Dec 05 2024 31 mins 3
The holidays are a chance to connect with loved ones, share stories, and laugh. The enduring appeal of holiday books lies in their ability to connect with us on a deeply personal level. They invite us to see Christmas through a child’s eyes with their unmatched curiosity, and unfiltered honesty. And, the best Christmas stories transcend cultural boundaries.
In this episode, we explore the comedic, heartfelt genius of Barbara Robinson’s The Best Christmas Pageant Ever the eyes of Barbara's daughter Margie and the Director of The Best Christmas Pageant Ever movie, Dallas Jenkins. We also hear about the challenge of reinterpreting holiday classics like The Night Before Christmas and creating holiday books that reflect the diversity of people and the world we live in from illustrator Loren Long and author Joanna Ho.
To learn more about Barbara Robinson’s, Joanna Ho’s, or Loren Long’s books, visit
harpercollins.com/search?q=barbara+robinson
harpercollins.com/search?q=joanna+ho
harpercollins.com/search?q=loren+long
Do you have a story about how a classic book changed your life? Tweet @readingpod or email us at [email protected]. Learn more at rememberreading.com. And, leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.
[:54] The Herdman’s rotten charm evokes empathy and understanding.
[6:05] Inspired by those who may be unfamiliar with the nativity story, Barbara wrote The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.
[9:07] Illustrator Loren Long offers a modern take on the 200-year-old classic Christmas poem, The Night Before Christmas.
[13:24] Children internalize books and feel the gap when their ancestry is under-represented or not represented.
[18:25] Joanna Ho’s A City Full of Santas was inspired by a city full of Santas.
[26:38] Based on the nativity story, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, is definitely not a church book.
Continue Your Journey:
Joanna Ho
Loren Long
HarperCollins
Remember Reading Podcast
@ReadingPod on Twitter
Shareables:
“It’s a book about something that has traditionally been very holy and austere and I think humor kind of mixes that up a little bit.” — Margie Pinto-Leite, daughter of Barbara Robinson
“You can’t help but love the Herdmans. At the end of the story you just want more of them.” — Margie Pinto-Leite, daughter of Barbara Robinson
“It’s one of those things where you don’t know how much you’ve internalized about the messaging you are receiving from the world.” — Joanna Ho, author of A City Full of Santas
“Anyone who is trying so hard to create magic in this season is often actually just chaos and destruction. And part of that also, I hope, is that we can embrace that and see the beauty in just having that time together which I think is captured so beautifully in the story of the Herdmans.” — Joanna Ho, author of A City Full of Santas
“It's kind of promoted as a kids’ book but I’m telling you, you can read this as an adult.” — Dallas Jenkins, Director of The Best Christmas Pageant Ever movie
“It still impacts people around the world, this notion of sacrificial giving. And, some of us, believers and non, have lost that.” — Dallas Jenkins, Director of The Best Christmas Pageant Ever movie
“If I’m going to do this I wanna bring something new to it. Something contemporary.” — Loren Long, Illustrator of The Night Before Christmas
In this episode, we explore the comedic, heartfelt genius of Barbara Robinson’s The Best Christmas Pageant Ever the eyes of Barbara's daughter Margie and the Director of The Best Christmas Pageant Ever movie, Dallas Jenkins. We also hear about the challenge of reinterpreting holiday classics like The Night Before Christmas and creating holiday books that reflect the diversity of people and the world we live in from illustrator Loren Long and author Joanna Ho.
To learn more about Barbara Robinson’s, Joanna Ho’s, or Loren Long’s books, visit
harpercollins.com/search?q=barbara+robinson
harpercollins.com/search?q=joanna+ho
harpercollins.com/search?q=loren+long
Do you have a story about how a classic book changed your life? Tweet @readingpod or email us at [email protected]. Learn more at rememberreading.com. And, leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.
[:54] The Herdman’s rotten charm evokes empathy and understanding.
[6:05] Inspired by those who may be unfamiliar with the nativity story, Barbara wrote The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.
[9:07] Illustrator Loren Long offers a modern take on the 200-year-old classic Christmas poem, The Night Before Christmas.
[13:24] Children internalize books and feel the gap when their ancestry is under-represented or not represented.
[18:25] Joanna Ho’s A City Full of Santas was inspired by a city full of Santas.
[26:38] Based on the nativity story, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, is definitely not a church book.
Continue Your Journey:
Joanna Ho
Loren Long
HarperCollins
Remember Reading Podcast
@ReadingPod on Twitter
Shareables:
“It’s a book about something that has traditionally been very holy and austere and I think humor kind of mixes that up a little bit.” — Margie Pinto-Leite, daughter of Barbara Robinson
“You can’t help but love the Herdmans. At the end of the story you just want more of them.” — Margie Pinto-Leite, daughter of Barbara Robinson
“It’s one of those things where you don’t know how much you’ve internalized about the messaging you are receiving from the world.” — Joanna Ho, author of A City Full of Santas
“Anyone who is trying so hard to create magic in this season is often actually just chaos and destruction. And part of that also, I hope, is that we can embrace that and see the beauty in just having that time together which I think is captured so beautifully in the story of the Herdmans.” — Joanna Ho, author of A City Full of Santas
“It's kind of promoted as a kids’ book but I’m telling you, you can read this as an adult.” — Dallas Jenkins, Director of The Best Christmas Pageant Ever movie
“It still impacts people around the world, this notion of sacrificial giving. And, some of us, believers and non, have lost that.” — Dallas Jenkins, Director of The Best Christmas Pageant Ever movie
“If I’m going to do this I wanna bring something new to it. Something contemporary.” — Loren Long, Illustrator of The Night Before Christmas
