Mistletoe

A Christmas Story

Board Book

Grades Up to Preschool
Ages 0–3

Celebrate Christmas with Mistletoe, a mouse who makes the perfect gift for her best friend from #1 New York Times bestselling author-illustrator.

Mistletoe loves everything about Christmas—the twinkling lights, the cookies for Santa, and, most of all, the gently falling snow. Her best friend, Norwell, is an elephant who likes sitting by the fire and watching the snow from the comfort of his cozy house. On one particularly snowy walk, Mistletoe stops to appreciate the beauty and peace of a snow-covered world. She knows Norwell would love it too... if he weren’t so afraid of the cold. Then she has an idea! Mistletoe knits from morning to night—when she’s reading, when she’s baking, and even in the bath (which isn’t easy). By the time Christmas morning arrives, she puts down her knitting needles. Her gift for Norwell is ready—and it is perfect.

Full of holiday cheer and filled with the true meaning of Christmas, here is a new story from master picture book creator Tad Hills that introduces two warm and funny characters to love.

“A friendship story for under the tree.” —Kirkus Reviews

"A memorable pair of characters who bring humor and thoughtfulness to their sweet celebration of Christmas." —Publishers Weekly 

“This sweet friendship tale reminds readers that ’a truly special gift comes not only from the heart but also from the hands,’ a message that should keep us all as ’toasty and warm’ as Norwell.” —The Horn Book

ISBN 9798217233243 (Board Book)
Published on Oct 6, 2026
Published by Random House Studio
Pages 36
Dimensions 6-3/4 x 7-1/2
Age Range 0-3 years
Grade Up to Preschool
Reading Level Lexile: AD570L | Fountas/Pinnell: L

ISBN 9780593174425 (Hardcover)
Published on Sep 29, 2020
Published by Schwartz & Wade
Pages 40
Dimensions 10 x 11
Age Range 3-7 years
Grade Preschool - 2
Reading Level Lexile: AD570L | Fountas/Pinnell: L

ISBN 9780593174449 (Ebook)
Published on Sep 29, 2020
Published by Schwartz & Wade
Pages 40
Age Range 3-7 years
Grade Preschool - 2
Reading Level Lexile: AD570L | Fountas/Pinnell: L

Tad Hills

Tad Hills is the #1 New York Times bestselling author and illustrator of the Rocket and Duck & Goose series, including the New York Times bestselling picture books How Rocket Learned to Read; Rocket Writes a Story; R Is for Rocket; Duck & Goose; Duck, Duck, Goose; Duck & Goose Go to the Beach; and Duck & Goose, Honk! Quack! Boo! He also created various board books in these series, including Rocket’s Mighty Words; Duck & Goose Find a Pumpkin; the ALA-ALSC Notable Children’s Book What’s Up, Duck?: A Book of Opposites; Duck & Goose: Here Comes the Easter Bunny!; and several Step Into Reading titles, including Drop It, Rocket! and Rocket’s 100th Day of School.
 
The Boston Globe declared Hills’s work “charming, funny, simple, and surprising” and dubbed him “a master of the light comic touch.”
 
Tad lives in Brooklyn, New York, with his wife, two children, and his real-life dog, Rocket, who has not yet learned to read.
 
Visit Tad online at tadhills.com, and follow him on Twitter at @tadhills.

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Mistletoe

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