Crimes Against Nature

Yo ho ho and a bottle of eggnog! Cap'n McNasty's come with his crew of scalawags to plunder Christmas presents from sleeping children. Their daring raid pays off in sweets and toys, much to the pirates' delight. As they happily bounce on their hornswoggled pogo sticks and scarf down Christmas cookies, the pirates vow to steal gifts every year-but their plans are shaken up like a bowl full of jelly when Santa and his elves arrive! Holiday hijinks ensue as the pirates get their halls decked and plums sugared. The rapscallions are tied up in tinsel and seemingly foiled, but Cap'n McNasty won't go down without a fight! He and St. Nick square off in a duel of hook versus candy cane that could determine the very future of Christmas.

This rollicking tale features hilarious illustrations and hidden surprises on every page. Wickedly witty rhymes will leave visions of ballistic fruitcakes dancing in readers' heads. The young-and young at heart-will roar at this clever tale of merry mayhem year after year. Parents and children will never forget the most important lesson of all: if you're a pirate, shiver your timbers and shut your doors, because Santa Claus is coming to town!

Michael G. Lewis graduated from the University of Massachusetts Amherst with a BA in English and minor in drama. He worked in the entertainment industry in Los Angeles, California, for ten years. Among other credits, he was a production assistant for Warner Bros. on such shows as Growing Pains and Just the Ten of Us. A playwright-in-residence at the Los Feliz Playhouse, Lewis's work was favorably reviewed by outlets including the Los Angeles Times, the Los Angeles Reader, and the Los Angeles Independent. His 1998 independent film Getting Personal was accepted into numerous film festivals and aired nationwide. A proud father, Lewis lives with his wife and four sons in Massachusetts.

Stan Jaskiel earned his degree in industrial design from the Massachusetts College of Art and Design and has worked for both consultancies and Fortune 500 companies, designing a variety of products, primarily computers. A full-time freelancer since 1992, Jaskiel has illustrated more than twenty children's books and numerous coloring and activity books and magazines. His work has garnered him an iParenting Media Award. Jaskiel lives with his wife near Boston, Massachusetts, where he spends his time sketching and worrying about the Red Sox.