Mercury the cat tries to cheer up his grouchy old master Festus through elaborate plans to get him to go fishing.

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.

Presents a guide to nearly 27,000 children's oicture book titles grouped in over 1,200 subjects and indexed by author, title, and illustrator.

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.

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.