Cat in the manger

The Nativity Story is retold from a cat's perspective in this picture-book from Michael Foreman, the prolific British children's author and artist who has twice won the prestigious Kate Greenaway Medal for his illustrations. Recalling a particularly cold night, when he was thankful to have a warm

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barn in which to live, the cat unfolds the tale of the human couple who sought shelter there, of the baby that was born, and of the many visitors, both great and humble, that came to see him. He concludes with the extraordinary change (for a cat!) that the events of that night worked in him...

Although I wouldn't describe Cat in the Manger as one of my favorites, when it comes to picture-books describing animals involved in or witnessing the birth of Jesus - I much prefer titles like The Friendly Beasts: A Traditional Christmas Carol, or The Animals' Christmas Carol - it is still fairly engaging. The artwork is quite lovely - I liked Mary's face, as she was looking down at her newborn baby - and I thought it was sweet (albeit completely unlikely) how the infant's message of peace is enacted in the cat's life. Recommended to young readers looking for Christmas stories featuring cats.

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