Mortimer's Christmas Manger

Today's book in the Christmas Book and Activity a Day challenge just might be my favorite children's Christmas book so far.

Mortimer's Christmas Manger is written by Karma Wilson and illustrated by Jane Chapman.

Mortimer Mouse needs a new house -- a house that's not so cold, cramped, and dark. Where can he go?He sees a huge tree covered with twinkling lights. And next to the tree, a mouse-size house. And inside the house, a wee wooden manger just Mortimer's size. But statue people seem to already live there! One by one, Mortimer lugs and tugs the statues out of the house -- only to find them all put back in their places each evening! What is Mortimer to do?It's not until he overhears a very special story that Mortimer realizes whose house he is sharing and where Mortimer himself belongs. It is the story of Christmas and the ngiht the baby Jesus was born that warms Mortimer's heart in this magical holiday offering from award winners Karma Wilson and Jane Chapman.

For the activity today, I got out my favorite Nativity set. Brynne and I talked about each statue in our set and the part he/she played in the story of the birth of Jesus. Then while I was reading the book she used the statues to act out what she was hearing. When we were done with the book she spent quite a bit of time playing with the statues, acting out her own Nativity story.

Great day!

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