Pelican Publishing Children's Books

This abbreviated board book edition is the perfect introduction to this classic tale!

Take the classic story of jolly old St. Nicholas, place it in a Louisiana bayou setting, dress Santa Claus in muskrat “from his head to his foot,” pile his skiff high with toys, and hitch it to eight friendly alligators. The result is this modern classic. Fifty years after its first appearance, Cajun Night Before Christmas® has sold more than one million copies and has served as the model for Pelican’s ongoing, best-selling Night Before Christmas Series.

The Cajun Night Before Christmas® has been a part of Louisiana’s holiday traditions since it was first published in 1973. A delight to both young and old with its rustic full-color illustrations and lively story, it has become a timeless addition to holiday celebrations far beyond south Louisiana, reaching all corners of the country with its charming presentation of Christmas on the bayou and the break-out star of Gaston® the Green-Nosed Alligator.

Conceived by J. B. Kling, Jr., Cajun Night Before Christmas® originally appeared as a Christmas message from Bergeron Plymouth Company of New Orleans. Under the pseudonymous byline “Trosclair,” the story won a Clio Award in 1967 from the Academy of Television and Radio Advertising.

Brought to life by the talented James Rice, the humorous illustrations of a colorful bayou Christmas have been nationally recognized as a classic in its genre.

Lloyd Vogt, an award-winning New Orleans architect, offers young people a fascinating glimpse into the history of New Orleans architecture. Dividing his discussion into two parts--house types and house styles--he provides a basic yet comprehensive first course in New Orleans building design in a language designed for easy understanding. Also provided are labeled drawings for style identification, and a complete glossary.

Join Joshua and his grandpa for a heartwarming history of the brave African American Tuskegee Airmen of World War II.

Young readers can sit with Joshua and his friends as his grandfather tells him the story of his service in World War II as a Tuskegee Airman. Topics like war, racism, and segregation may be unfamiliar to young readers, but this story explains complicated topics in ways that any child can understand. The Tuskegee Airmen were the first African American military pilots, and some of the bravest among all of the armed forces, but pilots weren’t the only important faction— both men and women worked as mechanics, instructors, nurses, cooks, and many more invaluable jobs. As Joshua’s grandpa says, “Everybody who helped America to win the war was a hero. Some people fought America’s enemies in battles overseas. Others fought for freedom at home.”

Learn about the service and sacrifice made by Joshua’s grandpa, grandma, and countless others who made the Tuskegee Airmen legacy last for generations.

Sing along with the Carnival version of the favored nursery rhyme “The Wheels on the Bus.” This playful parody entertains with festive flair, as during Mardi Gras, it’s not a bus but a decorated float brimming with beads that delight the youngest parade-goers. Through engaging art and fun prose, children are transported to the parade route, enchanted by the magical sights and scenes of the season. 

Excitement fills every page! Tractors honk to the crowds as they pass, pulling the floats all Mardi Gras long. As beads fly through the air and crowds cheer, “Throw me something, mister!” drums boom and dance teams twirl. The best of a young reveler’s favorite Carnival parades are all found here. Join in the fun as the floats roll all through the town!

The rhythmic flow of the verse and colorful illustrations immerse readers in the joyous and culturally rich experience of Mardi Gras. Perfect for read-aloud sessions and interactive story times, this whimsical yet educational introduction to the Carnival celebration is an ideal addition to preschools, library shelves, and home collections. 

This volume of six traditional Irish legends includes stories about a king with donkey�s ears, a moral lesson about riches and possessions based on a brown bull, a tale explaining how the coast of Antrim was formed by a giant, and other tales about treachery, bravery, and honor. Spirited illustrations bring each tale to life, and a pronunciation guide is included to assist with reading the unusual Irish names such as Ailill and Daire Mac Fiachra. Told for hundreds of years, these stories are a rich part of Irish history and lend themselves to great storytelling.

Move over Bre'r Rabbit, there's a new trickster in town!

When hungry Deer asks Possum how he stays so plump during the long dry season, the sly marsupial gets an idea. It wouldn't take much for Possum to help Deer; he could just climb that ol' persimmon tree and knock down the fruit. But Possum is just plain lazy and he'd rather trick Deer into doing the work for both of them. Once Possum decides to take advantage of his starving neighbor they both become marked forever.

Every Sunday, Mike and Yvette could be found sitting on the porch listening to Pop recount stories of growing up near the Catahoula swamp. Tall tales of creatures that could only live in nightmares…an old hag with long, boney fingers, a tree that comes to life, and a wild girl who keeps “toe-kens” from her human encounters. Tall tales, yes, and none of them true…right?!

