By Alan and Linda Parry
Hunt & Thorpe. £7.99
ISBN 1 85608 206 7
This beautifully illustrated children's book is for early learners, but can be enjoyed by both child and adult alike as they read it together. In fact, my son of 13 years of age, and my daughter who has severe learning difficulties, would not put it down.
It is the kind of book that you can read repeatedly, with deepening interest and amusement. The print is large and clear and the content is structured in the form of questions which encourage progression of language and stimulate imagination.
The price may seem expensive, but this is not just a glossy book with pictures. Each page has an activity, whether it be to pull a tab to reveal the King's treasure, or to discover the stable inside Bethlehem. The pictures have been drawn in much detail, and the facial expressions of both characters and animals are modern and humorous. The final page plays the melody of 'Silent Night' bringing the Christmas story into today's world. This book can be enjoyed year after year.
