The Promise and the Light: A Captivating Retelling of the Christmas Story for Kids Ages 8-12

by Katy Morgan

What if you were visited by an angel one night who told you that you were to give birth to the Son of God? How would you feel? What might you think?

Written as a series of vivid and dramatic first-person accounts, The Promise and The Light tells the stories of Mary, Joseph and Zechariah as they experience the events of the first Christmas. Written in a lively and engaging style, this imaginative yet biblically faithful book will captivate children aged 8-12.

Readers will be able to get inside the hearts and minds of some of the key players in the Christmas story and will appreciate the power and excitement of what happened and why it is so amazing for us today.

With 25 chapters, readers may choose to read a chapter a day during Advent.

Genres: Christmas, Christian, Historical Fiction, Childrens, Middle Grade, Biblical Fiction, Chapter Books

191 pages, Paperback

Published October 1, 2021

About the author

Katy Morgan is an Editor at The Good Book Company. She is a member of Chessington Evangelical Church in Surrey, UK, where she lives. She holds a master's degree in classical Greek literature, and previously worked in a ministry role as part of a school chaplaincy.

Reviews

[Alison (readinginazaleawoods) · Rating 4 out of 5]

*EDITED*

(4.5 stars rounded down)

Quick Takes:
* Christmas Retelling
* Multiple POVs
* Notes at the back distinguish between known facts and imaginative parts
* Written for ages 8-12
* Part of the Bible Retellings Collection

We enjoyed this one, but due to some of the content (see below) and with this being a retelling, I recommend pre-reading to ensure it's a good fit for your family and appropriate for younger or more sensitive readers.

Content to consider:
- "don't be such a baby"
- "My mother slapped Mary in the face
- "The Egyptians went snarling into the house of the Israelites and began to tear babies from their mothers' arms. The river was filled with the blood of the children of Abraham, and the house of the Israelites rang out with wailing. They were crying out in pain."

[Toby · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's the Christmas story but written like the diaries of different people from the Christmas story, like Joseph, Mary & Zechariah. Good to read in the days coming up to Christmas.

[Panda Incognito · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have known the Nativity story all my life, but I still felt eager to get back to reading this book each night, because I wanted to know what happened next. The Promise and the Light: A Christmas Retelling is a very engaging, well-researched novel that rings true to the Scriptural narrative in substance and theme while also expounding on our limited knowledge of the story with additional details, fictional side characters, and new subplots. The imagined elements fit smoothly with the story's historical and cultural context, and even though I am usually leery of fictionalized versions of Bible stories, Katy Morgan manages this complex task with perfection.

This novel is very engaging, with well-drawn, convincing characters, and even though the story goes back and forth between different perspectives, it never becomes confusing. Morgan also does a great job reflecting the characters' Jewish beliefs and the various religious and political tensions of the day. She also includes historical details in the back of the book, with one note per chapter to share source material information for parts of the story, explain which parts she made up, and provide context from historical research outside the Bible.

I enjoyed this very much. I found it exciting, emotionally moving, and meaningful, and would recommend it to anyone interested in the concept, whether they are a Christian or not. This is a very well-told story that brings the lives and feelings of these historical figures to vivid life, and even though the publisher is marketing it for eight to twelve year olds, this novel will also impress and engage adults. There are twenty-five chapters, so someone could read this for Advent or read more of it at once, as I did. I highly recommend this, and plan to reread it in future years.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to the audio of this with my nine and thirteen year old daughters. Upon finishing it, they declared that it should be a yearly reread during the Christmas weeks.

