Summary: When the church lady who has been organizing
the Christmas pageant for years falls ill, Beth’s mom takes over the
pageant. Because of something her
brother told the trouble-making family at school, the Herdmans have decided to
start attending church. Through bullying
and other coercion techniques, they land the main roles in the play. The “problem” is that they haven’t been
raised with the Christmas story and encounter the message for the first
time. They bring their own interpretation
of the story and ask legitimate questions.
In the end, the fresh take on the story brings a welcome change to the
cast and audience. Impression: I absolutely
loved this tale! The Herdman’s take on
things people who have been raised Christian take for granted was priceless. The boys hauled the ham down the aisle
to give Baby Jesus a practical gift and Imogene crying over the Baby Jesus were
such touching moments. It took
“outcasts” to help tell the message of the Christmas story, which is love. Suggestions for library setting: This would be a fun book to do with a book
club. It’s short, so it could be read
together in a few short meetings.
Robinson,
Barbara. (1972). The best Christmas
pageant ever. New York: Harper &
Row.
Barbara Robinson's classic just gets better with this new
reading. The Herdman's-Ralph, Imogene, Leroy, Claude, Ollie, and Gladys-are the
town bullies who steal and smoke cigars. When they show up for the church Christmas pageant try-outs, no one is
able to discourage them from participating. To the protests of children who
think they can do better, the Herdmans land the starring roles in the Christmas play. Their unique
interpretation of a story they've never heard before surprises even the most
regular of church-goers. A humorous retelling of the birth of Christ, this
title will be a welcome addition to general listening holiday collections.
Martindale, K. (2007).
The best Christmas pageant ever. School Library Journal, 53 (1), 67-68.
THE
BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER has an edge -- but presented from a child's point
of view, the edge is funny, irreverent, and irresistible. Author Barbara
Robinson's prose is fast, clever, and very funny. But exercise parental
discretion; not all parents will want their children exposed to the antics of
the main characters or will appreciate the liberties taken with what some
people may consider sacred ground.
Though it's all in fun, it offers a
subtle but important lesson: Just because you're bad doesn't mean you're
hopeless. The Herdmans voluntarily go to the library to research their parts in
the play, and Imogene's final scene shows an unlikely side to her character
that's sure to stir up compassion and encourage mature readers to reflect on
its meaning. Because the story centers on a popular Christian childhood event,
some of the meaning and irony may be lost on readers unfamiliar with Christmas
pageants. But everyone can appreciate the universal humor and underlying
meaning.LeCompte, Mary. (n.d.) The best Christmas pageant ever. Commonsense Media. Retrieved from:
http://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews/the-best-christmas-pageant-ever
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