Baby Jesus Like My Brother

by Margery Wheeler Brown Illustrations by George Ford

Electronic book published by ipicturebooks.com 24 W. 25th St. New York, NY 10011 For more ebooks, visit us at: http://www.ipicturebooks.com All rights reserved. Text cpoyright ©1995 by Margery Wheeler Brown. Illustrations copyright © 1995 by George Ford. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. e-ISBN 1-59019-146-3 Library of Congress Catalog Number 95-76530 ISBN: 0-940975-53-X Hardcover edition 0-940975-54-8 Paperback edition

by Margery Wheeler Brown Illustrations by George Ford

For Cory — M. W. B. For Wade and Cheryl Hudson who, with dedication and wisdom, perform miracles evrery day. I love you both. — G. F.

here are we going, Keisha?” “Downtown, with the Boys’ Club, Tony, to see the Christmas store windows and all the pretty decorations. Mama can’t take us ’ cause she’s got the baby, and Daddy’s working late. So we’re going with the club. You gotta hold my hand so you don’t get lost.” “See how bright the stars are, Tony? That’s the way they were when Jesus was born.”

“Tell me ’bout Jesus, Keisha.” “He was a good man who lived a long time ago.” “What did he do?” “He loved everybody.” “Us, too?” “Yup.”

“Why’s the church all lit up, Keisha? It’s not Sunday.” “It’s the night before Christmas, Tony. Christmas isn’t just Santa Claus. It’s Jesus’ birthday and people come to church to pray. See, in front of the church—that’s a statue of Jesus and Mary, his mother.” “Like Mama and the baby!” “Yup.”

“Why’s Jesus in that funny little house?” “That’s where Jesus was born. Weren’t any hospitals then, like Mama went to when she had the baby.” “Why are all those animals in there?” “It’s a stable, where animals stay. That’s the only place Joseph and Mary could find when it was time for Jesus to be born. Remember when we got evicted and Daddy couldn’t find any place for us to stay?” “Yup.”

“What are those people singing about?” “They’re singing Christmas carols— about Jesus.” “Can we sing, too?” “You don’t know the words.” “I’ll just say, ‘Jesus, little baby Jesus, like my baby brother.’ ”

“Why are people putting money in Santa Claus’s basket?” “They’re giving money to poor people who don’t have anything.” “Can we put some money in his basket?” “Mama gave us three dollars to spend. You want to put one in the basket?” “Yup.”

“Why they have a star on top of that tree?” “ ’Cause the shepherds taking care of their sheep saw a real bright star over the place where Jesus was born.” “Can we get a star for our tree?” “It might cost too much. We only have two dollars.”

“Look, Keisha! The lady let me have it for just one dollar. It’s the last one she had. We’re lucky.”

“Keisha, when Jesus was a baby, did he have toys to play with?” “He had presents, Tony.” “Three wise men were so glad he was born, they traveled a long way to bring him gifts.” “What did they give him?” “One gave him gold—that’s like money; one gave hin myrrh—like oil to rub on his skin and make him feel good; and one gave him frankincense to make him smell good.”

“The baby has oil to make him feel good, and powder to make him smell good, but he doesn’t have any money. We got one dollar left. Can we give it to the baby?” “Yup.”

“Everybody’s so friendly tonight, Keisha, like they’re happy.” “That’s how Christmas makes you feel, Tony.”

“You know what I wish, Keisha?” “What?” “I wish Jesus had a birthday every day—don’t you?” “Yup.”

About the Author Margery Wheeler Brown grew up in Atlanta, Georgia, and is a graduate of Spelman College. She was an art instuctor at Spelman as well as in the public school systems in Durham, North Carolina; Atlanta, Georgia; and Newark, New Jersey. Ms. Brown is the author of AFRO-BETS® Books of Shapes and AFRO-BETS® Book of Colors, both available through Just Us Books. She has also written and/or illustrated That Ruby; Yesterday I Climbed a Mountain; and The Second Stone. Ms. Brown has retired from teaching, but she continues to write and illustrate. She lives in East Orange, New Jersey. About the Illustrator George Ford has been described as having “the capacity of capturing the character of Black people in his art.” A quote aptly suited to the winner of the first Coretta Scott King Award for illustration and the illustrator of over two dozen children’s books incliuding: Good Morning Baby; Good Night Baby; AFRO-BETS® First Book About Africa; Bright Eyes, Brown Skin; and Jamal’s Busy Day, which are currently available through Just Us Books. He has also illustrated titles by Eloise Greenfield, Valerie Flournoy, and Nikki Giovanni. Mr. Ford lives in Brooklyn, New York, with his wife and daughter.