New Releases by DUGALD STEER

Trim the tree and round up the reindeer -- it''s the happiest time of the year. And what better way to celebrate than with these happy, snappy pop-ups! Youngsters will meet a merry band of holiday revelers, from a hat-doffing snowman and kitty carolers to jolly old Santa himself.

Mother Pig reads bedtime stories to her little pigs, including The Pig Prince, The Ugly Pigling, Piggerella, and the Prince and the Porker.

From the cockerel''s cock-a-doodle-do wake up call, through mooing cows being milked and a bleating goat chewing socks on the line, right the way through to the farmer''s last good night, this pop-up book with rhyming text looks at the farm and the different noises that can be heard there.

Monsieur Ours n''aime pas l''hiver. Chaque fin d''automne, il se couche dans sa caverne et dort jusqu''au printemps. Et il se moque bien de Noël ! Mais cette année, pas moyen de s''endormir, tous les animaux de la forêt ont des ennuis et viennent lui demander de l''aide. Alors aide-le toi aussi, soulève les volets et fête avec lui son premier Noël.

Eleven press-out characters can be placed in slots throughout the book to participate in the activities of a typical day in Miss Hippo''s nursery school class.

A full house of fun awaits in this ingenious house-shaped toy filled with six different storybooks set in various rooms of a home. Punch-out characters allow kids to help Benny take a bubble bath or Kanga visit the kitchen for a yummy treat. When playtime is done, just store the books back in the house to keep everything nice and neat!

This is the tale of a little girl who wanders the streets, freezing and homeless. All she has to keep herself warm are some matches. Amazingly, each match sparks brilliant visions of a better life.

The annual picnic to Bluebell Wood doesn''t go quite to plan for the Jam Pandas.

Introduces brief facts about insects, molluscs and spiders with illustrations which include 3-D holograms. Suggested level: junior, primary.