  | Full Text Reviews: School Library Journal - 10/01/2014 K-Gr 3— An introduction by the prolific poetry anthologist sets the stage for this exuberant celebration of the not-so-silent night on which the baby Jesus was born. Ranging from tender to humorous, 14 poems by masters of their craft (Jane Yolen, Alice Schertle, and more) relate the eyewitness reactions of various barnyard animals as God grants them the gift of human thought and speech. Only X. J. Kennedy's "Horse" is struck silent. "On Christmas Eve, the night unique,/they say we beasts find tongues to speak./Yet at this crib I am so stirred/that, staring, I can say no word." Handsome, detailed folk-art watercolor drawings accompany each animal's spread. Eye-catching endpapers, which are a pleasing collage of all of the animals, complete the package. Warm and satisfying, this is a top choice for holiday gift-giving or sharing in a classroom, church, or library.—Madeline J. Bryant, Los Angeles Public Library - Copyright 2014 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Booklist - 12/01/2014 Drawing on the old legend that animals have the power of speech at midnight on Christmas Eve, Hopkins gathers a collection of short poems, old and new, written in the voices of animals present at the Nativity or, in the case of fish, unable to be there but wanting to “welcome / Jesus / in.” The rooster heralds “a tiny prince.” A sheep addresses “the shepherd” in the hay. In addition to Hopkins, the poets include X. J. Kennedy, Marilyn Nelson, Jane Yolen, Ann Whitford Paul, Rebecca Kai Dotlich, Alma Flor Ada, and Alice Schertle. Of the 15 poems here, some were previously published, others were commissioned for this volume, and one is a verse from the traditional carol “The Friendly Beasts.” Simply written and nicely varied, the verse is consistently strong. Cann, an English artist, provides a handsome double-page illustration for each poem. The sensitively colored scenes feature varied compositions, delicate lines, and saturated hues. A luminous addition to poetry collections. - Copyright 2014 Booklist. Loading...
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