As an infant, Jesus was no different than other babies his age. When he was unhappy, he cried. And cried. And cried! Every animal in the stable tried to soothe him: the pigeons, the cows, and even the donkey! Sadly, none were able to do so – none except a curious little kitten.

“Jesus’s tiny hand touched the kitten, and his crying grew softer and softer. Soon it stopped. The purring faded away too.”

Inspired by Leonardo da Vinci’s renditions of La Madonna del Gatto, or “Madonna of the Cat,”  author Maryann McDonald’s The Christmas Cat is a timeless and tender holiday story. Illustrated by Amy June Bates, the legend of the kitten who purred Jesus to sleep on the night that he was born comes alive in a soft and unforgettable way.

Happy Holidays and thank you for the number of responses to win the author-signed giveaway copy of The Christmas Cat. A lucky winner has been chosen!

NOTE: For a chance to win a copy of The Christmas Cat signed by author Maryann Macdonald, email readerkidz at readerkidz dot com. Please put “The Christmas Cat Give-away” in the subject line and your name and mailing address in the body of the email.