A Wayne in a Manger by Gervase Phinn

A Wayne in a Manger Reviews

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  Sophie Crane

  Probably the funniest Christmas book you could buy yourself or anyone else - better still it's all true because it has come from the mouths of children - and if you want to know the truth ask a child. Nothing tops these books - Twinkle Twinkle little star is also an absolute must and I will guarantee that you will be crying tears of laughter with either and both of these books. Gervaise Phinn has an incredible way with words and paints not just pictures but masterpieces of both humour and reality within these pages. He has the ability to both touch your heart and your funny bone simultaneously and at times almost move you to tears (and not always with laughter). All of his books are just so funny but when it comes to Christmas nothing comes close to this. It's a fabulous present for anyone including yourself. Add it to your collection and you can be guaranteed laughter every year, whatever the weather and whoever you are.
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  Sophie Narey (Bookreview- aholic)

  This was a hilarious read , perfect for this time of year for some holiday cheer!
  
  This book features some of the hilarious things around Christmas and nativity play that Gervase Phinn experienced while being a school inspector! The range of thing that he has seen and heard is vast, there is definitely atleast one story that will make you laugh and that you can identify with whether it's because you are a teacher, parent or you remember from your childhood.
  
  The book has a sprinkling of illustrations that compliments the book , it is fast flowing in short little chapters. The book might not take long to read but it certainly stays with you for a long time!
• 
  Cindy

  If you've ever been to a school Nativity pageant, you know the kids can be right unpredictable, often with hilarious consequences. Gervase Phinn was the Inspector of English in the Yorkshire Dales, and saw more than his share of Nativity pageants. This little book is the retelling of the best and funniest of those moments.
  
  This was a gift from my English mother-in-law a few years back, and it makes me chuckle even on re-reads. He frequently captures the Yorkshire dialect, such as one of the shepherds saying upon seeing Jesus in the manger, "By the heck, 'e's an 'andsome little feller!"
  
  And how about the little girl who hearing that there was no room for Joseph and Mary at the Inn rightfully pointed out "Well, they should 'ave booked in advance. It allus gets busy at Christmas."
• 
  Ted

  Sadly,as my daughter found out after she had bought a copy as a christmas present for my partner, this is no more than a collection of christmas themed stories culled from Gervase Finn's other books and whilst still amusing is not worth buying if you have his other books.
• 
  Tilly_2009

  I it was quite funny but I ended up not really liking it because it got very boring in the end so I seven to tenAnd also I’ll give it three stars is funny how everybody just going to mess at the end of the nativity it was quite hilarious
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  Sarah

  What a wonderful little book! Mr Phinn was a Christian schools inspector in Yorkshire. This is a collection of some of the funny stories he had visiting schools around Christmas time. Just what did the angel say when the star fell from above onto his head? How did Joseph explain turning up at the inn with a pregnant Mary? And what is that song called again... you know, the one they make the children sing every year? You will laugh all the way through this book. It is simply lovely. Christmas, as seen through the eyes of children.
• 
  Bex

  A light hearted look at Christmas nativities from across Phinn's career as an inspector. It's a collection of brief memories from the many schools he visited in Yorkshire over several years and makes you smile with the warmth of children trying to do the show.
• 
  Anna Branson

  I read this book in a day but still enjoyed it. It proves how much children change and develop and become more mature. Apart from this, it made me laugh out loud!
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  Ethan Billington

  This book was really good because it was short with about 130 pages and it was really existing to read .there was one page were it was nearly all slang.♥️♥️love it.amaizing❣️
• 
  John Naylor

  A short collection of amusing Christmas and Navitity stories about the life of a Yorkshire school inspector and the children he has met.
  
  It was enjoyable and humourous but not a book I will remember anything of in a few weeks. A light and light-hearted read that just about anyone could enjoy.
• 
  Ritu Bhathal

  A lovely book filled with anecdotes about the funny things children do and say, centred around Christmas and the Nativity. It spoke volumes to me, especially as an Early Years Teacher!
• 
  Megan

  I liked this book because it was funny. But at the end I didn't really understand it.
• 
  Sue

  Much of the book contains stories or anecdotes that have already been used in some of the author’s other books, somewhat embellished, and few of them were memorable enough for me to have remembered them. The only one that felt familiar was the opening story about a hapless Vicar trying to tell the nativity story to a class of small and enthusiastic children. The punch-line is unfortunately foreshadowed in the title of the book, but it was still a pleasant read.
  
  Other stories, each one only a few pages long, detail events in the Christmas period, or describe classroom nativity plays, where mistakes, misunderstandings and general cuteness feature prominently. I was mildly amused, and appreciated the glimpses into environments which are mostly unfamiliar to me.
  
  It's a quick read; at less than 150 pages I completed it in about an hour, and it fulfilled my requirement of being light and entertaining.
  
  Recommended in a low-key way if you can pick it up inexpensively, and like reading anecdotes about small children at Christmas.
  
  Perhaps three and a half stars would be fairer.
  
• 
  Sephie

  I read his other books ages ago and loved them. As a former teacher I've heard my fair share of 'out of the mouths of babes' too. This brings back memories of the Nativity plays I was involved in staging, but he didn't report having a child accidentally set fire to his carol sheet from a candle and singe the hair of the girl standing in front of him.
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  Hannah

  This heart-warming collection of anecdotes (which are presented to us by an ex English and Drama Inspector) is funny and well-written, which - in turn - means that it is a quick-read.
  
  However, whilst reading A Wayne in a Manger, I sometimes found myself thinking that a few of the stories were dry, slow and uninteresting.
• 
  Pauline

  I laughed, I cried with sheer pleasure at these wonderful tales of school life. Sometimes kids get things a little mixed up, other times they get it spot on, like the little lad, in the last chapter of this book, 10 going on 40. An Excellent Read
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  Chris

  I read this book in about half an hour or so. It's a short read and brilliant for this time of the year. A few anecdotes of different nativities plays and actions of children in those plays that any teacher will recognise. A fab feel good read for Christmas.
• 
  Jireh

  Reminds you the purity, innocence and just joyful moment of remembering the birth of Jesus thru stories of children understanding or portraying the Nativity. Quite amusing to read.
  
  For light reading and understanding. Parts are really inspiring, too. :)
• 
  Sally

  A very funny book about little children saying funny things at xmas time. A must read during December it will make you Smile if not Laugh out loud!!
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  Debbie

  re-read this book yesturday and it still makes me laugh like mad. A great read and a great look at children and the things they say and do.