Twelve Days

Anna Wright has rapidly developed a following across the UK for her print, collage work and paintings, following in the footsteps of Emma Bridgewater, Tricia Guild and Liberty as she takes her designs across stationery and homeware. She is now embarking on her third picture book for children. Anna brings humour, beauty and sophistication to this perennially popular Christmas hymn, with her signature style. Exquisitely rendered in pen, ink, watercolour and collage, The twelve days of Christmas are beautifully and playfully reimagined for today's readership - and have never looked so sumptuous.

Patterned on the popular carol, The Twelve Days of Summer takes readers on a joyous journey into summer, from the first discovery of three eggs in a sparrow’s nest to the day when those eggs hatch. Readers will pore over the pictures, searching for that fifth bumblebee, that tenth crow, and for the thoughtfully chosen toy that turns up on each page: a parachute with the goatsbeard seeds, a fan with the ruffed grouse... This is a story to delight and engage children and adults alike.

A centuries-old favorite holiday carol, "The Twelve Days of Christmas" was one of the first to celebrate the secular tradition of gift-giving. This sumptuously illustrated version features not only the gifts of a suitor to his true love but a loving family's Christmas preparations, how to say "Merry Christmas" in 12 different language, and a vast array of charming woodland animals.

“Here’s a song whose lyrics everyone knows and that therefore demands something spectacular to distinguish it. This version, sumptuously illustrated by Long, certainly delivers.” —The New York Times The astounding talent of Laurel Long brings this beloved song to life with breathtaking style. Set against a lush countryside, each day brings a new gift elegantly rendered. And like in the verses of the song, the previous gifts are repeated in every illustration, giving this striking artwork a hidden aspect, culminating in a staggering spread featuring them all. Readers will pore over every page, searching for golden rings, turtledoves, and all the rest, secretly tucked into each stunning painting. Laurel Long's unparalleled style makes this exquisite volume a treasure that will be cherished for years to come. “Ms. Long has secreted lyrical clues within each picture that children will relish hunting down.” —The Wall Street Journal * “Long expertly weaves religious and secular images into a visually arresting interpretation of the traditional carol.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review

"Celebrate the magic of Christmas time with this well-loved traditional poem, The Twelve Days of Christmas, beautifully illustrated by Laura Hawthorne."--Provided by publisher.

A truly perfect version of much-loved festive song, The Twelve Days of Christmas

On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me... a book filled with all the joy of the beloved holiday carol! Susan Spellman's sweet illustrations bring the sentiment and whimsy of the classic song to life in beautiful color, making this the perfect keepsake item for anyone looking to capture the delight of the Christmas season. You can even personalize the book to make it extra special.

In the popular literature and scholarship of the Civil War, the days immediately after the surrender at Fort Sumter are overshadowed by the great battles and seismic changes in American life that followed. The twelve days that began with the federal evacuation of the fort and ended with the arrival of the New York Seventh Militia Regiment in Washington were critically important. The nation's capital never again came so close to being captured by the Confederates. Tony Silber's riveting account starts on April 14, 1861, with President Lincoln's call for seventy-five thousand militia troops. Washington, a Southern slaveholding city, was the focal point: both sides expected the first clash to occur there. The capital was barely defended, by about two thousand local militia troops of dubious training and loyalty. In Charleston, less than two days away by train, the Confederates had an organized army that was much larger and ready to fight. Maryland's eastern sections were already reeling in violent insurrection, and within days Virginia would secede. For half of the twelve days after Fort Sumter, Washington was severed from the North, the telegraph lines cut and the rail lines impassable, sabotaged by secessionist police and militia members. There was no cavalry coming. The United States had a tiny standing army at the time, most of it scattered west of the Mississippi. The federal government's only defense would be state militias. But in state after state, the militia system was in tatters. Southern leaders urged an assault on Washington. A Confederate success in capturing Washington would have changed the course of the Civil War. It likely would have assured the secession of Maryland. It might have resulted in England's recognition of the Confederacy. It would have demoralized the North. Fortunately, none of this happened. Instead, Lincoln emerged as the master of his cabinet, a communications genius, and a strategic giant who possessed a crystal-clear core objective and a powerful commitment to see it through. Told in real time, Twelve Days alternates between the four main scenes of action: Washington, insurrectionist Maryland, the advance of Northern troops, and the Confederate planning and military movements. Twelve Days tells for the first time the entire harrowing story of the first days of the Civil War.