Advent begins next weekend...amazing, right? My reading list is going to be heavier on the holiday reads in the next weeks, too. Of course, I've been sprinkling them in already, but there's definitely going to be an uptick coming on the Christmas front. When I ran across today's read, I decided to take a peek because of the cover. It's the more historical direction which is catching my attention. I'm hoping this one embraces the traditional Christmas message while bringing across a bit of authenticity of the time period.
Let's see if this one does just that, shall we?
MIRIAM AND NAOMI
A Christmas Story
by Peggy Dudarchik
Illustrated by Russel Mason
Grey Eyed Publishing
Picture Book Religious / Holiday
34 pages
ages 3 to 8
A young girl from Nazareth named Miriam and her best friend, a goat named Naomi, become traveling companions to the village carpenter, Joseph, and his pregnant wife, Mary, as they travel to Bethlehem. The daughter of the soon-to-be parents’ neighbors, Miriam is a kind and generous girl who takes great care of her beloved goat and is always thinking of others, and she is excited for the adventure of helping Mary.
On the long and difficult journey, Miriam shows many kindnesses to Mary, often sacrificing her own comfort to make sure the expectant woman is cared for. Her benevolence does not go unnoticed when, on the day Mary gives birth, the girl is praised by an angel who arrives to welcome Jesus, the baby who will grow up to share his love and compassion with the world.
MY TIDBITS
Jesus' birth weaves into a lovely tale about a young girl and her goat, and that while staying snuggled up to historical goodness and keeping the miracle of Christmas in the spotlight.
Joseph needs to travel to Bethlehem thanks to the census. Mary, who is pregnant, doesn't want to stay behind with relatives and decides to accompany him, especially since a young girl, Miriam insists on going with them to help out. Miriam is excited to travel beyond the village and see more of the world. With her goat, she helps take care of Mary during the journey and stands by their sides when they reach Bethlehem and the stall.
While I was a bit hesitant when I first opened this book, it won me over in so many ways. Naomi is a kind girl with an adorable goat and remains very natural the entire way through. She gently assists where she can, and while she's the main character in the tale, she doesn't steal the spotlight from the birth, but rather, adds a way for young readers to connect with it. The author and illustrator have given care to create a more realistic feel. While my initial reaction to the illustrations had me critical (thanks to AI), this quickly faded as they opened up the time period in a way most picture books don't. Mary and Joseph come across as normal people, not only due to their clothes and appearances, but also in their activities, concerns, and natural reactions. Miriam and her goat add an interesting layer to illustrate life at that time. It was simply nice to experience the tale from this direction.
As to the text, it's a little heavier compared to many picture books and is more suited as a lovely read-aloud. And it fulfills this role well. Young readers, who are solid with their skills, can pick it upon their own. The illustrations hold a 'realistic' touch with tons of details for readers to explore. This also opens up to discussions and gives slightly new twists to Mary's journey and the birth (this one leans toward the cave as a stall direction).
Those readers, who want to visit the Christmas story from the grabbing viewpoint of a young girl and swing in some historical settings, will want to take a peek at this one. As always, I do suggest that parents/adult readers take a look through it themselves first before presenting it to younger listeners/readers.
And here she is...
Children’s
author Peggy Dudarchik has always loved to write but it was a spiritual retreat
that inspired her to write her debut picture book. Miriam
and Naomi: A Christmas Story is a unique telling of the
well-known journey of Mary and Joseph as they traveled to Bethlehem where Jesus
was born.
Peggy believes a great book is one about good people who are faced with a challenge and overcome obstacles to achieve a goal. She hopes her young readers come away from her story with an appreciation for this difficult historical journey and a love of the characters and reading that stays with them long after the book is closed.
When she isn’t writing, Peggy enjoys reading, cooking, and entertaining friends and family. Her love of children’s books was stoked after her now adult son was born, with countless trips to the library and a bedtime reading ritual bringing them both a joy that she later carried into her own writing. Peggy’s picture book experience has been a family affair, with valuable input coming from her husband, son, and daughter-in-law. She lives in Manlius, New York, with her husband and their crazy Cairn Terrier, Izzy.
Peggy believes a great book is one about good people who are faced with a challenge and overcome obstacles to achieve a goal. She hopes her young readers come away from her story with an appreciation for this difficult historical journey and a love of the characters and reading that stays with them long after the book is closed.
When she isn’t writing, Peggy enjoys reading, cooking, and entertaining friends and family. Her love of children’s books was stoked after her now adult son was born, with countless trips to the library and a bedtime reading ritual bringing them both a joy that she later carried into her own writing. Peggy’s picture book experience has been a family affair, with valuable input coming from her husband, son, and daughter-in-law. She lives in Manlius, New York, with her husband and their crazy Cairn Terrier, Izzy.
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