Maite Roche

Thoughtful, straightforward prayers for common occasions in a child's life, from family celebrations (weddings, baptisms, birthdays) to remembering deceased loved ones and to the need for forgiveness, culminating in a beautiful bedtime prayer. Neither too vague nor too specific, this is suitable for children far beyond the usual age of board books.

“Jesus in the Manger” by Maite Roche uses reveal tabs rather than a rhyming scheme. The story begins with the angel Gabriel, moves to travel to Bethlehem, and the final manger scene. Roche’s use of tabs is appropriate for a pre-reader and lists a question about a character over the tab. The revealed vocabulary is also listed in outer tabs at the edge of the pages. This one would be useful for home reading or for religious education.