The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! 😌
stewreads's review against another edition
4.0
Maybe I should expand my reading horizons.
Kurt Vonnegut once again proves to be one of the best writers ever in this little known children's book illustrated by Ivan Chermayeff, which tells the story of the birth of Jesus, or the Creator of the Universe. What's interesting about this book is that it was illustrated before the story was written. The illustrations are very sparse and open to interpretation, only showing parts of a sun, moon, and stars among different colored backgrounds. How Vonnegut was able to turn these shapes into such a great and beautifully written story is beyond me, but I'm so glad that he did. The story of Jesus's birth is told, in classic Vonnegut fashion, from a very human perspective. Without giving too much away, I will just say that the prose is very simple and elegant, a departure from the author's usual self aware style. Everything in this book just works, and I'll be sure to read it again next time I feel like smiling.
I love discovering new little Easter eggs from my favorite author. Maybe I should read more children's books.
Kurt Vonnegut once again proves to be one of the best writers ever in this little known children's book illustrated by Ivan Chermayeff, which tells the story of the birth of Jesus, or the Creator of the Universe. What's interesting about this book is that it was illustrated before the story was written. The illustrations are very sparse and open to interpretation, only showing parts of a sun, moon, and stars among different colored backgrounds. How Vonnegut was able to turn these shapes into such a great and beautifully written story is beyond me, but I'm so glad that he did. The story of Jesus's birth is told, in classic Vonnegut fashion, from a very human perspective. Without giving too much away, I will just say that the prose is very simple and elegant, a departure from the author's usual self aware style. Everything in this book just works, and I'll be sure to read it again next time I feel like smiling.
I love discovering new little Easter eggs from my favorite author. Maybe I should read more children's books.
sunny76's review
4.0
A story for children about Jesus's first day from the perspective of the baby Jesus. Who is your child's sun, moon, and star?
backonthealex's review
4.0
While I'm a big fan of Kurt Vonnegut's novels, you could have knocked me over with a feather when I discovered he had written a children's book, and one about the Nativity, no less. And it is exactly what you would expect from Vonnegut. He tells the story of that first Christmas by looking at what the Creator of the universe, who was all knowing in heaven, sees and (mis)interprets the night of Its birth as It transitions from God to human. He never uses the name Jesus, always referring to Him as the Creator, which makes sense if you read the Epigraph Vonnegut included from the Book of Matthew in the Bible: Matthew 1:23 - "Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us." And while this version of the incarnation sounds like a rather highbrow, overly intellectualized rendering of the Nativity story, it is actually very child friendly, told without overly simplifying or condescending to the reader. Sun Moon Star is an oversized book, its pages made of heavy colored paper with cutouts that have both clarity and simplicity to the story being told. According to Seven Stories Press, the illustrations were done before the story was written, and Vonnegut wrote Sun Moon Star around the them.
amyetherington's review
4.0
I never knew Kurt Vonnegut had written a children's book.
It reads more as a poem with pictures, really, but it's lovely. It's simple yet so imaginative, and as a Christmas story it goes back to the basics but feels so different. More of a review to come.
It reads more as a poem with pictures, really, but it's lovely. It's simple yet so imaginative, and as a Christmas story it goes back to the basics but feels so different. More of a review to come.
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