Song of the Stars: A Christmas Story

This lovely book literally put my wife in tears on the first reading (no exaggeration). It's not your ordinary simple rhyming stanza poetry typical of children's books but is more of line by line, thought built-on-thought cadence flow that builds as you go with anticipation to the coming King. The story line isn't your every-day over-simplified, children's version of the nativity straight out of Luke. Instead it's an imaginative play off of the-rocks-crying-out concept of heaven and nature's response to the advent story. Our son REALLY enjoys the untraditional whimsical drawings of the animals and is captivated on each page going animal by animal "what's this?!" "What's that!?" which is great because we ask him right back and he has pretty much learned them all at this point. I might even try to find some of this artist's work to put up in his room at this point. I won't spoil the style or storyline any more for you but we've really enjoyed reading and re-reading this gem through the whole advent Christmas season and it was either our son's favorite or second favorite for our nightly bedtime reading with him. Absolutely would recommend to any lovers of advent and Christ who also love literature and reading to their children. While the concepts are pretty advanced, our 2.5 year old son is totally engaged when we read it. It's a book I expect him to discover more fully as he get's older. In case you're wondering, my wife wept when she got to the whale page ;) no more spoilers buy it and see for yourself!

We absolutely loved this cute Christmas book and ordered another one to gift.

Love the story focused on creation welcoming Jesus. Only complaint is that my daughter said she wishes some of the animals looked a bit more realistic.

We love, love, love this book in our family! It has such gorgeous illustrations! And the text about how Jesus has been born just gives us all the feels. It reminds us how palpable that first Christmas was for the whole Earth. Our 17 month old likes when we read this one dramatically because it has such lyrical text. And she loves the animals! She has lots of Christmas books, but this one is definitely her favorite! She brings it to us over and over to read. My favorite line in the book is about newborn Jesus: “Heaven’s Son sleeping under the stars that he made.”

I gave this to my 2 yr. old granddaughter for Christmas and she immediately let me read it to her. She loves books and 'reads' them over and over. She seemed very pleased. I especially appreciated the board book format, because 2 yr. olds aren't usually very careful about turning pages. This way she can access the book any time she wants and enjoy the illustrations as much as she wants without her mom being worried she'll accidentally tear up the book. Win-win.

I bought this book to read with my toddler before Christmas. She has been engaged in the lovely pictures and points to each animal on each page ("Fox! Fish! Moose." Well, it isn't a moose, but she doesn't know "ox" yet.) I love to read it because the language is so beautiful and the message is so lovely. I appreciate that this version of the Christmas story doesn't tell the exact story we've all heard...instead, it speaks to the anticipation the world feels. It ends with Baby Jesus, but I think for little ones who can't understand all the politics of the human Christmas story, the idea that even the animals were excited can help make the connection. We are not a super religious family, more spiritual and non-literal, so this Christmas story works well for me. I LOVE this book, and am buying it for my friends with little ones too.

Similar to many Christmas stories of animals anticipating or viewing the Nativity, EXCEPT what I loved was the variety. Rather than the usual donkey, sheep, and dove, there are (many named and many more pictured) owls, insects, bears, otters, salmon, sandpipers... creatures from all over the world. The language is evocative and poetic- "the waves that roared it to the great white whales that sang it to the starfish in the deep". The illustrations show the animals rather elongated and have a crackled painting look, nice rich color; I'd have preferred it to be a bit more realistic and less stylized for a child's book, but all in all a beautiful book with a lot to look at.

This does a nice job of picturing what the joy of the world could have looked like when its Creator arrived as a baby. Simple enough for young kids, with pretty illustrations and lots of different creatures celebrating the arrival of the baby King. Not so much a retelling or Christmas story as it is an imaginative, poetic, artistic work that aims to stir the anticipation in the reader that the creation felt waiting for Jesus, and still feels awaiting His return. In that way, this can be an enjoyable part of a family's Advent season.

Read this book first at the bookstore but did not purchase it, much to my regret. I am a frugal person (it's the economy!) and I just had to have this book in my library, and the libraries of my grandchildren. The story is of how God's creation praised the coming of Yeshua Messiah (Jesus Christ), skipping all the preachiness of so many children's book. Reading this to children let's them come to the conclusion that creation praises its Creator, who came down himself in the form of a baby. I am voting this book as 2011's most beautiful Christmas book. It is also beautiful to read out loud. The words harmonize and flow out of your mouth and into the minds of little ones. The artwork goes way beyond cute, but is original, imaginative, and inspiring. I am buying several copies.

This may very well be the best children's Christmas book ever written. My 4-year-old grandson loved it, and so did all my adult friends who got to see it before I gave it to him. This is a Nativity story like no other, poetically depicting the excited anticipation of all creation for the arrival of the Savior of the world. Both the words and the illustrations are breathtaking. I recommend this book highly-- get one for any beloved child in your life, and order another one to keep for yourself!

This lovely book literally put my wife in tears on the first reading (no exaggeration). It's not your ordinary simple rhyming stanza poetry typical of children's books but is more of line by line, thought built-on-thought cadence flow that builds as you go with anticipation to the coming King. The story line isn't your every-day over-simplified, children's version of the nativity straight out of Luke. Instead it's an imaginative play off of the-rocks-crying-out concept of heaven and nature's response to the advent story. Our son REALLY enjoys the untraditional whimsical drawings of the animals and is captivated on each page going animal by animal "what's this?!" "What's that!?" which is great because we ask him right back and he has pretty much learned them all at this point. I might even try to find some of this artist's work to put up in his room at this point. I won't spoil the style or storyline any more for you but we've really enjoyed reading and re-reading this gem through the whole advent Christmas season and it was either our son's favorite or second favorite for our nightly bedtime reading with him. Absolutely would recommend to any lovers of advent and Christ who also love literature and reading to their children. While the concepts are pretty advanced, our 2.5 year old son is totally engaged when we read it. It's a book I expect him to discover more fully as he get's older. In case you're wondering, my wife wept when she got to the whale page ;) no more spoilers buy it and see for yourself!

We absolutely loved this cute Christmas book and ordered another one to gift.

Love the story focused on creation welcoming Jesus. Only complaint is that my daughter said she wishes some of the animals looked a bit more realistic.

We love, love, love this book in our family! It has such gorgeous illustrations! And the text about how Jesus has been born just gives us all the feels. It reminds us how palpable that first Christmas was for the whole Earth. Our 17 month old likes when we read this one dramatically because it has such lyrical text. And she loves the animals! She has lots of Christmas books, but this one is definitely her favorite! She brings it to us over and over to read. My favorite line in the book is about newborn Jesus: “Heaven’s Son sleeping under the stars that he made.”

I gave this to my 2 yr. old granddaughter for Christmas and she immediately let me read it to her. She loves books and 'reads' them over and over. She seemed very pleased. I especially appreciated the board book format, because 2 yr. olds aren't usually very careful about turning pages. This way she can access the book any time she wants and enjoy the illustrations as much as she wants without her mom being worried she'll accidentally tear up the book. Win-win.

