The Christmas Elephant: A Nativity Story

PreS-Gr 3–A quirky story about a tenacious girl who wants to express herself and celebrate Christmas and Baby Jesus. Ellie is in her elephant costume for the Christmas play. But according to Piper, her older sister, there are no elephants in Bethlehem. Ellie is persistent and tries to sneak herself into the play when Piper isn’t looking. Through all of Ellie’s high jinks, the Baby Jesus prop goes missing. Can Ellie find Baby Jesus in time to save the play? By the end of the story, Ellie stands up for herself, and Piper learns not to take life so seriously. This cute story reminds readers that they can be whatever they want, and that Christmas is about celebrating family, religion, and traditions. The soft, muted tones of the illustrations add a flare of holiday spirit and a touch of simplistic softness that is nostalgic to the season. A “Bible Connection” at the end of the story is a nice way to tie the book together, and a following “Did You Know?” section shares facts about Jesus and elephants.