"When Gaston, the green-nosed alligator from Louisiana, overhears a circus near his bayou, he decides to join. However, it takes him a little time to decide what he is best at"--

This abbreviated board book edition is the perfect introduction to this classic tale! Gaston the green-nosed alligator has returned from the swamp and is taking adventurous readers on a tour of Mardi Gras.

Gaston, the Louisiana alligator, organizes a country band made up of animals, which goes on the road and ends up making a smash-hit debut at the Grand Ole Opry.

From the author of A Witch in Time comes a magical story spanning from Jazz Age Paris to modern-day America of family secrets, sacrifice, and lost love set against the backdrop of a mysterious circus. Paris, 1925: To enter the Secret Circus is to enter a world of wonder—a world where women weave illusions of magnificent beasts, carousels take you back in time, and trapeze artists float across the sky. Bound to her family's circus, it's the only world Cecile Cabot knows until she meets a charismatic young painter and embarks on a passionate affair that could cost her everything. Virginia, 2004: Lara Barnes is on top of the world until her fiancé disappears on their wedding day. When her desperate search for answers unexpectedly leads to her great-grandmother’s journals, Lara is swept into a story of a dark circus and ill-fated love. Soon secrets about Lara’s family history begin to come to light, revealing a curse that has been claiming payment from the women in her family for generations. A curse that might be tied to her fiancé’s mysterious disappearance Praise for The Ladies of the Secret Circus: "At times decadent and macabre, The Ladies of the Secret Circus is a mesmerizing tale of love, treachery, and depraved magic percolating through four generations of Cabot women." —Luanne G. Smith, author of The Vine Witch "Fans of Erin Morgenstern’s The Night Circus will love this page-turning story of dark magic, star-crossed love, and familial sacrifice." —Publishers Weekly (starred review) "Ambitious and teeming with magic, Sayers creates a fascinating mix of art, The Belle Époque, and more than a little murder.” —Erika Swyler, author of The Book of Speculation For more from Constance Sayers, check out A Witch in Time.

Gaston the alligator goes to New Orleans to celebrate Mardi Gras and joins in the "courir du Mardi Gras," watches floats being made, participates in the Zulu parade, and sees other typical sights.

This delightful coloring book tells the storyof how Gaston, the Green-Nosed Alligator, helped Santa Claus deliver his giftsone Christmas and how St. Nick came to live in Louisiana.James Rice, a widely acclaimed leading illustrator of children's books, nowhas over a half million of his books in print__a record that ranks him amongthe top authors and illustrators in the nation. He has written and/orillustrated over 25 books, including the bestselling Cajun Night BeforeChristmas . Rice completed his M.F.A. studies at Stephen F. AustinCollege. He holds degrees in art from the University of Texas and Howard PayneCollege, and has taught art and music at colleges and high schools in Texas andLouisiana. Rice is currently Author in Residence at several schools in Texas.

"Teachers, and students and parents will laugh out loud at this parody of the frenetic pace of holiday happenings at schools."--Copley News Service What do excited students, craft projects, room mothers, nursing home visits, harried shopping, and near-disastrous pageants have in common? They are all a part of a teacher's pre-Christmas experience. In this energetic romp through a school's last days before the Christmas break, the students are full of energy and are up to all manners of mischief. The teachers are pulling out their hair trying to keep the students busy, while they despair over their own Christmas preparations. Who should come to the rescue? Santa himself, of course! He arrives at the helm of a flying school bus, with presents for all the teachers and a promise to take care of their shopping for them. The fantastic illustrations work with the text to make this a fast-paced, high-energy comedic interpretation of Clement C. Moore's classic poem. The book is sure to be a read-aloud favorite at Christmas parties in schools everywhere.