Very Charming & Very Funny

A Wayne In A Manger by Gervase Phinn is a very charming and amusing account of school nativities as seen through the eyes of small children when Gervase Phinn was school’s inspector for Yorkshire.

Nativities are always a very charming part of school life. Much hilarity is found when small children improvise. “Mary sighed and thrust the large doll representing the Baby Jesus, with a fair bit of force, on to the lap of Joseph with the words, ‘You ‘old Him a bit. ‘E’s gerrin dead ‘eavy.’”

There are wise words coming from young mouths. “Allus speak tha mind. Say what tha’s got to say an’ then shurrup.”

And we hear of the Good News of Christmas. “There’s summat special abaat it [Christmas], isn’t there?… People smile more, they look ‘appier.”

This is a wonderful little book that will make you laugh and sometimes bring a tear to your eye as you discover the real meaning of Christmas. “Mi granddad says that people forget t’real meanin’ of Christmas. It’s nowt to do wi’ presents an’ food an’ such… It’s abaat that little babby in a cowld dark barn wi’ nowt but t’bits of cloth what ‘e were wrapped up in.”

An absolutely delightful book.

JULIA WILSON