The Twenty Four Days Before Christmas

Madeleine L'Engle's beloved Austin family stars in a cozy Christmas story, "The Twenty-four Days Before Christmas." Vicky Austin's family does one special thing each day of December to prepare for Christmas. This year, they're also preparing for the birth of a new brother or sister, due after the New Year. Vicky is worried that the baby will come early—what kind of Christmas Eve would it be without Mother to help them hang up stockings and sing everyone to sleep with carols? This classic story of an old-fashioned Christmas is accompanied by merry illustrations by Jill Weber. This special eBook edition includes bonus content not available in the print edition: · Christmas in New York essay by Madeleine L'Engle · Reproductions of 7 unique L'Engle family Christmas cards created and illustrated by Madeleine L'Engle· First chapter of the Newbery Award–winning A Wrinkle in Time

Seven-year-old Vicky Austin recounts the twenty-four days before Christmas.

While preparing herself for the role of the angel in her Christmas play, Vicky begins to doubt her ability.

In today’s world, the use of numbers grows by the day, and we depend on them for so much. This book contains a series of lists that contain information about numbers and their use in society. They will be most useful to those with a quizzical nature but should be of general interest to all. ‘Schrödinger’s cat’ was an infamous and cruel thought experiment dreamt up in the last century to expose one of the mistaken ideas current in science at that time. Since escaping from the box Felix has taken up writing and, in collaboration with retired water engineer Pyotr Stilovsky, he has compiled this factual compendium.

When a special activity evolves into a tradition within a family, it creates meaning, connection, and community and makes common occasions more momentous and memorable. Establishing a sense of stability and shared history has never been more important to parents than it is today, as families become more fractured and scattered. THE JOY OF FAMILY TRADITIONS offers more than 400 fresh ideas and creative approaches to cultivating birthday, anniversary, holiday, and other rite-of-passage and seasonal traditions that strengthen personal bonds and reflect a family's individual style, spirituality, and values. Inspires and instructs families on how to create, personalize, adapt, and preserve relevant traditions that reflect how we live today. Explores the historical, cultural, and often quirky origins of holidays, customs, and milestones, both uncommon and familiar. Includes holidays, holy days, annual events, once-in-a-lifetime occasions, and personal celebrations. Reviews"A lovely new book that pays tribute to hundreds of celebrations from around the world and offers new ideas for marking important occasions."—Pregnancy Magazin "Be inspired to preserve, personalize and create meaningful holiday and year round traditions with the more than 400 multi-cultural activities found in The Joy of Family Traditions."—Senior Wire News Service "...read The Joy of Family Traditions by Jennifer Trainer Thompson, so you can celebrate the holidays even better than you celebrate them now."—Washington Post Recommended in Q&A Column"If you love family traditions, you will take pleasure in The Joy of Family Traditions by Jennifer Trainer Thompson."-Tom McMahon's syndicated "Kid Tips" Column appears in 62 newspapers nationwideFeatured in two wedding themed pieces on 5/1/08 and 5/8/08.-Content That Works

Home is where the love is. Especially at Christmas! Commander Jonas Scott got through a tough deployment by thinking about his family home on Whidbey Island. The same home his deceased stepmother, Dottie, had promised him. His Navy homecoming turns sour when he discovers that Dottie left his house to a stranger named Serena Delgado…. Serena, an Army widow with a young son, is fixing up her house. But as Christmas approaches and she gets to know Jonas, Dottie's plan becomes clear. It wasn't about fixing up the house, it was about fixing up Serena and Jonas!

Merlin Mission Books 1-4 of the #1 New York Times bestselling Magic Tree House series! Beyond the realms of time and space are lands that exist only in myths and legends. This is where the magic tree house is taking Jack and Annie on the mission of a lifetime! They will visit Camelot, a haunted castle, an island lost in mist, and the Land-Behind-the-Clouds. It is one unforgettable adventure! Recently rebranded, the first 4 Magic Tree House Merlin Mission books are the perfect gift for fans of the Magic Tree House series. Parents, teachers, and librarians hail the chapter-book series as a tool to promote reading, as even the most reluctant readers want to know where the magic tree house will take the brother-and-sister team next. Magic Tree House Merlin Missions are more challenging adventures for the experienced Magic Tree House reader. Books in this Merlin Missions set include: Christmas in Camelot (#1), Haunted Castle on Hallows Eve (#2), Summer of the Sea Serpent (#3), Winter of the Ice Wizard (#4).