SLEIGH BELLS AND SNOWFLAKES:A Celebration of Christmas

Bronson (The Circus Alphabet) rings in the season with buoyant 3-D collage/ clay/fabric/paint compositions to animate a vibrant collection of poems and carols. From a bulging portrait of "Jolly Old St. Nicholas" (complete with fur-rimmed suit and cotton beard) to a close-up of a lace-veiled Mary and baby wrapped in textured cloth, the multi-layered scenes with folkloric shapes and textures may well inspire a giddy shopping spree at the art supply store. This fun-to-read volume lives up to the merry-making tone of its title. Ages 4-up. (Oct.)