Beyond Bethlehem – The Christmas Story for Kids
Beyond Bethlehem, is a children’s poem book written by Della Barclay, and illustrated by Phyllis Bruce. It is a great children’s book filled with great rhyme, abstract illustrations, and an overall appeal that kids are sure to love at Christmas time and beyond. Beyond Bethlehem is the story of Mary on her path to discovery. She is aided by the wisdom of elder cousin Elizabeth and the support of her betrothed, Joseph. It is also the story of how people face enormous tasks, often not of their choice and of how people find the faith, courage and support to move forward with their lives and fulfill their potential. Although conceived as a story for children, Beyond Bethlehem holds a message that is bound to appeal to young people who are on the verge of entering adulthood, and struggle with life-changing decisions of their own. Written in verse with full color illustration Beyond Bethlehem is appropriate for children of all ages. ***Win this author autographed book for free***
Beyond Bethlehem by Della Barclay
The beginning of the book starts by introducing “Mary and Joe”, who we see fulfilling their duties in everyday life, Mary cooking and cleaning with cheer, and Joseph sawing and hammering. I enjoyed how the story didn’t begin immediately with the Christmas story we are all so familiar with. Instead, the book does a great job of setting everything up for the epic moment of Jesus’s birth.
On Amazon.com, people share their thoughts on the book (which the author was kind enough to give)
What a unique beautiful way to tell the nativity story. The illustrations are just great and the poem touches all ages. I plan to have this story read to our children during the children’s sermon at Christmas at our church. Thanks to the author and illustrator for this opportunity to share this story.
This is a cute and enjoyable read to share with friends and family. I read this to my niece and nephews who are ages 5-10, but this could really be for any age. It helped the little ones see the story of Mary & Joseph in today’s terms. Strongly recommended for anyone who wants to short story bringing the story of the nativity to life.
A superbly written poem with imaginative illustrations, Beyond Bethlehem is a refreshing and creative way to introduce children to the story of the Nativity.
The author, Della Barclay is a retired Christian educator that lives in the town of Strongsville, OH. Her time as a Christian educator had her working for service organizations and churches in both urban and suburban areas. A lover of travel, Della has been to Israel on two occasions. Her goal for this book is to assist parents in helping their children see beyond the traditional nativity scene, and realize what it all meant. It’s about hope, love, truth, and justice for all humankind.
If you’re looking for a great Christmas story for kids, I encourage you to check out this great picture book filled with flowing text and great illustrations that are different than most of the other Christmas stories for children out there.
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About the author: Justin
I am the owner of Christianbooksbibles.com, an online retailer of Christian books, Bibles, Sunday school curriculum, Bible study materials, music, and more. I really enjoy exploring my own faith through writing some of the content for this blog. I'm a stong believer that God speaks to us through the pursuit of exploring your faith. Explore your faith.