Twas' the Night Before New Years Day

Following the adventures of two Black girls and a mouse named Billy, this book celebrates unity and family, regardless if you are a human or an animal. The text and illustrations bear some of the hallmarks of self-publishing: clipart, photoshopped signs, and the occasional spelling mistake. Books like these are important because they tell stories that may not be considered for publications by mainstream publishers that produce more commercials versions of ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas.

Twas' the Night Before New Years Day:
The Adventures of Billy the Mouse
By Deidre Berry
Illustrated by Hend Moharram
United States: Deidre Berry, 2017
Nancy H. Marshall "A Visit From St. Nicholas" Collection
Rare Book PS3602 .E779 T93 2017

Twas' the Night Before New Years Day: the Adventures of Billy the Mouse

This excerpt contains both the book’s central theme—that everyone has a right to belong—and classic signs of self-published books—inconsistent rhyming schemes and simplistic illustrations.

A fun loving story about a little mouse who yearned to spend New Years with a family of his own. [Author's description]

Twas' the Night Before New Years Day: the Adventures of Billy the Mouse