Unable to continue with Christmas preparations because of his injured foot, old man Festus and his cat Mercury face a bleak Christmas until the neighbors come to the rescue.

It is the day before Christmas Eve and there is lots to do, but disaster strikes when Pettson sprains his ankle. How can they celebrate Christmas now, with no tree, ham, meatballs or gingerbread? For all their resourcefulness, Findus and Pettson are close to giving up, when suddenly there is a knock on the door.

There's a hen-hunting fox on the loose. But farmer Pettson and his quirky cat Findus agree that foxes shouldn't be killed. They should be tricked. They come up with a fabulous plan which makes for an explosive, unforgettable night.

How Picturebooks Work is an innovative and engaging look at the interplay between text and image in picturebooks. The authors explore picturebooks as a specific medium or genre in literature and culture, one that prepares children for other media of communication, and they argue that picturebooks may be the most influential media of all in the socialization and representation of children. Spanning an international range of children's books, this book examine such favorites as Curious George and Frog and Toad Are Friends, along with the works of authors and illustrators including Maurice Sendak and Tove Jansson, among others. With 116 illustrations, How Picturebooks Work offers the student of children's literature a new methodology, new theories, and a new set of critical tools for examining the picturebook form.

Findus decides to find a house of his own where he can bounce on beds at four o'clock in the morning without annoying Pettson. But jumping on beds is one thing - living without Pettson is quite another...

Farmer Pettson tells his talking cat Findus the story of how one day a very young Findus became lost, and after some scary adventures, was found again.

A small Eskimo boy discovers that Mother's lap is a very special place with room for everyone.