Humphrey's First Christmas

I fell victim to Pinterest and decided to wrap up 24 Christmas books and have the kids open one a day as an advent calendar this past Christmas season. I started wrapping up the books we already had in the bookshelf and Christmas bin and realized I would need a lot more. I found I had the standards - How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (Classic Seuss) , Polar Express 30th anniversary edition and 'Twas the Night Before Christmas - but I wanted some that told the nativity and focused on the birth of Jesus as the basis of Christmas. We don't attend church every weekend and I wanted to remind my kids (5 and 8) about the real root of the holiday. I found this book while searching and I am so glad we did! This is such a sweet approach to the nativity story, told from the point of view of Humphrey. Humphrey is a young camel in one of the three wise men's caravan. He's young and lazy and quite the complainer but he has a good heart that comes out in the end. The illustrations are absolutely charming and the story is adorable. It isn't beat you over the head religious but tells the story of the birth of Jesus with humor and a sense of wonder and awe. My kids absolutely loved it! This was the one book that the kids went to over and over even with multiple other choices available - my 5 year old wanted us to read it every night along with the new selection. We love a lazy, slightly chilly camel named Humphrey and look forward to reading this one every year. Next year it will be the first one we open so we can enjoy it over and over!

I taught my Sunday school class with this book last week. I have first and second grades. They loved it! It kept their attention until the end. It added an entirely new dimension to the nativity story. I did mix in some facts about camels. Also how God made camels to live in the desert. I made them a packet to take home of camels to color, a maze that goes through the desert to the nativity scene, and interesting facts on camels. I always try to incorporate something that they can learn along with my Bible story.

What a delightful little book! As a pastor, I am always on the prowl for engaging little books to share with children about the nativity, especially on a "story time" and not Sunday School basis. The absolutely beautiful, splendidly detailed artwork captures the eye, and the addition of Humphrey's grouchy, egotistical voice helps turn the story away from the normal saccharine tellings of the baby in the manger. A sly turn of the story at the end is wonderful. Of course, if you are looking for a thorough exegetical take, buy The Birth of the Messiah: A Commentary on the Infancy Narratives in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke (The Anchor Yale Bible Reference Library) . And, yes, for those wishing for timeline precision (at least in some timelines) this book elides birth and prophetic narratives. This is a fun little retelling of the story with just enough poignancy to make it appropriate for a reverent birth story.

What an endearing children's book this one is! Both the short story and the captivating illustrations are so well done. Humphrey, a personable and likeable camel, tells of his journey to Bethlehem where he is to deliver the "heavy" packages he carries to the new King (Jesus). Once there, Humphrey admits, "In this land, I have walked past many children, but never before have I felt the need to walk toward one. Now, I kneel before this baby shivering in a manger." In a surprising ending, Humphrey gives baby Jesus his most cherished possessions. You don't have to be a child to enjoy this book with the amazing art work. Nor does it have to be the Christmas season to appreciate the beautiful story. It is sure to be a treasured book in any child's library. I can't help but to wish I could have read this book over and over to my own children when they were very young.

This is my favorite Christmas book we bought this year! It takes you on a journey with Humphrey. It starts very humorous at first as he thinks only of himself and what he wants. Then he meets Jesus, and like us all, he is changed and willingly gives his most precious possession to Jesus. It ends quite beautifully. The illustrations are also very well done. We highly recommend this book.

Cute Story. The art is fantastic in the book. The pages are a nice quality. I would have liked a hardcover as my children are rough with their books, but this one will have to be put away throughout the rest of the year to keep the cover intact. My kids 2-10 all enjoyed the story and illustrations in the book. They thought it was sweet as well as humorous.

Really enjoyed this book as did my grandchildren

We bought this after someone recommended it to us as a Christmas countdown book. The story is cute but what made the book quickly become a favorite is Humphrey. Little ones love him. There is a hidden jewel in this story for anyone with a child that has a beloved security blanket. Every blanket loving child I read it to has worried over Humphreys missing blanket “poor blankie “and gotten excited when Humphrey finally gets another blanket. There’s even an opening page that shows the lost blanket in the dessert and Humphrey crying and tugging on the rope as he’s lead away.

Das ist ein sehr gutes Buch um Kindern die Weihnachtsgeschichte auf lustige Art & Weise näher zu bringen….die Bilder mit dem Kamel sind einfach zu komisch….unser Sohn lacht sich schlapp…

This book is an entertaining and imaginative read with a warm message to help remember and celebrate the birth of Jesus.

Expensive for a flimsy paperback which came with a bent spine, dog-eared corner and dirty with some old tape stuck to it. Very disappointed.

We love this book, it is a great way of telling the Christmas story from the camels point of view in a unique and humorous way. I think I enjoyed it more than my 3 year old last Christmas but I know it'll be one we read for many years to come and will also provide a good chance to teach him more about the true me a of Christmas.

I was on the search for 25 different Christmas books for my daughter to unwrap each day leading up to Christmas. I specifically wanted books that were about the true meaning of Christmas. This one gave us all a hoot with the illustrations. It’s a unique way to tell the Christmas story and we all enjoyed this book, especially my daughter. Definitely recommend!