Merry Merry Holly Holly

Illustrated by Lisa McCue
Ebook
0"W x 0"H x 0"D  
On sale Oct 20, 2015 | 32 Pages | 978-0-698-19262-1
| Up to Kindergarten
Reading Level: Lexile AD480L
Celebrate ten years of this popular easy-to-read series with the best friends' first-ever picture book--a lovely holiday tale.

Cork the muskrat knows there’s something special about today, but he just can’t figure out what it is. So he and his best friend, the possum Fuzz, go on a search to find a tree for a little “piece of quiet,” so they can think about what makes this day so special. But the first tree has too many birds, and the next has too many squirrels--they're not quiet at all! At last, when the snow begins to fall, Cork and Fuzz find the perfect place to rest their heads: under a lovely outdoor Christmas tree. In the end, Cork realizes what makes this day so special is that he is “in a beautiful place with my friend.”
Dori Chaconas was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1938. The second child in a family of seven, Dori fell into the role of storyteller, nursery rhyme singer, and general entertainer for her siblings. She claims she learned about story pacing early. If the story action lagged, her fidgety audience would either scatter or start a poking war.

She has been married to Nick, her high school sweetheart, for 44 years. Everyone says the romance will last. They raised four daughters, and are now enjoying three grandsons—especially Grandpa, having been outnumbered by women all those years.

When their daughters were young, Dori wrote for them. She published three picture books and more than fifty stories in children's magazines. In the 70's, her interest turned to yarn embroidery design and she sold designs to major needlework companies and national magazines.

In 1997, Dori started writing stories again, partly to keep her grandsons from fidgeting or starting poking wars. Her stories reflect the warmth of family life. Dori gives credit to her parents for giving her a strong sense of family, and to her children and grandchildren for keeping it alive.

View titles by Dori Chaconas
In the past 30 years, Lisa McCue has illustrated more than 175 books for children. Her artwork also appears on fabrics, greeting cards, gift tins, wrapping papers, home décor, and clothing. When she isn’t drawing, she can be found on the water racing her sailboat, or in the mountains skiing. She loves to read, sew, and bead and is involved in fundraising for ALS. McCue was born in Brooklyn, NY, and now lives in Annapolis, Maryland. View titles by Lisa McCue
"A warm and fuzzy tale that is imbued with the holiday spirit despite never mentioning the word Christmas."--School Library Journal

"A quiet, satisfying story about a charming pair of friends celebrating their affectionate bond."--Kirkus Reviews

"Expansive watercolor illustrations evoke a beautiful winter’s woodland day but keep the focus tightly on the two friends."--The Horn Book

" 'Being together makes a day special,' says Fuzz after the two discover a peaceful pine tree, laden with snow and decked with lights, which is all the explanation these animals need. It’ll be enough for many families, too."--Publishers Weekly

About

Celebrate ten years of this popular easy-to-read series with the best friends' first-ever picture book--a lovely holiday tale.

Cork the muskrat knows there’s something special about today, but he just can’t figure out what it is. So he and his best friend, the possum Fuzz, go on a search to find a tree for a little “piece of quiet,” so they can think about what makes this day so special. But the first tree has too many birds, and the next has too many squirrels--they're not quiet at all! At last, when the snow begins to fall, Cork and Fuzz find the perfect place to rest their heads: under a lovely outdoor Christmas tree. In the end, Cork realizes what makes this day so special is that he is “in a beautiful place with my friend.”

Author

Dori Chaconas was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1938. The second child in a family of seven, Dori fell into the role of storyteller, nursery rhyme singer, and general entertainer for her siblings. She claims she learned about story pacing early. If the story action lagged, her fidgety audience would either scatter or start a poking war.

She has been married to Nick, her high school sweetheart, for 44 years. Everyone says the romance will last. They raised four daughters, and are now enjoying three grandsons—especially Grandpa, having been outnumbered by women all those years.

When their daughters were young, Dori wrote for them. She published three picture books and more than fifty stories in children's magazines. In the 70's, her interest turned to yarn embroidery design and she sold designs to major needlework companies and national magazines.

In 1997, Dori started writing stories again, partly to keep her grandsons from fidgeting or starting poking wars. Her stories reflect the warmth of family life. Dori gives credit to her parents for giving her a strong sense of family, and to her children and grandchildren for keeping it alive.

View titles by Dori Chaconas
In the past 30 years, Lisa McCue has illustrated more than 175 books for children. Her artwork also appears on fabrics, greeting cards, gift tins, wrapping papers, home décor, and clothing. When she isn’t drawing, she can be found on the water racing her sailboat, or in the mountains skiing. She loves to read, sew, and bead and is involved in fundraising for ALS. McCue was born in Brooklyn, NY, and now lives in Annapolis, Maryland. View titles by Lisa McCue

Praise

"A warm and fuzzy tale that is imbued with the holiday spirit despite never mentioning the word Christmas."--School Library Journal

"A quiet, satisfying story about a charming pair of friends celebrating their affectionate bond."--Kirkus Reviews

"Expansive watercolor illustrations evoke a beautiful winter’s woodland day but keep the focus tightly on the two friends."--The Horn Book

" 'Being together makes a day special,' says Fuzz after the two discover a peaceful pine tree, laden with snow and decked with lights, which is all the explanation these animals need. It’ll be enough for many families, too."--Publishers Weekly

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