Yet when the family outing to visit Tante Nana, deep in the backwoods of Catahoula goes awry, Yvette soon discovers that strange things happen where the black trees grow.

2025 Moonbeam Bronze Medalist, ABA Pick of the List title, and a Storytelling World Honor Award Honoree

Now in paperback, this beloved anthology for the whole family consists of five original tales, each linked to an important Jewish holiday and featuring the prophet Elijah. In each tale, Elijah comforts those who are generous, wise, and fair while challenging those who are faithless.

Home to thousands of US sailors, the USS Alabama fought bravely in World War II, but after she finished her service, the battleship was set to be scrapped. The people of Alabama decided they had to save the ship named for their proud state. No one was more determined than Alabama’s schoolchildren.

Author Karyn Tunks traces the story of the children’s efforts in this informative and entertaining account. Tunks reveals a wealth of detail about life at sea before the ship was decommissioned and the many challenges Alabamians faced in securing the ship’s permanent home.

Artist Julie Dupré Buckner captures the feeling of the era in her detailed, vivid illustrations of the ship, those who called her home, and those who saved her for future generations. Complete with a glossary, illustrated ship’s diagram, and timeline, USS Alabama: Hooray for the Mighty A! offers beginning readers a glimpse of the fascinating history of the battleship and how even the smallest of actions can produce incredible results.

This abbreviated board book edition is the perfect introduction to this classic tale!

Gaston the green-nosed alligator has returned from the swamp and is taking adventurous readers on a tour of Mardi Gras.

Deep in the bayou where critters reside lived a lovable little crawfish they all knew as Clyde. The big crawfish said he would always be too small to play, but Clyde had an idea of how his giant cousin up in Maine could help! Young readers will enjoy the trick while also learning the importance of inclusion.

Within these colorful pages, it’s Carnival time all year long!

A young storyteller relives the memories from her most recent Mardi Gras, describing ladders on the neutral ground and the perennial favorite of a fried chicken meal on the parade route. From a streetcar ride on Twelfth Night, she rolls on through Fat Tuesday and meets Mardi Gras Indians and revels in king cake and the music of a marching band, capturing all the highlights of a local’s Mardi Gras season. Who can forget spray string and stink bombs, the cotton candy cart, masking in the streets, and flambeaux lighting the way for night parades? As she Mardi Gras mambos and dances in the streets, she calls out for friends and relatives riding on floats to throw her something a little extra special.

This homage in verse captures a true local’s version of a family-friendly Mardi Gras and celebrates a city’s joy in its traditions. Children will find similarities between their own Carnival experiences and reflect on their own family’s customs. For those new to the festivities, the images—saturated with all things purple, green, and gold—will introduce visitors and newcomers alike to the real Mardi Gras. The celebration is so much more than a party and parades. It’s a holiday steeped in the culture of New Orleans and the joie de vivre of families and friends who come together during a special time of year to share in the revelry.

In Louisiana’s Cajun Country, a celebration like no other occurs each Mardi Gras. The families of Acadiana come together on Fat Tuesday to host a centuries-old tradition: the Courir de Mardi Gras. During the running of the Mardi Gras, brightly costumed participants run, beg, sing, and dance for their neighbors as they gather tasty ingredients for the gumbo that will be shared at a dance party under a shining Mardi Gras moon. 

But once upon a time, many years ago, the moon vanished, nearly putting an end to the fais-do-do! A fiendish duo hooked the festive moon and towed it away, depriving the revelers of their purple, green, and gold moonbeams.

So young Leloup set off on a quest to recover the shining sentry. A sprinkling of familiar bayou characters and critters are scattered throughout this fairytale. Through teamwork, and some silly shenanigans, they help our hero as he returns the moon to its proper place in the Cajun sky, just in time to enjoy a celebratory gumbo and dance to some zydeco tunes. He might have even found some Mardi Gras treasure along the way!

Leloup’s story is full of fun references to the Acadian culture and is complete with a glossary of Cajun words, phrases, and places.

Petit Pierre has made a home for himself on the coast where Louisiana meets Mississippi, and now it is time for him to learn how to plunge-dive. Brown pelicans typically pick up this behavior by watching others do it. Will a new friend help Pierre learn how to dive? Young readers will follow his progress and, along the way, find out more about Gulf of Mexico marine life.

Author Kathleen Welch, a member of the Core Committee for developing the Louisiana Alzheimer’s State Plan, and her husband, illustrator Alan McGillivray, provide a child’s perspective in their tale for little ones experiencing Alzheimer’s and dementia in their family. As the elder elephant and her young grandson spend the day together, she forgets her hat, loses her brush, gets lost, confuses her grandson’s name, and tells stories of things that happened long ago as if they just occurred. When danger threatens, her love for her family shines through the clouds of her memory and she remembers things she learned as a child. The author provides a guide to further discussion with young children and a resource list for families facing this devastating disease.

