The Old Shepherd's Tale
From All Creatures Book and Video Review Guide

Author: Christopher Nye
Illustrated by Henri Sorensen

Reviewed by Frank L. Hoffman

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Publisher:

Housatonic Press
187 Main Street
Great Barrington, MA 01230 USA
888-909-6568
[email protected] www.myrin.org/hp
© 2004 Housatonic Press 9" X 11.25" Hardback
ISBN 0-913098-85-X
$16.95 US plus $3.00 shipping for 1st copy and $0.50 for each additional copy.

Review:

The Old Shepherd's Tale is a truly delightful story of the birth of Jesus Christ as told by the animals who were in the stable with the old shepherd, Mary and Joseph.  The story goes on to show how this and other events in the shepherd's life spread the message of love and respect for all of God's creatures.  Hopefully, the message of this story will spread around the world until we truly have peace on earth.

The animals, a donkey, a cow, and an ox, tell the story from the time Mary and Joseph enter the stable.  They tell of the birth of Jesus, the appearing of the angels, and the shepherds who were out in the field.  We learn how the animals came to speak and how they offered their feeding trough as a crib for Jesus, and how the animals would play an important part in Jesus' life.

The story concludes with the telling of some of the events during the later days of the old shepherd's life, and how he spreads the message of kindness for all of God's creatures.

The covers and every page of The Old Shepherd's Tale have beautiful full page and full color illustrations.  It is a book destined to become a classic, and a must gift for children of all ages, including those of us in our 60's.

About the Author and Illustrator:

Christopher Nye received a Fulbright to study playwriting in England, but most of his writing has been poetry and non-fiction.  This is his first children's book.  He holds a Ph.D. in American Studies and works as an administrator at Berkshire Community College in western Massachusetts.

Henri Sorensen's distinguished career as an illustrator includes 26 American books for children, two of which he also wrote, New Hope and Your First Step.  Born and raised in Denmark, he worked for a time in the United States, but returned home where he now lives with his family.

Both author and illustrator believe that treating animals with kindness and respect is a precondition for a more peaceful world.


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