The Night of Las Posadas (Picture Puffin Books)

I saw/heard a reading of this at the Boston Pops and it was beautiful. I loved the illustrations and it was extra special being performed by a live narrator and the symphony playing the score. Ordered a copy as soon as I got home!

Tomie Depaula does not disappoint! I love allhis books that bring together simplicity with culture. As we in our fast changing world are constantly moving, we forget to slow down and celebrate. Read some of his books and more deeply explore some culture today! Merry Christmas!

Book describing a lovely Christmas tradition from another country written for children by an extraordinary author. It is is perfect condition.

My church celebrates Las Posadas. I thought this would be a sweet addition to my Christmas around the world my friend. There were a couple things in the book that was a little much for my group of kindergartners.

This book is one of our family's favorite children's Christmas books. If you're not already familiar with the author, Tomie dePaola, then you need to check him out. This book, like others of his we've read, is based to some degree in cultural ritual. The Night of Las Posadas takes place in Santa Fe, New Mexico. It tells the story of the local villagers who put on a reenactment of Las Posadas each year in the old Santa Fe Plaza. For those who don't know, Las Posadas is the story of Mary and Joseph traveling to Bethlehem and not finding any room at an inn to stay at and eventually having Jesus in a stable. It's a great book that highlights New Mexican culture.

This year the small Episcopal church where I am priest in charge did its own version of Posadas. One of my parisioners made a Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus. Mary and Joseph were 18" to 24" tall. The baby was concealed in Mary's abdomen. The Holy Family was circulated throughout the congregation during Advent. With them was also "The Night or Las Posadas." The Holy Family formed a center for devotion and mediation during the time they were in each home. The beautifully written chidren's book explained what they were doing in the form of a story. It was well received. I highly recommend the book whether or not you are doing Posadas in your congregation. The Holy Family returned to the church at the Christmas Eve Mass and stayed with us until Epiphany.

I bought this book for our Lutheran church library. It is excellent. It tells about the Hispanic Christmas custom of Las Posadas, Mary and Joseph's search for a place to stay the night of Jesus' birth. Lupe and Roberto, two townspeople, are selected to play Jose and Maria in the Las Posadas celebration, but when their pickup gets bogged down in the snow in the mountains above Santa Fe, two strangers come to play Jose and Maria instead, leaving the readers to wonder at the miraculous event --who were those two? What a lovely book.Tomie, you never disappoint, whether your stories are religious, autobiographical, or just plain funny. Thank you for consistently sharing your talents with us lucky readers over the years. You bring us so much joy, laughter, comfort and peace!

Love Tommie di Paolo

Lovely illustrations and great story

This is a very sweet Christmas tale which encompasses the Spanish tradition of Las Posadas, in this case being celebrated in New Mexico. Fact sheet about the tradition at the back.

Pretty accurate

A lovely story - the children in my class loved it

A moving Christmas story introducing children to a tradition originally from Spain and later from the Americas. Tomie DePaola captures the imagination again and adds a touch of expectation and mystery.