Room for a Little One: A Christmas Tale [Hardcover]

Martin Waddell (Author), Jason Cockcroft (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 3, 2006

That cold winter's night,

beneath the star's light...

...a Little One came for the world.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 1–On a cold winter night, Kind Ox invites one visitor after another into the shelter of his stable–Old Dog, Stray Cat, and Small Mouse, who rest together in harmony. When Tired Donkey appears, he brings with him Mary and Joseph, and all of the animals welcome Jesus when He is born. The slightly fuzzy yet realistic acrylic paintings are dappled with multicolored blurry dots that add a touch of magic to the scene, although young children may simply assume that it's snowing. The very short and simple text, the catchy refrain, and the lovely illustrations make this title a fine choice for young listeners.–E. M.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

From Booklist

PreS-Gr. 2. 'Tis the eve of Christmas--a cold winter's night--when Kind Ox offers to share his stable by the inn. Assuring each tentative visitor that "there's always room for a little one," he first gives shelter to Old Dog, then, in quick succession, Stray Cat, Small Mouse, and Tired Donkey, who is accompanied by Joseph and a weary Mary. As predators and prey gather together in "the peace of a stable," they learn lessons about tolerance and generosity. Finally, they bear witness to the birth of the most wondrous "Little One" of all: the baby Jesus. Waddell, the author of the popular Little Bear series illustrated by Barbara Firth and many others, delivers another winner here. Quiet, meaningful, and ideal for the youngest readers, Waddell's simple text in large, easy-to-read type is rendered magical by Cockcroft's glowing acrylics. A majestic addition to any holiday collection. Terry Glover
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books (October 3, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 141692518X
• ISBN-13: 978-1416925187
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 8.2 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (50 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #206,574 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Martin Waddell is the Hans Christian Andersen Medal winner 2004 and two-time Smarties Prize winner. Among his many books for children are the Little Bear and Farmer Duck series. Martin lives in Newcastle in County Down.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

53 of 53 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lovely New Children's Story, October 13, 2004

By 

Erika Sorocco (Southern California, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Room for a Little One: A Christmas Tale (Hardcover)

It's a cold winter's night, and Kind Ox is nesting, all snug in his stable out of the bitter wind, when a visitor comes along. Old Dog. Kind Ox invites Old Dog into the stable where he will be protected from the harm of the storm, and soon more animals have joined the two of them. Stray Cat, and Small Mouse, to be exact. Then Tired Donkey comes along, carrying a woman, Mary, on his back, and a man, Joseph, at his side. Mary is weary, for she is about to have her baby, but there is no room at the inn, so Joseph is worried. But Kind Ox invites them in, and provides shelter for Mary as she gives birth to the baby Jesus, a group of animals around them.

ROOM FOR A LITTLE ONE is a lovely picture book that will paint a simple picture of how Jesus came to be for young children. The prose is extremely easy to understand for all ages, and the illustrations, depicting scenes of animals in the snow, and inside the warmth of the stable, will capture the hearts of parents, as well as their children. A wonderful holiday tale.

Erika Sorocco
Book Review Columnist for The Community Bugle Newspaper

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A beautiful book, October 29, 2004

By 

Paula's Books "PB" (Midwest USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Room for a Little One: A Christmas Tale (Hardcover)

My 11 year old son, brought this home from the book fair at his school today. He was very proud to show me his purchase. We have already read it together with little brother 3 times now!
Jason Cockcroft is an amazing illustrator. His pictures are beautiful and peaceful, while detailed.
Room for a little one, is not long, but has such a beautiful message. It ends with "...a Little One came for the world."
This book is perfect for a bedtime story, or to be read on Christmas Eve, or morning. Our family highly recommends this book. We would give it a 6 if we could. It will be within reach all year long, not just at Christmas time.

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A delightful twist on a historical tale!, October 30, 2004

By 

Betsie's Literary Page (United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Room for a Little One: A Christmas Tale (Hardcover)

About two thousand years ago, in the town of Nazareth, a miracle occurred. There were Shepherds, the Angels and, on Epiphany, the Wise Men.

In author Martin Waddell's version: This particular winter night is cold, and Kind Ox lies in his stable sheltered from the harsh bitter airs. He is snuggled in the warmth of his straw bed until Old Dog comes along in search of shelter and a warm place to rest his weary bones. Kind Ox invites him in. Not long after do more travelers arrive, also in need of shelter. Stray Cat, and Small Mouse, to be precise.

Then Tired Donkey arrives, leading Joseph along, as he carries Mary on his back. Mary is very tired and needed a place to stay. At each inn, the story was the same. There was no room for them.

"Where will my baby be born?" Mary asked.

Kind Ox invited Tired Donkey in. Mary gives birth to Jesus with the animals around them.

Room for a Little One: A Christmas Tale, is not only simply written and easy to understand, but is also exquisitely illustrated. This is a book your child will read everyday of the year!

Reviewed by Betsie