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Josh’s little sister Callie is probably the sweetest girl in the whole county, but no one loves her more than her big brother. When Josh finds a giant pumpkin on Grandpa Frank’s farm, the two agree to keep it a secret from Grandpa’s prospective buyers. It is the biggest pumpkin that Callie has ever seen, and Josh tells the four year old stories about magic pumpkins. With such a big pumpkin, Josh will surely be crowned Harvest Festival King and get to ride in the biggest float in the parade.
This Jewish twist on How the Grinch Stole Christmas! tells the story of the Hanukkah celebration that almost didn’t happen. The town of Oyville is alive with the spirit of the season. Brilliant menorahs glow in windows, and children spin dreidels and nosh on latkes.
Feliz Navidad, amigos! Now for children of Spanish and English-speaking cultures there is a holiday story that tells the traditions of Christmas with a South-of-the-Border perspective. Perfect for classroom readings or family time around the tree, this bilingual tale is an entertaining introduction to life in a Mexican village. And it is the latest twist on C. Clement Moore’s The Night Before Christmas by nationally acclaimed children’s author and illustrator James Rice. Hardcover.
Who could add to the merriment of St. Patrick’s Day more than leprechauns? When they make up their minds, they are determined to make mischief . . . and that is just what they do in A Leprechaun’s St. Patrick’s Day. Dublin’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade will never be the same!
Due to low staffing, a librarian must spend her Christmas Eve stacking the shelves at a library in desperate need of renovations. After the strain of a long night that has left her feeling “like Bob Cratchit in A Christmas Carol,” she is pleasantly surprised to see Santa and his elves coming to her rescue in a red bookmobile!
Author Michael Chandler and his young son, Preston, spent many winter afternoons working a snowplow through the drifts of Colorado snow near their Little Woody Creek horse ranch. Sometimes they made paths for cars, for people, or for cattle, and sometimes they just made paths for fun. One day they decided to clear a road that led to a snowbound home. The owner, a rugged cowboy named Joe Henry, asked if someone had hired them. When they said no, the cowboy smiled, and they all became fast friends. A few weeks later, Joe Henry—a one-time miner, hockey player, and sailor who now wrote cowboy poetry—invited them to his Christmas Eve celebration.
WITH A MUSIC CD BY JOHN DENVER
Timeless tales, such as those concerning Saint Nicholas, generate children’s endless questions about our holiday traditions, such as “Where did Saint Nicholas come from?” “How does he visit so many children in just one night?” “Why does he leave gifts for girls and boys?” Hardcover.
Maiden Voyage of Kris Kringle is a continuation of The Nicholas Stories, which is about a boy who had a very unselfish wish. His wish was granted and mankind was forever changed. In The Land Beyond Yon, Nicholas comes across a doll that he had made for a sick girl long ago. Nicholas never realized how much of an impact that simple gesture had meant to one girl, but that soon would change. Hardcover.
Mardi Gras! Many children know of Mardi Gras, but do they know about Mardi Gras? It is not just watching parades and wearing costumes, but knowing the history, traditions, and folklore that make up this unique holiday.
Mardi Gras in New Orleans is long parades and grand balls. But in the country, Mardi Gras is entirely different. For the first time, young Marianne and Claude will get to see le courir du Mardi Gras, or “The Run” as they stay at their grandmother’s farm. They wait in anticipation on Maw-Maw’s porch for the time when the masked horsemen will ride through the countryside, bringing excitement and mystery with their traditional wild antics. Hardcover.
Once upon a time in 1564, Charles IX, the king of France, ruled that the first day of the year would be January 1 instead of April 1. Those who forgot the change and celebrated New Year’s Day on April 1 were ridiculed by having fish thrown at them. In the skilled hands of Peter Welling, this history takes on a hilarious dimension. In the French town of Bakonneggs, there exists a rivalry between the Mayor Melon de Plume, a pig, and a prankster rooster, Michael Le Soufflé. The mayor lacks a sense of humor and is annoyed to be disturbed from his slumber by Michael&rsquos crowing laughter. He issues new laws (including a ban on all feathers), but the town continues, under the rooster’s leadership, to laugh and play. Hardcover.
Mimi told Tante Conette all of the family news as they walked into the house that was warm with the smell of spicy jambalaya. When they had finished their dinner, the family took their pecan pie dessert outside to sit on the porch in the moonlit night. When Mimi asked Uncle Rabbit to tell her all about the Cajun Mardi Gras, he pulled out a pipe and filled it with sweet-smelling perique tobacco. He slowly lighted it, and began—“Mimi, our Mardi Gras goes back further in time than your New Orleans Mardi Gras. . . . It’s totally different, you’ll see.” Hardcover.
Mimi awakens on Fat Tuesday morning and hurries to a breakfast of hot beignets (French doughnuts). At the table, Mimi’s parents explain Mardi Gras traditions such as king cake, and the observances of Ash Wednesday and Lent. Afterwards, dressed in colorful costumes, they depart for a day of Carnival excitement and parade watching.
A fresh take on the classic Twelve Days of Christmas, this adorable story is bounding with humor, playfulness, and disastrous fun for the holiday! Each day leading to Christmas, a very sneaky puppy takes things from around the house to give to his owner as gifts. That trouble-making dog tears the Christmas lights from the evergreen tree and steals mittens! This catchy, sing-song poem progresses from mishap after mishap—empty stockings, rumpled wrapping paper, and cookies crumbled under the tree. How can one little puppy, full of five pounds of love, be so naughty?
It’s time for Hanukkah, and Nathan and his grandfather decide to visit the city. There are many shops with new toys and mouth-watering candy, but Nathan has saved his money all year for one thing—his very own menorah.
Told in the rich, deep voice of Sibusiso Victor Masondo, The Night Before Christmas in Africa captures the essence of Africa. The tale is brought to life with the sounds of thunder as lightning flashes across the sky and Father Christmas calls out, “Iba nokisimusi omuhle.”
In Gullah Night Before Christmas, the classic Clement C. Moore poem is infused with the spirit of traditional Gullah folklore and characters.
Only the vivid imagination of James Rice could capture the arrival of Santa on Christmas Eve in such active detail. From the dancing mice who decorate the Christmas tree, to the bumbling reindeer landing on the family’s roof, his colorful illustrations warm the hearts of children and adults alike. Hardcover.