SMITTY IS NEVER late for school. Not when his shoes get stuck in a sea of thick, black tar. Not when the sky rains snowmen down on the city streets. Not when he uses his coat for a sail to catch a gale and is swallowed up by a whale. Or when he encounters a robot from Mars eating up cars…or a very, very hungry T-Rex!

With rhyming language and a vivid imagination, author Mike Reiss demonstrates that, for some children, getting to school on time can be an adventure. Illustrator Michael Austin's humorous, exaggerated images colorfully bring to life the mischievous fun of the text.

The surprise ending will delight young readers as they cheer on Smitty and his heroic efforts to beat the school bell....

What does Santa do with his hard-earned vacation time? The same stuff you would do to relax and have fun and a whole lot more! In this uproarious tale by popular author and Simpsons writer Mike Reiss, Santa recovers from a hectic December by embarking on an hilarious campaign of adventure and self-improvement from sumo wrestling, to international espionage, to continuing education (including Elf Esteem and Basic Reindeer Labor Laws). But no matter where he goes or what he does, he s still our beloved Santa Claus, as Michael Montgomery s comically classic illustrations reveal. So, thanks, Santa, for all your hard work. Go ahead and take the year off!...