The Littlest Angel

Rating:
Summary: A Family Tradition
Review: 'The Littlest Angel' by Charles Tazewell is one of the ten best-selling children's stories of all time. There has been several published editions of this beautiful classic, but none compares to the wonderful award-winning artistry of Paul Micich. Each illustration done in alkyd on canvas. It's the classic story about a little boy angel homesick for earth that was created by Tazewell as a backup for a Screen Guild production crisis. Well, the crisis never materialized, but 'The Littlest Angel' did. The first performance was narrated by Helen Hayes for the "Manhattan at Midnight" Christmas radio show. In 1946, it was released in book form. It was also recorded on Decca records. The magazine, Coronet published it in 1949 and later produced the first film version. Johnny Whitaker (Family Affair) starred as this little angel who couldn't stay out of trouble in the celestial city in the 1969 Hallmark Hall of Fame production. The TV show featured Fred Gwynne (The Munsters, Car 54 Where Are You?), Cab Calloway and E.G. Marshall. 'The Littlest Angel' was in it's 35th print at the time of Tazewell's death in 1972. Time magazine referred to it as the "international classic."

The story goes when this littlest angel arrived in the presence of the Gatekeeper he was four years and six months old. This littlest angel pretend that he wasn't impressed with his new unearthly home. It was that moment on heavenly peace wasn't quite the same. All the heavenly host didn't think he looked like an angel. His tiny halo tarnished and slipping down over his eyes or letting it fall from his head so it would roll down the golden street so he could chase it. Even his wings weren't just right. He's directed to the angel of peace. Dreading his ordeal he goes but he hears merry singing. He meets the Understanding Angel. The caring angel knew that the littlest angel was homesick and all the things he missed on earth. He asked the littlest angel what would make him happy. The cherub said it was a box he kept under his bed back home. The Understanding Angel did what he wished. From that day, the littlest angel changed for the best. It came to pass that Jesus, the Son of God was born in Bethlehem. All the glad tidings abound in paradise. All the angels prepared gifts for the Christ child. The littlest angel pondered what could he give the holy infant? His box, he thought. But it was shabby and ugly gift. But it was too late, God's hand moved over the other gifts to his little box. All the things the littlest angel ever loved on earth were there. Then God spoke. Of all the angels, I find that this small box pleases me most. It's contents are of the earth and of men and my Son is born to be king of both. These are the things my Son will love and cherish.....Suddenly the box glowed and radiantly brillant as it rose to the heavens. There it shone on the night of miracles the light reflecting the centuries by it's splendor, the lowly gift of the Littlest Angel. What all men call forever, "the Shining Star of Bethlehem."

Rating:
Summary: Classic Story of Love, Giving and Tender Humor
Review: 'The Littlest Angel' by Charles Tazewell is one of the ten best-selling children's stories of all time. There has been several published editions of this beautiful classic, but none compares to the wonderful award-winning artistry of Paul Micich. Each illustration done in alkyd on canvas. It's the classic story about a little boy angel homesick for earth that was created by Tazewell as a backup for a Screen Guild production crisis. Well, the crisis never materialized, but 'The Littlest Angel' did. The first performance was narrated by Helen Hayes for the "Manhattan at Midnight" Christmas radio show. In 1946, it was released in book form. It was also recorded on Decca records. The magazine, Coronet published it in 1949 and later produced the first film version. Johnny Whitaker (Family Affair) starred as this little angel who couldn't stay out of trouble in the celestial city in the 1969 Hallmark Hall of Fame production. The TV show featured Fred Gwynne (The Munsters, Car 54 Where Are You?), Cab Calloway and E.G. Marshall. 'The Littlest Angel' was in it's 35th print at the time of Tazewell's death in 1972. Time magazine referred to it as the "international classic."

