The Herdmans are the worst kids in the history of the world. They lie, steal, smoke cigars, swear, and hit little kids. So no one is prepared when this outlaw family invades church one Sunday and decides to take over the annual Christmas pageant. None of the Herdmans has ever heard the Christmas story before. Their interpretation of the talethe Wise Men are a bunch of dirty spies and Herod needs a good beatinghas a lot of people up in arms. But it will make this years pageant the most unusual anyone has seen and, just possibly, the best one ever. Wiry-tough, tender-hearted, unsentimental, and consistently funny. The London Sunday Times The book is outrageous, lively, funny, and wonderful. The Christmas story takes on a strangely moving depth of meaning and shines through with a new brilliance. Denver Post