Mary's First Christmas

by Timothy Ladwig (Illustrator), Walter Wangerin Jr.

On the night you were born the whole sky exploded with love, and the angels shouted, and more than a thousand hearts were in love with my baby Jesus on his birthday! Gather near and listen to the wondrous bedtime story, told long ago by a special mother to her very special son. Listen as Mary tells five-year-old Jesus of the first Christmas -- of his own birth and the remarkable events that surrounded it. Award-winning author Walter Wangerin tells this moving story in four parts, to be read in one sitting or over the course of four nights. And artist Timothy Ladwig brings to glowing life the people and places of Jesus' young life. Listen. Look. And you too will experience the wonder and glory of Mary's First Christmas.

Genres: Christmas, Picture Books, Christian, Childrens, Holiday

48 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 1998

Reviews

[David Goetz · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the very few children's books about the Nativity that are genuinely remarkable. Wangerin's writing, as always, is superb. Some readers undoubtedly will object to the poetic license Wangerin takes in crafting this story about Mary telling "Yeshi" the story of his birth, but in my judgment it manages to be artfully done; winsome as a story; credible in almost all of its details; faithful to Scripture's accounts of the first advent of Christ; and effective in depicting Mary, Joseph, and Jesus as living, breathing people. And Wangerin adroitly weaves a rich theology of the incarnation and of the purpose for Jesus's coming into the narrative.

My favorite part is when the Magi come to visit the toddler King and place gifts at his feet and Mary shudders "because gold belongs to kings, and frankincense is given to God, and myrrh is what we put on the people we love when they die." I mean, that's fantastic.

A perfect book for Advent and Christmas. My only caveat lector would note that the book is pretty text-heavy--probably too much for children under 4. My 4-year-old and I read in one sitting and her first comment after it ended was, "That book makes me want to cry." There it is, folks: read the book.

[Abby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Advent 2019: My daughters really loved this one this year. As soon as it was finished they asked me to read it over again. ❤️

[Melody Schwarting · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mary's First Christmas tells the Nativity story in Mary's voice, telling it to her son. It is a really sweet way to share the story, even though Wangering does pull a Harry Potter*, and the allusions to Jesus' future are a wee bit dark. The illustrations are beautiful, and everyone looks appropriate to their time period and ethnicity. It is quite long, but the book is broken up into chapters to space out readings.

*He literally gives the child Jesus a cross-shaped scar on of his forehead. LOL. This book came out one year after Harry Potter though I don't think there's any connection between the two books.

[Set · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book is endearing but I have a problem with the rewording of Mary's response to Gabriel in the visitation. I overall have issues with the embellishment of what may or may not have happened in the story of Jesus. There are three chapters of Mary telling Jesus in her own words her experience of his birth (the first three joyful mysteries.) And then there are fictional scenarios of Jesus as a child. The illustrations are GORGEOUS!

[Vivi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love the illustrations, I'm touched by the story (read: I cried a bit).
But, I'm not sure if the culture allowed Mary to hug Joseph before they are married (maybe I'm the only one who find it strange). I find it a bit rude when Mary said "leave me alone" to her dad when she felt sad.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

My mom read this to me as a young child and it is one of those books that I continue to think about twenty years later. The storytelling format--Mary telling a curious 5-year-old Jesus about how he was born--is creative, heartwarming, and really well done. But it was Ladwig's artwork for me that made it so memorable-- the richly colored, realistic depictions of Mary, Joseph, and Jesus and the world they lived in. The drawings carry such depths of emotion in each tender pencil line. I mean, just look at that gorgeous wrap-around cover! Brilliant!

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very different Christmas story, we found it a little odd... I like how it presents Jesus as Savior, that the gospel was clear ... but I think trying to imagine his life as a child, with kids throwing stones at him and a cross-shaped scar on his forehead... felt less comfortable to me. Maybe it is mostly the element of the forehead injury that I didn’t like ... and having his own story told to him, indicating that he did not already know those things...

[Hanna Gonzalez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Please read David's review below. Communicates my sentiments precisely well. Brilliant. Beautiful. Provoking. ✨

[Lily Bliss · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 ★ - (enjoyed a lot/really liked it)

[Stacy · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite Christmas book!!! I have read it to the kids usually the last week of Christmas for at least 3 years. The illustrations are great, too.

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wangerin is a sharp writer for adults and children alike, but his children's stories are especially beautifully told.

[Seanan DeGrave · Rating 5 out of 5]

soooooo goooood

[Tammy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed reading this. Nice to see things from Mary's point of view. Love the illustrations.

[Trish · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fiction; Juvenile/Christmas
4 stars

Interesting take on the Christmas story. Loved the images in this one.

[Melanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really appreciated the idea of Mary telling the Jesus-child of his birth and of his self-worth.

[Natalie Moreland · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really interesting and unique perspective to the Nativity, with Mary telling young Jesus his birth story at bed time. A bit long, but well worth it!

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Childhood Christmas favorite.

"Elephunks!"

[Analyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! This is so beautifully written and artfully crafted. The story of Jesus' birth as told by Mary. It is beautiful and emotional and a MUST read for every parent to every child.