Grinchtown: The Happy Elf by Harry Connick, Jr.

Eubie checked the lists...and checked them TWICE.

In the whole town of Bluesville there was not one child on the Nice List.

NOBODY would get presents.

If only Bluesville could get on the Nice List before Christmas!

Eubie the Elf longs to move up to Santa's A Team--the crack crew who are chosen to ride along with Santa on his once-a-year mission to deliver toys to the world's children.

Eubie does due diligence all year, but his holiday assignment this year is the bean-counting job of checking the Naughty and Nice Lists. A slow slog for an ambitious workshop elf, but somebody's got to do it. Eubie is giving it his best shot when he discovers a whole town of naughties. (Bluesville must be the place where the Beatles got the idea for the Blue Meanies.) Something must be done!

Desperate situations call for desperate means.

"I will use my magic hat to go to Bluesille and spread Christmas cheer.

"But Eugie," Elf Gilda worried, "you'll break Santa's most important rule, never to use the magic hat outside the North Pole!"

But with hat on head and with a wondrous WHOOOOSH, Eubie touches down in that terrible town and quickly assesses the situation.

"No wonder everyone is on the Naughty List!" Eubie thought. "This is the saddest place in the world."

Yep! Bluesville has got the blues! Nobody can be nice when their hearts are heavy. What can Eubie do to get Bluesville out of the dumps in time for a merry Christmas morn?

Grammy winner Harry Connick, Jr., knows a thing or two about playing the blues, and in his newest, The Happy Elf (Harper, 2011) he finds a way to bring the Christmas spirit to Bluesville. Dan Andreason aids and abets the uplifting activity with his jolly cartoon illustrations as a whole town full of Grinches learn to light the night and find a way to be "happy every day." No more Naughty Lists for Bluesville ever again!

Previously aired as a seasonal television special, the animated trailer is available here. and the book comes complete with a CD featuring Connick's jolly score that will brighten this season and many more.