“The Herdmans were absolutely the worst kids in the history of the world,” declares Barbara Robinson’s classic seasonal novel, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. Now, a new movie brings the Herdman children’s mischievous shenanigans to the big screen — and along the way, glimpses of touching warmth. 

The 1972 novel, filled with laugh lines, is a holiday favorite. Late one December, while speaking at a large university student conference, I sensed before my pre-lunchtime presentation that a packed morning program had left the ballroom audience’s minds weary. So, I offered to scrap my prepared speech and instead read a magazine article condensation of The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. The crowd roared, and I struggled to keep a straight face during delivery.