[Ella · Rating 4 out of 5]

So good 🩷🥹
I really enjoyed seeing the well-known Christmas story retold from three different perspectives. I loved the way she incorporated Jewish festivals, historic facts, and some creative touches of her own. I especially appreciated her adding of Mary and Joseph’s siblings into the story. That was really unique, but in the best way. Despite all of her creativity, she stayed faithful to the truth of the biblical narrative and kept the focus on the coming Messiah. I also liked how she weaved references and retellings of significant Old Testament stories into the narrative. Deuteronomy 6:6-9 (NIV) says
“These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.”
I feel like the Israelites, especially when under Roman oppression, took this command to heart, and having Mary tell these stories to her younger siblings, and Zechariah remembering teaching these stories to the boys in synagogue was really cool as well.
I loved ittttt 🥰

[Courtney Lyman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not a big fan of historical fiction based on the Bible because there are always liberties taken that bother me, but this was beautifully written. I read it aloud to my class and it was like they were hearing the story for the first time.

[Gabrielle Stoller · Rating 3 out of 5]

For families who are looking for a chapter book account of the birth of Christ, with a little dramatization and embellishment, this is a great Christmas retelling. I was slightly bothered because why bring in fictionalized characters (like Mary's brother or Joseph's brother) and then you let their storylines drop. Not that they had much room to grow into them.....because they didn't....but I really like books that are written well.

However, this was a great book to read on a Sunday as I decorate for Christmas and Advent.

[Kelli Stoddard · Rating 4 out of 5]

My older kids and I loved this book. Such a great retelling of the story of Christ’s birth that helped us grasp the bigger picture and setting so well. It’s one I hope to reread every Christmas season.

[Jessica Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this as an advent book with my kiddos leading up to Christmas. It was amazing. So full of Biblical truth & so moving. Will recommend to many!

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

A helpful, fun, and faithful imagining of the first Christmas. Could work as a family read aloud for Advent, though I read it on my own.

[Tracey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked the concept of this book - a fictionalised account of the Christmas story, based on a factual framework, in 25 chapters as an Advent read for younger readers. However, the writing itself was a bit of a let down. The language and mannerisms seemed far too modern and simply didn't fit the context of the story. Of course, the story was still a decent account, just not very well crafted.

[Denise Forrest · Rating 5 out of 5]

25 short chapters tell the Christmas story from the point of view of some of the characters involved in it. Whilst explaining what was going on in the present, many of the characters refer back to previous events from the Old Testament, which tell God’s story of salvation.

I enjoyed reading these ‘first hand’ accounts. The author has stuck quite closely to the Biblical story so each chapter comes across as authentic. However, she has imagined a host of additional characters, e.g. siblings for Mary and Joseph. I found the relationships between Mary and her mother and mother-in-law after they found out about the pregnancy heartbreaking. I could also draw parallels between families being forced to stay apart during the pandemic and Mary, travelling to Bethlehem for the census, expecting to only be away for a few weeks, but ending up in exile in Egypt, possibly for several years.

The short chapters would make it possible to read one per day throughout December.

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

My daughter recommended this to me. This is a pretty good read for Advent season! It's a middle grade novel version of the Nativity story, told from the perspectives of Joseph, Mary and Zachariah. It's pretty true to the biblical account of Jesus's birth, but also sparked some imagination on what the details would have been like. Joseph, Mary and Zachariah also frequently reminisce on Old Testament accounts of Moses, Ruth, Hannah, David and Elijah as part of their narration. Some of their reflection gave me insights I didn't have before of the Nativity's connection to Old Testament figures. (For example, Samuel prepared the way for David in a similar way as John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus. ) The language of the book is pretty simple, which I appreciated, because I imagine Mary and Joseph, as young teenagers, would speak and think in that fashion.

[Shelby · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved reading this during Advent this year. It’s a quick read but can be spread out over the four weeks of Advent as there’s 25 chapters. I finished it before Christmas, though. A youthful and delightful imagining of Luke 2, this book brings a new light to the events of the Christmas story. If you’re worried about historical fact, the author is very clear in the closing notes about what we know from Scripture about Jesus’ birth and what we don’t know for certain, and what she pulled directly from the Bible and what was made up or imagined. Perfect as a read-aloud for elementary school kids or for middle schoolers to read on their own. I enjoyed this as an adult and might make it an annual Christmas tradition!

