Hello, everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving yesterday!
Before we get to today’s post, I just want to take a moment to thank you all for your wonderful, kind, and supportive messages the other day when I said I was going to have to skip the Holiday Contest this year. I was feeling so bad about having to do it, and I was truly overwhelmed by how many of you took the time to leave such kind, generous messages. You made my heart overflow, and I was reminded once again of why I love this community so much. I can’t thank you enough, but thank you, thank you, thank you, from the bottom of my heart 🩷🩷🩷
Now I’ll stop being mushy and get on to today’s actual post! 😊
Obviously, now that Thanksgiving is over, it is time to get ready for Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza, Winter Solstice etc. (although if you’ve spent any time in the stores in my neck of the woods, it’s been time to get ready for all of those since the day after Halloween! 🤣)
And I have such a lovely Christmas story to share with you today!
Doesn’t this cover just beg you to pick up the book and look inside? 😊
Title: Just Enough Room For Christmas
Written By: Robin Currie
Illustrated By: Estelle Corke
Publisher: Good Books, September 2, 2025, fiction
Suitable For Ages: 4-7
Themes/Topics: Holidays (Christmas), making room for others, noise/silence, animals
text copyright Robin Currie 2025, illustration copyright Estelle Corke 2025, Good Books
Opening:
“Old Hannah, the milk cow, lived in a small Bethlehem barn, with just enough room for one.”
Brief Synopsis: [from the publisher] “In a tiny barn in Bethlehem, Old Hannah the cow lives alone until the cold wind drives other animals to seek shelter. One by one, they squeeze in, but when a tiny mouse stirs up trouble, the barn erupts into chaotic mooing, meowing, and barking. Will there be enough room for a little family to have a silent night?”
text copyright Robin Currie 2025, illustration copyright Estelle Corke 2025, Good Books
Links To Resources: Author Robin Currie provided a WEALTH of resources to go along with the book! Thank you, Robin!
Nativity Storytelling
Retell the ENOUGH ROOM FOR CHRISTMAS story using the nativity set.
Edible “Stable”
Build a stable using crackers and pretzels, cheese blocks, and grapes. Read JUST ENOUGH ROOM FOR CHRISTMAS while you eat your stable.
Shepherds’ Hunt
Hide the nativity animals around the house or classroom for kids to find.
Story Play
Make the animals in ENOUGH ROOM FOR CHRISTMAS with play-dough or out of Lego bricks.
Journey to Bethlehem Obstacle Course
Make a maze or obstacle course with mountains (pillows) and sand dunes (blankets) leading to an inn (cardboard box). Add noises for the horse, dog, and cat – and of course a loud Moo when Old Hannah greets them!
December Countdown Chain
Cut paper strips for a 24-link chain. Countdown from December 1 to the 24th. Each day, add a piece to the nativity set, read a Christmas book, or do a kind act for someone. In SS classes, count the Advent Sundays 1-2-3-4.
Baby Jesus in a Manger Craft
Glue yellow strips of paper for hay on a white paper plate. Glue a brown paper rectangle on top of the yellow to make a manger. Add a wooden peg doll or a paper cut out of Baby Jesus wrapped in a scrap of cloth.
Star of Bethlehem Ornament
Make a star shape with popsicle sticks, decorate with glitter glue, and add a string to hang it up.
Shepherd, Shepherd, Angel (Like Duck, Duck, Goose)
Kids sit in a circle. The “it” person taps heads, saying “Shepherd” as they walk around the outside of the circle. When the “it” person picks someone to be the “Angel”— that child chases the “it” person around the circle.
Christmas Charades
Write down words from the Christmas story. (donkey, shepherd, star, angel, Mary rocking baby Jesus) Each player gets a turn to act out the word they pick. The other players guess what word it is.
Here’s a little finger play for preschoolers:
Open the Door for Christmas!
Knock , knock!
Who’s there?
Hee-Haw!
Hee-haw – it’s donkey. He had a long trip.
Open the door and let him in!
Knock , knock!
Who’s there?
Baa-baa!
Baa-baa – it’s lamb. She was cold in the field.
Open the door and let her in!
Knock , knock!
Who’s there?
Woof-woof!
Woof-woof – it’s dog. He guarded the inn.
Open the door and let him in!
Knock , knock!
Who’s there?
Mew-mew!
Mew-mew – it’s cat. She caught mice all day.
Open the door and let her in!
Knock , knock!
Who’s there?
Hello!
Hello – it’s Mary and Joseph. They are so tired and need a place to sleep.
Open the door and let them in!
Waa-waa!
Who’s there?
Waa-waa!
Waa-waa! It’s a new baby! Jesus is born to be our king.
Open your hearts and let him in because now it is Christmas!
text copyright Robin Currie 2025, illustration copyright Estelle Corke 2025, Good Books
Why I Like This Book: This delightful twist on the Nativity Story features the barn where the weary travelers found themselves when there was no room at the inn. Starting with Old Hannah, the cow, for whom there was “just enough room” in the barn, animal after animal shows up in a cumulative tale fashion and asks to squeeze inside to get out of the freezing cold. Inevitably, this leads to a bit of a ruckus, which is halted by the knock-knock of a young couple who also need shelter from the icy night. And though it’s a little crowded, everyone settles down together, safe and warm, only to find room for one more when a baby arrives. With warm, inviting art, a nice, slightly humorous, rising tension in the story as animal after animal must get in from the cold, and a lovely, peaceful, sweet ending, it’s a tale that will really appeal to young readers!
