Christmas

Children love Dick Bruna because he draws like they do. His Christmas story is something warm to snuggle up with and dream about. A round baby Jesus smiles from an orange-crate manger. Mary waves a mitten hand and wears a patch on her dress. A chorus of paper doll angels sing with oval mouths and stuffed sheep peer with dot eyes while wise men follow a brightly drooping star "to a manger bare and plain that shelters beasts from cold and rain." The American poet Eve Merriam has done the English text in simple rhymes: "The birthday of the infant boy We celebrate each year with joy: Christmas, merry Christmas." Truly a child's view of Christmas.