Summary
This year's pageant is definitely like no other, but maybe that's exactly what makes it so special.
Laughs abound in this bestselling Christmas classic by Barbara Robinson! The Best Christmas Pageant Ever follows the outrageous shenanigans of the Herdman siblings, or "the worst kids in the history of the world."
The siblings take over the annual Christmas pageant in a hilarious yet heartwarming tale involving the Three Wise Men, a ham, scared shepherds, and six rowdy kids. You and your family will laugh along with this funny story, perfect for independent reading or read-aloud sharing.
Ralph, Imogene, Leroy, Claude, Ollie, and Gladys Herdman are an awful bunch. They set fire to Fred Shoemaker's toolshed, blackmailed Wanda Pierce to get her charm bracelet, and smacked Alice Wendelken across the head. And that's just the start! When the Herdmans show up at church for the free snacks and suddenly take over the Christmas pageant, the other kids are shocked.
It's obvious that they're up to no good. But Christmas magic is all around and the Herdmans, who have never heard the Christmas story before, start to reimagine it in their own way.
Barbara Robinson was born in Portsmouth, Ohio on October 24, 1927. She graduated from Allegheny College in 1948. She wrote more than 40 short stories for newspapers and magazines, including McCall's and Ladies' Home Journal. She published her first children's book, Across from Indian Shore, in 1962. Her most popular work, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, was published in 1972. She adapted the book for both the stage and for television in the 1980s. Her other works include The Best School Year Ever, The Best Halloween Ever, and Temporary Times, Temporary Places. She died on July 9, 2013 at the age of 85.
(Bowker Author Biography)