The Birds of Christmas
by Olivia Armstrong; illus. by Mira Miroslavova
Preschool, Primary    Eerdmans    40 pp.
8/25    9780802856470    $18.99

One cold night, Raven receives a celestial command: inform his fellow birds that “a child has been born…the Prince of Peace.” All flock to the stable with gifts: a lullaby from Nightingale, a feather pillow from Stork, etc. One small bird (a robin) thinks she has nothing to give—until the fire keeping Mary and child warm dwindles. She fans the embers and fetches twigs until the flames burn bright again. When an ember lands on the robin’s breast, turning it a radiant red, Mary tells her that it’s “a sign of your kind heart. From today on, you and all your children will wear this color proudly.” This pourquoi tale, beautifully illustrated in graphite pencil and colored digitally, alternates expansive double-page spreads with single pages and spot art, adding intimacy and focus.

From the November/December 2025 issue of The Horn Book Magazine.