This is the perfect gift to share with children before they see The Nutcracker. Everyone who has seen the ballet will cherish it--as will anyone who enjoys stories where love triumphs. Come, take a front-row seat. The world's most beloved holiday fairy tale is about to begin.

    Ooh la la! This year, Nancy is especially excited about decorating the Christmas tree. She bought a brand-new sparkly tree topper with her own money and has been waiting for Christmas to come. But when things don't turn out the way Nancy planned, will Christmas still be splendiferous? In this merriest of stories from bestselling duo Jane O'Connor and Robin Preiss Glasser, Nancy proves once again that a little fancying up can go a long, festive way!

    This touching tale helps kids see that even if they're different, God has a unique plan for their lives.

    Jim LaMarche's stunning paintings, reminiscent of his earlier work in The Rainbabies, are the perfect compliment to this favorite Grimm fairy tale.

    Always in the background, we know Santa Claus is watching, soon to decide if David deserves a shiny new fire truck or a lump of coal under the tree. From playing with delicate ornaments to standing in an endlessly long line for Santa, here are common Christmas activities--but with David's naughty trimmings. A surefire hit that is destined to be an annual classic.

    Read along as he stalls for time—searching for peg-legged Captain Teddy, stowing his toys in the ship’s treasure chest, and even playing a game of walk-the-plank! Snuggle up with your own little pirate for a fun and delightful high-seas adventure as you wind down your exciting day together. "The rhyming text is filled with pirate dialect, which adds whimsy and fun to the story."—School Library JournalFrom the Hardcover edition.

    . . now and forever!   From brave and bold to creative and clever, Emily Winfield Martin's rhythmic rhyme expresses all the loving things that parents think of when they look at their children. With beautiful, and sometimes humorous, illustrations, and a clever gatefold with kids in costumes, this is a book grown-ups will love reading over and over to kids—both young and old. A great gift for any occasion, but a special stand-out for baby showers, birthdays, and graduation. The Wonderful Things You Will Be has a loving and truthful message that will endure for lifetimes.

    As a young Japanese boy recovers from a bad chill, his mother busily folds origami paper into delicate silver cranes in preparation for the boy's very first Christmas.

    Unless scrubbing doesn't work.2) Cover them up. Unless your mom yells at you for using a marker.3) Disappear.Um, where'd you go?Oh, there you are.There's one other thing you can do:4) LIVE WITH THEM!Because after all, the things that make you different also make you YOU.From acclaimed actress Julianne Moore and award-winning illustrator LeUyen Pham comes a delightful story of a little girl who's different ... just like everybody else.

    But every winter, Hedgehog has to burrow info a cozy spot and sleep while Rabbit plays in the snow. Rabbit is sad because he knows he will miss Hedgehog. Hedgehog is more interested in what winter is like. So he asks Rabbit to save him a little bit of winter. He even writes it on a free for his forgetful pal. But if's a long, cold winter and Rabbit has a hard enough time just finding food. He even cats some of the bark that Hedgehog's note is written on. Will Rabbit remember his best friend's request?

    Written from the simplicity of a child's perspective, the plain-but-powerful text voices important childhood knowledge such as "I know when I look in the mirror, what I see is me" and that "dogs go bowwow and that is how they talk." Illustrated with graphic designer Paul Rand's colorful, playful artwork, I Know a Lot of Things, with all the teeny nuggets of wisdom contained therein, is destined to please a new generation.

    Still, no tree is more filled with the spirit of Christmas. As the weeks go by, many others are selected but still the little tree keeps up its hope of finding the perfect family. On Christmas Eve, now the last tree in the lot, a special visitor (Ho, Ho, Ho!) might just give the little tree what it wants most of all.

    This is one to pull out every year and savor.Long ago, a brave little girl named Anja wanted to be one of Santa's elves. So she leaves a note for her family and helps her elderly neighbor prepare for the holiday, then she straps on her skis, and heads out into the snowy landscape. From a red bird to a polar bear to a reindeer, a menagerie of winter animals help Anja make her way to Santa. A generous trim-size, matte cover, and foiled title make this a special book for the holiday season.

    “Sure to become a Christmas favorite, this beautifully illustrated story of a family’s unusual tradition brings to life the true spirit of Christmas.”--American Bookseller

    "Peter Spier proves that a picture can be worth a thousand words".--School Library Journal. Full color.