The Christmas Bell

When Rachel, the daughter of a widowed shepherd, comes across something curious in the dusty streets of Bethlehem—a beautiful bell made of pure silver—she wonders what she should do with it. No one can tell Rachel where the bell came from, but a wise woman in the village tells her that she should keep it until something wonderful happens. Then, she will know it is time to give it away.

Rachel finds out just how special the silver bell is on the eve of the very first Christmas. When the shepherds journey to the manger to give the Messiah a gift of a lamb, Rachel thinks she has nothing to offer the tiny baby. It is then that she remembers the beautiful bell.

PreS-Gr. 2. In this quiet picture book about the Nativity, the focus is not on the powerful kings bearing gifts but on a small child. When Rachel finds a silver bell, she knows it is special, and she brings it to the baby in the manger. Set mainly at night, the double-page-spread watercolor pictures glow with light as they show Joseph and Mary walking to Bethlehem and settling in the stable, then the baby Jesus, safe and warm in the manger. When Rachel's father is tending his sheep, he sees the brilliant light of angels. They bring news of God's son born in a stable and tell the shepherds to follow the brightest star to find the baby. Rachel goes with them, and she gives Jesus a lamb with her precious bell tied around its neck. The book ends with contemporary kids gathered around a Christmas tree. Use this as a springboard for talking about the meaning of the gift-giving holiday tradition. Hazel Rochman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved