Title: Red & Green

Author: Lois Ehlert

Illustrator: Lois Ehlert

Publisher/Year: Beach Lane Books/2023

Special Features: Die-cut pages/flaps

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Christmas is a mere 40 days away. How many of you have started your Christmas shopping? Or put up your holiday decorations? Maybe you prefer to wait until after Thanksgiving, at least? Or maybe you need a little help getting into the Christmas spirit this year? I get it. It’s been a rough year, and thinking about everything that’s going on in the world is overwhelming. But that’s exactly why we need books like Red & Green, a simple novelty picture book brimming with holiday cheer. This new classic is sure to put a smile on your face.

Excerpt from Lois Ehlert’s Red & Green:

It was a cold, wintry night, and all through the house, not a creature was stirring…except a small mouse!

Written and illustrated by Lois Ehlert and published posthumously, Red & Green features an adorable take on the traditional holiday poem ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas (or A Visit from St. Nicholas) attributed to American writer Clement Clarke Moore. Red & Green is filled with Lois Ehlert’s signature style–bold, graphic, colorful, collaged images–and die-cuts or flaps appear on almost every page. Kids will love the fun and festive pictures of trees, wreaths, snowmen, snowflakes, mittens, and, of course, the little mouse. The story follows the mouse as he wanders the house on Christmas Eve, delighting in the sparkling tree and the moon glowing on a jolly snowman outside the window. He soon finds a plate of cookies and helps himself to a snack. Just as he’s about to settle down for the night (inside a mitten hung by the fireplace), a mysterious figure dressed in red appears and wonders who could have eaten his sweet treat.

A great gift for little readers and sure to be a new Christmas favorite, Lois Ehlert’s Red & Green will help put the Ho Ho Ho back in Happy Ho-lidays and, hopefully, a little Merry back into your life. Cheers!