Angela and the Baby Jesus

by Frank McCourt

Other authorsLoren Long (Illustrator)

Hardcover, 2007

Status

Available

Call number

813.6

Genres

Children's Books

Publication

Fourth Estate (2007), Edition: First Edition, 27 pages

Description

At Christmastime, six-year-old Angela takes the baby Jesus from the cold church manger to her warm house in Limerick, Ireland. Based on a childhood story told by the author's mother.

User reviews

LibraryThing member SqueakyChu

This is a beautiful story very reminiscent of the books for adults by this same author. I love the Irish twists to this story. I found some parts a bit exaggerated (i.e. the little girl out and about alone in the church and at night, the little girl climbing that high straight stone wall). However,

the theme of the story, concern and love for others, brought tears to my eyes. I loved the beautiful pastel artwork, in shades of deep charcoal with just a tinge of color, which reflected the cold and somber mood of the setting and story. Ive long since forgotten how wonderful it is to read childrens books. I need to explore more of them even at this stage (60 years of age) of my life. SPOILER--> I also would have changed the ending (at least have the priest put a blanket on Baby Jesus).

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LibraryThing member allawishus

This title, about a little girl named Angela who steals the baby Jesus from the nativity scene at her church, ended up being a lot funnier than I anticipated. She takes him because she thinks he's cold, then she absconds with him to her home. One of the funniest parts is when she throws him over

the high fence to her backyard and accidentally throws him in her neighbor's yard. Poor baby Jesus! Lolz. Eventually the baby Jesus is returned to his right ful place, but not until Angela is ratted out by her not-quite-right brother. (One of the plot elements is some sort of hinting that the brother is mentally challenged or something - I'm not sure because I've not read any of Frank McCourt's other books about his family. But it's sort of a weird element to include without any follow through.)

The illustrations are done in an interesting style that creates a lot of texture. It looks like paint was laid down and then scraped off with some sort of comb or brush. Very visually engaging. Everything looks very soft and scenes are filled with warm light.

The text is definitely too long for a storytime - maybe for an older kids' read aloud? But they'd still have to be pretty patient and non-squirmy!

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LibraryThing member phalaborwa

Great art, not-so-great text.

LibraryThing member AbigailAdams26

When Angela sees the Christ Child lying in his crib at St. Joseph's Church, near her home in Limerick, Ireland, the young girl believes that he must be terribly cold. Determined to spare the child a form of suffering which which she is all too familiar, she steals him, taking him home in order to

keep him safe and warm. Her brother Pat discovers her secret, and eventually gives her away to the family, who insist that the statue must be returned to the church. But what will the parish priest and the local policeman do, when they are discovered trying to return him...?

Originally published in 2007 as Angela and the Baby Jesus, this lovely holiday picture-book from Frank McCourt, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of the memoir, Angela's Ashes, was reprinted this year (2019) as Angela's Christmas. I greatly enjoyed McCourt's memoir, many years ago when it was first published, but I never read the sequels, nor was I aware until recently that he had written a children's story, based upon one of his mother's childhood experiences. I'm glad that I have discovered this, as I found the story equal parts humorous and heartwarming, and appreciated both the moving conclusion, and the beautiful artwork by Raúl Colón. Recommended to anyone looking for deeply felt Christmas stories for children, that are both entertaining and poignant.

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