Holiday stories, old favorites with recent and upcoming screen adaptations, and classics with gift-giving appeal are being reissued by publishers in these final months of 2019. Read on to rediscover a Finnish fairy tale, a fact-filled volume about Christmas trees, a big collection of Doctor Dolittle stories, and more.
Button & Popper
First published in 1964, this Finnish fairy tale tells the story of twin pixie brothers who must find their family a new home. Midcentury illustrations accompany the new translation of the classic story by one of Finland’s most celebrated author-illustrators.
Tomie dePaola's Christmas Tree Book
This reissue of a 20-year old favorite from the creator of Strega Nona features fun facts about Christmas trees. Readers follow a family as they learn about the invention of Christmas trees, their rise to popularity, and more in this informative volume.
Santa Mouse
Santa gains a little helper when a lonely but kind and generous mouse surprises him with a most unusual gift. Originally published in 1966, this reissue features the original illustrations.
Angela's Christmas
Previously published under the title Angela and the Baby Jesus, this picture book by the author of Angela’s Ashes recounts the story of his mother’s sixth Christmas. Young Angela worries for baby Jesus on the altar of the local church, outside on cold December nights, and wants to help, though she isn’t allowed to visit by herself. The Emmy-nominated film adaptation is currently streaming on Netflix.
Doctor Dolittle, The Complete Collection (Volumes 1-4)
Publishing in advance of the spring 2020 film, this complete collection of the original Doctor Dolittle stories spans four volumes. The compendium begins with The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle, which won the 1923 Newbery Medal.
The Golden Rule: Deluxe Edition
With a foreword by YA author John Green, this deluxe edition of Cooper’s picture book includes versions of the Golden Rule—“treat people the way you would like to be treated”—in many cultures and religions, including Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, and Islam.
The Stand-In
The inspiration for the Netflix film The Perfect Date, this reissued novel follows Brooks, who launches an escort service for super-wealthy parents who want their daughters to experience big social events of senior year. The well-intentioned scheme is meant to help Brooks achieve his dream of attending Columbia, but a few minor deceptions and cut corners change the game.
Arm in Arm: A Collection of Connections, Endless Tales, Reiterations, and Other Echolaila
Originally published in 1969 by Parents Magazine Press, this picture book challenges the rules of riddles, tongue twisters, puns, and performance-based play. In the engaging, interactive volume, some pages require turning the book in a circle or the use of a magnifying glass.
Jon Klassen's Hat Box
Klassen’s award-winning Hat picture books (I Want My Hat Back; This is Not My Hat; and We Found a Hat) are now available in one complete set. Collected in a specially designed box, the three-book series is accompanied by a frameable print.
The Raymie Nightingale Three-Book Collection
This hardcover boxed set collects DiCamillo’s trilogy about the Three Rancheros, including National Book Award finalist Raymie Nightingale, Louisiana’s Way Home, and Beverly, Right Here. The set includes the redesigned Raymie Nightingale, creating a trio of matching covers illustrated by Amy June Bates.
The Year Around the Great Oak
In this expanded edition, new, accurately detailed illustrations and fact pages accompany Muller’s original story about young siblings observing the seasonal changes of a 300-year-old giant oak while visiting from the city.
The Little Grey Men
First published in 1949, this classic of British literature was written under a pseudonym by British naturalist, illustrator, and children’s author Denys James Watkins-Pitchford, who, in 1942, won the U.K.’s Carnegie Medal. The novel follows the last remaining gnomes in Britain as they travel upstream to find their adventuring brother, Cloudberry.
Dancing Shoes
After losing their mother, Hilary and Rachel are forced by their aunt to join her dance troupe, Wintle’s Little Wonders, even though their skill rivals her beloved daughter Dulcie’s. This classic story about two orphan sisters discovering a love of theater and dance, originally published in 1957, will be reissued as a paper-over-board gift edition.
Theater Shoes
Orphans Sorrel, Mark, and Holly discover their talent onstage when their grandmother, a famous English actress, enrolls them in the Children’s Academy of Dancing and Stage Training, the same academy from Streatfeild’s first novel, Ballet Shoes. This reissue of the 1944 classic is a paper-over-board gift edition.
Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats
First published in 1939 and serving as the inspiration for Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical Cats, Eliot’s playful poems are brought to life here by The Gruffalo illustrator Scheffler. Originally published in 2009, this edition is being reissued in anticipation of the upcoming film adaptation of Cats.
Wally the Wordworm
Wally, a worm, is starved by inspiration when he happens upon a magical book: the dictionary. Twisting himself in words like “syzygy,” “pyx,” and “sesquipedalian,” Wally wriggles through words of increasing ambition and complexity; the book is whimsically illustrated by New Yorker cartoonist Arnold Roth.
The Family Under the Bridge
A Newbery Honor winner, this heartwarming story about a homeless man who discovers three cold and hungry children occupying his favorite spot beneath a bridge in Paris is a tale of friendship and found family. The classic tale is accompanied by illustrations by Garth Williams, illustrator of Charlotte’s Web, Stuart Little, the Little House books, and more.
Helga's Dowry: A Troll Love Story
This folktale introduces readers to a determined and self-reliant troll named Helga, who must secure a dowry to marry or, by the god Odin’s command, be doomed to wander the earth forever. This story about being loved for who you are, rather than what you have, will be reissued with color enhancements and an updated cover.