I bought this book to read with my toddler before Christmas. She has been engaged in the lovely pictures and points to each animal on each page ("Fox! Fish! Moose." Well, it isn't a moose, but she doesn't know "ox" yet.) I love to read it because the language is so beautiful and the message is so lovely. I appreciate that this version of the Christmas story doesn't tell the exact story we've all heard...instead, it speaks to the anticipation the world feels. It ends with Baby Jesus, but I think for little ones who can't understand all the politics of the human Christmas story, the idea that even the animals were excited can help make the connection. We are not a super religious family, more spiritual and non-literal, so this Christmas story works well for me. I LOVE this book, and am buying it for my friends with little ones too.

Similar to many Christmas stories of animals anticipating or viewing the Nativity, EXCEPT what I loved was the variety. Rather than the usual donkey, sheep, and dove, there are (many named and many more pictured) owls, insects, bears, otters, salmon, sandpipers... creatures from all over the world. The language is evocative and poetic- "the waves that roared it to the great white whales that sang it to the starfish in the deep". The illustrations show the animals rather elongated and have a crackled painting look, nice rich color; I'd have preferred it to be a bit more realistic and less stylized for a child's book, but all in all a beautiful book with a lot to look at.

This does a nice job of picturing what the joy of the world could have looked like when its Creator arrived as a baby. Simple enough for young kids, with pretty illustrations and lots of different creatures celebrating the arrival of the baby King. Not so much a retelling or Christmas story as it is an imaginative, poetic, artistic work that aims to stir the anticipation in the reader that the creation felt waiting for Jesus, and still feels awaiting His return. In that way, this can be an enjoyable part of a family's Advent season.

Read this book first at the bookstore but did not purchase it, much to my regret. I am a frugal person (it's the economy!) and I just had to have this book in my library, and the libraries of my grandchildren. The story is of how God's creation praised the coming of Yeshua Messiah (Jesus Christ), skipping all the preachiness of so many children's book. Reading this to children let's them come to the conclusion that creation praises its Creator, who came down himself in the form of a baby. I am voting this book as 2011's most beautiful Christmas book. It is also beautiful to read out loud. The words harmonize and flow out of your mouth and into the minds of little ones. The artwork goes way beyond cute, but is original, imaginative, and inspiring. I am buying several copies.

This may very well be the best children's Christmas book ever written. My 4-year-old grandson loved it, and so did all my adult friends who got to see it before I gave it to him. This is a Nativity story like no other, poetically depicting the excited anticipation of all creation for the arrival of the Savior of the world. Both the words and the illustrations are breathtaking. I recommend this book highly-- get one for any beloved child in your life, and order another one to keep for yourself!

"It's time! It's time!" All of creation sang of God's perfect timing, when His Son, Jesus, the Light of the World, the Bright and Morning Star, was born within the confines of an inn keeper's stable over two thousand years ago. From the tiniest of woodland creatures to the very king of beasts, this beautifully written and illustrated book is a testament to history's recognition that nothing has ever been the same. "Heaven's Son sleeping under the stars that He made."

Beautifully written and illustrated. Love this! Such a wonderful story I had to buy a second for a gift. I have other nativity storybooks for children but this one has such wonder and such rhythm and reminds us of the great love God has for us shown in the life of His Son.

Loved this book as Sally Lloyd-Jones has done another remarkable job (Jesus Storybook Bible is amazing) with this book covering the story of Christmas. It wonderfully reminds us of the excitement that ALL of creation felt at the birth of Jesus. Great illustration, told very sweetly, and keeps you feeling the suspense as you turn the pages. (Yes, as an adult you most likely know but I read this at a children's Christmas party, and some of the kids did blurt out, "Time for what!?". It also tangibly incorporates the names of Jesus very nicely. This will be a favorite Christmas book for years to come, and probably the book I get for gifts for other families too.

One of my favorite Christmas books of all time. I like it better in the regular size though instead of the board book. This was not abridged which was good but the illustrations are so gorgeous that I missed the impact of the pictures in a smaller size.

I checked this out from the library and read it to my 6 year old son as one of our Christmas book to try. I was very moved at the concept of all creation waiting for the messiah, Jesus to come. Most book talk about people, but this one actually talks about creation waiting. Beautiful book that moved me. My son likes almost all books and enjoyed listening to me read it. I don't know if young children fully get the concept, but its beautiful and worth reading to them again and again until they do!

Good read for Christmas. Children love this book. I Enjoyed reading to the grandchildren. I Recommend to others to purchase.

I had the privilege of hearing Sally speak at my church last spring, and she is a delight! I pre-ordered her Christmas book on Amazon and greatly anticipated it! We have been reading it regularly since it came in September. I have 4 children ages 13, 10, 8, and 14 months and ALL of them love this book. The illustrations are beautiful and captivating to the baby, and the rich text has sparked conversations with my older children about the wonderful mystery of "The One who made us has come to live with us!". It is already a favorite Christmas book, one I am so excited to share by reading it to my son's second grade class!

Easy for kids to read or can also be a good bedtime book to read to kids. Simple words and heartfelt.

I love books written by Sally Lloyd-Jones. This was a very wonderful book. It is a beautiful book. The art work is wonderful and will thrill young children. Sally Lloyd-Jones is a wonderful writer. I have purchased many of her books and the Jesus Story Book Bible. Love them all. I love to give them as gifts. Her story telling and theology is outstanding. Highly recommend anything she writes.

I think this is written so beautifully, it makes your heart sing to think of Jesus coming to Earth to live with his own creation.

I fell in love with this book. Every year I search for a Christmas book that tells the story of Jesus’ birth for my grandchildren and great nieces and nephews. This book is beautifully written and illustrated. I am so looking forward to giving them their book this year.

I bought this for my niece and nephew. Haven't read it to them yet, but I enjoyed it. It has really nice pictures and the story is special. Christ comes and even the animals from far off know that some thing special has happened and that Christ has changed their world as he is born. The whole story is how animals feel a change in their surroundings and their souls and then at the end we find that the change is a baby boy. Nice way to remind us Christmas is about the birthday of Jesus.

Incredibly sweet story and love the illustrations. I could read this over and over. I love all the animals and habitats that are shown. The wording is so simplistic and precious- made me tear up! I’d buy it again in a heartbeat!

Beautiful story and illustrations! I read this for my church's Christmas story for the children. It was easy to keep the children's attention, even though the story is familiar because the wording and illustrations were so unique. Even the adults told me afterward that they enjoyed listening to this read aloud.

