Cozy Holiday Reads

In 1939 Robert L. May, a copywriter working at Chicago's Montgomery Ward & Co., wrote a holiday story at the request of his employer. Almost two and a half million copies of the little tale about a reindeer with a shiny red nose were given away to all the children who visited Montgomery Ward stores that year. The rest is history. Seventy-five years later, the beloved classic is once again available in a hardcover faithful facsimile of the 1939 Rudolph, with original text and original Denver Gillen illustrations.

A collection of illustrated fairy stories from Louisa May Alcott—the author who brought us Little Women. 

Originally published in 1854, this collection of fables was inspired by Louisa's time spent in the woods around Walden Pond—a spot endearingly named Fairyland by Walden's own Henry David Thoreau. Young Louisa collected these fairy fables into a volume dedicated to her friend Ellen Emerson, the daughter of Ralph Waldo Emerson. This volume—published under the title, Flower Fables—was Louisa's first published book. Published to commemorate the 150th anniversary of its first publication, this elegant hardback edition is a perfect gift for any aged reader.

With historical photos and impeccable storytelling, this extraordinary book chronicles an astonishing moment in American history.

Starting Christmas Day, 1941, when transport trains on the Union Pacific Railroad stopped in North Platte to refill their water tanks, the local families of North Platte, Nebraska, came together to provide love, support, food, and morale to young soldiers involved in World War II—black and white—who briefly passed through their town. Troops poured into the North Platte Depot, The Canteen, to find homecooked meals, birthday cakes, hot coffee, cold milk, magazines, postcards, and the warmth of a grateful and loving community. The stops lasted only ten minutes, but the people of North Platte made sure that everyone in their midst was taken care of. This remarkable story will inspire readers of all ages, as The Canteen nourishes all who have the privilege to visit.

The first-ever field guide to American birds, Florence A. Merriam’s classic Birds Through an Opera-Glass remains a highly influential book for modern birdwatching more than 130 years since its initial release. 

Birds Through an Opera-Glass is Florence A. Merriam’s pioneering field guide to American birds. The first-ever of its kind, originally published in 1889, it laid the foundation for modern birdwatching. Before Birds Through an Opera-Glass, it was commonplace to shoot birds and study their lifeless bodies. Merriam instead advocated studying birds in the wild—through an opera glass rather than a riflescope—to ensure their preservation. With line drawings and detailed descriptions of seventy common species, Birds Through an Opera-Glass remains a favorite of birders, nature lovers, and conservationists to this day. 

As the first female member of the American Ornithologists’ Union, Merriam was a trailblazer in the emerging field of birding in the latter half of the nineteenth century. Today she is regarded as an essential early voice for bird conservation, and Birds Through an Opera-Glass shows her important principles put into practice. More than a century later, Birds Through an Opera-Glass continues to guide birders and outdoor enthusiasts who are seeking to enjoy nature without harming it. 

This caringly-produced facsimile edition, with charming cover and interior illustrations by Jessie Wilcox Smith, was originally published in 1912.

The beloved and iconic Christmas poem “A Visit from St. Nicholas” (more commonly known as “’Twas the Night Before Christmas”) was written in 1823 by Clement C. Moore. The poem was an instant sensation and still, two hundred years later, is synonymous with Christmas and embodies many of the characteristics still associated with Santa Claus today.

O. Henry’s classic 1905 Christmas story in an elegant gift hardback with illustrations. A treasure for readers of any age.

This sentimental holiday classic follows a young married couple and the sacrifices made to purchase cherished gifts for each other only to discover the true gift of Christmas is not found in objects but in their own devoted love. 

The Applewood Holiday Classics series presents some of the most beloved holiday short stories in a warm, elegant hardback edition with attractive illustrations. Perfect as a cherished seasonal book or a holiday gift for any occasion.

Trailblazing ornithologist Florence A. Merriam’s classic firsthand account of her adventurous and influential field work through Southern California on horseback, first published in 1896. 

A-Birding on a Bronco is Florence A. Merriam’s enduring personal narrative of the natural wonders and new bird species she encountered while surveying the southern California wilderness atop Canello, her trusty white bronco. 

As the first female member of the American Ornithologists’ Union, Merriam was a trailblazer in the emerging field of birding in the latter half of the nineteenth century. Merriam’s pioneering field work took her across the United States. Perhaps her greatest journey of all is recounted is A-Birding on a Bronco, a classic of American nature writing first published in 1896. Merriam’s lively prose is presented alongside original illustrations by famed artist and ornithologist Louis Agassiz Fuertes, his first-ever published work in what became a storied career. It’s all presented in fine detail in this facsimile printing of the original edition. 

In 1889 and 1894, respectively, Merriam journeyed West to document birds far from her native Northeast. A-Birding on a Bronco recounts these exciting horseback expeditions, vividly describing more than seventy bird species she found in the southern California backcountry, as well as introducing the colorful personalities she met along the way.  

Merriam today is regarded as an essential early voice for conservation, and A-Birding on a Bronco shows her important principles put into practice. In an era when capturing and killing birds for research was commonplace, she was among the first to advocate studying birds in their natural habitats to preserve species. It is a fundamental practice that endures today. Merriam also penned the highly influential book Birds Through Opera-Glass (1890), considered by many to be the first birding field guide ever published. 

Whether you’re a fan nature writing, or of first-person adventure narratives, A-birding on a Bronco stands out as a classic across genres. It’s why, more than a century later, A-birding on a Bronco still resonates with readers today.