On a dark winter's eve in the midst of a fierce storm, a poor Texas family hunkers down in their sod shanty. When what should appear but Santy Claus in a wagon pulled by eight scruffy longhorns whose very colorful names give a hint to their contrary natures. After crash-landing Santa's wagon, the longhorns wreak havoc in this fun Christmas adventure. With a Santy so endearing he could charm the spines off a cactus, Texas Night Before Christmas has touched the hearts of generations and become an annual family tradition. Widely acclaimed as the South's leading children's illustrator, James Rice (1934-2004), lives through the more than 2.5 million books in print that feature his work--a record that ranks him with top children's authors and illustrators nationally. Rice wrote or illustrated fifty-five children's books with Pelican, receiving countless accolades and numerous awards. While this is an amazing achievement for any illustrator, it is particularly impressive since Rice was color-blind. His work demonstrates an inherent understanding of the interplay between darks and lights and reveals the creative genius of the artist's mind.