We have just begun reading this to our children (both 3 years of age) and they are loving both the story and the illustrations. Sally, as usual, has done a beautiful job of writing a story we all know with a twist of wonderment. My kids love thinking how all of creation anticipated Jesus' birth. If excellence is truly the most inclusive aspect to art than this is a book for everyone. You will love this book both in and out of Christmas! -- Danny Giffen, Pastor of Discipleship, Covenant Presbyterian Church

Lovely story. Well-written. I so enjoyed reading this to my sons (6 &3) as the story continue to build to the birth of Christ.

Beautifully written and illustrated advent story from the perspective of creation. A joy to read. If you love the Jesus Storybook Bible as much as I do, this will not disappoint. I am so happy to find well-written, poignant and original children's books that relay essential truths about God and humanity.

The illustrations are fine art on every page. Such a treat for young children. The truths presented throughout the story are correct in that all of creation is waiting for God's plan of salvation.

I used this book with the audio for a school school Christmas program. Everyone who attended loved it! I then gave it as a gift to a friend for her children and she was thrilled! The story is told through the eyes of the animals and the musical composition is fantastic!

I love this book! Such a sweet retelling of the birth of Christ! My girls love it too. The illustrations grab their attention and they love it when it say, “It’s time! It’s time!”

A year-round favorite of our little girls, and happily one of Mommy's and Daddy's, too. A peaceful, wonderful, story of His love for us and the whole world He made.

this book is really cute... we don't do Santa and a lot of books, even Christ related ones sometimes find ways to tie Santa to them... this one didn't do that and it was sweet but simple... my two year old loved it with the animals and i'm sure we will love it for years to come as well... the pictures are great and the words are nice and flow beautifully... i would recommend this book to anyone...

a timeless classic for advent - re-reading this as an adult brings back some of the magic of the season!

This book introduced a number of names for Jesus and I would recommend it to those who like to see how Christmas is related to Creation. The illustrations are simple, clear and colorful. It is not a an obvious "story" such as "The Littlest Angel" but it points to the true meaning of Christmas...with the help of the adults who might be reading it to children.

Great Christmas gift!

We love Sally Lloyd-Jones' "Jesus Storybook Bible" and "Songs to Make Your Heart Sing". This follows suit and is a great story for young kids. My kids are 5, 3, and 18mo and all three of them listened to this excitedly. It was a great purchase to add to our Christmas book collection.

Another wonderful story by Sally Loyed Jones! I highly recommend this book as well as all her others. We got this book just in time for Christmas.

This is my absolute favorite Christmas book to read with my 4 year old! It describes the anticipation leading up to Jesus's birth so vividly. It is my go to book for book exchanges during the holidays!

This a great book to read at bedtime during the Christmas holiday. My girls (age 3) love to read this book! Sally Lloyd-Jones is a gifted writer. She does a beautiful job of incorporating all of God's creation into the joy and excitement of the coming of their creator. And Alison Jay is our favorite illustrator. A beautiful book in word and in picture.

This book is beautifully illustrated and is a delightful view of the christmas story!

This book became the basis for a Christmas we will be donating to Akron Childrens Hospital Tree Festival this year.

My Children really enjoy the illistrations. The book is well written to a younger audience (we have ages 5-1). I think the use of all the creatures saying "it's time, it's time..." is effective and it draws the children in to the end of the book of the main purpose of Christmas. I highly reccommend this book.

A sweet version of the Christmas story. My children delighted in the story.

A lovely, simple Christmas book for children with beautiful, simple illustrations. I am so excited about this book for my grandchildren. It focuses on the animals who had been anticipating the birth of the Messiah and their excitement of the Promised One's coming. A great book if you observe Advent and even if you don't. Your children will understand Advent in this book.

We bought this book to read in church this last Christmas and it was a huge hit. The artwork is extremely beautiful. The story isn't "biblical" per se, it's mostly about how the entire world was anticipating the birth of Jesus. Let me just add if you have not seen Sally Lloyd Jones's storybook bible - that is certainly a must buy as well.

Reading this book is a spiritual experience. The illustrations are lovely and unique, but the story is just beautiful. I was in tears the first time I read it aloud! Definitely one of my favorite purchases!

perfect gift for children at Christmas.

Beautifully illustrated and beautifully written. I look forward to reading it with my daughters for many Christmases to come.

One of our favorite Christmas books. It's a quick, easy read but still very meaningful. Makes me tear up!

I love this book. Each year we buy a new Christmas book to add to our collection and this one is among the new favorites! Lovely pictures, a very pleasant cadence as you read and there's a sense of anticipation that builds as you progress page by page, culminating in JESUS!

A beautiful account of Jesus' birth for children. It's written in a unique way - as creation prepares for the coming of the King!

I had not bought a new Christmas Story book in a few years and when I saw this one I knew it was the one for this year. The art is beautiful and the story well done. When you write a story about the Savior's birth, it better be well done!!

I love the book and will be using it. However, the book was advertised as "new", but it had a black stain about the size of a pencil eraser at the bottom of the binding and a pretty good scratch on one cover. The interior was like new, and I doubt if the book had been opened.

I love this story and it's different views

While not re-telling the Christmas story, this lovely book so sweetly depicts the anticipation of all creation for our Savior. The illustrations are beautiful & fanciful. Definitely adding this to my Christmas library! Great for young readers.

Beautiful illustrations and unique perspective of nature and animals that shares the Christmas story.

The story of how all the world changed that night when The Baby was born. The illustrations of all creatures great and small are a delight to see and the little-ones for whom this book was written can delight in looking through its pages. It is a lovely addition to the children's library.

This is a wonderful story about all of creation waiting for the birth of Jesus! Beautiful illustrations!! Our grandchildren age 3 and 4 love this book! Recommend it to others.

All the children were mesmerized by the book. I always love illustrations by Alison Jay. I t wasn't deep or too religious for small children. They were still able to use their imaginations and find out a little more about the religious aspects of Christmas.

This book makes me cry every single time I read it. My five-year-old niece can recite the entire thing, and there's not a dry eye in the room when she's finished. A beautiful, touching depiction of our Savior's arrival on earth.

What a gorgeous book! I love the illustrations and the words are so sweet!

This story is beautifully written in a way that children understand and is poetic to adults. The art work is beautiful and provides the natural setting that enables the story to unfold on the pages. It's heartwarming .

My daughter and I love this book. I love the way the Birth of Christ is shared in this book. A great read for young children.

This book made me cry. it tells such a wonderful gospel story - it is a must have for children (and adults) of any age. The illustrations are stunning.

Beautiful illustrations and such a unique story the kids just loved it

I love reading this book to my kids. The poetic words and excitement that is portrayed as the whole of creation prepares for the birth of Jesus is quite moving. it takes my breath away when I read it to my children.

Beautiful language, very poetic. Also beautiful artwork, it is reminiscent of past masters.

When I gave it to my grandsons, they both loved it. Mostly the older 3 year old wanted me to read it over and over. The illustrations are so sweet. Recommend this for any time or at least an early Christmas gift.

Beautifully illustrated and a wonderful message of hope and love and joy. This was my daughters' favorite Christmas book this year. Special and beautiful!