Twelve-year-old Gracie Watson is unusually—some might even say morbidly—excited about her upcoming move to Savannah, one of the most haunted cities in the country.

Gracie isn’t one to make friends with the living, but she quickly bonds with a graveyard groundskeeper’s son, who vows to help her on her quest. Together, they set out to find the ghost of another Gracie Watson, who happens to be buried at Bonaventure Cemetery. Like any great adventure, what they find is nothing like what they expected.

"...a fun and engaging read for football fans and realistic fiction fans alike." —Kirkus Reviews

A Team Against All Odds

Hatcher has big football dreams. He wants to be a play-calling star. A legend. So, he joins a city youth team with the hopes of helping them design plays to win a championship. But when his inability to read plays correctly gets him cut to the B-team––a group of scrappy misfits––his dream of winning turns to surviving a season of Cajun craziness. 

Enter cousin Heatha, who, forced to live with them, attempts to discover the root of Hatcher’s problems. How can latchkey kids Hatcher and Heatha work together to defy the odds?

Born in 1812, free woman of color Henriette Delille resisted her family's efforts to steer her toward a traditional life as the mistress of a white man. Instead she pursued a calling to care for slaves, the sick, and the poor, and established a religious community for women of color. As a result of her work, she is the first African-American candidate for canonization. This middle-reader historical novel offers a fascinating glimpse into her life and into the history and unique culture of the free people of color in New Orleans.

Set in the New Orleans French Quarter during the nineteenth century, this fictional biography follows the spiritual journey of Henriette Delille, a strong-willed free woman of color who founded the Sisters of the Holy Family.

The story begins in 1823 when Henriette is ten years old. Though dazzled by the opulence of quadroon balls and affluent New Orleans society, she dedicates her life to helping the less fortunate, especially slaves. Henriette remains steadfast in her desire to live a moral life, despite her family's disapproval.

In an attempt to extend her acts of kindness, she organizes a community of women who help her with charitable works. The Sisters of the Holy Family aim to educate slaves, care for the sick, and feed the hungry. During the Civil War, Henriette's health deteriorates; however, she works through her weakness, never wavering from her duty to help others, until she passes away in 1862.

Using the unique culture of New Orleans as a backdrop, Henriette Delille: Rebellious Saint provides a glimpse into such customs as the pla�age system, voodoo practices, and the culture clash between Americans and the French and Spanish. The text is interspersed with French phrases, offering an authentic feel to this engaging story of a young woman whose acts set her on the path to sainthood.

Now in paperback!

Decode the story of the Sioux who helped win the war.

In World War II, code making and code breaking reached a feverish peak. The fabled Enigma cipher had been broken, and all sides were looking for a secure, reliable means of communication. Many have heard of the role of the Navajo Code Talkers, but less well-known are the Sioux Code Talkers, who used the Lakota, Dakota, and Nakota dialects. Told by the great-niece of John Bear King, who served in the First Cavalry as a Sioux Code Talker, this informative title explores not only the importance of the indigenous peoples to the war but also their culture and values. Follow the seven Sioux who put aside a long history of prejudice against their people and joined the fight against Japan.

Embark on a magical journey through Florida’s diverse landscapes.

Join our young protagonist aboard the Panhandle Pullman for an unforgettable adventure filled with breathtaking sights and exciting discoveries. From the emerald waters of St. George Island to the historic streets of St. Augustine, each stop offers new wonders to explore. Taste the Tupelo honey, and marvel at the wildlife of the Florida Keys. Encounter manatees and sea turtles, alligators, crocodiles. Blast off at a NASA rocket launch! All Aboard, Florida! celebrates the beauty, history, and wonders of Florida in a captivating tale for children of all ages. Climb aboard and get ready for a journey of a lifetime.

Lucille St. Lewis and her family have just moved to Louisiana. When her new friends at school find out she’s never eaten boiled crawfish, she feels left out. Will she like these “mudbugs”? One thing is for certain—she won’t be needing a fork! In this fun picture book, young readers will enjoy witnessing Lucy’s introduction to a Bayou State staple.

In the swamp, Gary the gator befriends Jerry, a cellphone who has fallen off a swamp boat.

Jerry offers Gary access to many wonders of the world, but Gary misses slowing down and enjoying his bayou life with his friends and family. In this colorful picture book, young readers will discover if Gary and Jerry can strike a good balance between modern technology and the simple life.

