Features a shiny ball, a bumpy strawberry, a soft sunflower, and more!

Illustrated by David Catrow.

This bind-up includes:

SCHOL RDR LVL 1: I SPY SANTA CLAUS

and

SCHOL RDR LVL 1: I SPY A CANDY CANE.

This Christmas Eve, things are just out of hand…

Up at the North Pole, Santa isn’t quite as jolly as usual. Rudolph is puking holly, the Toy Shop is on fire, and all the toys have melted on their shelves. Jack Frost’s jealousy is posing a real threat towards the holiday.

Dan, a teenager at the top of the nice list, suddenly finds himself in the North Pole, getting involved in all the chaos. He befriends Mrs. Claus and a “rebel elf” named Jason. He also meets Santa, who sees Dan as key to a solution. Santa puts him in charge of fixing an antique time machine, and also invites him to travel around the world to deliver all the presents. However, this becomes impossible with all the obstacles that lie in their way.

This mess of a holiday can only be fixed if time can be reversed, and everything happens at just the right moment. Everyone has to realize that they are where they are for a purpose, and that this wild Christmas is a giant puzzle that just needs to be put back together again.

The Night Before Christmas was a signature book for Grandma Moses. Readers have long waited for her great grandson’s warm and original rendition. They will be charmed by this edition of the classic tale, so wonderfully full of holiday spirit and Moses whimsy.

“Old Marley was as dead as a doornail”—and so, nearly, was Christmas itself when Charles Dickens published “A Christmas Carol” in 1843. Most traditions had been forgotten, and few if any employees got time off to celebrate. Dickens’ story captured the imagination of a generation and transformed December 25 into a major holiday.

For many National Public Radio listeners, it just wouldn’t be Christmas without hearing Jonathan Winters perform “A Christmas Carol.” The master comedian brilliantly re-creates Dickens’ cast of colorful characters: Ebenezer Scrooge, Bob Cratchit, Tiny Tim, Jacob Marley’s spirit, and the three Christmas ghosts, Past, Present, and Future. His distinctive and charming reading uses a special version of the story prepared by Dickens for his own performances. The liner notes are by Winters, who clearly revels in the story’s language and message: “Merry Christmas, every one!”

How do pirates capture a ship? What sort of ships do they favor? Who are the rogues that make up a pirate crew — and how do they entertain themselves, or punish each other? After poring through a twenty-four-page book that presents a true taste of life aboard a pirate vessel, young pirate hunters can turn their skills to assembling a model of a typical pirate ship. With this sturdy ship model at hand, savvy pirate hunters are sure to spot any scurvy dogs from leagues away. Aar!

Cuter than a button, My Mommy’s Tote is a delicious interactive gift for mothers and their kids. Created by P. H. Hanson, whose previous books—My Granny’s Purse and My Grandpa’s Briefcase—this is a die-cut cornucopia stuffed with marvelous adventures and surprises, endearingly written and offering incredible value. There’s the clock with hands that move. A write-on wipe-off board and marker. A maze to navigate. Two spin wheels for learning the alphabet and numbers. Mommy’s laptop and cell phone, planner and wallet (a magnet for every little kid—this one has a removable credit card). Plus a key ring and photos, a real handkerchief, and an intriguing mystery: Can you find the missing red sock? In all, there are more than 75 objects, 30 activities, and seven spreads where things lift up, slide out, unfold, flip open, turn, and beguile.

This mommy’s a treasure. She’s a mommy on the go. She’s a glamorous mommy. She’s a quirky mommy who gets down on the floor and plays games and draws pictures. And she’s a mommy who always tries to do what’s right, with a sense of humor: “My mommy always says, ‘Eat your peas,’ ‘Brush your teeth,’ and ‘Blow your nose.’ My mommy says she sounds just like her mommy.”

Down by the river on a bright summer’s day, Big and Little Nutbrown Hare are lazily looking at all the colors around them. It’s so hard to decide which ones they like best! Big Nutbrown Hare’s favorite blue is the blue of the sky, while Little Nutbrown Hare’s favorite green is the green of the leaves. But which of the many lovely shades of brown will the Nutbrown Hares decide is the best of all?