I got this for my 2 1/2 year old grandson. Both he and his parents loved it and it will be part of their Christmas reading tradition for many years. Beautifully written and illustrated.

I ordered this book for my grandchildren for Christmas. Ms. Lloyd-Jones has done a superb job of presenting the Nativity story in a simple, understandable way while conveying the majesty, splendor, and great joy of this amazing event. Well done, and highly recommended.

Great story told from the viewpoint of the animals. I bought this for my niece's and nephew. They all liked the book very much. Definitely a great book to read around Christmas time.

A yearly favorite with my kids- even as they grow older!

I ordered this book for my son for Christmas based on a recommendation from a friend. We just received it today and I was blown away! I read it immediately and it is the best Christmas book I've ever read. I will recommend this to anyone who will listen!

All of creation is tuned in to the birth of the King. A very neat book for Christmas. Even my 2 yo likes it. We plan on making it part of our countdown to Christmas book collection.

I love this Christmas story. Although not a favorite of my children, I can't get through the book without tearing up. He's here! He's here! It never gets old for me to read it. What a beautiful retelling of the story!

We give our 11 grandchildren a book each Christmas - this was the 15th book we have chosen and it was wonderful. We would recommend this for any child or family to learn the meaning of Christmas through words and remarkable pictures.

A beautiful story by an amazing author. I love all Sally Lloyd Jones that I've read so far. My son loves her too. My kids did a Christmas pageant based on this book and it was lovely.

We love this book. I have a 5 and 2 year old, and we own the Jesus Storybook Bible from this same author (which is fantastic). And this Christmas book is wonderful, too. It's a sweet book about the animals anticipating Jesus' arrival. We love it!

This is by far my favorite children's Christmas book! I read it aloud to the children at my church for our Christmas Eve service, and many people complimented the book. It's true to the story of Christmas.

This book has been a great addition to our celebration of Advent. My sons get so excited to read it and feel the wonder of the Creator of the world coming down to live with us.

Beautiful story though some of the words are a bit big for little ones to understand. Adults in the church loved this!

This is a beautiful telling of the Christmas story

Excellent picture book describing the Christmas story. And Allison Jay's illustrations are gorgeous.

What a wonderful book! Sally Lloyd-Jones's book, "The Jesus Storybook Bible" is a treasure, and this book is just as exceptional. I can't wait to read it to our grandchildren this Christmas season!

I love everything about this book from the artwork to the message. I will definitely gift it every chance I get.

Adorable book. I purchased the board book version. I love the size and the sweet modern flare to the pictures.

wonderful book for childs Christmas

I love how this story is told from creation's point of view. It is a refreshing look at the birth of Christ from a completely different viewpoint. It is great for adults and children alike.

Very sweet Christmas story - I even enjoyed reading it! Beautiful illustrations, not too long, easy to read. I like the different perspective of all of creation at the time of Christ's birth.

I got this for my grandsons (2, 4 & 7) & they love it. I do not live near them so cannot write much of a review, but I know they like it a lot.

Story of the birth "that changed the world forever" is very emotional from an interesting perspective of all God's creatures. Would have given 5 stars - my grand kids like it but don't love it as much as I do - still wonderful addition to our Christmas library,

I love this book! It made an awesom gift for the three year olds at our church playgroup. Beautifully written, Christ centred Christmas story.

My favorite Christmas book to read to my niece and nephews! Beautifully written and fun for small kids!

I bought this book for our little grandchildren age 2 1/2 and 9 months. This is the perfect picture Christmas book for toddlers. They loved it and so did I!

This is a great Christmas book! I love to have storybooks that tell the true story of Christmas. this was done in a fun, creataive way.

Sweet book--used in church Christmas story time.

This is a beautiful story with beautiful illustrations. Can't wait to read it to my daughter. A beautiful way to declare that Jesus was born.

I just LOVE the illustrations in this. They are so beautiful and sweet. My daughter who is 2 just loves the story and pictures. Beautiful book and keepsake.

Everything I've seen by Sally Lloyd-Jones is wonderful - this is, too. My 2 year old loves to look at all the animals in it. Glad I purchased it.

Great book. This book is a wonderful way to show children that all of creation worships God. You ,can also use the book to teach poetry.

A friend told me about this book and when I read it I ordered it for my Grandsons Christmas book for 2012. It is a really beautiful story.

We love Sally Lloyd-Jones. She writes beautifully for children (and their parents!). The children learn about God in a simple yet profound way. We recommend all her children's books!

What a beautiful story about the birth of our Savior. The illustrations are lovely as well. One to cherish with your our children and grandchildren.

This is a beautifully written, captivating story of how all of nature anticipated and rejoiced at the birth of the Savior of the world.

A very sweet story, but not nearly as long as I'd expected. It is a very short story with few words. But the story is good.

An awesome Christmas book.

My goddaughter and her family have made this a part of their Christmas tradition.

As an e-book, this one didn't make the mark. The pictures were tiny and pointless. This is NOT a rhyming book, and the prose really didn't feel like it flowed together at all. It just felt awkward to read. The intent of the story is nice, we just didn't enjoy reading it, especially as an e-book. It did not hold my toddler's attention, where others did.

this was for a 2nd grade class and the kids really loved it. Picked it up for christmas 2011 and will use it again in 2012

We have another book illustrated by Sally Lloyd Jones and we love her pictures. Beautiful story. We will enjoy this for many years to come.

Beautiful telling of the Nativity, and it keeps my god-son's attention because he LOVES animals. Gorgeous illustrations, too!

Lovely story and sweet illustrations.

Loved it! I loved the poetic nature of the book, the illustrations and the bigness of the vision. Profoundly beautiful.

great gift.

Great gift!

Just love the artwork in this book...

If you are familiar with the wonderful Jesus Storybook Bible (best Bible for kids ever!), this is definitely on the same level. Totally worth the purchase.

Such a moving story, told from the view of the animals. One of my favorites!

Another wonderful Alison Jay illustrated book! I have a lovely collection, and am very pleased with all the sellers I have dealt with.

Very sweet book. I wanted something to read on Christmas eve to my 2 yr old grandson. Very nice.

Excellent for children and adults. It speaks of Christmas from creations viewpoint.

One of the best children's books about Christmas I've ever found!

Beautiful, meaningful story of the anticipation of all creation on the night of Christ's birth. Plan to share as future gift.

This is such a sweet rendition of the Christmas story. Perfect for toddlers.

The Grandchildren loved it. I think it is beautifully written and the illustrations make the story come alive. Thank you.

Really sweet, biblically sound Christmas book!

My grandchildren and I enjoyed this very much. I would buy it again and recommend it to anyone with children at Christmas time.

Beautiful story! Beautiful illustrations! My boys, 3 & 11 both love it!

Different story for the christmas story. Lots of animals around the baby Jesus. I liked the message that the animals were aware of what was going on.

