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My life is books. Always, always books.

Picture Books

Click on any of the above book covers to learn more about the book.

Twelve Days of Xmas in Washington, DC
ISBN: 978-1-4549-2966-6

The Twelve Days of Christmas in Washington, D.C.

By Candice Ransom
Illustrated by Sarah Hollander
Sterling

Take a fun holiday trip to Washington, D.C.!  As each of the twelve days of Christmas pass, very unusual gifts from around the city pile up.  Lucky readers are in for a wild countdown!

Hello, Washington, DC
ISBN: 978-1-4549-2966-6

Hello, Washington, D.C.!

By Candice Ransom
Illustrated by David Walker
Sterling

Welcome to Washington, D.C.!  Say “hello” to cherry blossoms, museums, marble monuments, the White House, and much more from our nation’s capital.

Hello, Virginia
ISBN: 978-1-4027-6671-8

Hello, Virginia!

By Candice Ransom
Illustrated by David Walker
Sterling

Welcome to Virginia!  Say “hello” to soft water and hard crabs, fast horses and slow wagons, and much more from the Old Dominion.

Worth a Look!

Find more picture books by Candice Ransom at your library—or purchase these through third-party booksellers such as Amazon, Advanced Book Exchange, and Alibris.

Tractor Day

Tractor Day

By Candice Ransom
Illustrated by Laura J. Bryant
Walker Books

Tractor naps.
Time to plow.
Cover off.
Wake up now!

Climb aboard the big red tractor. It’s time to get the farm ready for spring. Raking, plowing, and planting the fields is hard work. But working together makes everything more fun!

The Old Blue Pickup Truck

The Old Blue Pickup

By Candice Ransom
Illustrated by Jenny Mattheson
Walker Books

The unofficial sequel to The Big Green Pocketbook.

Early one spring day, Daddy and I climbed into our old blue pickup truck and rattled down the road. We had lots to do.

There’s nothing better than running errands with Daddy in our trusty old blue pickup truck. Old Blue turns into a restaurant, a toolshed, and a barnyard on this fun trip!

Pony Island

Pony Island

By Candice Ransom
Illustrated by Wade Zahares
Walker Books

Centuries ago, a Spanish shipwreck may have left dozens of horses stranded on Assateague Island, off the coast of Virginia.  In sparse, simple words, this is the story of what happened to those wild horses and why they are famous today.

Liberty Street

Liberty Street

By Candice Ransom
Illustrated by Eric Velasquez
Walker Books

I was born on wash day. “Did you have to work that day?” I once asked Mama.

“Our people work every day, Kezia,” she said.

They must work all week except on Sunday afternoons.  Glorious Sundays, when slaves throughout Fredericksburg walk along the dirt path they call Liberty Street. Kezia wants to feel like Liberty Street every day. Can she make it to freedom?

The Promise Quilt

By Candice Ransom
Illustrated by Ellen Beier
Walker Books

When I was little, Papa and I often leaned against the coffee tree to watch the sun set over Lost Mountain. “When you are bigger, Addie, I’ll take you to the school on the other side of the ridge,” Papa promised.

Addie’s father promised that she would learn to read and write her name. But when he doesn’t return from the Civil War, and the school is burned down, it seems as if Addie’s dreams might be lost with him.

One Christmas Dawn

One Christmas Dawn

By Candice Ransom
Illustrated by Peter M. Fiore
Bridgewater Books

Whenever I hear a train whistle, far off and low, it puts me in mind of the girl I was, growing up in the mountains, and the winter it was almost too cold for Christmas.

It’s 1917 in Appalachia, and Christmas is coming.  But Daddy has gone to find work far away in the city. Will he make it home for Christmas despite the snow and bitter cold?

The Christmas Dolls

The Christmas Dolls

By Candice Ransom
Illustrated by Moira Fain
Walker Books

One December morning, the dolls arrived.  They came in a cardboard box, a jumble of arms and legs. The dolls were grubby, with messy hair.  “What are these ugly, old things?” I asked.  “They’re Christmas presents for Santa to give,” said my mother. 

Claire wasn’t looking forward to the holidays now that her father didn’t live them anymore. Then the dolls came—looking as broken and sad as Claire felt inside. She and her mother had three weeks as Santa’s “helpers” to make magic and find a new Christmas together.

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The Twelve Days of Christmas in Washington, D.C. is available from these online retailers:

Twelve Days of Xmas in Washington, DC

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Hello, Washington, D.C.! is available from these online retailers:

Hello, Washington, DC

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Hello, Virginia! is available from these online retailers:

Hello, Virginia