"While the hard working firefighters were out tending to a fire on Christmas Eve, Ol’ Sergeant Nick worked tirelessly to provide them with lots of goodies upon their return . . . illustrations are done by one of the South’s leading illustrators of juvenile books . . . the story is sweet."

--Children’s Literature

Who needs eight flying reindeer when Santa has a shiny red fire truck? It’s the Christmas Eve shift at Firehouse One, and all the firefighters are sitting down to bowls of hot chili when an old fireman stops by for a bite to eat. No sooner than it takes for the old man to finish his chili, the alarm sounds and the firemen have to leave to fight a fire. They work through the night and return, tired, and begin to ready their equipment for the next call.

But wait! As they pull into the station, they notice that theirs is the only yard with snow, and there’s a shiny new pumper standing ready. There are even more surprises inside for each firefighter, and as the lieutenant finishes his paperwork, he notices that the old man has listed all the firefighters’ names and who was naughty or nice. Everyone at Firehouse One is left to wonder who that old fireman might have been.

This delightful addition to Pelican’s beloved Night Before Christmas series honors firefighters across the country for their brave service.

Prior to the birth of her oldest daughter, author Kimbra Cutlip lived with her husband aboard their sailboat in Maryland. When young friends visited her boat and asked, "How does Santa get in?" Ms. Cutlip responded by writing Sailor’s Night Before Christmas ($14.95). Now living on dry land near her boat, Ms. Cutlip works as an associate editor of Weatherwise magazine. She has also worked as an emergency medical technician.

Widely acclaimed as the South’s leading illustrator of juvenile books, James Rice is the illustrator and/or author of over sixty titles with almost two million copies in print. Rice was born on a farm in Coleman County, Texas, and currently resides in Hico, Texas. He has taught art at the grammar-school, high-school, and university levels and enjoys talking to schoolchildren across the country about writing and art.

FIREFIGHTER’S NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS
By Kimbra Cutlip
Illustrated by James Rice
32 pp. 8½ x 11
31 color illustration
ISBN: 1-58980-054-0
EAN: 978-1-58980-054-0 hc