Added this book to our Christmas countdown collection this year. A new fave. Love the sweet story and the illustrations.

Sweet story! I cried the first time I read it!

Beautifully told story of Christmas. My favorite ever.

Beautiful and inspiring- Sally Lloyd-Jones is a superb author.

Beautiful Illustrations! Truly celebrates the birth of Chirst!

Beautiful story gorgeous illustrations.

I bought the kindle edition of this book to read to my littlest children, but they were disappointed. It may be a very nice book in the print edition, but the kindle edition is poorly done. The words are spaced incorrectly and have large spaces in odd places so that the book is difficult to read aloud and have it flow well. The illustrations are tiny (maybe 1 in. X 1.5 in.) in the corner of pages. The rest of the page is filled only with the poorly spaced type. I am very dissatisfied with this purchase. It was not an inexpensive book, and it was money wasted.

Love this book!

A BEAUTIFUL book and great storytelling!

Beautiful book that conveys deep truth.

Beautiful! All creation sings :)

Love, love, love this book!

The kindle version of this book condenses the graphics and makes the text small to read, even though it slightly expands when you click on the page. Great depiction of the Savior's birth nevertheless!

Such a sweet book!

Great story!

gift

The story didn't flow very well. I'll have to read it again to get the rhythm down better. The illustrations are nice, but a little hard to enjoy on the kindle.

Returning this book. The nativity story is lost in this rendition of that historical event. Not what I was looking for to give to parents to read over and over to their baby. The actual story of the nativity seemed secondary to the whole package. Not sure how this got such raving reviews.

Read it to my 4 year old granddaughter--so far not much interest. I'll keep you posted! She did seems to like the pictures!

OK... drawings are Bufano-esque ... not destined to be a classic.

Cute story, kind of flimsy book, though.

Okay - but a little weird.

Written in free-flowing, poetic style, popular children's book author Sally Lloyd Jones turns the original Christmas story into something true, but different, in Song of the Stars. "The world was about to change forever. And it almost went by unnoticed..." Jones begins. In the subsequent pages she imagines how nature might have reacted to the birth of the Savior. Leaves "rustle with a rumor," the wind "whispered it softly in the sycamore trees," a "big brown bear sniffed the air," "the skies shouted it to the seas that thundered it to the waves that roared it to the great white whales that sang it to the starfish in the deep"...and so on. Once in a while, an animal or plant cries, "It's time! It's time!," "Be glad!" "The Mighty King!", or "The Bright and Morning Star!" The vivid illustrations by Alison Jay depict nature - presumably around the world - reacting to Jesus' birth, until finally we see Bethlehem with shepherds, sheep, and angels surrounding it, then a little barn, then a baby surrounded by animals, then the baby held by his mother and surrounded by animals, then Jesus' family. "Our Rescuer!" Mary cries, and all "gazed in wonder at God's great gift...Heaven's Son sleeping under the stars that he made." What I Like: This picture book is unlike any Christmas book you've probably ever seen before. Jones' fresh take on the subject matter is based solidly on biblical fact, but shows plenty of imagination and creativity, too. I am reminded of Psalm 96, where the Bible says Jesus' return will be met with a roaring sea and rejoicing trees. Then would it be any wonder if nature rejoiced at his birth? What I Dislike: Nothing. Overall Rating: Very Good. Kristina Seleshanko, Christian Children's Book Review Bookmark and Share

Of course I loved the story. As a follower of Christ, I want to share the story of his birth with the little ones I love and I do like the sense of anticipation and excitement that builds as the author and illustrator demonstrate how all of creation rejoiced and celebrated the birth of Jesus. But I thought the book structure was meant more for tinier hands to hold and the words were more appropriate for the 4-7 year old audience that it is meant to reach. It is a good book, but I guess my expectations in seeing the size had my expectations prepared for the words to be geared more toward a toddler with a more limited vocabulary. So, it is more of a visual thing for me. I had my 1 year old great grandson in mind since it was a perfect size. But, his attention span would not last through a reading. By the time he is old enough to appreciate the words more, he is more apt to think of smaller board books as "baby books." Don't love it, but I did like it. It should be sturdy enough to hold up until he is old enough to sit still for a reading. **I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers book review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

I love being able to add new Christmas books to our rotation. I try to add at least one new one every year, so I was pleased to be able to review Song of the Stars by Sally Lloyd- Jones. This is a beautifully written and illustrated children's book that tells the Christmas story from a unique and new perspective-- the perspective of the animals and flowers and the things in nature. So many Christmas stories that retell the story of the birth of Jesus, tell the story from the point of view from a human, almost forgetting that the world does not revolve around humans. Song of the Stars tells the story of how the woodland creatures, the little flowers, the tiny sandpipers, the blades of grass, the lion, and the Angels (all over the world) shouted "It's time!" to announce the birth of Jesus and were ALL part of the miracle that is the Christmas story. Personally, I LOVE the perspective that this book takes and I think it is a beautifully written take on the Christmas story. This is a board book and Amazon.com has the age range of it to be between 4-7 years old. I have a 3 year old, a 6 year old and a soon to be 9 year old. Yes, this is a board book, which means it is made of sturdy material so that younger children can't really tear it up easily. The illustrations are great for the younger crowd as they can point out animals, etc while you are reading. The text on the pages is longer than most board books but are perfect for older children to read to their younger siblings. In fact, my 6 year old and my 9 year old were able to read it to their little brother with no issues. All 3 of my children enjoyed this book very much. Overall, I, as well as my children, fell in love with this book. It is a welcome addition to our Christmas library and should be added to yours as well! DISCLAIMER: The publisher, Zondervan, provided me a free copy of this book through Booklook Bloggers program in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through HarperCollins Publishers book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” Song of the Stars tells the story of Jesus from a complete different perspective, which I have never seen. It shows how the message of Jesus’ birth traveled all throughout the earth among all the living creatures which have been alerted to the arrival of their creator. This includes creatures of the land, sea, and air; even living creation such as the wind and leaves are mentioned. The message travels throughout the world like a song being sung spreading the Good News of the King’s birth. Song of the Stars is a children’s board book, which is suggested for ages 4-8. However, I believe that it can also be read and looked at by much younger children, even children in the 1-year old range. My 1-year old son loves to go through all over the pages, looking at the pictures, on his own. He also enjoys me reading to him and the bonus is that this is a board book, so he can look at it and read to me in his own child language after I have read to him. The art in Song of the Stars is beautiful in its many colors and detail. The artist did a marvelous job with all the pages and their images. The writing is easy to understand for a child within the age range of 4-8 years old. There is not really any mention of Mary being a virgin, the wise men, the shepards, the innkeeper, Joseph, or Herod. Even without the mention of the whole story it still gives a nice perspective of what might have been felt within the rest of creation. There are no scripture verses as well. However, the story of Jesus’ birth is a well-known event in history both for believers and non-believers. I recommend Song of the Stars for all children and their parents.

