Look! A Child's Guide to Advent and Christmas presents Advent as special time for waiting and watching--paying attention--to the ways God comes to us. This treasured book reassures children of the presence of God in all times and places and invites them to become part of the holy work of making Christ present in the world.
Told from the point of a view of a child, the story weaves together familiar Advent traditions like the Jesse tree and the Advent wreath, Biblical stories and characters, and reflections on what these stories call us to do and be. With thoughtful and thought-provoking text, and beautiful and diverse illustrations, Look! provides an opportunity to explore the coming of Jesus with practical and fresh perspectives, inspiring children to ask questions and experience this special season in a brand-new way.
Laura Alary writes in the warm, thoughtful style that has made her books so popular with families who want to encourage their children to think deeply and engage their spiritual imaginations, Look! is the first book in the " Circle of Wonder: Liturgical Year Resource Set." (Click HERE for free downloadable resources)
Review Quotes:
" Look! certainly stands alone as an effective and evocative overview of the season of Advent, but I also I think it would be particularly helpful as a guide for families as they make their way together through Advent. The stories could be told, the activities mentioned could be engaged in, and the wondering questions discussed. It is a book that calls out to be played with!" --Andrew Sheldon, Godly Play Advocate for International Development
"Look! A Child's Guide to Advent & Christmas takes us from the people of the Bible who waited for redemption to the people of the church today who are still waiting. The book introduces children to the powerful symbolism of Advent, especially that of light and darkness, but also talks about Advent as a time for spiritual practices such as journaling, painting and using prayer beads, and serving others." -Debbie Kolacki, Practical Resources for Churches
"Don't rush through this book! Just as the season of Advent invites us into expectant waiting and wondering as we reflect on and experience God, Laura Alary weaves familiar story, language, and questions into a warm invitation for readers to pause and wonder. Take her up on the invitation and experience the depth of Advent." -Alexis Meredith, Building Faith, Center for the Ministry of Teaching at Virginia Theological Seminary
"Seldom comes a book that evokes the response of all our senses. From the flickering flames of glowing lamplight to the aroma of baking cookies Alary invites you into the waiting, wondering, and life-giving story. Winter branches shiver in the cold. The reader shivers with anticipation. The Light comes and Love is born." -Roger Hutchison, author of My Favorite Color is Blue. Sometimes.
"Advent is a season too easily swallowed by festive busyness. Reflecting on the best known biblical texts of the season, Laura Alary gently invites us into activities that embody their waiting. We look back to Israel, look around us with John the Baptist, and look forward with Mary. Families that spend a month with this book may experience Advent for the first time." --Gary Neal Hansen
Laura Alary is a storyteller, educator, and writer who delights in writing stories that make us bigger on the inside. Among her many books are Make Room: A Child's Guide to Lent and Easter, Look! A Child's Guide to Advent and Christmas, and Breathe: A Child's Guide to Ascension, Pentecost, and the Growing Time. A trained theologian and biblical scholar with degrees in Classics (B.A., Dalhousie), Theology (M.Div., Knox College, University of Toronto) and New Testament (Ph.D., University of St. Michael's College), Laura currently works in a theological library. She lives with her three children in Toronto, where she likes to go for walks in the woods, tend her tiny pollinator garden, and keep her eyes open for signs of new life.
Ann Boyajian is the illustrator of many books, including Samantha's Friendship Fun (in the American Girl series), More Spice Than Sugar (Houghton Mifflin), and O Say Can You See? American's Symbols, Landmarks, and Inspiring Words (Scholastic).
Target Age: 4-10
Paraclete Press
Pub Date: October 10, 2017
0.2" H x 10.7" L x 8.3" W
32 pages
paperback