Jack Richards wrote the first children's book published by J.J. Douglas Ltd. Illustrated by Sun cartoonist Len Norris, it's a version of an Austrian folk tale that was produced by Jalen Productions in 1972 and printed in Canada by Brock Webber Printing Company of Vancouver, designed by Jim Rimmer. Although it's the story of a desperately hungry mouse named Johann, it's based on the story about how 'Silent Night' was written and contains words and music for the carol. The music-loving mouse was born in Oberndorf, a small village in the Tyrolean mountains of Austria.

BOOKS:

Johann's Gift to Christmas (J.J. Douglas Ltd. 1972; New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1972; Angus and Robertson, 1972; Old Tappan, New Jersey: Macmillan, 1974; Scribner Book Company, 1974; Angus and Robertson, 1975; Douglas & McIntyre, 1982; Scholastic, 1985).

[BCBW 2004] "Kidlit"