Christmas is rapidly approaching, which in the UK, means it’s nativity season. Something most parents of young children go through enduring and enjoying in equal measure. (Unless it’s Nativity 3: Dude Where’s My Donkey, which is nothing but gruelling.) In this festive tale Jenny Pearson uses a time travelling angel to bring the the first Noel into modern day Britain, with hilarious consequences. Operation Nativity is pitch perfect for the holiday season, and I thoroughly recommend it.
What Is Operation Nativity?
Oscar and his younger sister, Molly, have travelled with their parents to their grandparents house. Here they will be performing in the annual village nativity play. This is a family affair, with Oscar’s uncles, aunts, and cousins turning up too. The pressure is on for it to be the best performance ever. It’s is the play’s centenary year and, we learn, it might be Oscar’s grandad’s last.
Oscar isn’t thrilled about going, especially when he leaves his phone at home. His mother isn’t thrilled either. Oscar’s grandmother is, frankly, a bit of a nightmare, but hey, it’s Christmas! A fraught family dynamic and a much loved custom involving children and animals; what can go wrong? Jenny Pearson then ups the ante by having the Angel Gabriel appear to Oscar in the middle of a field.
It transpires that Gabriel was a over eager back in the final days of B.C. and catapulted himself, Mary, Joseph, a shepherd and one wise man all the way to 2022. If that wasn’t enough there’s a donkey on the lose too.
In order to save Christmas, not just for their family, but the entire world, Oscar and Molly have to track down the missing players so Gabriel can get them back to a stable in Bethlehem in time for the big event. At the same time they have to put on the play, and keep all their aunts, uncles and cousins, parents and grandparents, singing in harmony. Naturally, none of this can be done without the addition of a ride on lawnmower and a donkey sanctuary. Intrigued? You should be!
Why Read Operation Nativity?
This book is very funny. Silly, yes. Implausible, definitely. But above all, very very funny. Jenny Pearson’s squeezes so much joy from her premise its impossible not enjoy Operation Nativity from first page to last.
I read a lot of children’s books, both to my kids and for GeekDad. There are a lot of good ones out there. Some however stand out above the rest. Operation Nativity is one of those books. Not because of the humor, though it is funny, but because of its depiction of family and its sensitive handling of the passage of time.
The central spar of the book is the family’s relationship with its elder statesmen, Oscar’s grandad. This nativity is likely to be his last and that’s what has brought the family together. Behind the mirth, antics, and preposterousness of the plot is a beautifully rendered depiction of the love of grandparents.
Perhaps, I was predisposed to loving this book, or at least having it resonate with me. I lost my father in 2020. The day after I finished Operation Nativity, Google photos decided that would be a good day to show me several Christamases-worth of my boys playing with my dad. He had Parkinson’s during this time and as each photo year passed, you could see what it was doing to him. Yet, these moments, preserved at Christmas, were happy and laughter-filled. They’re among the best memories we have.
This is what Operation Nativity exemplifies.
Obviously, not all family dynamics are the same; my family and Oscar’s family in the book are lucky. For those who are similarly fortunate, Operation Nativity is a wonderful celebration of what we had, and a reminder to make the most of what we have whilst we still have it.
The Holidays can put tremendous pressure on families, to make it perfect. Whilst it’s not explicitly stated in the book, Operation Nativity demonstrates that it’s not what you do at these times, but who you do it with. All families are different (Almost none are quite like the one in this book) but Operation Nativity reminds us to enjoy the company of those that we hold dear.
I very much enjoyed the way in which Jenny Pearson references her source material. We all know the story, and the trimmings and trappings that go with it. Pearson includes and subverts them with glee. For example, chapter headings are often titles of Christmas Carols with addenda to make them relevant to the plot. The book is filled with touches like this that will entertain adults reading the book to their children.
I very much enjoyed Operation Nativity for me it captures the both the joy and the sadness that can come at this time of year. It’s up there with Matt Haig’s Boy Called Christmas as the premium modern story to read during the holiday season.
If you would like to pick up a copy of Operation Nativity you can do so here, in the US, and here, in the UK. (Affiliate Links)
If you enjoyed this review, check out my other book reviews, here.
I received a copy of this book in order to write this review.
