Catch That Cookie!
Holiday magic is afoot in this picture-book mystery for children ages 3 to 5, written by Maplewood author Hallie Durand and colorfully illustrated by David Small. When a freshly baked batch of gingerbread men is missing from the school’s oven, a whole classroom of youngsters have a ball tracking down the runaway baked goods, and the class skeptic starts to believe in magic.
CC Claus, A Baseball Christmas Story
Yankee pitcher CC Sabathia, an Alpine resident, plays Santa in this holiday tale, penned with Ray Negron and illustrated by Laura Seeley. When a touching letter to Santa Claus gets mixed into CC’s fan mail, he calls on baseball immortals like Mickey Mantle, Joe DiMaggio, Roberto Clemente, Yankee owner George Steinbrenner and other greats to help bring Christmas cheer to a family in need.
Goodnight Ark
This picture book, written in upbeat rhyming stanzas by Cranford author Laura Sassi with colorful illustrations by Jane Chapman, may elicit yawns—and that’s a good thing! An ideal bedtime story, the action takes readers onboard Noah’s ark, where the animals are bedding down for the night until a raucous storm scares them. They flee their bunks for the safety of Noah’s bed. Two by two they pile in, creating a playful melee.
Chloe by Design: Making the Cut
Budding tweenage fashionistas will identify with Chloe Montgomery, a designer in the making who jumps at the chance to enter a Project Runway-like contest. Written by Fair Lawn resident Margaret Gurevich and illustrated by Brooke Hagel, Chloe is a witty, creative adventure that brings the excitement of reality competitions to the page with a relatable story line interspersed with lively fashion sketches.