I hope you enjoy it as much as I do 😊
For the complete list of books with resources, please visit Perfect Picture Books.
PPBF folks, please add your titles and post-specific blog links (and any other info you feel like filling out 😊) to the form below so we can all come see what fabulous picture books you’ve chosen to share this week!
Have a wonderful weekend, everyone! 😊
And before we part company – since I think this is going to end up being my last post for 2025 – I want to wish you all a happy and healthy holiday filled with love, laughter, joy, and family, and a happy, healthy and fulfilling new year! It is a pleasure and a privilege to get to spend time with you all, and I’m happy and grateful to know each and every one of you!
Looking forward to all the things we’ll do in 2026!
Happy Holidays, and all best wishes for a wonderful New Year!!!
Susanna Leonard Hill 
This looks like such a sweet book. The illustrations are lovely. Thanks for telling me about it. Enjoy your well-deserved holiday break. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
It’s such a cute book, Rosi! An enjoyable story and appealing art – I think kids are going to love it! Thank you so much for your kind wishes. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you, too! 🎄
I love the story and all the activities. The illustrations are beautiful. Thank you for sharing this important book. Have a wonderful holiday. ♥️
Robin really thought up a lot of great activities, didn’t she, Robin? 🙂 I hope you get to read the book – it’s such a sweet one! Have a wonderful holiday, too! 🎄
Happy Holidays, and all best wishes for a wonderful New Year from New Zealand (that’s where I live now) and Sri Lanka (that’s where I was born.
Cheers and Love
Diyamanthi Galpoththage
Thank you so much, Diyamanthi! What wonderful places to call home! Have a merry and bright holiday season! 🎄
Robin, congratulations on your beautiful book! I was pleased to see this post after getting to know you recently in workshops. Susanna, thanks for all your hard work! We appreciate you and looking forward to 2026. 🙂
How fun that you and Robin got to meet, Christy! Her book is beautiful, isn’t it? Thank you for your kind words – I so appreciate them! Happy Happy Holidays to you! 🎄
Perfect timing! I’ve started my annual romp through Christmas picture books and this looks delightful! Second time I’ve seen it recommended recently so obviously I must read it!
It’s very cute, Jules – fun story with all the animals crowding in and getting rowdy 🙂
I was able to access this book via Hoopla, and it was just as charming and wonderful as it sounded in Susanna’s description. I’ll be visiting my local bookstore to see if they can get me two copies for my grandchildren AND … Thank you, thank you, thank you for all of those wonderful resources related to the book!!!
It’s a wonderful book, isn’t it, Patricia? I’m so glad you like it, too! And YES! Robin provided so many great resources!
Yes, I have this book and it is just as lovely as it sounds! A perfect book to end on for the year. And, thank you for all the activities. Those look great. Congrats again, Robin. And, thank you Susanna for all you do! I pray everyone has a wonderful holiday season.
At the moment I only have a digital copy, Barb, but I look forward to getting my hands on a physical copy for my grandkids too! Happy, healthy, and wonderful holiday season to you! 🎄
Another “perfect picture book” for PPBF!
Can’t wait to read this pb!
Enjoy this special time of year!💕❤️💚
I LOVE this time of year, Susan! I love decorating my tree (by which I mean hanging lights on it and finding it so beautiful like that that half the time I never get around to the ornaments 🤣), baking cookies, shopping for and wrapping presents – all such fun! Have a wonderful, wonderful holiday season!
Thank you!🎶🎶🎼🎼It’s the most wonderful time of the year🎶🎼!
Such a great picture book!
I know, right, Cathy? Such a great idea!
Congratulations, Robin! I can’t wait to read this sweet tale of emotional expansion. Just what is needed for this time of year – the reason for the season!
~Lauren Simmons
That is so true, Lauren! We should never lose sight of that! Happy Holidays!
Thank you, Susanna, for featuring Old Hannah and her noisy barn!
My pleasure, Robin! I LOVE Hannah – she just looks so warm and friendly! And how sweet of her to share her space 🙂
Happy Holidays, Susanna and Robin! What a lovely book to end 2025 and welcome in December holidays. Hope you both have a delightful December full of laughter, love, family, and joy. See you in 2026.
This looks like such a delightful book! I can’t wait to read it! Happy Holidays to you! Thanks for all you do for picture books!
Definitely a perfect picture book for the season!
LOVE the fresh take on the Christmas story. Sweet and fun!!
Margaret
Just looking at the cover gives me cozy holiday joy – and smiles. I’m excited to read. Wishing you a peaceful season filled with love and laughter.
Such a cozy book to end the year with! And so many cool activities to go with it. Thank you! Happy holidays, Susanna! May you spend cozy times with your family, relaxing and sharing lots of love. See you in the new year!