cover image This Is the Stable

This Is the Stable

Cynthia Cotten, , illus. by Delana Bettoli. . Holt, $16.95 (32pp) ISBN 978-0-8050-7556-4

Rhyming couplets retell the Nativity story, introducing a "baby boy, who cooed and cried/ and looked around with eyes so wide" born in "the stable dusty and brown,/ in a quiet corner of Bethlehem town." Bettoli's extensive palette and spiritual imagery capture stars, angels and birds overseeing the happy proceedings from changeable pink, purple and blue evening skies. The artwork's borders and a multicultural cast add visual depth and interest. Ages 4-8. (Oct.)