The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, Barbara Robinson

Genre: Fiction

Publisher: Harper Trophy is a registered trademark of HarperCollins Publishers Inc.
pages- 80

Awards/Honors: NA

Summary: One Christmas a group of troublesome siblings, The Herdmans, decide to take part in the local Christmas Pageant at church. The Herdmans are well known in the small town for their ability to get into trouble. One faithful Sunday after attending Sunday school, the Herdmans decide to play the main parts in the Christmas Story. Everyone in the town is outraged at the thoughts of such delinquents taking part in something so Holy as the The Christmas Story. The town as well as the Herdmans realize the true importance of Christmas and that there is "good" in everyone.

Personal Rating: ****Great. I really enjoyed this story of how we can learn a lesson from even the most unlikely source. The story kept me laughing and I especially enjoyed how I could visualize the characters of the story as real people. The lesson learned is important to everyone.

Reading Level: 3.2
Interest Level: 2nd - 5th grade.

Writing activity: Response journals- As the students complete each chapter, they record their thoughts, feelings, connections, and ideas in a journal.
Diary from a selected character's point of view: The students will record daily entries of the character they have chose from the story. They will include what the character is feeling, thinking, what the character did or may be planning to do, etc.

Art: Because the story is centered around Christmas time, the students will make Christmas ornaments, create a Nativity Diorama using a shoebox.

Math: Students can bake sugar cookies. Students will need to be able to follow recipe, measure ingredients, calculate elapsed time.

Science; Plant a pine tree. Pine trees are the traditional Christmas tree in America. Students will plant tree and complete a research activity on pine trees.

Problem: There are some words that are inappropriate for children. i would recommend re aloud for this book and substitute or omit words that are inappropriate for children.