Thursday, March 28, 2024

Drag and Rex Forever Friends by Susan Lubner

Meet Drag and Rex, the sweet, silly best friends who find joy and adventure in the simplest places in this charming and cheery modern Frog and Toad . Drag is a dreamy, literal, impulsive, (and sometimes a little bit scatter-brained) dragon. Rex is a dapper, practical, methodical (and sometimes a little bit stuffy) T.rex. The two may have their differences, but they are both gentle and caring, and the best friends. Forever friends. Whether it’s deciding what to have for breakfast, working through those tricky zippers, buckles, and buttons to bundle up tight, how to make the best of a snowy day, or how to face down something scary, through patience, cooperation, and a good dose of silliness and humor, these buddies always figure out how to push through their challenges. Together. Forever Friends features three stories told in short chapters, accompanied by bright, joy-filled full color illustrations, allowing developing readers to gain confidence and a sense of accomplishment as they follow the adventures of their new forever friends.

Wednesday, March 27, 2024

Bizard and the Big Bunny Bizness by Chrissie Krebs

When Bizard the Bear Wizard’s friends decide to try to help him grant wishes, it turns out that two magic wands are so much worse than one. Ever since a tornado planted a wizard’s wand in his forehead, Bear has been more than just a bear; he’s Bizard, the Bear Wizard. Since we last saw him, Bizard has come around to accepting his new job granting wishes for everyone in the forest. With Squirrel, Fox, and Owl’s help, the business is running like clockwork. There’s only one winter is on the way, and urgent wishes will go ungranted while Bizard hibernates. That’s when Squirrel gets the bright idea that he should have a magic wand, too. In the power trip that follows, Squirrel burdens tiny Mouse with a massive TV, Deer gets stuck with a hat he can’t take off, and worst of all, a baby bunny grows as big as a tree—with the only wand that can save him wedged in his diaper. Can a jetpack, a giant carrot, and the whole crew’s quick thinking untangle this disaster and get Fluffy Wuffy back to his proper size?

Tuesday, March 26, 2024

Little People, Big Dreams by Leo Messi

In this book from the highly acclaimed Little People, BIG DREAMS series, discover the incredible life of Leo Messi, one of the world's most skilled and celebrated soccer players. As a child, Leo developed his passion for soccer playing games with his brothers and cousins in the streets of Rosario, Argentina. He later honed his skills on the pitch as part of the local youth team, Newell's Old Boys – who famously won every tournament whilst Leo was with them. But life wasn't without its challenges. Aged 9, he was diagnosed with Growth Hormone Deficiency, which meant he had to inject himself with hormones from the doctor every day to help him grow. But nothing was going to stop Leo from following his dreams. He debuted with FC Barcelona in 2004 and across the next 17 years scored 672 goals for the club and helped them to win 35 trophies. Leo has also received seven Golden Ball awards, more than any other soccer player in history, and won 4 trophies with Argentina's national football team, including the 2022 World Cup, where he captained the team to victory. Messi's next chapter will be spent training under the Florida sunshine, having joined the U.S. team Inter Miami CF. Today, he is considered by many to be 'The Greatest of All Time' – and is a hero off the pitch, too, as a committed ambassador for UNICEF and founder of his own children's charity. This inspiring book features stylish and quirky illustrations and extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with historical photos and a detailed profile of Messi's incredible story. This powerful book features stylish and quirky illustrations and extra facts at the back , including a biographical timeline with historical photos and a detailed profile of the footballer’s life. Little People, BIG DREAMS is a bestselling biography series for kids that explores the lives of outstanding people, from designers and artists to scientists and activists. All of them achieved incredible things, yet each began life as a child with a dream. This empowering series of books offers inspiring messages to children of all ages, in a range of formats. The board books are told in simple sentences, perfect for reading aloud to babies and toddlers. The hardback and paperback versions present expanded stories for beginning readers. With rewritten text for older children, the treasuries each bring together a multitude of dreamers in a single volume. You can also collect a selection of the books by theme in boxed gift sets . Activity books and a journal provide even more ways to make the lives of these role models accessible to children. Inspire the next generation of outstanding people who will change the world with Little People, BIG DREAMS!

Monday, March 25, 2024

Panda's Child by Jackie Morris, Cathy Fisher

A magical, powerful new story by Jackie Morris, co-creator of The Lost Words, and award-winning illustrator Cathy Fisher In a faraway forest a baby is lost and found, protected by a she-panda. Nine years later another baby, the panda's child, is in great danger, and only a boy and the spirit of the forest can save him. This magical, powerful story is a book for all ages to treasure, exploring our most vital connection with wild nature.

Sunday, March 24, 2024

Love and Other Disappointments by Heather Paul

Like songs on a concept album, each story in Heather Paul's riveting Love and Other Disappointments stands alone and in conversation with the others. In this relatable, wry, and often darkly comedic collection, Paul manages to vacillate between sparse prose and lush description, employing tension and inventive metaphors to explore the emotional landscape of women at various stages of life and love. Each story asks the protagonist, and by proxy the readers, to grow, to become, and even perhaps to question expectations--both their own and the ones placed on them. An entertaining yet profound collection of short fiction for anyone who has ever loved, or been in love, and lived through the inevitable disappointment.

Saturday, March 23, 2024

Traffic by Niki Danforth

A violent kidnapping, an unlikely suspect...whose side is private eye Ronnie Lake on? PI Ronnie Lake can't seem to avoid danger, especially if she's in the right place at the very wrong time. When she witnesses the violent kidnapping of wealthy, young sisters in Manhattan, everything she knows about solving a case will be tested. Step by step, Ronnie peels back one layer at a time until she discovers that Daddy Dearest invests in all kinds of cargo…especially the human kind. This compels her to dive further into this bleak, seedy world. The pressure’s on for her to find the victims before they disappear forever into the human trafficking pipeline in the fifth stand-alone title in the Ronnie Lake Series. If you like suspenseful plots, unexpected twists, and spirited heroines, then you'll love Niki Danforth's page-turning thriller. Read Traffic to unravel the mystery of this all-too-common, unthinkable hellscape.

Thursday, March 21, 2024

Fear, Wear, & Tear by Shawe Ruckus

In this collection of eleven bittersweet and thought-provoking short stories from Shawe Ruckus, the lives of everyday people intertwine, connecting with unforeseen twists and unexpected surprises. Deftly exploring the inner workings of the human soul, this eclectic collection of modern-day dramatic stories spans genres from mystery and fantasy to science fiction and suspense. Throughout, Ruckus presents joy, sadness, a sense of longing, intrigue, and introspection in this series of stories that will resonate with readers. In this page-turning anthology, readers will join a city worker who unexpectedly receives secret pink envelopes to unusual events. They will accompany a pub-goer who is told a tale of a mysterious couple and their penchant for origami cranes folded from cash. Readers will meet a renowned TV news anchor who is being replaced by an AI version of himself. And finally, they will encounter a mysterious woman who claims to be from the Victorian era and who longs to be reunited with her reincarnated husband. The cast of characters in this collection of short stories for adults live their seemingly unassuming lives, which often intersect in the most surprising ways. Their secrets are told, their lives unfold, and their stories long for an audience.

Drag and Rex Forever Friends by Susan Lubner

Meet Drag and Rex, the sweet, silly best friends who find joy and adventure in the simplest places in this charming and cheery modern Frog a...