This book tells a story of all of creation proclaiming Jesus' birth. I have The Jesus Storybook Bible written by the same woman, so when I saw she had also written this, I was very excited. I have a 4 yr old and a 2.5 yr old who will sit through the reading of it, and they seem to understand that all the animals are speaking of Jesus, so it is well written. I think it is a beautiful book. The only thing I don't like about it, is that the writing on the last page doesn't seem to be cohesive with the flow of the rest of the book, like she had something to say but didn't know how to say it, and so just stated it a little matter-of-factly. I do still really like the book though.

About the Book: The skies shouted it to the seas that thundered it to the waves that roared it to the great white whales that sang it to the starfish in the deep. And tiny sandpipers danced it on shining sands… “It’s time! It’s time!” On one quiet night, creation whispered a secret. Grass and bees, robins and trees all spread the word. Sheep told their young while angels sang the song to the shepherds. Hushed news of a miracle echoed to the ends of the earth. The moment had come. The long-awaited child had arrived! Creation cried out in celebration, but only a few people heard. Only a few joined nature’s chorus, a song in praise of the newborn King. My Review: What a precious board book that will ring in the Christmas season, perfectly. With dramatic and enlightening prose Sally Lloyd Jones has stirred our hearts once again with her latest release, Song of the Stars. It is rich with beautiful words and in depth illustrations that bring her words to life. Imagining that the world knew all along about the day our savior was to be born while many of us were in awe so many more had no idea that their Messiah had been born. But the animals that He created knew as well as the angels---just like Mary and Joseph knew. A beautiful way to tell your children the classic retelling of Christ's birth! It is the best size for little hands and comes in a bound board book style. Geared for ages 4-7 years of age. **Disclosure** This book was sent to me free of charge for my honest review from the author.

Sure, the angels told the shepherds that Jesus had been born, but when John said, “We beheld His glory,” it would seem that there’s an implicit invitation to use our imaginations a bit, and Sally Lloyd-Jones has accepted that invitation! Song of the Stars pictures the occasion of Jesus’ birth as an evening of breathless anticipation and enthusiastic sharing of the news: “It’s time! It’s time!” Everyone from barn owls to great white whales and “every single blade of grass” makes the announcement, causing me to think, “Yes, this is what the earnest expectation of the creation would really look like — if only we took time to notice.” It’s difficult to say who will be more enthralled with Alison Jay’s “cracked oil” illustrations — tiny lovers of board books or their folk art loving parents. With pointy-headed bears sniffing the air and primitive, squared-off sheep nuzzling their lambs with dreams of The Good Shepherd, Song of the Stars is a delight for the eyes as well as for the heart. The suspense builds with each turn of the page until its resolution in a little shed as the animals gather around the manger and hear the pronouncement: “The One who made us has come to live with us!” Now, there’s enough theology to fill a much larger volume and to overflow into a warm celebration of Advent for any family who is watching the calendar, crossing off the days, and waiting in breathless anticipation for the celebration of Jesus’ birth. This book was provided by ZonderKidz, a trademark of Zondervan, in exchange for my review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

It a different take on the Christmas story. Don't plan to read it again

I may have actually shed a tear when I sat down and read through this book. Ok, I totally did. It's a unique perspective on the Christmas story and it perfectly captures the spirit of Advent. The book shows the excitement and anticipation of nature for the birth of Jesus. There's a line in the book that says " XXX." I've never thought about that before--how the greatest birth in history was, at first, almost totally unknown. The angels announced it to a few humans, of course, but other than that the holy family was kindof on their own in that stable. But Song of the Stars shows creation rejoicing at Jesus's presence, full of joy because the creator came to be with his creation. Birds and bears shout that it's time and the wind whispers the miraculous event to the trees. It's a perspective that we don't usually get--the Christmas story is almost always told from a human point of view. There's something about reading nature's (obviously imagined) response to Jesus's birth, however, that feels more pure. Total joy, unhindered by doubt or personal agenda. It's what every Christian wants and sometimes struggles to feel leading up to Christmas (and every day, really). It's beautiful. Now, a toddler probably isn't going to take all of that away from this story. But they will catch on to the sense of excitement and happiness the natural world expresses at the coming of Jesus. In other words, the book communicates beautifully the spirit of the season of Advent. It reinforces the true meaning of the season. As sortof a bonus, the book is also wonderfully illustrated with paintings by Alison Jay. They're gorgeous, you guys. I'd frame a few of them if I could.

Are you looking for a fun new book for your toddler this Christmas season that is centered around the true meaning of Christmas? I was excited to see that Sally Lloyd-Jones' picture book Song of the Stars was available now in a board book. Just perfect for my 1 year old this Christmas!! Her name may sound familiar if you've seen her fantastic Jesus Storybook Bible. Such a great book for children! If you've not taken a look at this sweet Christmas picture book yet, than take some time to read below why you'll want to pick this one up for Christmas. I thought the story was sweet how it tells the Christmas story through the eyes of the animals. I think it reiterates that the whole earth, all of His creation, is groaning until Jesus, the Rescuer comes back. The pictures are beautiful and fun to look at for little ones. I love the message that is repeated over and over of "It's time! It's time!" Such excitement that we should be sharing with our kids of our Savior who gave up everything for us in order to rescue us from our sin. I'm looking forward to wrapping this one up and using it along with other fun surprises for our advent/count down to Christmas this year. *** I received this book free from BookLook bloggers in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own

The entire creation is abuzz with the news that the Creator is here. The animals are shouting it, the grass, the insects, the rocks, and everything else is shouting with excitement that their Creator is here. Are you looking for a book that tells the Christmas story for little ones from a different perspective? Then look no further, this is the book you've been waiting for. Beautifully written and illustrated, this book tells the story of Christ's birth from the perspective of all of Creation, not just from our perspective as humans. I'm sure the donkey and the sheep were just as excited about Jesus birth as Mary and Joseph were. I'm sure they probably knew that Jesus was their Creator. Think about it, it's exciting when a baby is born now, can you imagine the excitement when the Messiah, the Savior of the world, was born? I absolutely love this book, and am adding it to my collection of Christmas books for my children! **I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 < http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The Song of the Stars board book is a new book from Sally Lloyd-Jones, illustrated by Alison Jay. (You may know Sally Lloyd-Jones as the author of The Jesus Storybook Bible and Thoughts to Make Your Heart Sing.) There is a previous version of the Song of the Stars (available for Kindle and in a hard cover) that I do not own, so I cannot compare the different versions. The Song of the Stars board book is written in Sally Lloyd-Jones' rich literary style (not the typical simple phrases that you might find in a board book). This is also not a typical Christmas story re-telling...you won't find the names Mary, Joseph, or Jesus in this book. (Jesus and Mary are referenced, but not by those names.) It is, however, a beautiful depiction of the excitement and joy that surrounded Jesus' arrival on earth. The Song of the Stars is a beautiful book and it is definitely a great one to keep on hand for the Christmas season (or any time of year, really). FTC Declaration: The publisher has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book or advanced reading copy. This does not change the fact that I will give my honest opinion in my reviews.

