Born to Die in My Place: A Timeless Story

By: Diana Rowe
Publisher: Xlibris
Publication Date: December 2014
ISBN: 978-1503519657
Reviewed by: Ellen Feld
Review Date: December 22, 2016

So many people have forgotten what Christmas is truly about. Instead, they rush around, trying to find that perfect present, get their Christmas tree decorated, and bake a delicious dessert for their guests. But Christmas is about the birth of Christ, and how he was "born to die in my place." Author Diana Rowe has written a lovely book to remind all readers of this fact.

Born to Die in My Place: A Timeless Story begins by asking the reader what their favorite holiday is and why. From there, we explore the holiday of Christmas, and all the wonderful things associated with this very special holiday. The author talks about the mouthwatering food, the songs, and the gathering of families. And don't forget the presents! The wonderful presents! It sounds like so much fun, but then the author introduces the reader to Anna, a young girl who has a very different type of Christmas.

Anna lives with her grandmother and they are very poor. They don't have money for fancy presents, elaborate food or even a Christmas tree. But the holiday is still very special to Anna - she loves to sit by the fireplace and listen to her grandmother's stories. The rest of Born to Die in My Place: A Timeless Story is grandmother's retelling of the Christmas story, introducing young readers to Mary and Joseph and the story of the birth of Jesus.

Diana Rowe, the author of Born to Die in My Place: A Timeless Story has done a wonderful job of bringing the story of Christ's birth to young readers. In today's society where it seems like everything is about "me, me, me," it was certainly refreshing to read a children's book about the true meaning of Christmas. While the text was a bit small for a children's book, and there were some "big" words (scrumptiousness, exultant), that is a small point for such a nice book (and there's a glossary in the back of the book were those big words are defined). Within the story there were many places where the author asked the reader questions related to the text (ex., when talking about the long trek from Nazareth to Bethlehem, she asks, "Wouldn't you be tired after walking those long hours?"). At the back of the book, along with the glossary, is a "Show Appreciation for the Gift" page with five questions that asks the reader to truly think about their relation to Jesus. Whether you're looking for a book for a Sunday school class or to teach your little one, you should consider Born to Die in My Place: A Timeless Story.

Quill says: A touching book, beautifully illustrated, that reminds young and old alike, what Christmas is really about.

Author Interview

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