Room for a Little One: A Christmas Tale

Kind Ox welcomes a series of animals in need into his stable in this gentle Nativity tale, as each one—Old Dog, Stray Cat, Small Mouse—helps to make the next more comfortable. When Tired Donkey arrives, led by Joseph and bearing Mary, the Holy Family too are welcomed in, and the Christ Child is born, surrounded by this group of outcast animals, now no longer outcast...

I have read a number of other picture books from Northern Irish author Martin Waddell, but Room for a Little One: A Christmas Tale is my first encounter with the work of English illustrator Jason Cockcroft. I found his acrylic paintings here quite lovely, appreciating the use of color and light, and the way the animals' expressions were captured. The narrative is show more sweet, and I liked the way each animal welcomed their traditional "enemy" into the fold, mirroring the peace that should prevail on Christmas. Recommended to picture book readers looking for animal-centered Nativity tales. show less

"That cold winter's night, beneath the star's light, a Little One came for the world." On a cold winter's night, Kind Ox invites cold and weary animals, one by one, into the warmth and peace of his stable. When tired Donkey arrives, with Mary and Joseph, Kind Ox calls, "Come inside, there's always room for a little one here." And that night, beneath the star's light, Mary, Joseph, Kind Ox and all the animals, share in the magic of the very first Christmas.

This is a quiet classic. Jason Cockcroft does a magnificent job with the light, the animals and their expressions. Beautiful!

In this story, the Gentle Ox invites the Old Dog, Stray Cat, and Small Mouse into the warm stable before Tired Donkey and the Baby Jesus join them. The illustrations are beautiful, and the author wisely keeps the text to a minimum. I look forward to revisiting this Nativity story time and again.

Beautifully illustrated and simply told, Room for a Little One begins on a cold night when Old Dog seeks to rest in a stable with Kind Ox. Kind Ox welcomes Old Dog, Stray Cat, and Small Mouse in turn. When Tired Donkey arrives with Mary and Joseph, they are also welcomed into the stable. A lovely retelling of the Christmas story.

Room for a Little One” is a special story where an ox, a dog, a cat and a mouse come together in a stable to escape the cold winter. They all put aside their differences and eventually they invite the tired donkey with Mary and Child to share the warmth of the stable.

This is a very special Christmas story. I have read it to a couple of different classes in a Private Christian School. I have been told that this book can not be read in a public school environment. When I read this story to the children, we talked about how the animals put aside their normal differences and helped one another. I asked these classes if this story showed us how to love one anther as God loved us, or if this story could be a reflection of the Ten Commament show more "Love Thy neighbor as you love your self?" This is allowed in a Christian School show less

I loved this book. It is a great book to read to younger kids around christmas time. It is about puttting your selfish acts aside and allowing room for one more person. The dog says he won't chase the cat, and the cat says he won't eat the mouse. They all are being unselfish and allowing them to make room for Mary and Joseph to have baby Jesus. Cute different look on that night.