If you are looking for an inspirational story to read this holiday season and you are short on time, I suggest Donna VanLiere's beautifully written and illustrated book, The Christmas Journey. Donna VanLiere begins her book with the actual Luke’s account of Jesus birth and then retells the story of Joseph, Mary and Jesus in her own voice. She wonderfully develops the details of Joseph and Mary’s journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem and the birth of Jesus. VanLiere’s version of the Nativity story is both poetic and realistic, because she neither embellishes the exhausting journey that Jesus’ parents undertook nor the conditions under which Mary gave birth to her son. The story is accompanied by touching watercolor illustrations that enhance the reading experience. The Christmas Journey is a pleasant and fitting read for this time of the year. It would be great to share it with people you care about in your life.