Itsy Bitsy Christmas: You're Never Too Little for His Love

by Max Lucado

Overview

New York Times bestselling author Max Lucado brings the Christmas message of Jesus’ birth to young children in this Christmas story of God’s love for everyone, even the littlest of His creation. Itsy Bitsy Christmas is a true nativity story reimagined in a fictional narrative through the eyes of two mice.

When Itsy and Bitsy, two charming little mice, hear that a King is coming to Bethlehem, they set off with great enthusiasm to find Him. Along the way, others discourage them saying they are too little and unimportant for any king. Just when Itsy and Bitsy begin to believe they really aren't big enough for the new King, they learn that Christ the King has indeed come for everyone.

With this Advent picture book, 4 to 7-year-olds will

• understand God's great love
• know that He sent His Son for all of us, little or big, young or old
• learn that faith is believing before seeing
• see that Jesus is found in the most unlikely places

Itsy Bitsy Christmas features

• a beautiful jacketed hardcover
• colorful illustrations that children will adore

This encouraging book is a great faith-building Advent gift or Christmas morning surprise. Reading Max Lucado’s Itsy Bitsy Christmas will become a treasured memory your family shares every Advent season.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781400322626
Publisher:	Nelson, Tommy
Publication date:	09/17/2013
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	627,681
Product dimensions:	7.90(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	4 - 7 Years

About the Author

Since entering the ministry in 1978, Max Lucado has served churches in Miami, Florida; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; and San Antonio, Texas. He currently serves as Teaching Minister of Oak Hills Church in San Antonio. He is America’s bestselling inspirational author with more than 140 million products in print.

Visit his website at MaxLucado.com

Facebook.com/MaxLucado

Instagram.com/MaxLucado

Twitter.com/MaxLucado

Read an Excerpt

Itsy Bitsy Christmas

You're Never Too Little for His Love!

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By Max Lucado, Bruno Merz

Thomas Nelson

Copyright © 2013 Max Lucado
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4003-2262-6

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CHAPTER 1

Bitsy, watch out!" Itsy grabbed his little sister's tail and pulled her back just in time. The big wagon rolled past and splashed them with mud. "Be careful, Bitsy. You don't want to get run over."

Bitsy jumped back and gulped. Her big eyes grew even wider.

"I've never seen Bethlehem so busy!" she exclaimed. "People everywhere. Wagons rolling. Cows mooing. Donkeys pulling. And camels ... do you know that camels spit?" Bitsy stepped away from the camel nearest her. "What is going on, Itsy?"

"Follow me, and I'll show you," the older mouse replied.

Itsy took his sister's hand, and they scampered to the top of the city wall. "It is time to count all the people. Everyone has to go to their hometown and sign the big book."

Bitsy looked around. "This is a big day for Bethlehem."

"Big day, indeed," said a deep voice behind them. Itsy and Bitsy turned. A donkey was talking to them. The mice were on the wall, so they could see him face-to-face.

"Whoa, you're big!" said Itsy. "I've never seen inside the nose of a donkey," he added, peering inside the nostril.

"Eeweey," Bitsy offered.

"Who are you?" she asked the donkey.

"I'm Daniel from a faraway town."

"Are you here to be counted?"

"No," he said very slowly. "I am here because of the King."

"What?"

"Haven't you heard? The King is coming to Bethlehem."

"But Bethlehem is an itsy bitsy town," Bitsy explained. "Why would a King come here?"

"This King is special. He comes for everyone, big and small."

"Like us?" Itsy asked.

"Like you."

Bitsy turned, her whiskers bouncing. "Itsy, we need to tell our friends!"

"Yes, yes!" Itsy agreed. "They will want to see the King too!"

The mice dashed between feet, hooves, and rolling wagon wheels and ran toward their stable.

They scurried under the gate, up the stable post, and onto their favorite rafter. From their spot high above the floor, they could see all their friends. Ruthie the mama horse was the biggest. Rowdy the rooster was perched on the rail. Six sheep were crowded in the corner. Charlie the cow grazed on some hay. Grumpy the goat sulked in another corner. He never smiled. He was always mad at someone.

Itsy cupped his hands over his mouth and squeaked, "Okay, everyone, gather in. We need to talk." No one moved.

Bitsy tried, "We have big news!"

No response.

Bitsy turned to Rowdy the rooster. "Can you help us?"

"Sure," replied Rowdy. "I love any excuse to make some noise." He leaned his head back—

"Cock-a-doodle-doooooo!!!"

The animals lifted their heads. "Hey," groaned Grumpy the goat. "Knock it off. I'm trying to nap."

"Itsy and I have big news!"

"You're moving?" Grumpy muttered.

"Grumpy, be nice," said Ruthie the mama horse. "Itsy and Bitsy, tell us your big news."

"A King is coming to Bethlehem. To us!"

No one spoke for a long time. Then Rowdy crowed, "A King to Bethlehem? That will never happen."

The others snorted, baahed, neighed, and mooed in agreement.

(Continues...)

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Excerpted from Itsy Bitsy Christmas by Max Lucado, Bruno Merz. Copyright © 2013 Max Lucado. Excerpted by permission of Thomas Nelson.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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Editorial Reviews

09/16/2013
Lucado (The Crippled Lamb) tells the Nativity story from the point of view of mice siblings Itsy and Bitsy, who are marveling at all the people traveling through Bethlehem “to be counted.” Daniel the donkey says it’s a “big day, indeed,” because “The King is coming to Bethle-hem.” Snippets of mouse humor (“I’ve never seen inside the nose of a donkey”) add levity and personality to this rendering. Trained in animation, Merz (My Friend the Weather Monster) illustrates from the mice’s perspectives, using a loose, painterly style with subtle details in muted earth tones. Ages 4–7. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

10/01/2013
PreS-Gr 1—Itsy and Bitsy have never seen Bethlehem so busy. When Daniel the donkey tells them that there is a King coming into the city, the mice siblings are determined to find him despite being scoffed at by the animals that share their stable. Their journey through the streets, hotels, and the market is depicted in a way that loosely mirrors Mary and Joseph's search for lodging. Exhausted at the end of the day, they return home to find that their stable is THE stable, where the newborn baby Jesus exudes love for even the smallest of creatures. It's a sweet enough message, made more precious by the cartoon illustrations, though the story brings nothing new to the "Nativity through the eyes of the stable animals" genre.—Joanna Fabicon, Los Angeles Public Library

School Library Journal