Publishers Weekly
★ 09/15/2014
News travels quickly in the heavens, especially when it involves the arrival of a baby on Earth in late December. The “newest angel” wants to join in the joyous celebration, but she’s stymied when it comes to selecting the right baby gift. Her “aha moment” arrives when she looks down through the vast night sky and sees three “others” on camelback riding through the desert: “They too looked lonely—No, they looked lost!” The angel tumbles down, gathering light along the way, “Until she came to rest exactly where she was needed.” McGhee’s spare, tender language and light-dark imagery exert a powerful pull on the heartstrings. Reynolds’s delicate pen, ink, and watercolor art is accented with gently humorous details (the angel’s aviator goggles, the wise men consulting a map) even as it matches the text’s emotional intensity. Ages 4–8. Agent: Holly McGhee, Pippin Properties. (Sept.)
School Library Journal - Audio
10/01/2015
PreS-Gr 2—The concept of a child wishing to give a fitting gift to the baby Jesus is not new, but the whimsical illustrations of Peter H. Reynolds frame this Nativity story in a fresh way. In Heaven, angels inhabit platforms connected by long ladders and consult computer monitors to view Earth below. These angels also have a special ability. They can literally light up. The newest winged one, aptly dressed for flying in a vintage flight cap with goggles, a scarf, and a long coat, considers giving presents to the baby that include wind, rain, and music but admits that those gifts are owned, respectively, by the sky, the clouds, and songbirds. Viewing the world below from a heavenly diving board, the newbie observes that it looks dark and lonely and that the traveling Three Kings appear lost. She suddenly knows what her gift will be and transforms into a star that brightens the dark night for the visitors to gather around the baby. The swell of music at the end conveys the joy of the birth. Sound effects of rain, birdsong, and swirling leaves give depth to this video version of Alison McGhee's picture book (S. & S., 2014). Literal-minded viewers may wonder, though, if all of the stars are former angels and whether the newest one will transform back to her former self. VERDICT Recommended, though the twist on the Nativity story may not appeal to everyone. Its strength lies in the playful illustrations.—Constance Dickerson, Cleveland Heights-University Heights Public Library, OH
Kirkus Reviews
2014-08-12
This charming addition to the gifts-for-baby-Jesus theme imagines the origin of the bright star shining over Bethlehem at the Nativity. In a futuristic version of heaven with connecting platforms floating in midair and computer display screens, a little female angel and her angel friends ponder the impending birth of a special baby down on Earth. The youngest angel wears a white suit with a long, white coat complementing her feathery wings and a white aviator's cap, googles and scarf that give her the look of an early airplane pilot. She wishes she could give something special to the new baby that would be as comforting as wind, rain or music. When the angel notices that the world below her seems dark and lonely, she decides to remedy that as her gift. She soars off a huge diving board, floating down into the dark sky previously lit by only tiny stars, and transforms into an enormous star that illuminates the entire sky and guides the three Wise Men. The story is told with a light touch and few words, and the charismatic little angel's transformation is a positive development rather than any type of loss. Evocative watercolor illustrations range from imaginative views of heaven with swirls of pink clouds to mysterious, deep purple skies over Bethlehem. Though the protagonist angel is Caucasian, there are darker-skinned angels among the heavenly host. An understated, appealing story with fine integration between the succinct text and imaginative illustrations. (Picture book/religion. 4-8)
