Synopses & Reviews
"When my mother Angela, was six years old, she felt sorry for the Baby Jesus in the Christmas crib...."
Frank McCourt's first Christmas book is by turns tender and heartwarming, and wholly unforgettable. Angela is six years old and worries for the Baby Jesus on the altar of St. Joseph's Church near School House Lane in Limerick, Ireland, where she lives. December nights are damp and cold, and the church is dark. The Baby Jesus' mother doesn't even have a blanket to cover him, The Baby is sure to need Angela's help, even if she is not allowed to step near the altar, especially by herself.
Filled with the character and incident that have made Pulitzer Prize recipient Frank McCourt internationally renowned and beloved, Angela and the Baby Jesus is a timeless story of family and all of its joy, tradition, love, and incongruity and a book for the generations to cherish.
Review
"Colón's textured watercolor and litho pencil illustrations are exactly suited to the tone of the story. Their slightly grainy, etched quality blends realism with romanticism in a way that evokes distant Ireland as it might appear in a memory. This is excellent storytelling on every level." School Library Journal
Review
"Oversize pages show off his signature textured art, which puts children always in the center; faces of adults are cut off or not seen. Painted with a glow that comes from street lamps or candlelight, Colón's artwork showcases the warmth that a caring family radiates." Booklist
About the Author
McCourt for 30 years he taught in various New York City high schools and in city colleges. He also lives in Connecticut.
Raul Colon has been awarded gold and silver medals from the Society of Illustrators for his picture-book art. Colon's work has also appeared in Time Magazine, The New Yorker, The Wall Street Journal, and The New York Times. He lives in New York.