“Song of the Stars” is a beautifully written Christmas story by Sally Lloyd-Jones, a well-know author of children’s books. The illustrations are as beautiful and inspirational as the story. From the fish in the sea, the birds in the air, the animals, to the plant life, all of creation was joyously heralding the coming of Christ Jesus. There was music from the crashing waves and whispering praise from the leaves of the trees. All the animals sang songs of worship and adoration while keeping watch for the Savior, and then spreading word of His arrival. The whole world and every created thing were in awe and praise of the newborn King. Reading this story gave me an unexpected sense of wonderment, joy, and thankfulness that I had not expected to experience. Although written for children, this little board book is a gem for all ages as a reminder of how we are to worship the Savior and look with great expectation for His return. If you don't have any little ones in your home, just read it for yourself and experience the magic! Blessings, Annie In exchange for my review, the publisher has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book through BookLook Bloggers.

Let me start this review by saying I LOVE Sally Lloyd Jones! If you haven't read the Jesus Storybook Bible, go out IMMEDIATELY and buy a copy for every little child you know! Its wonderful! So I jumped at the chance to review Sally Lloyd Jones' Christmas book, "Song Of The Stars." This book had a lot to live up to. After all, The Jesus Storybook Bible was an absolute triumph! But "Song Of the Stars" did not disappoint! I've seen a few reviews on amazon that seemed to be disappointed in this book because it doesn't rhyme. I, however, felt no such disappointment. This book is written in the same lovely, flowing style as The Jesus Storybook Bible. The pages are full of beautiful, descriptive words. Although I love a cute, rhyming children's book, I don't believe they all have to be like that. Mrs. Lloyd Jones' style is more sophisticated, while at the same time simple enough for a young child to understand. This story is beautifully written and will be a blessing to both children AND adults! I received a copy of this book, free of charge, from BookLook Bloggers, in exchange for my honest review.

This is a fun little christmas board book. I was looking for something that told the story of Jesus simply and beautifully. And while this isn't quite what I had in mind it is still a lovely addition to our Christmas collection. The story starts with the leaves. They "rustle a rumor" and pretty soon all the animals are caught up in anticipation. "It's time! It's time" And it spreads around the world: "He's coming, He's coming!" And then the angels sing: "It's time! He's come! At last! He's here!" And the lyrical beautiful rhythm of words takes us to the stable and the manger and Jesus. I love that it has hard pages. This makes it so much easier to share with my young kids who are less than reliable with books. The sweet pictures of all the animals are beautiful and my kids love to go through naming them. The story is a little abstract and language a little above the level of my 2 year old, but I think with a little explaining she'll come to understand the Christmas story woven in. ((I received a free copy of this book from booklookbloggers.com in exchange for my honest review))

We’re big fans of Sally Lloyd-Jones’ work, particularly the Jesus Storybook Bible. I was excited to take a look at her book Song of the Stars: A Christmas Story, and I was not disappointed! I was not expecting a board book, but I was glad to see this children’s Christmas book in a sturdy format that will hold up to little hands. The artwork is beautiful, with vibrant colors and intricate details. I know that each time I read this book I will see something different in the pictures! While the traditional Christmas story is present in the book, Song of the Stars first brings in the perspective of all creation, from forest animals to flowers to ocean creatures, awaiting the gift of the Savior. Jesus is described as a Light, the One who made us, our Rescuer, and Heaven’s Son, giving a fuller perspective to the baby in the manger. I look forward to reading this book with my little ones this Christmas season, and I know your family will enjoy it, too! Song of the Stars is available in Kindle, hardback, and board book formats, with the board book being an especially affordable option to add to your Christmas shopping list this year.

This book is the perfect package in my opinion. The illustrations/paintings are absolutely stunning throughout the book - it truly is a masterpiece and such a delight visually. The paintings are by Alison Joy and just beautiful. The story is wonderful and unique! Taking the view of creation waiting for it's Savior and how they recognized the time of His coming. It creates a sense of excitement from the depths of the sea across the animal kingdom for the birth of Jesus "the one who made us has come to live with us". I love it. I love the focus on Jesus as Creator as well as Savior. I love the angle on this - it's refreshing. I always believe that the animals praise God by who they are and what they do and the Bible says that God takes care of the sparrow, they are a special part of God's creation and this book draws attention to that while not taking the focus of Jesus. I would definitely recommend this book! Please note Booklook sent me a copy of this book for my review, my opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Song of the Stars: A Christmas Story by Sally Lloyd-Jones Paintings by Alison Jay ZonderKidz Juvenile NonFiction / Christmas & Advent ISBN: 978-0-310-73630-1 Nature rejoices and sings the praises of the arrival of a tiny baby worthy of all our praise! Song of the Stars portrays the excitement and joy of the Nativity story through the eyes of all of creation. From fields, forest, oceans, rivers, deserts and the heavens the emotion filled news is spread - "it's time!" From start to finish as you read Song of the Stars with your kids the excitement and wonder seeps into your heart and you catch a glimpse of how all creation responded to the birth of Christ. With ever word of praise, with every great chorus I found my soul leaping, humming and breathing out the words in a new wonder and excitement right along with the book. While this may be a children's book it is one of my favorites for this Christmas season. It touches your soul. A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through the BookLook blogger review program in exchange for my honest review.

I was blessed to hear Sally Lloyd Jones read this book aloud at a conference for "creatives" : in Nashville, TN last week. She had pages from the book projected on a screen as she read (I'm guessing from the audio book version). First for the visuals - I found them to be compelling, engaging, creative and refreshingly "primitive." With children's literature the images are at least half the fun and with the artwork for this book there is MUCH fun to be had for sure. Thanks for not settling for second rate art Sally! During her keynote at the conference she said, "You wouldn't come into a presentation for your job with your second best. Why do we think it's okay for children to have less than our best. If anything kids deserve more." (I summarized that but it's close I think.) The story itself is as equally compelling. You won't be disappointed with the simple yet wonder-filled words on every page. This story is told from the vantage-point of the animals and nature that were the first to "sense" that Jesus had come to earth. They knew that "he's here" before anyone else did. What a warm and though-provoking concept. This is truly a Christmas story of a different sort. It will be a staple for my family from this Christmas forward!

Sally Lloyd-Jones has always been a favorite at our house. My kids lover her books, and I love reading them to them. She really has a way with words that connect so well to a young audience. She understands how to communicate profound truths to little minds in a way that really engages them and encourages them to think. While it is a little early to be starting on Christmas books, we have read The Song of the Stars over and over again since it arrived. She is able to shed new light, wonder, and awe on a story that is sometimes oversimplified or simply overlooked. The story of Christ's birth is one that I never want my children to tire of, and this book has given them fresh perspective in thinking through this act of God's love in sending His own Son to earth to redeem a sinful people. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone with little people in their homes. I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange of this honest review.

