Cajun Night Before Christmas 50th Anniversary Edition

Description: A version in Cajun dialect of the famous poem, "The Night Before Christmas," set in a Louisiana bayou.

Brief description: Rice is especially good with facial expressions, whether they are on a Texas jackrabbit, a longhorn steer, a dusty cowboy, or the green and long-nosed alligator named Gaston.
--Library Journal

Rice is a master at making a story come alive with colorful detailed drawings.
--(Beaumont, TX) SouthEast Texas Examiner

James Rice (1934-2004) was a fledgling illustrator when he collaborated with late Pelican publisher Dr. Milburn Calhoun to create his first book, the well-loved classic Cajun Night Before Christmas(R). In his long, distinguished career as an author and illustrator, he would go on to produce more than sixty books for children. With more than 2.5 million books in print, he ranks among the nation's best-selling creators of children's books. In addition to the praise he received from the many schoolchildren he visited and all those young at heart, Mr. Rice won several awards throughout the years from Printer Industries of America and the Children's Book Council. Mr. Rice died at his home in Hico, Texas, in May 2004.

Award Winning Works by James Rice:
Gaston Goes to Texas
Certificate of Award, Printer Industries of America 1979
The Night Before Christmas
Certificate of Merit, Printer Industries of America 1990
Why Cowboys Sleep with Their Boots On
Certificate of Merit, Printer Industries of America 1996
Cajun Night Before Christmas(R)
Not Just for Children Anymore Classics, CBC 2002
The Teachers' Night Before Christmas
Children's Choices, CBC/IRA 2002
Why Cowboys Need a Pardner
Children's Books Mean Business, CBC 2002

Review Quotes: The 50th Anniversary edition, which retails for $24.95, includes eight pages of curated content released from the Pelican archives that showcase the rich legacy of storytelling within Louisiana and the far reach that a humble (or not so humble!) gator has had on Cajun culture, Louisiana, and the entire country. An additional limited edition $39.95 Special Edition includes a slipcover.