I recently discovered this artist because we have amazing first edition copies of Madeleine L'Engle novels with his cover art at the library. He's such a stunning illustrator! ( )

The vivid illustrations help transport the reader into the world of Babushka, which is quite vibrant and rich for a peasant's life in Russia. One can almost feel the snow in the air, and the art suggests the magic and miracle of a night in which three wise men follow a bright star to look for a new King. Babushka elects to stay home and clean her cottage, realizing only the next day that something important has happened. We follow Babushka all over the world, to villages and households of different cultures and languages, as she searches for the child King. She leaves presents and sweets everywhere she goes, hoping to find the child. This would be a great book to read aloud to younger kids, and is also appropriate for middle/upper elementary children to compare with the Santa Claus legend and introduce other cultural traditions around Christmas. It also helps to show how religious/historical events can inspire additional legend. The retelling of this story never uses the classic phrase "three wise men" or the word "Christ." I think this can be used to help children use clues to discover what classic story this tale is telling without revealing it up front.