Rocky Mountain Night Before Christmas

"Forget Dancer, Prancer, Comet, and Vixen. . . . Good Clement, wherever he is, will not be gnashing his teeth."--%iNew York Times Book Review%rThe Rocky Mountains come alive on a cold Christmas Eve as a cowboy makes his way home. Upon arrival, he spies a big, fat red feller on the rooftop of his cabin and lassoes the suspected cattle rustler. Ordinarily, fate would have dictated dire consequences, but childhood memories reveal the stranger as Santa Claus and the two reunite.The pair bask in the warmth of the cabin as the cowboy tells of his Rocky Mountain days. He lives a hard life on the Western frontier but would never consider anything else.When Santa takes flight to continue his journey, he leaves behind a package to ease his new friend's troubles along with a wish:%iMay your trail be easyand your burden be light!%rA new twist on Clement C. Moore's classic Christmas poem, this book plays off of its Rocky Mountain setting and the drawling dialect characteristic of the area. %b%iRocky Mountain Night Before Christmas%r is a welcome addition to any collection of Christmas tales and legends.(Back Flap)Joe Gribnau is a graduate of the University of Montana and obtained his master's degree in literacy from Walla Walla College. A resident of Washington state, he is an elementary-school teacher who enjoys writing. Mr. Gribnau is a fifth-generation Montanan with hobbies ranging from rock climbing to archery, but his greatest joy is being "Dad" to his three kids.Artist Salima Alikhan has been writing and illustrating her own stories since she was a child. After traveling in Europe, Alikhan briefly enrolled in college but soon realized she wanted to pursue her passion of illustrating full-time. A member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, she has published a trade picture book and designed cover and interior illustrations for several magazines. She resides in Austin, Texas.Gribnau, Joe is the author of 'Rocky Mountain Night Before Christmas ', published 2007 under ISBN 9781589803176 and ISBN 1589803175.