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this middle grade book. The story is told by diary entries from Mary, Joseph, and Zechariah's perspective. There were some interesting interpretations of the story, but nothing that I felt went against scripture. Katy Morgan weaves some other biblical stories in this book, and even some historical context on what might've been happening around the time of Jesus's birth. I would recommend reading this along side with the bible. This book really caused me to ponder the christmas story, and what life may've looked like back then surrounding the birth of Jesus. I'm curious about other works from Katy Morgan.

[raamat · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun read for Advent! The 25 short chapters are perfect for December 1-25! This is a retelling of the nativity story, with the blanks being filled in with creative guesses as to what things could have truly been like for those experiencing it. I believe the author did a great job keeping the storyline biblical, and she also provided further notes in the back of the book to inform readers. The story is also very entertaining! I purchased this book a few years ago, but lost interest before I read it. Now I am so happy I held on to it! I think I’ll add this to my rotation of Advent reads.

[Bernadette · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so sweet! I highly appreciate that the author is very clear about what we know for sure and what is fictionalized with attention to historical detail. I am not sure how theologically sound it is from a Catholic perspective. The author did choose to make Mary and Joseph similar in age and have Mary experience pain in childbirth, just two things I noticed. But I would put this story on my bookshelf and read it to my kids at Christmas time!!

[Emylly · Rating 3 out of 5]

As an adult, it was an interesting read to think about the Christmas story from different angles, while still analyzing what was Biblically sound, but a kid would struggle to separate fact from unknowns, accepting the entire story as true. That makes it tricky ground. I always wondered what I would do/ say if I was in Mary’s place but my first question to the angels would not be “how am I pregnant?” It’s God. He can do anything. I would be asking “why me?” or “why is this happening?”But the author needed a reason for the angels to explain the virgin birth without saying “slept with a man’’ as the Bible explained it.

[Rachel Menke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely delightful! I’ve known this story my whole life but Morgan’s writing put it in fresh perspective. God used this book to bring more gospel light to the upcoming Advent season with this book and I have already recommended this book to many families as I read! I think it will be a precious family treasure in many households!

[Heather Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful read aloud for Christmas! I loved some of her notes in the back about what parts of the story were based on facts from the Bible and where she used her imagination to fill in the blanks. My only complaint is the few times the word idiot was used in reference to people, but reading aloud, it was fairly easy to edit on the fly!

[Mary T · Rating 4 out of 5]

We started this as a family, meaning to listen to a chapter a day, but we got way behind, and I ended up finishing it myself. I like how this type of book can open your imagination about Biblical events. I do wish there had been 3 different narrator voices to distinguish the 3 perspectives (Mary, Joseph, Zechariah).

[Sharon Brook · Rating 3 out of 5]

I understand that artistic license must be taken when retelling the Christmas story in a longer format. But I was disappointed with changing the biblical narrative. Adding is acceptable, subtracting is not.

[Go2therock · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this with intentions of preparing for the coming season of Advent. Yes, Advent 2024. I plan to read it to my granddaughter. I've made notes of what items I will prepare for her to open for the night of each chapter's reading. I am thrilled with this book! Incredibly well done.

[Rachael Hartzell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a unique way to celebrate advent. Our whole family loved it. It does swap back & forth between the perspective of different characters (mainly Mary & Joseph), but we had fun switching up readers for those parts.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable re-telling that draws one into the story of Jesus’s birth via historical fiction without taking extreme artistic liberties. A section in the back clarifies which details were taken from Scripture and where, as well as, which details were imagined.

[Melanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

When we’ve read these events many times in the Bible they can become so familiar that we don’t think about the emotions of the people involved. This book imagines what Mary and Joseph may have been feeling and thinking so it adds a deeper potential understanding.

[Betsy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5*

[Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superb retelling of the Christmas story.

[Sharon Buxton · Rating 3 out of 5]

B-Christmas, historical fiction, YA; retelling of Nativity story; the basic facts are told well, but the writer's prerogative at filling in the background is nothing special

[Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful retelling that make the traditional characters of Christmas come alive.