No Room: A Read-Aloud Story of Christmas

Christmas is a time for celebration, for families, and especially for the giving of gifts, and there can be no greater gift than to share one’s home. Kindness brings its own rewards, and sometimes more, as the family in No Room discovers when a stray cat appears on their doorstep one snowy Christmas Eve. The oldest boy wants to take the cat in, but there is a problem. “We haven’t got room,” Father said, “for another. We already have seven pets, and your brother.” Just before bedtime, the children gather around to hear their father read the beloved Christmas legend about Mary and Joseph being turned away from a crowded inn on the eve of Jesus’ birth. What happens next can only be described as a miracle. With its rhythmic poetry and evocative illustrations, No Room brings a message of compassion and hope for all ages, and can be a wonderful once-a-year read-aloud tradition for the entire family. About the Author and Illustrator: Peter H. Riddle is a veteran of forty-eight years in the teaching profession, both in public school and at Acadia University in Wolfville, Nova Scotia. He is the author of twelve books about model railroading, a text on the subject of American Musical Theatre, two novelettes for young readers, and eight novels. No Room is his first published book of poetry. Peter and his wife Gay, who edits his non-fiction, have two children (Kendrick and Anne), two grandsons (Alexander and Steven) and one granddaughter (Sidney), all of whom share in the dedication to this book. Shelley Hustins is a small animal veterinarian practicing in the Annapolis Valley of Nova Scotia. Drawing is her life-long hobby, and hundreds of friends look forward to her annual Christmas cards featuring her family. She lives on a dairy farm outside Wolfville with her husband Dana Patterson and children Alyssa and Jamie.