Barbara Robinson's book, The Best...
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Barbara Robinson's book, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, tells the story of the youth in a particular church, who are putting on a Christmas pageant. There's only one problem: the Herdmans. The Herdmans are the most misbehaved children in town, and they are going to be in the Christmas pageant. Imogene Herdman is Mary, and she smokes cigarettes in the bathroom in her spare time. After all, the only reason they come to church is for the free food. Imogene's favorite threat is, "I'm gonna shove a pussy willow so far down your ear that it will sprout there, and it will grow and grow...." In the book, members of the church are outraged -- but wait a minute. Listen to the angels. "I am bringing good news of great joy to all people." All people! In fact, there is probably a reason the angel comes to the shepherds. Shepherds were dirty. They were a little bit outcast. They were the "all" in "all people." And yet, they were the first to hear the news. Maybe it's no mistake, then, that the Herdmans have a last name that puts one an awful lot in mind of shepherds.
