Maw Books

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When I realized that Frank Mcourt had published a Christmas story for children, Angela and the Baby Jesus, I snatched it right up.  But can Frank McCourt, Pulitzer prize winning author of Angela’s Ashes, ‘Tis, and Teacher Man successfully write for children?  The answer is simply – yes.  And if you’re prone to tears you might find yourself crying at the end of this short book.  Frank McCourt takes a simple story of his mother as a child and turns it into something magical and memorable.

Angela and the Baby Jesus is the story of Angela who at the age of six felt sorry for the baby Jesus lying in the manager because he looked cold.  Even though she often was cold herself she couldn’t help but rescue poor Baby Jesus, so she took him from the Catholic church and brought him home with her.  When her family finds out, they march her straight back to the church where the priest and policeman are perplexed to his whereabouts.  When the policeman innocently implies about whether or not he should arrest the sweet six year old child, her older brother steps up and makes a statement that will have you wishing that all brothers could be like him.

There are two different versions and the one I read was illustrated by Loren Long (which I’m very excited to have her new Christmas book Drummer Boy ready for me to pick up at the library).  Amazon lists this one as the adult version and the Raul Colon illustrations as the children edition.  Not having seen the Raul Colon illustrations I can’t comment on how the two editions are different from each other, but the illustrations by Loren Long were perfect for this story.  I simply adored them.  I loved the illustration that shows Angela clutching the baby as she contemplates just how she’s going to manage to get him over a tall wall to sneak into her house.  And be prepared to smile at the  very irreverent illustration of Jesus flying through the air.  But perhaps the sweetest illustration was the last, as Baby Jesus is placed back in the manger.

Frank McCourt was written a wonderful tale that I’m sure I’ll treasure each Christmas.

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