The Star in the Christmas Play

All of the savannah animals are excited to audition for the school Christmas Play, except Raffi the giraffe. He's too tall to play baby Jesus, or Joseph, or even a manger animal. He feels discouraged, until he realizes that that he's just the right size to play the most important part.

This endearing Christmas story for ages 4 to 8 will resonate with children who are still learning to be comfortable in their own skin.

Lynne Marie is the author of Hedgehog Goes to Kindergarten, illustrated by Anne Kennedy (Scholastic, 2011) and Hedgehog's 100th Day of School, illustrated by Lorna Hussey (Scholastic, 2017). Her stories, poems, and folk tales have appeared in many magazine markets, including Family Fun, Highlights, High Five, Spider, Baby Bug and more. She is a 2016 Cybils Awards panelist in the picture book category, as well as an on-staff writer for Jon and Laura Bard's Children's Book Insider and a book reviewer. She lives on a lake in South Florida with her daughter and several resident water birds.

Lorna Hussey is the author and illustrator of Little Lost Unicorn (Sterling, 2009) and the illustrator of Good Good Father, by Chris Tomlin and Pat Barrett (Thomas Nelson, 2016), Hedgehog's 100th Day of School by Lynne Marie (Scholastic, 2017), This Bear's Birthday by Alyssa Satin Capucilli (Henry Holt and Co., 2017), and Pigloo by Anne Marie Pace (Henry Holt and Co., 2016).

Lorna lives in a small village called Llansantffraid in Wales, England with her husband Andy, three grown up children, Joe, Matti, and Abi. She has two horses, one dog, and three geriatric chickens. When Lorna isn't drawing or painting she can be found riding her Spanish stallion Dionisio. She is trying very hard to teach Dionisio to dance but Dionisio has other ideas!