Since 1926, Pelican Publishing Company has been committed to publishing books of quality and permanence that enrich the lives of those who read them.
Concepts
Gaston® the green-nosed alligator, the mischievous hero of Pelican’s famous Cajun Night Before Christmas®, leads young readers through the alphabet as he attempts to gain entrance to college. In the process, he gives them a clever and practical lesson in Cajun French.
Do you know what relationship Zillertal has with Christmas? Or how American children came up with the name Santa Claus? What is the original name of the poem The Night Before Christmas? If you want to know the answers to these questions, no matter how old you are, you should read A Christmas Dictionary! Hardcover.
Anyone who has lived in the Southwest or grown up on dime-store Westerns, John Ford or roadrunner cartoons will probably understand the gist of that paragraph. So too will those who are comfortable with a well-worn saddle and knotted reins or who have tussled with dogies and teethed on alphabet blocks that spelled of their own accord: bronc and quirt and waddy. Hardcover.
A is for apple, B is for bat, and C is for cat in this beautifully illustrated ABC book that celebrates the traditions of the year’s spookiest holiday. Each letter of the alphabet represents another aspect of Halloween lore, so readers learn that jack-o’-lanterns have their origins in an old Irish myth and the harvest festival Nutcrack Night was a precursor to Halloween. Paperback.
Everyone knows that English dialects vary throughout the country, from state to state, and sometimes even from city to city. However, one interesting group of people in the South, known as the Acadians or Cajuns, actually have their own language. The language of the Acadian region is based on the native French spoken by the first Acadians and flavored with a few spicy touches of Spanish, English, and local Indian languages. Hardcover.
Adults may see many things in life as small, but to young children, those little things aren’t small at all. This story, told in humorous rhyme from a child’s perspective, helps remind us all in what a big world we live. Alison Davis Lyne’s illustrations burst out of the book, from a magnified beetle to Aunt Mildred’s face, which fills the page waiting for a not-so-little kiss. Covering a wide range of childhood experiences, from scary ones such as going to the doctor for a “little shot” to loving ones such as receiving a “little note” from Mom in a lunchbox, this is a book with which all children can truly connect.
Mardi Gras! Many children know of Mardi Gras, but do they know about Mardi Gras? It is not just watching parades and wearing costumes, but knowing the history, traditions, and folklore that make up this unique holiday.
Filled with gorgeously vivid illustrations, The Pilgrims’ Thanksgiving from A to Z is an alphabetized version of the Pilgrims’ story, tracing their arrival on the Mayflower to their first harvest festival in 1621. Incorporating American ideals of freedom and gratitude to God alongside the hardships of Pilgrim life, the book teaches geographical, cultural, and historical facts in a friendly, accessible style.
What does the shamrock represent, and why is it associated with St. Patrick? What great Irish poet featured St. Patrick in one of his most famous poems? What is one of the best known legends about St. Patrick? These questions and many more are answered in this beautifully illustrated storybook dictionary, St. Patrick’s Day Alphabet, while exploring the history, folklore, and traditions of the Emerald Isle. Hardcover.
From Moon Pies to magnolias and kudzu to catfish, ten diapered dynamos get into all kinds of down-home trouble. Children will love counting down, then up again, to the babies’ adventures, while adults will hoot at the hilarious rhymes. David Davis’s rhyming text captures the cadence and humor of the Southern vernacular, just as Sue Marshall Ward’s colorful illustrations conjure the rural sights of that region. Hardcover.
In this adorable counting book, ten Texas babies mosey into town, and each one gets into mischief. Wearing boots and cowboy hats and eating rice and beans, they have themselves a fine time. Children will hoot and holler as they count down and up again with the babies as they swim in the creek, follow an armadillo, find Grandmaw’s bonnet, and chase a longhorn.
Texas Jack, a native jackrabbit, teaches the reader about significant Lone Star characters, historical events, and geography. In this illustrated volume, you’ll meet Davy Crockett, Ponce de Leon, Sam Houston, and other legendary characters. Rice’s rhymes run from A to Z, and Texas Jack remarks on each entry from the perspective of a highly perceptive jackrabbit. Hardcover.
On side one, Texas Jack, a native jackrabbit, teaches the reader about significant Lone Star characters, historical events, and geography. In this illustrated volume, you’ll meet Davy Crockett, Ponce de Leon, Sam Houston, and other legendary characters. On side one, Texas Jack, a native jackrabbit, teaches the reader about significant Lone Star characters, historical events, and geography. In this illustrated volume, you’ll meet Davy Crockett, Ponce de Leon, Sam Houston, and other legendary characters. Audiocassette.
This ABC book cheerfully illuminates the classic American holiday with an eye on history and adventure. Hop aboard the Mayflower and voyage across the Atlantic. Meet the Wampanoag Indians and feast on turkey and corn while discovering William Bradford and Yellow Feather. Learn what famous American suggested celebrating the holiday nationwide and what United States president made it an official day of national honor. The book begins with a brief overview of Thanksgiving, setting the stage for all twenty-six letters. Each entry includes a few sentences explaining the word’s significance in the annual event. Paperback.
From the front cover right on through to the last page, Susan Holt Kralovansky has created a rootin’, tootin’, cowboy Christmas extravaganza! Drawing on her skills as a children’s educator, librarian, and fiber artist, Kralovansky transforms the traditional Twelve Days of Christmas with a Texas flair.
Clever young Chuan and his artist mentor are back in this fourth book of the Warlord’s series. This time, the two are journeying across the desert to find their master, the warlord, when they meet up with a group of traveling puppeteers. When bandits attack and steal their trunk of puppets, Chuan knows that he must step in to help his new friends in order to finish the journey. Hardcover.
In China, a beautiful ceramic tile lies shattered on the ground, and the artist who dropped it is sentenced to the land’s worst punishment. The fierce warlord will execute the artist unless some wise person can put the seven pieces back together. That person will then be invited to live in the castle. Both locals and strangers from far away wait their turns for a chance to solve the warlord’s puzzle. Hardcover.