I really like picture books that illustrate common songs that my children are learning. It is nice to be able to show them images that correspond with the words. The illustrations are more reminiscent of older picture books with simple, straight lines. It was interesting to see darker faces on Mary and Joseph and all the other characters in the story. I think the appeal of this book will be for pre-K children and those under about age 7. I think it is worth picking up to add to your Holiday Book collection.

The text is familiar to all of us who have grown up singing the Christmas Carol. The illustrations are beautiful and depict a more culturally accurate version of Mary and Joseph than most nativity scenes I've encountered over the years. I think this could make a nice holiday gift for children, or for parents/grandparents to buy for a holiday library.

For me Silent Night is one of the most emotive Christmas Carols there is and I love that this book has a short history of how it came to be written which is something I didn't know.

It basically does what it says on the tin. Teaches young children a beautiful hymn/carol and is complemented by good illustrations which trace the nativity story.

It is simple and effective and on a personal note I like that the author dedicates the book to her grandparents. I have great memories of faithful and Godly grandparents.

Thanks to NetGalley, Quarto Publishing Group and Frances Lincoln Publishing Group for an advance copy for review purposes.

A classic Christmas carol is transformed into a beautifully illustrated Christmas book for children and families. This is a gorgeous book to add to the Christmas book box and bring out every year to enjoy during the Christmas season. While targeted for children, I think this book would be a joy to give to anyone who counts this timeless Christmas song as a favorite.

Free eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This book is out October 4th - in plenty of time to add to your Christmas gift list.

Something for everyone here.

A beautifully illustrated book based on the well loved Christmas carol. At the heart of this story is the navitity scene with Mary and Joseph travelling to Bethlehem and the birth of their firstborn.

The scene around the infant Jesus is the central aspect of this story and from the Angelic messages to those drawn to worship the Christ child. The pictures are in vivid colour and have comic touches and incidental details to enhance the scene without distracting from their spiritual meaning.
Each pictoral page could be a Christmas card and the detail gives plenty of scope to talk about each scene which compliments the original story.

The words are just the wonderful lyrics of the carol, Silent Night. A well loved message and part of the tradition that makes Christmas special for so many people.
So a guaranteed success for Christmas and for many years to come, to add to one's family times every Christmastime, to join classics like Home Alone and Mince Pies.

I enjoyed the brief history about the origin of Silent Night and the reprinting of the carol in full.
I could hear soldiers singing in their native tongue these words across no mans land over 100 years ago.
A wonderful book to share with one's children and grandchildren.

Love love love this book! The illustrations are stunning, and so many details that will keep my toddler entertained! This will be a Christmas favourite in our house

What an adorable book that uses the Silent Night hymn. The illustrations are truly stunning and will make for the perfect Christmas gift for any little family member.

Silent night by author Lara Hawthorne is a great family read. Very informative and easy to understand.
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an arc copy of silent night in exchange for an honest review.

Okay, before I can properly review this, I have to admit something here. I spent 16 Christmases working in retail with non-stop piped carols (on a loop) that sometimes began before Halloween and for some reason often continued well into January. I now tend to cringe within the first few bars of most Christmas music (yes, I'm the party pooper at most Christmas gatherings). That said, Silent Night is one of the very few carols that I still enjoy. I suspect the slow tempo of the song makes it a poor choice for pumping up shoppers, so it is not often included in the rotation in malls.

In this picture book, Lara Hawthorne lushly illustrates the lyrics to Silent Night. Although this is not my favourite illustration style, I really appreciate the number of details on each page. I love it when the illustrations show a deeper story than the words on the page tell, and this book certainly does that.

At the back of the book is a brief history of the carol, and the full lyrics repeated. I think this would be a great addition to anyone's Christmas collection and I can see it being incorporated into many families' holiday traditions.

Thank you to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group - Frances Lincoln Childrens for providing me with a DRC of this book.