Holidays & Celebrations

When a group of short construction workers begins building a school playground, Lisa begins to suspect that they are really Christmas elves, but Melody and Howie think Lisa has an overactive imagination.

Publisher's Summary From the best-selling author of A Boy Called Christmas comes a hilarious and heartwarming holiday tale for fans of Roald Dahl and Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol that imagines the story of the first child to ever receive a Christmas present. Amelia Wishart was the first child ever to receive a Christmas present. It was her Christmas spirit that gave Santa the extra boost of magic he needed to make his first trip around the world. But now Amelia is in trouble. When her mother falls ill, she is sent to the workhouse to toil under cruel Mr. Creeper. For a whole year, Amelia scrubs the floors and eats watery gruel without a whiff of kindness to keep her going. It's not long before her hope begins to drain away. Meanwhile, up at the North Pole, magic levels dip dangerously low as Christmas approaches, and Santa knows that something is gravely wrong. With the help of his trusty reindeer, a curious cat, and Charles Dickens, he sets out to find Amelia, the only girl who might be able to save Christmas. But first, Amelia must learn to believe again.... ©2017 Matt Haig (P)2017 Listening Library

The hugely popular early chapter book series reemerges - now in audio! There have always been some pretty weird grownups in Bailey City, but the new custodian at the Bailey School is one of a kind. When he appears out of nowhere just before Christmas to help out at the school, Mr. Jolly's white hair and beard and longing for cold temperatures bring the fabled St. Nick to everyone's mind. Could this man really be Santa Claus? The Bailey School Kids are going to find out!

Publisher's Summary 2018 Odyssey Honor 2018 ALSC Notable Children’s Recording Before there was Santa Claus, there was a young boy who believed in the impossible. Lemony Snicket meets Elf in this warmhearted Christmas caper.   Eleven-year-old Nikolas - nicknamed "Christmas" - has received only one toy in his life: a doll carved out of a turnip. But he's happy with his turnip doll, because it came from his parents, who love him.  Then one day his father goes missing, and Nikolas must travel to the North Pole to save him. Along the way Nikolas befriends a surly reindeer, bests a troublesome troll, and discovers a hidden world of enchantment in the frozen village of Elfhelm.  But the elves of Elfhelm have troubles of their own: Christmas spirit and goodwill are at an all-time low, and Nikolas may be the only person who can fix things - if only he can reach his father before it's too late.... Sparkling with wit and warmth, A Boy Called Christmas is a cheeky new Christmas classic in the making from acclaimed author Matt Haig.  ©2016 Matt Haig (P)2016 Listening Library