Menagerie at the Manger is a different retelling of the traditional Nativity story - this time with the legends and lore about the animals in the stable that holy night. Get your Signed copy today! Other options: Buy your copy! Amazon Amazon.co.uk Froogle Children's Book Market Excerpt What could it have been like on the Nativity night over 2,000 years ago, a night of mystery and wonder that still astounds us today? A birth in a stable was not uncommon - except on this mysterious night; not a stable animal, but a special human was born there. Stories and legends recount the wonder of the Nativity night. Much of what we know is based on common practices and customs of the time, but much of the Nativity story is left to speculation. No media recorded the miracle birth. Mary and Joseph left no journals or letters to describe their thoughts or emotions. The first visitors were the shepherds and the Magi, the Bible tells us, but they arrived after the birth. There were, secular tales relate, other witnesses to the birth of the Christ child - the menagerie at the manger. The donkey, sheep, and ox gathered to adore the Christ Child. Legends tell of other animals - a cat, a rooster, several birds - each quietly watching and worshiping in its own way. Most of the menagerie were humble animals accustomed to hard work. Despite their lowly stature, they performed their tasks with a sense of nobility and dignity. At the Nativity, each gave its best gift, regardless of how simple it seemed. In return, Mary and the Christ Child blessed the animals. They gave each one a distinctive marking or personality: the sheep, its soft wool; the donkey, the mark of the cross on its back; the robin, its red breast. No animals are mentioned in the Bible's Nativity stories. but surely, common stable animals were honored guests at the birth of their Creator's son. Legends and folklore tell us this is so. These are their stories - the menagerie at the manger.

Writer explores presence of creatures at Jesus' birth
Reviewer: Dennie Hall, The Oklahoman, December 25, 2005

Oklahoma writer Linda allen has drawn from the Bible and from legend to compile a delightful book, Menagerie at the Manger.

The book's thesis is that animals witnessing the birth of Jesus were changed forever.

The book is dedicated to "all God's creatures," and the various chapters discuss the donkey, sheep, and ox that gathered to adore the Christ Child. Allen writes, "Legends tell of other animals - a cat, a rooster, several birds - each quietly watching and worshipping in its own way."

Allen doesn't stop with the Bible and lore in describing the scene at the manger; she draws on her imagination to mention spiders. Her foundation for that is Proverbs 30:28, "The spider taketh hold with her hands, and is in kings' palaces."

She explains "The Ojibwa and Pawnee believed Spider Woman, an ancestral spirit, would go to each baby's cradleboard and spin a silken dream catcher above it. Is it possible that the spider at the Nativity performed this function weaving a dream catcher web to protect the holy family from bad dreams and negative energy?"

Clever illustrations, drawn by the author's son, Scott Allen, enhance the text. Especially appealing is a drawing of a cat with closed eyes. The author points out that in ancient Egypt and Rome, cats had almost godlike status. One legend tells of a pregnant cat at the stable that gave birth at the same time Mary gave birth to Jesus.

The author points out that it's likely the donkey was the most recognized animal of the Nativity. She writes, "It served from the birth of Christ to His death as His transportation and appointed companion."

Linda Allen has published more than 40 magazine articles, essays, and books.

Richard M. Crum is editor and publisher of The Editorial Annex, a communication consultancy and publishing house founded in Washington, D.C. in 1991. the business is based in Edmond.



Menagerie at the Manger
Reviewer: Jeanne Devlin, former editor, Oklahoma Today magazine

Linda Allen's narrative is thoroughly researched and told with the simple authority of a natural storyteller. Allen's Menagerie at the Manger will enthrall any reader who wants a glimpse into the mystery of the night when the animals spoke.

Christian Nativity cultural storytelling
Reviewer: Jewel Sample, author,

What could it have been like on the Nativity night over 2,000 years ago? If the Nativity animals could tell their story about the birth of the Christ child lying in a manger, what would they tell us? What animals gave their very best gift to the newborn babe? Linda Allen creatively answers these questions, as she depicts nature's celebration, through various cultural stories kept alive by generations to help make sense out of religious beliefs and their present world.

This is not your typical seasonal Christmas story, but one that is enjoyable all year round. Allen's book is a fascinating read for those who are intrigued by colloquial terms, such as a bull in a china shop, cock of the walk, or dog days of summer's originations. The reader is sure to discover what animal wakes the sun each morning and learn abaout who may have rung the first Christmas bell.

What makes this book so special is Allen's ability to give honor to how various cultures have preserved life lessons through traditional stories, legends, and folklore about the menagerie, for people to enjoy and encourage their religious faith. Scott Allen's fresh illustrations lead the reader to a special vivid view of what the menagerie animals may have looked like on the Nativity night.

Reviewer recommends this book for any who love animals and cultural stories. It would serve as a great educational resource for families, churches, educational institutions, and libraries.