Cricket at the Manger=Picture Book
Charming Book by Edith Hope Fine Tells a Nativity Story
Cricket at the Manger is a whimsical view of a small insect's view of Christmas night. Author Edith Hope Fine tells a story of a cricket that gives what it can, its song.
The Story
One evening a tired cricket seeks a quiet place to rest in the small village of Bethlehem. However, Bethlehem is unusually busy that night and the grumpy little insect finally must retreat into stable to find a place to sleep. Soon the cricket’s rest is interrupted by the arrival of a poor couple seeking their own rest but they are quiet and soon he resumes his sleep.
It is an interrupted night for the cricket soon he wakes again ‘We’re not alone.’ The crabby cricket wishes and complains – won’t they all just go away. But soon this disruption has cricket curious as to the source of all the disturbance. Assisted by a shepherd girl, cricket gets his first view of the Christ child. And he understands. He wonders and asks the timeless question, what can I give him poor that I am?
The Author
Edith Hope Fines confesses to a love for the rhythm of language and the sound of invented words. As a result, her delightful rendition of the nativity story is full of playful word combinations and wonderful coinages expressing the sounds of the animals in the story. She reaches her most exuberant playfulness playful when she describes the attempts of our grumpy little protagonist to make music with his unused violin. Garr-reech, Gur-riiiip, Gur-raaap, Gur-ruuuup, and finally the right note Chur-riiiick.
The Illustrations
Winslow Pels’ collaged illustrations are delightful and imaginative renderings of the old story. They are peopled by humans with Byzantine faces and curious almost folk-art-like animals. But most delightful, are the items of light. The stars are fanciful bursts of jewels and the star of Bethlehem is an explosion of diamonds, which makes it look like a broach worthy of a Queen.
The halos that surround the holy family are beautiful golden discs but most delightful of all are the jingle bells on the Christ Child’s halo. The cricket’s song is included as an item of light and so he is honored with two tiny jewel-like violins for wings.
In Conclusion
Cricket at the Manger is a delightful addition to anyone’s collection of Christmas books. Adults will enjoy the rhythm and play of words while they read the story to little ones during the holiday season. And both child and parent will be drawn in by the beautiful and imaginative illustrations.
Cricket at the Manger. Written by Edith Hope Fine, Illustrated by Winslow Pels. Boyds Mills Press, 2005. ISBN 1-56397-993-4.
