Book Review :: Goodnight, Manger by Lauri Sassi, illustrated by Jane Chapman

EDITED TO ADD: The Goodnight, Manger board book is now available and has the same content (pictures & text) as the hardcover book, just with board book pages.

Goodnight, Manger is a children's picture book, written in rhyme. This book by Laura Sassi is a fun, fictional story about the events surrounding Jesus' birth. (Laura Sassi has also written another cute book about the animals on board Noah's ark called Goodnight, Ark.)

Goodnight, Manger is both fun and funny, and I can see this becoming one of our favorites. A few pages are written with the anticipation on one page and the completed rhyme on the next page, giving a good chance for your young ones to join in with their guesses.

Although the title may lead you to believe otherwise, Goodnight, Manger is not a Goodnight Moon-style book (where you are saying "goodnight" to something on each page). Rather, Goodnight, Manger is a story about the animals and events surrounding Jesus' birth. (Just incase it needs to be stated explicitly - this is a fictional story, not to be mistaken with a biblical account.)

The illustrations in Goodnight, Manger are fabulous. Illustrator Jane Chapman has done a wonderful job of creating images that are attractive and fun, giving the reader a lot to look at. The colors are a touch more muted than you might find in many other children's books, which I appreciate. Each illustration covers a full two-page spread.

Overall, I recommend Goodnight, Manger and think it would be a great addition to any family's bookshelf. 

FTC Declaration: The publisher has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book or advanced reading copy. This does not change the fact that I will give my honest opinion in my reviews.