Countryside Holidays

A true holiday classic, this cozy autumn story invites readers to join in an outdoor Thanksgiving feast, full of cheer and generosity of spirit Every year a family and their friends gather in the woods to celebrate Thanksgiving among the trees. Everyone brings something to share and the day becomes a long celebration of family, faith, and friendship. Told in a gentle, lyrical style, this picture book includes warm illustrations of people gathered around bonfires and long tables adorned with candles and food, singing songs and sharing laughter. Thanksgiving in the Woods is based on the true story of a family in Upstate New York who has hosted an outdoor Thanksgiving feast in the woods on their farm for over twenty years. Full of warmth and nostalgia, the Countryside Holiday series celebrates family, community, simplicity, and generosity.

When a little girl finds out her family is planning a "simple" Christmas this year, she's not so sure about it. But soon she gets into the spirit of simplicity and generosity by making presents and Christmas decorations with her parents and grandparents on their family farm. She and her mama share Christmas cookies with friends they meet, inviting everyone to join them for Christmas in their little red barn. Warm and heartfelt, this story invites children and families to imagine an inclusive Christmas, focusing on the simple pleasures of connection, community, and the care and generosity shared by making things by hand. Step-by-step directions for creating three handmade Christmas gifts are included at the end of the book. Full of warmth and nostalgia, the Countryside Holiday series celebrates family, community, simplicity, and generosity.

A Valentine's Day story about community, belonging, and kindness, set in an idyllic small town. From the author of Thanksgiving in the Woods and A Simple Christmas on the Farm comes a new countryside holiday tale for Valentine's Day about community, belonging, and kindness. A girl notices that not everyone is looking forward to Valentine's Day. Some people are new to the community, some are lonely, others are missing loved ones. But then she comes up with a brilliant idea! With the support of her baker grandfather and her classmates, she organizes a town square hunt for valentine cards that people can exchange for a cookie. Soon everyone wants to help, and a new town festival is born. Food trucks, bingo, and live music bring it all together for a fabulous Valentine's Day in the village. Featuring the rural nostalgia of small-town Americana, this beautiful story centers on the power of community, belonging, and kindness. Backmatter includes craft and recipe ideas for celebrating Valentine's Day with your own community.

From the author of Thanksgiving in the Woods and A Simple Christmas on the Farm comes another fall holiday story. The apples are ready for harvest and Halloween is here! What better way to celebrate than by donning homemade costumes and going to the local apple orchard? In this charming story, a boy and his family enjoy everything the orchard has to offer, including searching for scarecrows, getting lost in a corn maze, and going on a hayride. Phyllis Alsdurf's nostalgic storytelling and Lisa Hunt's cozy illustrations will have you counting down the days until Halloween and apple orchard season! Backmatter includes a search-and-find key for finding scarecrows in the book and instructions for decorating a homemade trick-or-treat bag. Halloween in the Orchard is the third in the beloved Countryside Holidays series, along with Thanksgiving in the Woods and A Simple Christmas on the Farm.

Spring is here, and the farm is waking up to new life! A young girl and her family are ready to celebrate the new life of spring. She meets baby animals, helps prepare the garden for planting, and collects pussy willows by the marsh. As they get ready to host a community Easter egg hunt on the farm, the family also decorates eggs with natural dyes and makes funny gifts from egg shells and grass. From the bestselling author of Thanksgiving in the Woods and A Simple Christmas on the Farm, this bright, hopeful story invites readers to gather and celebrate the beauty of spring. Backmatter includes handmade Easter craft activities, including coloring eggs with natural dyes and making eggshell critters. Easter on the Farm is the fourth in the Countryside Holiday series.