Countdown to Christmas

In this advent calendar turned book, Simon and Hartley recount the story of Jesus’s birth in 25 installments, offering young readers daily activities, prayers, and Bible verses to fill the lead-up to Christmas. Accompanying Hartley’s cartoon illustrations are exercises that vary in complexity and originality, including prompts to sing carols. The lengthy content is unlikely to be of use for the usual board book set: daily prayers frequently include fill-in-the-blank spaces, and verses range from narrative excerpts of the Christmas story to more generally inspirational passages. A call for readers to prioritize the biblical story reverberates throughout this festive workbook. Ages 2–5. [em](Oct.) [/em]