A Book Review
The King of Christmas: All God’s Children Search for Jesus is the third book in a growing series of FatCat Books from Lexham Press. Author Todd Hains and illustrator Natasha Kennedy have, once again, made Cat-echism spiritually edifying, colorful, and fun.
With a hidden cat for children to discover on every two-page spread, this book gives families a series of yes-or-no questions about Jesus and His birth as the magi, or wise men, look for Him. Here are the first three questions:
The heavens where the stars shine—
is the King of Christmas there?
No!
The sky where the birds fly—
is the King of Christmas there?
No!
The waters where the fish swim—
is the King of Christmas there?
No!
Anticipation builds as readers and listeners wait for a question they can answer with a “Yes!” And there are several opportunities. We find Jesus in a manger. We also find Jesus on a cross. We most certainly no longer find His body in a grave. And we can find Him today by reading the Word of God.
I like The King of Christmas and here are the two main reasons why:
It has theological substance. The words are simple, yet carefully chosen to communicate the truth of Scripture.
It has great art. Kennedy successfully balances reverence and fun. In other words, the pictures aren’t silly, but they are enjoyable and engaging. The presence of FatCat and his friends makes these books unique and adds an extra element for keeping the attention of little ones.
My only suggestion for improvement comes after noting that, in addition to a hidden FatCat, most pages also include a firefly, fish, and a blue bird. An explanatory note at the beginning of the book might be nice so readers could know to also look for these fun characters throughout the book.
You can purchase this book from Amazon or directly from Lexham Press. Also, check out my reviews of The Lord’s Prayer: For All God’s Children and The Apostles’ Creed: For All God’s Children in the FatCat Book series.
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