The Best Christmas Pageant Ever

Written by: Barbara Robinson

First line: The Herdmans were absolutely the worst kids in the history of the world.

Why you should read this book: It's a timeless and modern story that promotes the true spirit of Christmas in a rather roundabout way. The Herdmans really are the worst kids in the history of the world, a no-account bunch of unsupervised, lying, dangerous, violent, felonious delinquents, but when they get the idea that there are great snacks at Sunday school, they find themselves immersed in a new reality. Taking over the Christmas pageant over from the narrator's mom, they cast themselves in the best parts, hear the Christmas story for the first time, and provide their own unique spin on the birth of Christ. While the town assumes that a group of smoking, fighting, thieving, cussing criminals can never understand the sacredness of the scene, the Herdmans surprise everyone by demonstrating their unique experience of the true meaning of the holiday.

Why you shouldn't read this book: In your Christmas pageant, Mary is always serene and pristine, and the three kings never arrive bearing gifts of ham.