Where Jesus Slept by Norma Lewis (author) and Katy Hudson (illustrator) #WhereJesusSlept #flyby

About the book:

“This is the bed where Jesus slept. This is the straw that lined the bed where Jesus slept.” From here, the story builds with each spread, adding a new element and explaining the relationships among the participants and witnesses to the first Christmas. From Jesus sleeping sweetly to the wise men bringing gifts, this charming book reminds readers young and not-so-young of the joyous event we celebrate at Christmastime. Children will love the delightful illustrations and the engaging repetition in this cumulative tale.

Format: jacketed hardcover

Trim size: 10x10

Page count: 32

Retail price: $16.99

Reading age: 4-7

My Review: This is a sweet Christmas story, written in the same form as The House That Jack Built. The continued repetition of the text makes it easy for small children to catch on and perhaps repeat some of it with the adult reader each time it repeats. 

The illustrations are marvelous. They are very eye-catching, and perfectly illustrate the text on each page without appearing too busy.

My only complaint with the story is that Joseph is never mentioned, and isn't even pictured until the next to the last page of the book. Other than that, it is a book that could easily become part of the family tradition of Christmas.

**I accepted a copy of this book from Flyby Promotions with no expectation of a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.**

My Rating: Five stars

About the author Norma Lewis is the author of ten books. She lives in Grand Haven, MI, with a marmalade cat named Scalawag. They both love spending time with her six grandchildren, ranging in age from three to twenty.

About the illustrator
Katy was raised in Middlesbrough and started her Illustration career as a small child drawing on freshly emulsioned walls around the house! Her parents quickly dissuaded this medium and encouraged drawing with pencil and paper instead.

The idea stuck (the pencil was updated to an ink pot and pen in some cases) and after some lovely time at Art College and a degree in Illustration Katy is now a freelance Illustrator working at a desk in an old London library.

All Things Bright And Beautiful by Cecil Frances Alexander, illustrated by Katy Hudson #flyby #allthingsbrightandbeautiful

BOOK INFORMATION

Jacketed hardcover

Page count: 32

Reading age: 4-7

Category: juvenile fiction/Christian

Retail price: $15.99

Synopsis:  All things bright and beautiful, 
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful,
The Lord God made them all. 
First published by Cecil Frances Alexander in 1848, this favorite hymn has become a mainstay of churches and Sunday school classes everywhere. Here artist Katy Hudson brings new joy to the words with her fresh and bright watercolor style. Readers can join in the fun as they follow two little girls and their brother on a day filled with the discovery of all things bright and beautiful. Ages 4-7.

Amazon buy link: All Things Bright and Beautiful

Review:

I am absolutely in LOVE with the illustrations in this book. The children are adorable, the colors are vibrant, and the animals are amazingly lifelike. The text of the book is the lyrics to the song by the same title, which I remember singing as a child. Each page has only one or two lines of text, which makes it even easier to focus on the illustrations. The combination of the text and illustrations provide a multitude of opportunities to discuss God's creations, and the wonder of them all. I also liked that the final page includes a cute little bunny along with a scripture about Creation. **I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own**

Rating: Five stars

About the artist

Katy Hudson was raised in Middlesbrough, England, and started her career as a small child drawing on freshly painted walls. Her parents quickly encouraged drawing with pencil and paper instead. The idea stuck, and after earning a degree in illustration, Katy is now a freelance illustrator. Katy works at a desk in a studio within Old London Library and likes to tap dance in her spare time.