Customer Reviews

The First Christmas (Festive Pop-Up Book)

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We've owned this delightful, short pop-up book since our children were young, some time in the 1980s. It's always been part of our Advent tradition, and works very nicely as a weekly Advent calendar (in conjunction with Advent candles, if you wish).

The first page features the Annunciation.
The second shows Joseph taking Mary into Bethlehem.
On the third we see the innkeeper showing them the stable.
Then a glorious angel appears to the shepherds, followed by the three wise men following a bright (expanding) star and finally the shepherds and wise men coming to the stable to see Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus.

This year we read this visually appealing book to our now grown-up children on Christmas Eve, still to the delight of all.

This is a lovely book that we have had for many years. Our children have worn it out looking at the wonderful pop up illustrations. It also sticks very closely to the text from the Bible. A Christmas treasure!

This is a simple story explaining the story of Christ's birth. I read this book to my children when they were small and I have ordered one now to give my daughter when she has children. I love Tomie de Paola's writing techinque and unique art.

This is the feast to the eyes of the young and young at heart. Tomie de Paola has long been a favorite children's author in our family.
I was delighted to find copies of this book still available to send to my grandchildren for Christmas. The children - and their parents - will delight in this traditional classic, designed for pre-schoolers and young readers.
The illustrations are rich and interactive, as each page has pop ups, tabs to pull, windows to open, etc.
The final page is the Nativity scene, and the book can be set up on a table top as a Nativity set! May reading this book become a part of your family's Christmas tradition!

The book was in great condition. The Company was most kind by making sure it arrived for Christmas at their own expense. This does not go unappreciated. I will do business with them again and highly recommend them to friends. Thank you for making this interaction a pleasant memory. Little does one know how such kindnesses deeply touch others. The book is for my two grandsons, one had to have a kidney removed at 6 months and the other, a new born this Christmas, has to under go major liver surgery. My children, now adults loved this book to the point of near destruction. When I went to look for it again I had no idea that it was a collectible. It is so treasured that I didn't mind paying for it. My original purchase in the 80's was $7.99. Thank you again for your thoughtfulness.
Sharon

I have fond memories of my children sharing this book quietly at those late afternoon Christmas Eve masses for families.

Later when as a volunteer I taught pre-schoolers music, I would sing lines from the carols to help those strange words come alive with DePaula's images: from the second to the sixth setting, O Little Town of Bethlehem ... Away in a Manger ... Angels We Have Heard on High ... We Three Kings ... and of course, at the end, Silent Night.

Our family's original copy (minus half its ribbon) was only $12.95. Later I bought a second copy for $19.95 for grandchildren. Alas, now copies go for between $45 and $189!

In an era when the public schools forbid any real Christmas carols at their holiday concerts, and fewer and fewer people sing carols around the spinet, I would love for Putnam to print a new edition of this treasured classic.

As usual with dePaola's books,the illustrations are fantastic. The story is Jesus in the manger...6 pages.