My daughter, Teri McKinley, and I have been co-authoring books for the past few years. Her husband encouraged us to write a Christmas picture book so we started brainstorming. The Christmas story (of course) is original to the Bible. It has been written a thousand times in a thousand different ways. I knew in order to catch the eye of a publisher, what we wrote had to be something different from what’s already out there.

So I had an idea to write the Christmas story in chronological order using the alphabet. I included Scripture verses on each page to show where that part of the story can be found in the Bible. Teri and I created a proposal and sent it to our editors at Tyndale. They accepted the proposal and published the picture book M is for Manger in 2015.

So why am I writing another blog about this book? Because it’s the Christmas season, and Christmas books for children are popular this time of year. But there is another reason I am talking about this book again—it has just been released in a board book edition!

The board book is the same as the picture book, only it has sturdy cardboard pages that little ones cannot tear. The picture book is great for kids ages 4-8, but the board book is for toddlers to touch and feel and even chew on! Toddlers quickly learn that a book with pictures is something they want to play with. They want to hop on the lap of someone who will sit for a moment and read the book as they turn the pages with their little hands.

Now that Teri has a toddler, she loves board books! And we are happy to have M is for Manger in a format that even the youngest child can enjoy.

Whether you use the paperback version, or the newly released board book,  as children turn the pages and follow the letters of the alphabet, the events surrounding the birth of Jesus unfold before their eyes. The illustrations by Claire Keay (selected by the publisher) are a perfect fit for the text. What was most important to me was staying true to Scripture which is why I included the Bible verses. An author is always allowed a bit of poetic license, but I am conservative when to come to reading between the lines of Scripture.

As I’ve shared my idea for the book with others, the first question I’m asked is, “What did you do for the letter X?” The second question is, “What did you do for Z?” My reply is, “You’ll have to read the book to find out!”

I’m thrilled to offer this book to children and their families. But most of all, I am thrilled with the opportunity to share the story of the real meaning of Christmas—that God sent His Son to earth to be our Lord and Savior.

Here’s to books with cardboard pages!

Crystal