting Mary and Joseph, the manger animals, and some visiting shepherds as they all gather around the little Christ Child..

This story from the pen of Margaret Wise Brown has been illustrated by a number of different artists over the years, from Barbara Cooney (the first and best, in my opinion), to Diane Goode and (most recently) Anna Dewdney. Although I found the Dewdney quite engaging (I have not as yet read the Goode), all in all I prefer this original version illustrated by Cooney. There is just an immense charm to the visuals here, which alternate between black and white two-page spreads and those which utilize a limited color palette of red, yellow and blue. Whichever style she is using however, there is always a feeling of depth and of mystery to her illustrations, and a feeling of tenderness that is particularly pronounced in the depiction of the animals and of the little baby. Highly recommended, both to Cooney fans, and to anyone looking for poetic, well-written Nativity stories. ( )

The story of Christmas in a bar is similar to that of the nativity setting. There is a barn full of animals and on Christmas a couple goes in because there is no where else for them to go. The mother has her child in the barn and the stars are as bright as can be. It is a miracle that the baby is well and alive. They live happily ever after.

Christmas In the Barn, illustrated by Anna Dewdney

From the pen of Margaret Wise Brown, author of such childhood classics as Goodnight Moon and The Runaway Bunny, comes this poetic retelling of the story of the Nativity. Incorporating snippets of established carols - "away in a manger, no crib for his bed" - the simple narrative here follows the tale of Mary and Joseph, and how they came to "a big warm barn in an ancient field" where a miracle occurred...

Originally published in 1952, and accompanied by the artwork of Barbara Cooney, Christmas In the Barn has been reissued this year (2016) with new illustrations by Anne Dewdney, the creator of the popular Llama, Llama picture-books. The result is an engaging Christmas book, one which presents a well-known story in a child-friendly way. As an admirer of Cooney's, I'd like to track down the original and compare her artwork with Dewdney's, but overall I was pleased with this version. ( )

Christmas in the Barn by Margaret Wise Brown
Audio version so I am not seeing the colorful pictures.
Children's book about the reason for the season-the birth of Christ.
Setting: the barn and who is there, the animals and the sounds.
Christmas day and the sound of an infant crying and the animals all gather as the gifts arrive.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device). ( )