The Tub People's Christmas

A posthumous gift for fans of the late Conrad, this tale finds the Tub People all a-twitter one winter night when a mysterious visitor descends through the chimney. He pockets the worried Tub People, then removes them one by one, to become ornaments on a beautiful Christmas tree. The leisurely pace of Conrad's economical prose and dazzling simplicity of Egielski's rounded forms are a rare match; this final curtain call is sheer joy. Tree ornaments, not seen by PW, will be packaged with the book. Ages 4-8. (Oct.)