The story goes when this littlest angel arrived in the presence of the Gatekeeper he was four years and six months old. This littlest angel pretend that he wasn't impressed with his new unearthly home. It was that moment on heavenly peace wasn't quite the same. All the heavenly host didn't think he looked like an angel. His tiny halo tarnished and slipping down over his eyes or letting it fall from his head so it would roll down the golden street so he could chase it. Even his wings weren't just right. He's directed to the angel of peace. Dreading his ordeal he goes but he hears merry singing. He meets the Understanding Angel. The caring angel knew that the littlest angel was homesick and all the things he missed on earth. He asked the littlest angel what would make him happy. The cherub said it was a box he kept under his bed back home. The Understanding Angel did what he wished. From that day, the littlest angel changed for the best. It came to pass that Jesus, the Son of God was born in Bethlehem. All the glad tidings abound in paradise. All the angels prepared gifts for the Christ child. The littlest angel pondered what could he give the holy infant? His box, he thought. But it was shabby and ugly gift. But it was too late, God's hand moved over the other gifts to his little box. All the things the littlest angel ever loved on earth were there. Then God spoke. Of all the angels, I find that this small box pleases me most. It's contents are of the earth and of men and my Son is born to be king of both. These are the things my Son will love and cherish.....Suddenly the box glowed and radiantly brillant as it rose to the heavens. There it shone on the night of miracles the light reflecting the centuries by it's splendor, the lowly gift of the Littlest Angel. What all men call forever, "the Shining Star of Bethlehem."

Rating:
Summary: A Wonderful Christmas Tradition
Review: I got this book as a Christmas present when I was about 6, and I loved it! My edition of the book has a crimson cover, and the little angel looks like a small blond boy in a pair of light blue footie-pyjamas. I often re-read the book until I was about 9 or 10 and moved on to more big-kid stories.
Now that I am a mother (with a small blond boy who looks a lot like the angel) I've rediscovered the book. What a truly wonderful story. And, just like my mother, I end up reading the last few pages in tears!
I truly don't understand the reviewers who criticized the metaphysics of the book or the "$2 words". First of all, it's a STORY -- a fable -- an allegory. Save the arguments about the origin of angels until your child is in college majoring in theology or philosophy. Main point of the book is -- you are loved as you are, and the best gift is one that is given with love and from the heart.
About the "$2 words" -- how else will a child expand his vocabulary unless he encounters $2 words? Read the book as it is written, and answer the child's question when he says "Mommy, what's deportment?" It's that simple.

Rating:
Summary: A Wonderful Christmas Tradition
Review: I got this book as a Christmas present when I was about 6, and I loved it! My edition of the book has a crimson cover, and the little angel looks like a small blond boy in a pair of light blue footie-pyjamas. I often re-read the book until I was about 9 or 10 and moved on to more big-kid stories.
Now that I am a mother (with a small blond boy who looks a lot like the angel) I've rediscovered the book. What a truly wonderful story. And, just like my mother, I end up reading the last few pages in tears!
I truly don't understand the reviewers who criticized the metaphysics of the book or the "$2 words". First of all, it's a STORY -- a fable -- an allegory. Save the arguments about the origin of angels until your child is in college majoring in theology or philosophy. Main point of the book is -- you are loved as you are, and the best gift is one that is given with love and from the heart.
About the "$2 words" -- how else will a child expand his vocabulary unless he encounters $2 words? Read the book as it is written, and answer the child's question when he says "Mommy, what's deportment?" It's that simple.

Rating:
Summary: What an awesome story!
Review: I had this book as a child and loved it and now as an adult, I get even more from it reading it to my child. However, I must admit that that $10 word thing is a little over a three-year-old's head, but being a writer, I just rewrite it as I go along so he can understand the story too. The ending is just wonderful - how God chooses the Littlest Angel's gift over all the other angel's gifts to be presented to the Christ Child. Then, God turns it into the Star of Bethelehem! Pretty awesome and gives you goosebumps every single time. The jist of the story is to offer whatever you have to the Christ Child, no matter how poor it may seem or out of place to others, give of yourself. It's the same story as The Little Drummer Boy - he gave what he had, his gift of music. Great book for the holidays but be sure you read it first yourself before reading it to a younger child.

