This warm, heartfelt tale retells the Nativity through the eyes – and voices – of three musical animals.

Netta is a young donkey with a song in her heart.

It is loud and squeaky and goes like this:
Joy! Joy! Joy!

She sings from sunrise to sunset, filling markets, meadows and streets with her joyful tune.

Ester the goat carries a melody of her own – high, warbling and full of feeling:
Love! Love! Love!

When she and Netta sing together, Ester gasps, ‘A duet!’ Soon their voices ring out everywhere: Joy! Love! Joy! Love!

Then comes Uzi, a camel with a deep, rumbling song of his own:
Peace! Peace! Peace!

Now they are a choir.

But not everyone appreciates their music. Before long, the animals are taken to market.

Netta is bought by Joseph, who treats her with gentle kindness. Mary loves to sing as well, but Netta’s heart is quiet; her song has disappeared.

On their journey to Bethlehem, everything changes. In a humble stable, a baby is born – one whose arrival restores Netta’s voice and reunites the animals in a joyful chorus.

This tender Nativity retelling is beautifully written, and lovely to share through reading aloud. Freya Blackwood’s illustrations, with their soft colour palette, deepen the story’s warmth.

A special picture book for the Christmas season.

Reviewed by Emily Ross
Age Guide 3+