The Very First Christmas [Hardcover]

Paul L. Maier (Author), Frank Ordaz (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 1998 | Age Level: 5 and up | Grade Level: K and up

Examines the Nativity story as the origin of Christmas, viewing it in both scriptural and secular contexts.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Author and historian Paul Maier aims to "return the Christmas focus where it belongs"--on the story and spirit surrounding Jesus' birth. Thus, The Very First Christmas doesn't follow the prescribed children's Christmas-book themes--with fairy-tale winter settings in quaint, old European towns. Maier instead sets the story in the American West, where a curious 8-year-old boy named Christopher wants a "real" bedtime story. His mother then tells him the miraculous story of the Nativity. (Ages 4 to 8)

From Publishers Weekly

This informative gift book is much better than its introduction might lead readers to suspect; Maier lays out a traditional Christian apologetic approach, using tools such as archaeology and history to prove the trustworthiness of the Bible. In the chapters that follow, he analyzes the Nativity through the lenses of economics, law, literature, geography and even meteorology, claiming that this composite reveals the "unfamiliar story" of Christ's birth. Some readers may quibble that Maier bases his claims on a rather selective reading of the evidence, but most will enjoy the rich detail he offers about daily life in Palestine around the year 5 B.C.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Concordia Publishing House; 3rd Printing edition (June 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0570050642
• ISBN-13: 978-0570050643
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 11.2 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #849,614 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

59 of 61 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finally, a book for children about the Real Christmas story!, December 7, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Very First Christmas (Hardcover)

A wonderful little book. It relates the Christmas story in a spiritual and historical context for children. It is a good introduction of the story of the birth of Jesus for children, since it explains a number of Biblical events in a way even a young child can understand their meaning. Nice illustrations, too.

45 of 47 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book returns the Christmas focus to where it belongs, December 7, 2001

By 

Volkert Volkersz (Snohomish, WA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Very First Christmas (Hardcover)

This Gold Medallion Book Award title (for excellence in Evangelical Christian literature) is easy to overlook, since it appears to be yet another illustrated account of the birth of Jesus. Instead, what we have here is a recognized historian writing a kid-friendly book explaining some of the historical context of the Nativity story by having a mother answer her inquisitive child's many questions.

As Christopher's mom reads from gospel of St. Luke, chapter 2, she responds to her eight-year old son's questions about Caesar Augustus, registering for the census, why Joseph was not the father of Jesus Christ, why God chose Mary to be Jesus' mother, how old she might have been, where she lived, the lineage of King David, why Christmas is celebrated on December 25, what the stable was like, why there wasn't any room at the inn, why the shepherds were terrified at the sight of the angel, and how St. Luke knew "all this stuff."

This book is highly recommended to Christians of all traditions, as well as to non-Christian families who may be curious about what's really behind the Christmas story. As the author states in his brief introduction, many "children's Christmas books are often long on fancy and short on fact." I would agree when he says, "these pages...return the Christmas focus to where it belongs." The gospel story is no fairy tale, and here Paul L. Maier places it within the context of history, so children like Chris in this story can learn "about real people and real things that really happened."

29 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Clear explanation of Christ's birth, April 6, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Very First Christmas (Hardcover)

This beautifully illustrated book explains many things about the biblical story of Christ's birth that can confuse children -- such as, why weren't Mary and Joseph married when she got pregnant, why were they going to Bethlehem, and why didn't they just stay in a hotel? I felt it wasa bit complicated for my 5 year old -- he will benefit from it more in the years to come. If you like this book you'll also love the author's book on Easter.