Rating:
Summary: Beloved story
Review: I purchased this book based on the high recommendations here. When I received the book and began to read it to my 5-year old daughter, I was struck by two things:

1) The story implies that when you die, you become an angel. I know that this is supposed to be a story for children, but this will only confuse a child if you are of Judeo-Christian beliefs. Angels are not dead people. The Bible states that they are supernatural beings created by God.

2) The writer (Tazewell) certainly did not write this for any child that I've ever known. It is as if he is tried to use every $2.00 word he could find in the dictionary. This makes the text almost incomprehensible to any child. I ended up substituting more reasonable words so that my daughter could at least follow the story. Here's an example: "Although these flaws in behavior might have been overlooked, the general appearance of the Littlest Angel was even more disreputable than his deportment." Unless your child has an I.Q. of 200, they will miss most of the story because this same out-of-place language is used throughout the book.

To the book's credit, the illustrations are well done and creative. That is really the only exceptional thing about the book. Even if the story were written in language that a child could grasp, it still would not be that great a story. Certainly not a "classic." There are many other children's stories with a Christmas theme that far superior to this one, which children will actually understand, relate to, and want to hear again and again.

It is beyond me how this book has gotten such high reviews. I would not recommend it for anyone unless you are interested in the illustrations alone.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent!! Excellent!! Excellent!!
Review: THIS REVIEW IS BASED ON THE BOOK ILLUSTRATED BY PAUL MICICH.

While researching various books for my 22 mo old daughter, I decided to purchase this book based on the reviews that I had read. I have never heard of this story (I'm 39) and found the reviews very fascinating. After receiving the book and reading it, I'm thrilled that I decided to purchase it. Although the story is too long for her to sit through it's entirety at the moment, the pictures themselves are SO worthy a shortened version of the story. A beautifully depicted heaven and the antics of a little cherub create a wonderful mixture of humor and wonderment. And finally, the gift of love for Christmas - what better way to share the true meaning of Christmas than His acceptance of a gift for the newborn Jesus given freely and honestly as only a child can give - a small box of the little boy's most priceless treasures. A true Christmas classic.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent!! Excellent!! Excellent!!
Review: THIS REVIEW IS BASED ON THE BOOK ILLUSTRATED BY PAUL MICICH.

While researching various books for my 22 mo old daughter, I decided to purchase this book based on the reviews that I had read. I have never heard of this story (I'm 39) and found the reviews very fascinating. After receiving the book and reading it, I'm thrilled that I decided to purchase it. Although the story is too long for her to sit through it's entirety at the moment, the pictures themselves are SO worthy a shortened version of the story. A beautifully depicted heaven and the antics of a little cherub create a wonderful mixture of humor and wonderment. And finally, the gift of love for Christmas - what better way to share the true meaning of Christmas than His acceptance of a gift for the newborn Jesus given freely and honestly as only a child can give - a small box of the little boy's most priceless treasures. A true Christmas classic.

Rating:
Summary: A child's eye view of life in Heaven
Review: We purchased this book when my older son was four years old--old enough to have an idea of what an angel is, and old enough to think being an angel at age 4 is not something to be desired!

This Christmas classic is a well-known and well-loved story in any version, but the illustrations in this particular version show Heaven as perceived by a four year old boy, in glowing, child-like fashion. He struggles to have the comportment of an angel, but being a 4-year old boy, this is a tough charge! The illustration of the heavenly choir and their response to his raucous singing is absolutely priceless.

The story is a true gem for families, and these illustrations allow the reader to picture the angel as he crashes through Heaven, coming to his final triumph on the first Christmas Eve.

Rating:
Summary: Littlest Angel my review
Review: Well, I am certainly no a book reviewer, but I know a wonderful story when I read it. This story of a little boys fears, worries, and mishaps in heaven really touched my heart. I felt everything he was feeling and I just wanted to wrap my arms around him and take care of him. Having children of my own, I read this story to them each year around the Holidays and I cannot make it to the end without sobbing. My kids laugh at me but as they have gotten older they laugh less and really seem to get the message. They are learning that one persons "gift" or act of kindness can mean so much. This is truly one of my favortie books for the Holidays and all year round.