The Animals’ Christmas Carol

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Said the little lamb to the shepherd boy, “Do you hear what I hear?”

“Woof, Moo, Roar, Grrr, Peep, Rasp, Bzzzz, Flutter, Some Pig, Rarp, Coo, Bleat, Cock-a-doodle-doo, Shhhh, Hee-haw.”

Huh?

The Animals’ Christmas Carol skillfully explores the various animals that may (or may not) have been present at Christ’s birth. Through rhyme and rhythm, the story speculates how each animal could have helped the newborn and His family through that first night in the stable.

The animals range from the common (donkey) to the unexpected (lion). Even the lowly woodworm has a role to play on this holy night.

The most fantastic thing about this book is the pure artistry. The font sizes, styles, and uses of italics vary throughout the pages, conveying various meaning and emphasis. And the pictures? Ah, the pictures. You cannot casually look at illustrations such as these. Each page is a masterpiece, worthy of framing. You can peek here at a few of the glorious illustrations.

Speech Therapy Ideas:
1. Verbally explore the rich illustrations on each page. Talk about the details that you see. Play “I Spy” to use descriptive language and practice asking “yes/no” questions.

2. Describe your favorite animal in the story. What special role does the animal play? What other animals would you have included if you had written this story?

3. Practice rhyming and speaking with the rhythm of the story. Try to guess what the rhyming word will be. This activity is a great pre-literacy skill and is fantastic for children working on sound awareness.

4. Review, describe, and use the following vocabulary:
vigil, manger, lullaby, shepherd, stand guard, dare, dawn, fades, perched, flame, nip, rafters, wool, proud, crow, humble, precious, stall, glimmer, surefooted, morn, hooves

5. What is a carol? What does it mean that this is the animals’ carol?

6. Work on some donkey activities: rhymes, letter practice, stories, songs.

7. Make a sheep, donkey, or cow. Talk about the materials and steps involved. Retell or re-explain the directions in the correct order and with good detail