Bright Christmas : An Angel Remembers (Paperback)

~ (Author), Kate Kiesler (Illustrator), Kate (Author) "I have always been an angel..." (more)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

A wise angel who has seen it all delivers an anecdotal account of the night that was "different from all the others?ever," the night that "the great truth came to the earth once and for all." In the voice of a seasoned spinner of yarns, Clements (Temple Cat) imagines a heavenly perspective on the birth of Jesus. The clever and colloquial text incorporates angel appearances from several Bible stories and hints at what it might feel like to be such a religious messenger. Kiesler's (Grandfather's Christmas Camp) soft oil paintings set the scene for biblical events with canvases of blue-black starlit nights and vast expanses of golden Middle Eastern desert. A few aerial perspectives bolster the premise of the text. Ages 4-8.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Booklist

Ages 5^-8. A lovely blend of words and pictures presents the Christmas story from an angel's point of view. Daring in its attempt to explain the idea of eternity, the book rises above the mediocre as an angel explains how the supernatural has interacted with the real world to bring truth. The angel remembers events on Earth leading up to the Nativity, but he explains that in heaven, where there is no time, it is eternally the first Christmas night. Kiesler's illustrations provide a subtext to this difficult concept. Her pleasing palette, suffused with light, ranges from the golden tones of the desert to the bluish hues of dusk. Doves, found among clouds, as shadows cast in the sand, represented by feathers adrift on the wind, or on a pendant around Mary's neck, constitute a playful motif. A fine choice despite the recent glut of books on the subject of angels. Shelley Townsend-Hudson --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Sandpiper; Reprint edition (September 18, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0618051538
• ISBN-13: 978-0618051533
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 8.7 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #831,245 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent review from ALA's BOOKLIST magazine, Sept 1, 1996, August 29, 1996

By A Customer

This review is from: Bright Christmas: An Angel Remembers (Hardcover)

Ages 5-8. A lovely blend of words and pictures presents the Christmas story from an angel's point of view. Daring in its attempt to explain the idea of eternity, the book rises above the mediocre as an angel explains how the supernatural has interacted with the real world to bring truth. The angel remembers events on Earth leading up to the Nativity, but he explains that in heaven, where there is no time, it is eternally the first Christmas night. Kiesler's illustrations provide a subtext to this difficult concept. Her pleasing palette, suffused with light, ranges from the golden tones of the desert to the bluish hues of dusk. Doves, found among clouds, as shadows cast in the sand, represented by feathers adrift on the wind, or on a pendant around Mary's neck, constitute a playful motif. A fine choice despite the recent glut of books on the subject of angels. -Shelley Townsend-Hudso

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Uneven pictures, uneven theology, December 6, 2007

By	Dr. Peter A. Kwasniewski (Lander, Wyoming) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The artwork is uneven--some good and some bad, but also anachronistic (Mary wearing a dove necklace!) despite the fact that they claim to have researched the times. Parts of the story are good, recalling prophecies and the preparation for the Messiah. But Jesus is just said to bring "the great truth"... which is what??? Nice and PC but not even Christian. There are plenty of other good children's christmas books out there. Keep looking.

5.0 out of 5 stars great book, September 12, 2009

By	Burton (Waco, TX) - See all my reviews

Beautiful pictures, fresh perspective from which the story is told!
Makes you think about the majesty of God, the perspective of the angels watching this interaction between God and His creation, and the majesty of our humble Christ.