Holiday Books, Puzzles, and Activities

Ballparks Then and Now is a fascinating exploration of ballparks across America. Packed with archival and modern photography, this book documents the development of America’s national pastime by looking at the fields of dreams on which it is played.

The ballpark experience has changed dramatically from baseball’s early days on grassy lots with wooden grandstands and free admission. The Union Grounds in Brooklyn, New York, is considered by many historians to be the first ballpark ever built, when William Cammeyer decided to use the Union Skating Pond as grounds for baseball games in 1862. When the first professional leagues were formed in 1871, enterprising owners began to invest in the creation of luxurious wooden palaces such as the Grand Pavilion in Boston and Sportsman’s Park in St. Louis. The first steel-and-concrete ballpark was Shibe Park in Philadelphia, built in 1909, which housed a record number of 20,000 paying customers and set the standard in ballpark design for the next fifty years. The cookie-cutter ballparks of the 1960s and 1970s have largely been replaced by newer retro designs that give each park its own unique feel and have re-established ballparks as a vital part of urban America.

Ballparks Then and Now is a fascinating exploration of ballparks across America. Packed with archival and modern photography, this book documents the development of America’s national pastime by looking at the fields of dreams on which it is played.

Coffee Table Book

•HC•b&w illustrations

•Chicago Then and Now pairs vintage shots from 100 years of the city's history with the same view today. A both informative and super unique book that makes an amazing gift or addition to your own coffee table!

Watercolor workbooks are just like a coloring book, but with watercolor! Enjoy this peaceful hobby on your own, with kids, and with friends. Makes a wonderful gift. Perfect for artists of any age.

Soup is the ultimate comfort food for all seasons. In a handy box with a sliding tray, discover recipe cards with easy-to-make creamy chowders, hearty chilis, chunky minestrones, fresh gazpachos, and more, plus meat add-ins, crunchy toppings, and zesty drizzles that make enhancing leftovers a breeze. A helpful guidebook includes tips for balancing flavors and storing tasty soups so you can enjoy them again and again. A perfect gift or stocking stuffer for soup lovers, home cooks, college students or recent grads, and new homeowners, the Soup Deck is an appetizing addition to any kitchen.

MORE TASTY RECIPES FROM BELOVED AUTHOR: Shelly Westerhausen Worcel, author of the bestselling books Platters and Boards, Tables and Spreads, and Every Season is Soup Season, delivers another dynamite package full of stunning photography and accessible recipes. Her soups are downright delicious, and her ideas for reinventing them couldn't be more creative. Feast your eyes on the gorgeous photography, then fill your belly with a bowlful of tasty soup!

GREAT VALUE: Soup and one-pot meals are the best—they're simple and inexpensive to make yet filling and comforting to eat. They also provide great leftovers. With easy base recipes and tons of ideas for customizing a bowl of soup and dressing up leftovers, this handy deck is an arsenal of soup know-how for much less than the cost of a traditional cookbook. 

EASY RECIPES WITH VEGETABLES: More and more people are looking for ways to eat healthier and sneak more plants into their diet. This deck offers a collection of vegetable-forward and plant-based recipes that are easy to adapt for omnivores.

GREAT COOKING GIFT: Give this deck to the cook in your life alongside a Dutch oven, wooden spoon, or a stack of soup bowls. Attractively priced to make the perfect add-on gift or stocking stuffer.

Songbirds 500 Piece Family Puzzle from Mudpuppy features 18 colorfully illustrated birds. Mudpuppy puzzles are packaged in matte-finish sturdy boxes, perfect for gifting, reuse, and storage.

- 500 pieces

- Great family activity for adults and children to enjoy together

- Package: 8 x 8 x 2", 20 x 20 x 5cm

- Complete puzzle: 20 x 20", 51 x 51cm

- Ages 8-99

- Puzzle greyboard contains 90% recycled paper. Packaging contains 70% recycled paper. Printed with nontoxic inks.

The Winter Watercolor Workbook includes 12 winter-themed illustrations with an example of the finished painting, step-by-step instructions, and a lightly illustrated sketch for you to paint. It's just like a coloring book, but with watercolor! Enjoy this peaceful painting hobby on your own, with children, or with friends. Makes a wonderful gift and is perfect for artists of any age. Details: - 12 beginner-friendly illustrations - Thick 120lb watercolor paper - Lay-flat pages with spiral binding for hassle-free painting and easy tear-out - Lightly outlined sketches to guide you - Easy to carry, travel-ready 6.5" x 9" size - Paint sold separately - Original artwork by Emily Lex - Designed and printed in the USA

Piece together a day at the bookstore with this 1000-piece puzzle from Galison. Soothing watercolors from award-winning designer, illustrator, and creative director Michael Storrings thoroughly capture the wonder and delight that can be found inside a bookstore. Galison puzzles are packaged in matte-finish sturdy boxes, perfect for gifting, reuse, and storage. An insert of the full puzzle image is also included

- 1000 pieces

- Box Size: 11.25 x 8.25 x 2", 86 x 210 x 51 mm

- Puzzle Size: 27 x 20", 508 x 686 mm

- Contains insert with information about the artist and image

- Minimal puzzle dust

A step-by-step guide to Mahjong for new and seasoned players alike.