On one quiet night, creation whispered a secret. Grass and bees, robins and trees all spread the word. Sheep told their young while angels sang the song to the shepherds. Hushed news of a miracle echoed to the ends of the earth. The moment had come. The long-awaited child has arrived! Creation cried out in celebration, but only a few people heard. Only a few joined nature's chorus, a song in praise of the newborn King. Song of Stars is a beautiful rendition of the greatest story ever told; The birth of Jesus Christ! Excitement builds as the animals and the earth eagerly awaits the coming of the messiah as a baby. The beautiful illustrations and adorning words allow the reader to feel the exuberance of the coming of our Savior. This is the perfect book for this Christmas season and reminds our littlest humans what the true meaning of Christmas is. The BookLook Bloggers book review program provided this complimentary copy for review purposes. No other compensation was received. All opinions are my own.

“It’s time. It’s time.” All of nature has been waiting for the Christ child and the time has come. The Christmas story is always full of wonder and mystery, the greatest being God become flesh to dwell with men. Sally Lloyd-Jones has captured the anticipation of this great event in her children’s book, Song of the Stars. This unique approach to communicating the Christmas story will help children and adults alike in rekindling the excitement of the incarnation. Filled with beautiful paintings by Alison Joy, this book is sure to bring joy at the most wonderful time of the year. Song of the Stars is a good addition to the stories being read during the holiday season. The book is small and will be easy to hold by even small-handed readers and its thick pages make it durable. This book is a fast and enjoyable read. A great Christmas gift, but give it early so it can add to the season’s festivities. I received this book from Book Look Bloggers in exchange for an honest review.

I am always on the hunt for children’s Christmas books that tell the true meaning of Christmas. This is a beautifully written and illustrated book that expresses the excitement that was felt the night that Christ was born. I love this book and so does my three year old. Since it is a board book and a short read, I feel that it would be appropriate for two years and up. The illustrations are lovely and match so well to the descriptions on each page. It will be a book that we not only read during Advent season but all year round. Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 < http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

It's a board book with lovely illustrations to go along with the Christmas story. The animals spread th word and share the real Christmas story. The pages have the perfect amount of wording for a board book and tons of animals for your child to point out on each page. You can tell that everyone is excited to meet God's great gift.

Sally Lloyd-Jones' newest book, Song of the Stars, is further evidence that she is one of the most important writers of children's books today. She is able to take the Biblical story of Christmas and, while still being faithful to the text, imagine it in a new and vibrant way. Song of the Stars is about the coming of Jesus, yes, but it is also about all of Creation waiting for him. It's about the animals and the earth longing for their Savior to come. This book should be on the shelf of every child. It's an important addition to the canon of great children's literature.

When I first opened this book, I wasn't sure what to think. It claims to be the Christmas story with a different twist. After reading Song of the Stars: A Christmas Story, I loved the book! Different elements of nature are looking forward to the coming of Christ and respond in an appropriate way. Neat to think about the creation getting to meet their Creator. I also loved the thick pages of this book, so that my daughter can sit and look at this book on her own. Thanks to Book Look Bloggers for a copy of Song of the Stars: A Christmas Story in exchange for an honest review.

Since it was first released, Song of the Stars, has been a favorite in our family. We all adore the beautiful illustrations of the creation and creatures as they listen to God and the angels declare that "It's time!". I especially like how the anticipation builds and builds as the story goes along. I find myself reading it aloud softly at first and then as the big event gets closer and closer my voice rises in volume and intensity. When I look around at our family we all seem to be leaning in towards the story as if helping the event along. If you are looking for a new Christmas book for your little ones this year, I can't recommend this one highly enough. It truly is destined to become a Christmas classic. I received a copy of this book to facilitate my review.

Hands down, the absolute best Children's Christmas book I have seen. From the write of "The Jesus Storybook Bible." I wish I could give it 10 stars. The illustrations are uniquely beautiful. The entire book builds anticipation to the coming Christ. Paraphrased Excerpts: The Lion roars "The Mighty King! The Prince of Peace!" All the stars join together in a chorus that rang through the heavens "The Bright and Morning Star" The sheep "The Good Shepherd!" A single star that shined brighter than the rest "A Light to light up the whole world!" The animals "The one who made us has come to live with us" A young mother with no place to rest kept the song in her heart "Our Rescuer" A Christmas book does not get any more beautiful than this. A beautiful reminder of just who this baby Jesus is.

This Christmas story teaches several names of Jesus as various animals - and in fact creation itself - rejoice in the birth of the savior. Though this Christmas story is more detailed than "Little One, We Knew You'd Come," it still leaves out a lot of details of the Christmas story. That's fine, you can use "The Jesus Storybook Bible" for that! (go to the first three chapters of the New Testament stories: He's Here, The Light of the Whole World, and The King of All Kings).

This book has been our favorite since our daughter was born. We pull it out every year and I still cry every time I read it! It's definitely one of a kind and the best children's Christmas book I've ever read!

My Aunt gave Song of the Stars: A Christmas Story to my kids this Christmas. I knew it would be good before I read it, but just to be sure, I thumbed through to the end, where sure enough- the Lord Jesus was being glorified! I was glad, because earlier this Christmas I had to throw away a Christmas book that snuck into our collection- it ended with a baby who was having his very first experiences ever. In contrast, Sally Lloyd-Jones' book ends with a Baby under the stars that he made! Amen and Amen! As someone else mentioned, this book is not yet a favorite of my children, but I am confident they will grow to love it (they don't mind it, but haven't asked for it, either). The illustrations are bright, vibrant, well done. The text is appropriately sized. The message is living. This is a must have for any Christmas book collection. I can't get through it without my voice breaking, with wonder and joy at the Glory of 'the Manger Baby.'

Wonderful art, great message of hope and reconciliation, the restoring of creation and all of God's creatures hearts full of joy at the arrival of their creator. My kids love it.

A lovely AND true Christmas Story for kids - a rare combination.

While not as explicit about the Gospel as some of her story re-telling books, this is a good one that my daughters (4 yrs) have thoroughly enjoyed and asked to have read again and again.

My grown daughter ordered this book from the library and told me about. She teared up as she told just a few lines of this story and on hearing these beautiful words, I teared up as well. I later read the book and bought several to give as gifts. This is the book, I will build a Christmas tradition around for my grandchildren. Buy it! you won't be disappointed.

fabulous book - my new favorite!

This is a beautiful picture book to read at Christmastime.

This book has a different perspective on the "animals of Christmas". It spotlights how the world is beginning to change because God comes to live on earth with us as a man. The animals and other nature elements sing about this change throughout each page. The names and attributes of Jesus are also sung about. Beautiful story.