Publisher, Houghton Mifflin Company (October 1985)

". . . the pictures may be the best he's done. There is nothing cute here, rather there is something I would have to call majestic." --Noel Perrin, The New York Times Book Review

"On Christmas Eve, many years ago, I lay quietly in my bed. I did not rustle the sheets. I breathed slowly and silently. I was listening for a sound -- a sound a friend had told me I'd never hear -- the ringing bells of Santa's sleigh. 'There is no Santa,' my friend had insisted, but I knew he was wrong. Late that night I did hear sounds, though not of ringing bells. From outside came the sounds of hissing steam and squeaking metal. I looked through my window and saw a train standing perfectly still in from of my house."

A magical train ride on Christmas Eve takes a boy to the North Pole to receive a special gift from Santa Claus.

Since its publication in 1985, Chris Van Allsburg's holiday classic has sold more than four million copies and has come to signify the essential spirit of Christmas for countless readers. A dramatic new reading of the timeless tale. The set includes a hardcover copy of the Caldecott Award-winning book, recordings of the story on both cassette and compact disc, and a bell from Santa's sleigh. Readers and listeners young and old are sure to treasure this inspiring book and companion audio cassette and compact disc recording, which brings to life the magic of Christmas for all who believe.

About the Author: Chris Van Allsburg is the winner of two Caldecott Medals, for Jumanji and The Polar Express, as well as the recipient of a Caldecott Honor Book for The Garden of Abdul Gasazi. The author and illustrator of numerous picture books for children, he has also been awarded the Regina Medal for lifetime achievement in children's literature. In 1982, Jumanji won the National Book Award and in 1996, it was made into a popular feature film. Chris Van Allsburg was formerly an instructor at the Rhode Island School of Design. He lives in Rhode Island with his wife and two children.