Centering around the theme of the familiar song "The Friendly Beasts," this intriguing program depicts what the animals who witnessed Jesus' birth might really have been thinking -- if they had human minds. There's humorous interplay among camels, sheep, cows, and the donkey that carried the pregnant Mary as they share their unique perspective on the nativity. This complete presentation allows many different parts of the congregation to participate; speaking roles can be performed in a readers' theater format by adults or youth, young children can portray the humans at the manger in a silent tableau, and musical selections allow the choir to be involved, as well. This adaptable drama can be used not only in church settings, but also in schools or for children's programs. As an added feature, customers with PowerPoint and broadband capability may obtain access to a downloadable PowerPoint presentation to accompany the drama at (http: //www.csspub.com/BeastlyChristmas/). A companion coloring book for young children, based on the imagery in the PowerPoint file, is also available in packages of five. John O. Eby has been an ordained pastor for four decades, serving several Baptist congregations in California. He is currently the pastor of First Baptist Church in Porterville, California. A graduate of the University of LaVerne and American Baptist Seminary of the West, Eby is the author of more than 30 skits and plays. Natividad Briones is a member of the worship team at First Baptist Church in Porterville, California. A veteran of the U.S. Navy and merchant marine, Briones began drawing caricatures of fellow sailors. He subsequently did freelance cartooning, and he had prepared composite sketches for the Los Angeles Police Department and the Tulare County Sheriff's Department.

"The simple strains of this old Christmas melody are superbly reflected in the graceful, delicate, yet strong images that dePaola brings to the page....A Christmas remembrance to be long treasured." -- Booklist (starred review)"Beautiful." -- The Horn Book"Meticulous attention has been paid to every detail of design, color, and layout." -- School Library Journal

Christmas is murder-- when you're stranded in East Sussex with a killer. When guests at a secluded Victorian hotel start dying, all hopes for a jolly holiday are dashed.

This beauty didn't ask for a beastly bookworm for Christmas, but maybe she should have . . . All Noelle wants is to save the Winter Bliss library. She has a plan, too-a New Year's Eve fundraiser during the annual fire-magic festival. The last thing she needs is a distracting romance with the sexy, binge-reading demon she hasn't seen in over a decade. Too bad fate (and Mount Winter Bliss) has other plans. Rom only returned to his small hometown to open Perkatory, his family's newest coffee shop. Seeing Noelle again is a welcome surprise, but there's no way the pretty librarian could ever fall for a scarred-up monster like him, right? When an avalanche leaves Noelle and Rom snowed in together, the forced proximity might be their second chance at first love. But will their happily ever after come at the expense of saving Noelle's beloved library? Beastly & Bookish is a cozy, contemporary, holiday romance featuring a roller skating librarian and book-loving demon's emotional journey from friends to lovers.

Join author Brenda Anderson in her fascination with scary-cute creatures to crochet. In this collection Brenda presents 23 accessories and toys, featuring furry monsters, carnivorous plants, killer robots, and menacing tiki figures. While there are some literal monsters in the bunch--toys and amigurumi--a majority of projects are wearable accessories and garments. Some projects, such as a robot-themed intarsia blanky, are aimed specifically at children, while many others are for adults and teens who want to have a little fun. Brenda shows how to tackle all the sewing and appliqué techniques required in her patterns, including how to install zippers, as well as subtle tricks for achieving personality in your critters with a section on "The Principles of Cuteness." Beastly Crochet is a book that is as fun to read as it is to crochet from!