For many third-culture kids in the Asian diaspora, the sight and sound of clacking mahjong tiles conjures deep-seated memories. Some learned to play alongside elders, while others watched from afar. Maybe you only distantly know of the game through movies or articles about pop-up mahjong nights. Whether you are looking to reconnect with the game, pick up a new hobby, or introduce others to a favorite pastime, Mahjong is a step-by-step guide for new and seasoned players alike.

With vibrant photography and detailed instructional diagrams, author Nicole Wong walks you through gameplay, just how her grandfather would have. In addition, Mahjong delves into the strategy, history, and design of the game and discusses various popular styles of play (American mah-jongg, Japanese riichi mahjong, and more). A bonus essay also breaks down the mahjong hands in the pivotal scene from the 2018 hit film Crazy Rich Asians, and snippets of the author’s family history are sprinkled throughout, telling a story of diaspora through mahjong and showcasing mahjong culture, past and present.

With Mahjong as your guide, learn the history and evolution of this beautiful game while you connect with friends, family, and culture. You may even write your own house rules—just don’t forget the snacks!

A library themed puzzle for all of our book lovers out there! This design is full of the cutest color combinations & fun elements scattered throughout the piece! If you are looking for something to pair with a good book over the weekend, this is it!

1000 piece puzzle

Ribbon cut

Finished puzzle dimensions - 20" x 27"

Box dimensions - 9" x 9" x 2"

Includes 8x10 colored poster of puzzle

Artist: Lauren Waltman

From Betty Crocker, the brand beloved by generations of Americans, a carefully curated treasure trove of more than 100 favorite vintage recipes found in the Betty Crocker archives, dusted off and so delicious you’ll love them on today’s table. 

Over the last century, Betty Crocker has created thousands of well-tested, wonderful recipes, some especially that spark fond memories today, whether they were made by a grandparent, served at holiday meals, or were part of a trend of the time. In Betty Crocker Found Recipes, you’ll find these rediscovered vintage but timeless favorites. Some of these rare recipes were most frequently requested by lifelong Betty Crocker fans, which you'll see in the Found Lost Recipe features throughout the book. Others are ones that rose to the top of the Betty Crocker Test Kitchens recipe boxes over the years. And, during the search for favorite recipes to be included in this book, Betty Crocker fans shared stories of favorite recipes they’ve lost and couldn’t find—so the Betty Crocker Kitchens recreated them for the Recreated Lost Recipes features, along with the fans’ heartwarming memories behind them.

The comprehensive chapters are organized by occasion and course, from Holiday Celebrations, Memorable Main Dishes, and Warm from the Oven Breads, to Irresistible Cookies & Bars, and Better than Ever Desserts, and the specially curated recipes include nostalgic favorites like:

• Eggnog French Toast Strata with Cranberry Syrup
• Hush Puppy–Fried Chicken
• Beef Burgundy
• Coconut Chicken with Chutney
• Parmesan Bread Bowls
• Chocolate Buttermallow Cake
• Peachy Custard Squares
• Oatmeal Refrigerator Cookies
• Strawberry-Raspberry Fool

Betty Crocker Found Recipes shares these timeless, rediscovered recipes, with full nutritional information, for the next generation of home cooks and bakers to enjoy for years to come. These tasty dishes are lost no more!

• 500 piece jigsaw puzzle
• Embellished with gold foil
• Assembled puzzle size: 18” W x 24” H
• Includes 1 reference art inserts
• Random cut pieces
• NEW Box - 9" L x 9" W x 2" D
• Recommended age:  13+ years
• Art created globally. Imported.

This new puzzle style features an image from Warhol's iconic Soup Can series. The lenticular image is mounted on the box so you can preview the soup cans shifting from one colorway to the next as the puzzle is assembled. Galison puzzles are packaged in matte-finish sturdy boxes, perfect for gifting, reuse, and storage.

- 300 pieces

- Box Size: 9.25 x 7 x 2", 235 x 178 x 51 mm

- Puzzle Size: 17.75 x 11", 451 x 279 mm

- Lenticular image mounted on exterior box

- Includes Puzzle Insert

Christmas has come to the world of PEANUTS and the beguiling gang are celebrating (and commiserating) in this beautifully produced gift book for all generations. 

Featuring Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Linus, and the whole PEANUTS gang, The Peanuts Guide to Christmas celebrates the holiday season the PEANUTS way! This lovable cast of characters is always up to something leading up to Christmas. And now, with this gifty collection of beloved illustrations from the classic comics, fans of all ages can get in the spirit by cherishing all of their favorite PEANUTS Christmas memories. This PEANUTS holiday keepsake is for the millions of faithful Charles Schulz fans and those who fondly remember our best-loved beagle and his friends.

