My new Christmas book for this year is utterly delightful –  Song of the Stars: A Christmas Story written by Sally Lloyd-Jones and beautifully illustrated by Alison Jay.  This is creation’s response to the birth of Jesus – it starts with the rustling leaves and moves  to the woodland creatures, the fish in the sea…”its time! It’s time!” We then come to the lion roaring “The Mighty King! The Prince of Peace!” followed by the stars and the angels who burst into glorious singing.

I have just finished working through Hosea with Bible study and can’t help comparing the lion in this story to the lion in Hosea chapter 11.  “When he roars, his children will come trembling from the west.” (v 10) The birth of Jesus is the culmination of God the Father showing His people how much He loves his children – by sending his own son into the world.  When He comes, his people do not see, nor do they hear the response of all creation to his arrival.  All of creation recognise that something significant is about to take place while the people he comes to rescue are oblivious apart from his mother who sings quietly in her heart “Our Rescuer”.

It reads like a Psalm or song and draws the reader in to the excitement and anticipation of all creation.  The illustrations are too beautiful to keep closed inside a book – I want to  have it lying open.  Sally’s telling of this event is evocative and understated – the creatures tell the story – we capture their emotion and are drawn in to respond ourselves.

It is available from Amazon.  If you buy it now, you will have it ready to read and enjoy for the month of December – I am looking forward to putting it on the table in our lounge room for all to savour and enjoy.

I have written  another blog post about other Christmas books you could collect to use at Christmas.  However, this new one by Sally is a gem.