Last week we read The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson. Because of its authentic voice and engaging characters, I must say this book is my favorite read-aloud "ever." Originally published as a short story in McCall's magazine, this 7-chapter novel is nothing short of a contemporary literary masterpiece.I had the privilege of meeting and spending time with Mrs. Robinson when we were featured speakers at Frank Hodge's Let the Reading Begin XII in Albany, New York, ten years ago. We shared conversation over dinner with author and my dear friend Dr. Gloria Houston. Barbara even bought one of my books for her daughter who is a teacher. We were able to continue our conversation at the airport on the day we flew out. After I returned home, Barbara sent me a manila envelope of materials, including copies of the original story from McCall's and subsequent reprints. It was a great privilege to meet the lady who wrote one of my favorite stories "ever."
Yesterday we watched the film adaptation of The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. Students took notes to compare and contrast the book with the movie. On Monday, they will complete Venn diagrams to illustrate their observations.