It's Christmas Eve and Santa is coming to CHICAGO! Follow his adventure to deliver presents to all the children of the Windy City in this heartwarming picture book for kids and toddlers.

Santa and his trusty reindeer team are gearing up for the most exciting Christmas Eve in Chicago yet—but one of his reindeer is missing! Where could Comet have gone? Will Santa be able to gather his team of reindeer and find his way in a blizzard to deliver your presents? From Millennium Park to the Magnificent Mile, from the Field Museum to Navy Pier, read along as Santa embarks on a whirlwind journey across the city filling the stockings of all the children in Chicago. You might even spy the Bean and Willis Tower!

• Magical illustrations and text on EVERY page celebrate everything wonderful about Chicago
• Spot your favorite landmarks like Water Tower Place, Wrigley Field, the Art Institute of Chicago, and more
• The perfect holiday gift or stocking stuffer for kids who live in or have relatives in Chicago or the Midwest

From Old Town to River North,

from Logan Square to the South Side,

Santa and his sleigh visited every house

in Chi-Town.

Piece together the humorous titles and colorfully illustrated spines of these books that could be found on anyone's shelf. From the creative mind of artist Jane Mount and her company for book lovers, The Ideal Bookshelf: Universal 1000pc Puzzle from Galison features a universal work than the customized bookshelves she normally creates for voracious readers everywhere. This is the perfect for any book lover in your life, even if that's yourself!

- Puzzle: 20 x 27", 508 x 686mm

- 1000 pieces

- Box: 8.25 x 11.25 x 2", 210 x 286 x 51mm

- Minimal Puzzle Dust

- Ribbon Cut

Bursting with color and charm, this finger puppet book lets inquisitive babies and toddlers touch, feel, and explore their growing world. 

Newborns will love snuggling up with Baby Yeti! Baby Yeti builds a snow fort, goes sledding, and explores his snowy mountain world with his friends in this heartwarming story. Featuring a plush finger puppet that peeks into each lovingly illustrated page, this entry in the bestselling finger puppet series offers parents and children a fun, interactive way to play and read as they build a lifelong love of books together. 

OVER 6 MILLION COPIES SOLD IN THE SERIES! The Finger Puppet books are a trusted, go-to series for new parents and gift-givers. 

LEARNING PLUS PLAYTIME: The bright and colorful cloth finger puppet is ideal for little hands to grow and engage their motor skills. 

A SWEET AND SIMPLE NEW BABY GIFT: Just the thing for baby showers and birthdays! 

PERFECT FOR WINTER: With beautiful snowy scenes and a cuddly Yeti finger puppet, this book is an ideal gift for cozy winter afternoons spent reading indoors. 

STURDY AND SECURE: Never worry about losing this soft plush finger puppet, which is permanently attached to the back cover of the book. 

The Christmas Watercolor Workbook includes 12 Christmas-themed illustrations with an example of the finished painting, step-by-step instructions, and a lightly illustrated sketch for you to paint. It's just like a coloring book, but with watercolor! Enjoy this peaceful painting hobby on your own, with children, or with friends. Makes a wonderful gift and is perfect for artists of any age. Details: - 12 beginner-friendly illustrations - Thick 120lb watercolor paper - Lay-flat pages with spiral binding for hassle-free painting and easy tear-out - Lightly outlined sketches to guide you - Easy to carry, travel-ready 6.5" x 9" size - Paint sold separately - Original artwork by Emily Lex - Designed and printed in the USA

Mr. Boddington’s Studio delivers a stylish and modern illustrated reimagining of the most iconic Christmas picture book story using the words of the Clement Clarke Moore’s poem “A Visit from St. Nicholas.”

A perennial bestseller and timeless gift in the holiday season, multiple adaptations exist of this classic holiday tale, almost exclusively illustrated in bold classic colors. Mr. Boddington’s Studio provides a fresh take by using the same poem and updating the style with a sophisticated and modern color palette. Children and parents alike will delight in revisiting this classic holiday tale with the iconic and fresh Mr. Boddington’s style.

Sing “Jingle Bells” with Bluey and Bingo in this sturdy board book!

Jingle Bells,
Bandit smells,
Chickenrat laid an egg!

Watercolor workbooks are just like a coloring book, but with watercolor! Enjoy this peaceful hobby on your own, with kids, and with friends. Makes a wonderful gift. Perfect for artists of any age.

We can't celebrate Christmas without our favorite story of the Nutcracker and visions of sugar plums!

• 500 piece puzzle
• Finished puzzle dimensions - 16.5" x 22.5"
• Box Dimensions- 9"x 9"x 2"
• Ribbon cut
• Includes 8x10 colored poster of puzzle
• Artist: Kenzie Elston