The Birds Of Bethlehem

A perfect first Christmas book This inventive and fresh Nativity story is told from a bird's-eye view. On the morning of the first Christmas, the birds of Bethlehem gather in the fields--not only to eat but to share the exciting news. People from all over have descended on Bethlehem and an angel has appeared in the night sky. Something extraordinary is coming! The birds agree that they must find this wondrous thing, and off they fly to the stable where a child has been born. In simple language and dazzling pictures, beloved author-illustrator Tomie dePaola shares the awe and anticipation of the first Christmas. His cast of brightly colored, curious birds will appeal to young children, making this a perfect introduction to the story of Christmas.

The “dazzling” and essential portrayal of 1960s America from the author of South and West and The Year of Magical Thinking (The New York Times). Capturing the tumultuous landscape of the United States, and in particular California, during a pivotal era of social change, the first work of nonfiction from one of American literature’s most distinctive prose stylists is a modern classic. In twenty razor-sharp essays that redefined the art of journalism, National Book Award–winning author Joan Didion reports on a society gripped by a deep generational divide, from the “misplaced children” dropping acid in San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury district to Hollywood legend John Wayne filming his first picture after a bout with cancer. She paints indelible portraits of reclusive billionaire Howard Hughes and folk singer Joan Baez, “a personality before she was entirely a person,” and takes readers on eye-opening journeys to Death Valley, Hawaii, and Las Vegas, “the most extreme and allegorical of American settlements.” First published in 1968, Slouching Towards Bethlehem has been heralded by the New York Times Book Review as “a rare display of some of the best prose written today in this country” and named to Time magazine’s list of the one hundred best and most influential nonfiction books. It is the definitive account of a terrifying and transformative decade in American history whose discordant reverberations continue to sound a half-century later.

It has been a long time since Strega Nona had a vacation. At night she dreams she's at her Grandma Concetta's little house by the seashore. During the day she hears Grandma Concetta's voice saying, "Vieni, Nonalina, come." Soon even Big Anthony notices that Strega Nona is distracted--she gives the Mayor the wrong remedy for his headache! Everybody says, "Strega Nona needs a vacation!" But when she sends bubble bath to Bambolona and candy to Big Anthony, greedy Bambolona takes the candy for herself, leaving Big Anthony--and the town--in a sea of bubbles! Only Big Anthony, famous for his problem with pasta, could have trouble like this with soap! Award-winning artist/author Tomie dePaola brings us a warm and very funny addition to the stories of his most beloved character, Strega Nona.

A beautiful retelling of THE FIRST CHRISTMAS from Two-time Caldecott Medalist Nonny Hogrogian... From Joseph and Mary's trip from Nazareth to Bethlehem to the birth of Jesus in a humble manger, Nonny Hogrogian illustrates THE FIRST CHRISTMAS with true love. In every stroke of paint, we vividly share in excitement of the wiseman, the joy of the shepherds, and the playfulness of the angels singing on high. This Christmas retelling is peppered with actual verses from the Gospels and will make for the perfect family reading on an early Christmas morning.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. To ensure a quality reading experience, this work has been proofread and republished using a format that seamlessly blends the original graphical elements with text in an easy-to-read typeface. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

Children's author-illustrator Tomie De Paola shares his experiences on Christmas for over six decades.

Excluded from helping to prepare the Christmas celebration in Heaven, three small angels find a way to light up the night sky on Christmas Eve.

Tomie's class is getting ready to put on a play about the very first Christmas.