The nativity story is a biblical account of the first Christian Christmas. CarolAnn Sanderson recently published a book which delves deeper into the Christmas story, which she hopes is an chronologically accurate.

Sanderson is the 70-year-old daughter of a Northwest farmer. During World War II, her family tended to the farms of Japanese internees while they were away. As a child she reveled in story time she said and often followed her father around the farm listening to him spin tales of family and biblical history.

She was diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome, a disease of the nervous system, in 1955 and declared a quadriplegic; she wasn’t expected to survive. However, 58 years later, she is a grandmother and children’s book author.

Sanderson’s most recently published book, “Two Nativities for Emilee: A Chronology of the Biblical Christmas Story” is an illustrated letter to her granddaughter Emilee. When Sanderson was a young girl, she asked complicated questions about the Christmas story and birth of Jesus such as, “How far did the shepherds have to travel?” No one had an answer for her.

With the innocence and curiosity of a child, Emilee asked Sanderson the very same questions. Sanderson, committed to satisfying her granddaughter’s inquiring mind, found her answers by studying the bible.

With the help of religious and historical experts, Sanderson created a version of the nativity that depicts the timeline of events, she said.

“Two Nativities for Emilee” can be purchased in paperback or ebook format at Amazon. Copies were also donated to the Sumner library and Hope Lutheran in Enumclaw.

Sanderson has written five other “Letters to Emilee” books and is in the process of creating a black and white picture book titled, “Farmer Frank and the Thieving Geese”.

Sanderson hopes to schedule book signings and discussions at local churches as the Christmas season draws closer. She has pledged to share the profits made at church events.