Be forewarned all ye faint of heart -- the Herdmans are coming!

This is one of the best Christmas books we have on our shelf. It garners a five-star rating with our family and we simply cannot recommend it highly enough!

It is refreshing to find a modern story which represents the true meaning of God's Greatest Gift and exactly why He bestowed it upon us. His Gift of Love was not presented that first Christmas only to the rich, or the pure of heart, or those with proper manners and clean fingernails! Jesus, the Hope of mankind was given to us ALL! And the unabashed authenticity and eager receptiveness -- albeit at times frightening for the poor shepherds and baby angels (!!) -- with which the Herdmans receive, question and illustrate the Christmas story is uplifting. This book will make you laugh out loud. It will make you cry. It will make you think about your own worldview and motives. And then, it will make you laugh again.

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever is a quick and easy read, appropriate for adults and children alike. While its true this is a short story, all of the characters are fully developed and genuinely likeable. Our entire family, including our preschoolers, has thoroughly enjoyed the humor, wry writing style and poignancy of the storyline held within these pages, as well as come away from each year's reading with newfound precious nuggets of Truth. Additionally, the simple black and white illustrations of the 1972 printing are quirky and lend a certain necessary "wild" element to the perception of the Herdmans; I wholeheartedly suggest that it is worth the time and effort to track down a copy of the 1972 edition.

If you collect and enjoy Christmas books, then The Best Christmas Pageant Ever deserves a spot on your bookshelf. Read it together with your children every year and be blessed!

I absolutely loved this book! It is both laugh-out-loud funny, and achingly, sweetly, profound.

I read this book to my second graders in our local Christian school every year. The kids get a good laugh out of the Herdmans and their antics. I always have trouble getting through the last chapter without tears, though, because it is so moving. My students really love this book, and it is now a holiday tradition in my classroom.

I know that many of you of you would like to be Mary in our pageant, but of course we can only have one Mary. So Ill ask for volunteers, and then well decide together which girl should get the part. That was pretty safe to say, since the only person who ever raised her hand was Alice Wendleken. But Alice just sat there, chewing on a piece of her hair and looking down at the floor and the only person who raised her hand this time was Imogene Herdman. I want to be Mary. She looked back over her shoulder. And Ralph wants to be Joseph.

The Herdmans are the worst kids in the world! And now they are taking over the annual Christmas pageant. The shepherds are afraid that the Angel of Lord will beat them up and Marys sure that the Wise Men are a bunch of dirty spies. Will the Christmas Pageant turn out OK?

Genre: realistic. Issues dealt with: the meaning of Christmas.

This book has an amazing insight on the meaning of Christmas and is on track spiritually. "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" will entertain you and help you grow spiritually.

"But the angel said to them, Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord." Luke 2:10-11 (NIV)

Adults and children alike will enjoy this very funny, but precious Christmas story.