Santa's Christmas Surprise is a new Christmas story for children which emphasizes that there are even cultural variations within our own country in the way we celebrate this special time of year. Through a delightful cast of elves representing the different subcultures of our country, children's author Robert Bernardini shows not only the special gifts and people of each area, but also their appreciation for Santa and his good work.

The story begins after the long evening of spreading Christmas joy around. Santa is ready to rest and enjoy his own Christmas day. But things are amiss at the North Pole because it appears some of the elves have disappeared.

What has become of Antoinette, Jose, Soo Lee, and Tyrone? These fun-loving elves have been traversing the land collecting presents from happy families saying their own thank-you to the jolly old elf. In a glorious celebration, the elves share the spirit with Santa, whose own hard work makes the joyous season a delight for children all over the world. The lesson to be learned is one of thanksgiving and sharing in the spirit.

Santa's Christmas Surprise is the third in a series of books by Robert Bernardini featuring the delightful characters of Li'l Elf Jed and Annabelle Elf, which makes it a perfect complement to A Southern Time Christmas and Southern Love for Christmas. Often accompanied by a life-size Li'l Elf Jed, Bernardini travels extensively to schools, fairs, and bookstores to bring the joy of the season to children through his books. He graduated from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and lives in Amherst, Virginia, where he is a free-lance writer, marketing consultant, and record producer.

James Rice is widely acclaimed as the South's leading illustrator of juvenile books. With nearly 900,000 copies of his books in print, he ranks among the nation's top authors and illustrators. Rice completed his M.F.A. studies at Stephen F. Austin University. He holds degrees in art from the University of Texas and Howard Payne College and has taught art and music at both the high school and college levels.

SANTA'S CHRISTMAS SURPRISE
By Robert Bernardini
Illustrated by James Rice
32 pp. 8½ x 11
Full-color illustrations
ISBN: 1-56554-089-1
EAN: 978-1-56554-089-7