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The Baby in the Manger is a children's book written by Lemony Snicket and illustrated by Lisa Brown.

Synopsis[]

From Goodreads:

When a scrappy traveling family - costume designer dad, herbal specialist mom, and very grabby baby boy - is turned away from Ye Olde Cozy Inn, they decide to make do for the night in a nearby barn. And when the innkeeper discovers the baby nestled in the hay, it makes perfect sense to her to claim him as a young Savior (and thus a good candidate for "rescuing"). Mother and Father are naturally unhappy about this kidnapping. Getting their baby back takes a frantic mix of superstition and ingenuity, as well as several whirlwind costume changes. Through it all, the Christmas spirit persists, mangled but alive.
For years, this heartwarming holiday tale by the acclaimed children's writer was the stuff of legend. Allegedly commissioned and then rejected by a major national publication, and then existing in a shadowy, limited edition glimpsed only in auctions and private libraries, the story has been lauded as an inspiring allegory and derided as irreligious frivolity. Decide for yourself.

Trivia[]

  • The story was originally commissioned by The Washington Post but they rejected it as too dark and "anti-family".[1]
  • Chelsey Johnson then helped turn the story into a book and Monotreme Press printed 65 copies.[1]
  • Writing this story inspired Daniel Handler to write The Latke Who Couldn't Stop Screaming.[2]
  • In the author mini-bio at the end of The Latke Who Couldn't Stop Screaming, this book is listed as one of his previous works.

Sources[]

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