Books published by publisher Abelard North/ South

A little fir tree grew at the edge of the forest. Behind it, the great pines towered, and an oak tree spread its shadow far and wide. Birds build their nests in the pines, squirrels eat the nuts and acorns. Children even build a tree house in the oak. But nobody things the fir tree is useful. It is just too little. The little tree hates being so small. Someday I'll show them, the fir tree thought. But it didn't know how. Then one day the snow begins to fall. Christmas is coming, and Christmas is a time of magical surprises - sometimes even for a little fir tree.

A heartwarming Nativity story with which the youngest listeners will identify. Miriam wishes with all her heart that she were bigger and more important, like her older brother, Malachai, who gets to do all kinds of jobs around the family's inn. one day, when the inn is bustling with visitors who have come to Bethlehem to be counted, Miriam gets her chance. Her mother asks her to lead a man and a young woman on a donkey down to the stable.Miriam takes her job very seriously. She knows it is important to find the safest path to the stable. Slowly, very slowly, she leads the way down the hill. And later that night, when Miriam shares in a miracle -- the birth of the Christ Child -- her own wish finally comes true.

Lucas has dreamed for years of building himself a perfect house, and now he has found just the place to build it, on a tiny island. First he builds a kitchen, then a bedroom above. He is having such fun that he doesn't want to stop, but the island is quite small. All Lucas can do is build up, one room on top of another, until finally he has a wonderful tower-house. But something is missing. Lucas needs help from stormy winds and friendly children to transform his tower-house into the home of his dreams.

Badger gets up one morning feeling very grumpy. "Humph!" Badger says to himself. "I'm in a bad mood. Maybe I'd better stay at home." But at breakfast, Badger reconsiders. What is the point of being in a bad mood if nobody notices? he thinks. So Badger heads out, slamming the door behind him. Badger spreads his bad mood far and wide, greeting all his friends with angry, rude remarks, which puts them in bad moods, too. By afternoon, Badger has come up with a fine way to shed his own bad mood, but what can he do to cheer up the other animals? A comical, cautionary tale for anyone who has ever gotten up on the wrong side of the bed.