The best Christmas pageant ever

Meet the Herdmans--they lie, cheat, and love to give clonks on the head. They are, without a doubt, the worst kids in the history of the world. So no one is prepared when this outlaw family invades church one Sunday and decides to take over the annual Christmas pageant.

None of the Herdmans has ever heard the Christmas story before. Joseph, Mary, the baby Jesus--it's all news to them. So they're convinced that the Wise Men should bring pizza and that the Angel of the Lord is straight out of a comic book. Everyone worries that this year's pageant will be horrible (just like the Herdmans!), but they are sure to make it the most unusual anyone has seen and, just possibly, the best one ever.

Adapted from the beloved novel of the same name, this sparkling picture-book version is perfect for younger children. They will delight in the antics of the terrible Herdmans, who surprise everyone when they capture the true meaning of Christmas.

Author Notes

Barbara Robinson was born in Portsmouth, Ohio on October 24, 1927. She graduated from Allegheny College in 1948. She wrote more than 40 short stories for newspapers and magazines, including McCall's and Ladies' Home Journal. She published her first children's book, Across from Indian Shore, in 1962. Her most popular work, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, was published in 1972. She adapted the book for both the stage and for television in the 1980s. Her other works include The Best School Year Ever, The Best Halloween Ever, and Temporary Times, Temporary Places. She died on July 9, 2013 at the age of 85.

(Bowker Author Biography)

Reviews (2)

School Library Journal Review

PreS-Gr 2-The infamous Christmas pageant scene from Robinson's chapter book of the same name (HarperCollins, 1972) has been condensed quite successfully into a picture book. Readers are introduced to the six Herdmans, "the worst kids in the history of the world." They lie, steal, and play with matches ".and when they didn't have anything else to do, they would bang the garage door up and down and try to squash each other." When they take over the annual Christmas pageant, everyone is horrified but, of course, the Herdmans bring a chaotic sincerity and authenticity to the evening that is truly moving. Cornell's trademark pen-and-ink and watercolor drawings capture the skinny-legged, scraggly-haired, snaggle-toothed Herdmans to a tee.-Eva Mitnick, Los Angeles Public Library (c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Publisher's Weekly Review

The "worst kids in the history of the world" are laugh-out-loud outrageous in this rollicking picture-book adaptation of Robinson's 1972 novel. Cornell's (My Mommy Hung the Moon) humorous, energetic illustrations highlight the incorrigible Herdman siblings' naughtiness, as they're pictured acting out well beyond the shenanigans chronicled in the punchy text. At Sunday school, they "stole all the money out of the collection plate," and the fact that they don't know the Nativity story "didn't stop them from picking out the best parts for themselves." As in the original version, they steal the show, providing a satisfying primer for kids not yet ready for Robinson's longer holiday treat. Ages 4-8. (Sept.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Available:*

Bound With These Titles

On Order

Summary

Summary

Author Notes

Reviews (2)

School Library Journal Review

Publisher's Weekly Review