SANTA CLAUS

In addition to his being the author and illustrator of the best-selling Dinotopia books, James Gurney has taken some time to indulge his love of one of the most beloved legends of all time. "How can fantasy be more real than reality?" the artist asks. "Consider your childhood. I bet you could describe every feature of Santa Claus, whom you've never seen!" Now you can see him in all his jolly splendor, thanks to Gurney's artistic ability. "I was careful to include all manner of storytelling details," Gurney says, "such as the clock showing a few minutes past midnight, the 19th century era hearth decorated with holly and the stars and moon sack of toys, among other things."