Images reproduced with permission from Phaidon Press.

“Bugs at Christmas,” by Beatrice Alemagna, Phaidon Press, $12.95, 38 pages, ages 3-5.

It’s Christmas Eve in the bugs’ cozy blanket world, and they’re trying to organize a holiday party.  Unfortunately, they each seem to have a different idea of how to celebrate; Little Yellow Bug wants to sing Jungle Bugs around a piano, while Little Long-Legged Bug prefers dancing the Santa Samba until he drops. The critters can’t agree on the best way to ring in Christmas until they learn that the spirit of love and togetherness triumphs over creative differences.  Beatrice Alemagna created these surprisingly loveable hairy creatures using appliqué, fabrics, and stitching techniques that together resemble the texture of a nubby, wooly quilt.