Do you ever wonder what Santa does after Christmas? So does Tyler. Come and take this journey with Tyler, and discover where the man in the bright red suit goes on vacation after Christmas. In this contemporary, creative, and truly original picture book, find the various countries Santa visits while on vacation, where Santa learns how to say hello in their native language. Tyler discovers Santa visits Japan and learns how to say hello in Japanese: Konnichi wa, along with visiting Hawaii and learning how to say hello in Hawaiian: Aloha. Part of what makes this book so engaging and humorous is that Santa tries to camouflage himself among everyday people by doing normal activities in that country he visits. Santa realizes that it is not that easy for the man with the white beard to go unnoticed. Children will love the clever way in which the story teaches them of different countries while teaching them to say hello in the places Santa visits.

Join author Gregory Hoffman in this hilarious recounting of a chance encounter with Santa Claus at his place up north during a blinding snowstorm. Santa, having just returned home from his annual trip, is wiped-out and reeling. He seizes the opportunity to share his frustrations with his accidental visitor. While delivering presents to homes around the world, Santa is confronted by angry watch-dogs, shot at, beaten by non-believers, and pursued by a portly widow, among the many other stressful challenges! After waiting out the storm, and lending an ear to Santa's venting, Hoffman must be on his way. But upon his departure, Santa gives him a message to relay to people everywhere. Illustrated by Hoffman and written in the tradition of the classic The Night Before Christmas, Santa Needs a Vacation is an entertaining, colorful and heartfelt Christmas card to the holiday. Also included is a poem by Hoffman. Told from a grandfather's perspective, Christmas Memories is a warm and nostalgic look at the holidays past, with hope and best wishes for those of the future.

"Santa Needs a Vacation" is the story of my chance encounter with Santa Claus on the day after Christmas. Caught in a blinding snowstorm, I stumble upon Santaâs' place by accident. Having just returned from his annual trip and looking quite trashed, Santa seizes the opportunity to vent his frustrations. Dog bit, shot at, and beaten by non-believers, he complains that his job is not what it once was. Describing the many troublesome events from his less than saintly activity the night before. Escaping the seduction of a robust woman, an ungrateful kid, and ridicule from the elves only begin to relate the scope of his complaints. After waiting out the storm, and giving an ear to his grievances, my visit with Santa comes to an end. And upon my departure, he makes a special request for me to relay to people everywhere. Suitable for all ages, but with humor to be appreciated by older kids and adults, "Santa Needs a Vacation" is entertaining and maintains a playful tone. By using rhyme and rhythm in the tradition of the classic Christmas carol, it is a must read for anyone who enjoys a good laugh.

Tim is an ordinary boy in an ordinary small town. He's going through the motions of preparing for Christmas along with his know-it-all cousin Natalie and clumsy best friend Stretch. It is finally Christmas vacation! Tim is looking forward to doing all the fun things he enjoys, like tobogganing and having snowball fights. He doesn't want to be bothered decorating the Christmas tree or shoveling snow. He especially thinks he's too old to write a letter to Santa Claus, even though his parents strongly suggest he should, "Just in case." Every year Stretch and Tim build a special contraption intended to capture Santa Claus. But Tim doesn't even want to help Stretch build this traditional Santa Trap they design every year! Tim believes that if Santa really existed, they would have surely caught him by now. That is until Alexander, a member of the "Secret Society of Santa's Snowmen," explains that an evil entity, known as the Jester, from history's past has returned to challenge Santa for control of the Christmas Holiday. Alexander convinces Tim and Stretch that the chairman of this society, Excelsior, needs their help in saving Christmas or else Christmas as they know it would be gone forever! How can Tim and Stretch, two ordinary boys, possibly help in such an important task? That's when they turn to Tim's cousin, "Know-it-all" Natalie, for help. Join Tim, Stretch and Natalie, the "Jr. Detective," in their Quest to save Christmas from the evil Jester. Will the group successfully fight off the immense powers of the Jester? Will Christmas ever be the same again?

About the book The Muddy Little Bell consists of stories, legends, dialogues and essays, based on the authors folkloristic writing style. Each story is self-contained and was inspired by an incident happening in the authors life or by a city or a countryside where the author was living or visiting.

It is in the air. Halloween has passed, and so has Thanksgiving, and we are in December. Christmas is near. Let Us Celebrate the Season! is a different kind of advent calendar. There are twenty-seven poems and stories, each to be read on the day you open the book in December, should it be December 1 or December 21 or any other December day. I remember my mother doing so with a rather special Advent calendar when my sister and I were children. Every evening, she took my sister and me on her lap, and we talked about the little verse on the calendar door and what it meant. It was always such a special event. Hope you find this book special as well.

Join Santa and Mrs. Claus as they take their vacation on the magical Island of BooKoo. Weird animals and strange food make this a vacation they, and you, will never forget. Comes with a companion CD of the author narrating the story and featuring his unique "talking pages".