And I have seen and read many depictions of the nativity story as an Appalachian story I ve seen it depicted in other countries with a variety of skin tones But I hadn t seen one with an indigenous perspective and I think this is a beautiful and important addition to our Christmas collection It is wonderful to see people finding themselves in sacred stories 32 Perfect for celebration at Christmas This story is a retelling of the birth of Jesus in an adaptation from the First Nations Version of the Gospel of Luke The illustrations are created by Native artists Hananah and Holly Buchanan and they are so breathtaking They flow with the story We follow Bitter Tears who is about to have her child Her and He Gives Sons are traveling and there is nowhere for them to stay They find shelter in a cave and soon Bitter Tears son is born Your family will love this version of the story of the Birth Of Jesus I was so impressed with the love and care put into the writing of the story It is the perfect addition to your family s Christmas reads We love it and your family will too 32

Birth of the Chosen One: A First Nations Retelling of the Christmas Story By Terry Wildman

1514007029

9781514007020

English

32

Hardcover

Birth of the Chosen One A First Nations Retelling of the Christmas Story.

I love The First Nations Version of the New Testament Reading it challenged me to look at passages with which I m overly familiar with new eyes So I was really expecting to fall in love with this version of the Christmas story But I didn t and I m still trying to figure out why Partly I think it relates to decisions about which parts of the Biblical story to include Since I m not a First Nations person perhaps there is a cultural style in the storytelling that is unfamiliar to me I felt like the text jumps a bit putting together Matthew and Luke s accounts without any transition for readers who don t understand where these passages come from The ending page as well felt tacked on without context In spite of this I do think this is a good and important book just one that may take some adult explanations for young readers I would love to know how First Nation kids respond to the book. Review based on an eARC received through NetGalley 32 Birth of the Chosen One weaves together Indigenous artwork and storytelling in a beautiful way that encourages our youngest siblings to know the love of Creator Sets Free This fresh presentation of a familiar story inspires imagination worship and awe especially during the seasons of Advent and Christmastime Native American names and images invite all to the circle to join the drumbeat celebrating the arrival of the Chosen One 32 This unique picture book retells the biblical story of the Nativity through the lens of indigenous culture The story itself is faithful to the original but the author s cultural background informs how he tells the story especially as he introduces God and people with indigenous style names that represent their identities He also describes different concepts in paraphrased literal terms This approach encourages people to consider the deeper meaning of the Nativity story. The illustrations depict the biblical characters and the angels as indigenous people in cultural clothes I liked the illustrations and I thought they were unique and interesting but I have mixed feelings about this approach to telling a Bible story Although I understand how this can be meaningful to Native American readers I believe that the Bible should be able to stand on its own without someone needing to see their cultural identity in it for it to speak to them. Although I would never question the good intentions of everyone involved with this project I think that reimagining the Nativity story to a different cultural context undermines the historical roots of the narrative which involves real people and places Of course the natural counterargument to this is that Western Christians have depicted Jesus and other Bible characters as white but I see that as a problem and a failing to avoid rather than an invitation for people from other cultural backgrounds to remake Jesus in their own image Even though many people will enjoy this book and reflect deeply on the Nativity story because of it I am uncomfortable with the way that it treats Jesus s birth like a legend that can be culturally reimagined in any way rather than a historical event in a specific place time and culture. I received a temporary digital copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review 32 When I am preaching from the New Testament I often consult the First Nation Version to see how they framed the text It is always helpful to look at familiar stories through new lenses The First Nations Version recounts the Creator s Story the Christian Scriptures following the tradition of Native storytellers oral cultures For that reason it is wonderful to read aloud This book is Luke 2 adapted from the First Nations Version in picture book format With older kids this would be a great way to talk about the story in a fresh way Why is Herod Chief Looks Brave and what does it mean to you that the spirit messenger says that Bitter Tears Mary should name her son Creator Sets Free With younger kids this is simply another way to tell our sacred story I live in the South.