And the angel said unto them, “Fear not: for behold, I bring unto you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.” Audiences from religious and secular worlds alike are familiar with the comforting words from the second chapter of Luke in the King James Bible, most memorably featured in A Charlie Brown Christmas. Just as Linus reminded his community of the real meaning of Christmas, this touching tribute to an ancient text reminds us to focus on family and our fellow man instead of on gifts and indulgences. Accompanying the timeless, reassuring text is sweet, nostalgic artwork from acclaimed illustrator Lauren Castillo that embraces today’s ever-changing definition of family. PreS-Gr 3–The only text in this book is a few sentences from the King James Bible, and many of the ink and watercolor illustrations, in soothing tones of brown and gray with bold outlines, are wordless. They show a modern family–mom, dad, babe in arms, and dog-walking child–out for a stroll on a snowy evening, when they come across a small, outdoor Christmas pageant. As the child peers into the manger, readers are taken back in time to Bethlehem, with illustrations of sheep grazing over a dry Middle Eastern landscape as the shepherds learn of the birth of Jesus. As light from the star streams down over the holy family and shepherds leaning over the manger, the scene switches with a turn of the page back to the modern family singing carols in the snow in front of the manger. The theme–that the most basic meaning of Christmas has remained the same over the centuries–is conveyed with a warm and captivating simplicity that even the youngest child will understand. Eva Mitnick, Los Angeles Public Library © Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. Lauren Castillo is the illustrator of several wonderful picture books including What Happens on Wednesdays by Emily Jenkins and That's Papa's Way by Kate Banks. Her books have received starred reviews from School Library Journal, Publisher's Weekly, Kirkus and Booklist. She lives in Brooklyn, NY. Used Book in Good Condition