It is a cold winter’s night. Kind Ox lays in his stable, close to the side of the inn. One by one, animals visit the stable, looking for warmth and shelter, and Kind Ox welcomes them with the call, ‘Come inside. There’s always room for a little one here.’

Then Tired Donkey arrives; Joseph leads him along and Mary rides on Tired Donkey’s back. But there was no room at the inn. So Kind Ox calls to Tired Donkey, ‘Come inside. There’s always room for a little one here’.

And later that night, in the light of the stable, the animals welcome Jesus to the world.

Martin Waddell’s beautiful retelling of the nativity story, told from the animals’ perspective, is exquisitely illustrated by Jason Cockcroft. The words and pictures combine to radiate feelings of festive warmth and goodwill. A certain Christmas classic.