Visit Florida from A to Z and discover that the state is more than just a vacationer’s dream. Throughout each brightly colored page, young readers will identify fun and familiar places, food, and activities while learning new words and concepts on their alphabetical journey of the Sunshine State. From alligators and egrets to mangroves and oranges, this friendly introduction to Florida’s weather, geography, and more will be rewarding to read and reread both in classrooms and at home. The state’s wildlife, flowers, landscapes, and more are captured in the breezy, balmy illustrations, which feature fun facts and a  picture search. 

Did you know that more than one thousand shipwrecks have been found off the Florida Keys? Or that the Florida panther, the state animal, can travel more than twenty miles in a single night? These fascinating Florida facts are just a few of the engaging concepts that children (and adults) will learn on their educational jaunt through America’s southernmost state. A list of Florida state symbols completes this delightfully rhyming primer.

Surrounded by the waters of the Mississippi, the blooming magnolias, and the buzzing mosquitoes, a solitary raccoon made his home in a cypress trunk.

As yet another Christmas approached with no friends to share the holiday season, Roux vowed to make a change. He built a tall bonfire, in the Cajun tradition, in hopes that Papa Noel would see the warm light of the flames on his Christmas Eve flight. 

Roux tucked himself into bed that cold, lonely night with not an inkling that Santa would indeed stop by his swampy abode. The jolly man in red brought gifts for the raccoon who had been nice all year, but gifts, he knew, were not what would bring little Roux cheer. As Santa set off to continue his Christmas Eve rounds, he scoured the bayous and towns for what would make Roux’s holiday complete. Can Santa find the perfect present to save Roux’s Christmas? 

This heartwarming story about the power of hope and the magic of friendship is sure to brighten your holiday reading. Children will enjoy this story of an unlikely friendship set in the southern swamps that references customs and traditions familiar to the littlest Cajuns. A recipe for Roux’s Bayou Stew completes this special tale.

It’s Christmas time in Louisiana! This year Elise and her mother are traveling from New Orleans to join her family in Natchitoches to celebrate the season in a very special way.

Along north Louisiana’s Cane River, holiday traditions include parades—even a boat parade!—along the river and a Christmas festival with arts and crafts and carolers singing. The light-bedecked city of Natchitoches enchants Elise. Christmas lights blink from every lamppost and storefront. The twinkling colors are reflected in the river, and fireworks light up the sky. The sugary scent of funnel cakes and cotton candy saturates the evening breeze. But Elise’s favorite holiday treat is the famous Natchitoches meat pie that Maw-Maw sells at her festival booth every year. Can you guess her secret ingredient?

Natchitoches, Louisiana’s oldest city, has celebrated the Christmas season with a festival for a century. Today, the Natchitoches Christmas Festival lasts six weeks long and features hundreds of thousands of lights, days of entertainment for children and adults, and visits from Santa. And everyone’s favorite festival food? The Natchitoches meat pie, of course! The official recipe for this yummy snack concludes the tale of Elise’s family Christmas.

Two adorable bears set out to find the source of an irresistible aroma and wind up smack dab in the middle of the most exciting place on earth—a festival! 

Join Hannah Bear and LuLu on a thrilling journey as they explore the blinking lights, the spinning rides, and delicious food! The adventurous cubs sample every delectable delight at the big autumn event, from spicy cracklins, pecans, and pralines to other Louisiana treats. As the wind picks up, Hannah Bear and LuLu catch a whiff of something truly special that leads them through the pumpkin patch and across Bayou Bridge. They even encounter an alligator! Follow Hannah Bear and LuLu to the perfect spot with the most delicious smell of all.

With humor, curiosity, and a dash of mischief, Hannah Bear and LuLu's Festival to Remember celebrates the joy of exploration, the love of family, and the warmth of home. Get ready for a wild ride with these adorable fuzzy cubs!

It is time for nap at Sassy’s house. But she is wide awake! Young readers will follow along as Sassy travels the state of Louisiana, enjoying music in New Orleans, picking strawberries in Ponchatoula, and touring the swamps. Wait, was she sleeping and dreaming the whole time?

Joey, left at home alone one night, sees and hears strange things, but he has the superior wit to convince any and all possible monsters that his brother, Dan, is the better choice for dinner.

"A small gem of a story." —Kirkus

Dwindling water supplies have driven desperate cattlemen to snip fences in order to water their herds—targeting thirteen-year-old Jesse's farm several times. When a lone drifter arrives in town, he's quickly hired to work the farm. Jesse suspects the man is more than just a hired hand and is determined to uncover his mysterious secret. This Society of School Librarians International Honor Book includes an author's note and bibliography.