How to Get Your Octopus to School

Penguin (Flamingo Books), 2023

Pre-Order: IndieBound, Barnes & Noble, Amazon

​Learn how to get your octopus to school in this hilarious and charming back-to-school story!

Getting your octopus to school won't be easy. He would much rather stay home with you and play hide-and-seek or dress-up. But you know your octopus will love school if he gives it a chance. And you'll tell him that . . . as soon as you can find him . . . 

Reminiscent of If You Take a Mouse to School, get your little one ready for school with this silly and sweet back-to-school story. Perfect for any parent who has struggled to get their child ready for school in the morning!

Loud Mouse

Disney-Hyperion, 2022

Pre-Order: IndieBound, Barnes & Noble, Amazon

​Frozen's Elsa and Tony Award-winner Idina Menzel, along with acclaimed writer and teacher Cara Mentzel, present a lyrical picture book about a little mouse finding her BIG voice, with the help of her sister.

Dee loves to sing. She sings during her morning yoga. She even sings while practicing her math facts. She usually sings to herself. But when her teacher asks everyone to share something with the class, Dee knows just what to bring: a song. And as Dee sings la, la, la, la, LOUDly in front of her class for the first time, something extraordinary happens. . . .

Complete with gorgeous illustrations and filled with humor and heart, Loud Mouse is a clever tale about learning that sometimes your best self is big, brave, and yes, loud.

Cadence and Kittenfish: A Mermaid Tale

Starry Forest Books, 2022

Pre-Order: IndieBound, Barnes & Noble, Amazon

If a kitten hates the water … can it come to love a mermaid? Find out in this story about setting goals, problem-solving, and (eventually) making friends.

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Cadence is a very busy little mermaid—dancing with dolphins in the morning and practicing Tai Chi at the lighthouse in the afternoon—but something is missing. She really wants a kitten!

When she discovers a family of felines onshore, Cadence can’t believe her luck. But, as the mermaid tries to play with one of the kittens, she soon discovers that cats do not like water and are very pointy in all the wrong places. Ouch!

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With her kitten dreams dashed, Cadence couldn’t be sadder. Is there a pet out there that can love her and the sea? Maybe there’s one right under her fin!

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From author Judith L. Roth and artist Jaclyn Sinquett, Cadence and Kittenfish: A Mermaid Tale reminds us to follow our hearts and our fins—and be ready for some surprises!

I Love Strawberries!

Feeding Minds Press, 2022

Order: IndieBound, Barnes & Noble, Amazon

Jolie LOVES strawberries - and she’s on an unstoppable (and hilarious) mission to grow her own food from seedling to table in this colorful introduction to the joy of growing the popular perennial.

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Through Jolie’s comical scrapbook-style journal entries, young readers will learn how she convinces the “old people” (aka her parents) to let her grow her own strawberries. Growing strawberries is a lot of work and responsibility, but Jolie is ready with the help of her faithful rabbit Munchy! Together they find out just how delicious, rewarding, and sometimes complicated it can be to grow your own food.

Creating a garden calendar and notebook, how strawberries grow, what pests to look out for in a garden, why ladybugs are helpful, and how a good gardener takes care of strawberry plants are all explained in this fun and educational story. Informational backmatter includes tips on growing strawberries, an explanation of integrated pest management for greener, safer gardening - and even tips for how to find a pick your own strawberry patch near you.

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This story makes a great read before a family trip to a strawberry patch, a garden store, or in a classroom talking about healthy eating and growing your own food.

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About the publisher: Feeding Minds Press is a project of the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture whose mission is to build awareness and understanding of agriculture through education. We focus on helping young readers understand where their food comes from, who grows it, and how it gets to them and believe in cultivating curiosity about food and farming and how agriculture plays a role in our daily lives. All books from Feeding Minds Press have accompanying lessons, activities, and videos to further learning available on their website, Feedingmindspress.com.

Sincerely, Emerson: A Girl, Her Letter, and the Helpers All Around Us

HarperCollins, 2020

Order: IndieBound, Barnes & Noble, Amazon

A sweet, simple picture book about how to help a worried friend. Discover the power of listening and gain insight into dealing with anxiety and having empathy. Perfect for fans of The Rabbit Listened and Be Kind.
 

One tiny act of kindness can have a huge impact. And in this heartwarming, hopeful, absolutely true story, a simple letter does just that.

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A true story that quickly went viral, this is now a timely, extraordinary picture book. Sincerely, Emerson follows eleven-year-old Emerson Weber as she writes a letter of thanks to her postal carrier, Doug, and creates a nationwide outpouring of love.

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This is a story of gratitude, hope, and recognition: for all the essential helpers we see everyday, and all those who go unseen. Perfect for sharing alongside such favorites as Pat Zietlow Miller and Jen Hill's Be Kind and Matt de la Peña and Loren Long's Love.

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There are lots of ways to help the world go round:

Some people collect the trash.

Some stock grocery shelves.

Some drive buses and trains.

Some help people who are sick.

Some deliver our mail.

And some people write letters.

It Will Be OK: A story about empathy, kindness, and friendship

Sourcebooks, 2021

Order: IndieBound, Barnes & Noble, Amazon

A sweet, simple picture book about how to help a worried friend. Discover the power of listening and gain insight into dealing with anxiety and having empathy. Perfect for fans of The Rabbit Listened and Be Kind.
 

Sometimes the best thing we can do for our loved ones is to be present for as long as they need us.

Giraffe and Zebra meet every day under their favorite tree to walk to the watering hole. But today, Giraffe isn't there! Where could he be? Zebra spots him hiding in the tree; Giraffe has seen a spider and is scared silly. Zebra patiently talks to Giraffe and does the very best thing: supports Giraffe for as long as Giraffe needs it.

Animal Families Children's Count And Hear Interactive Sound Board Book

Cottage Door Press, 2021

Order: IndieBound, Barnes & Noble, Amazon

Families come in all shapes, sizes, and animal species! Press the eight interactive buttons on the sound board to hear what noise whales, parrots, elephants, wolves, frogs, lions, monkeys, and crocodiles make. Or flip the switch to count along with the animals families found on every page! A fun and educational counting animal sound book toddlers and preschoolers will adore! 

Collect the entire Sound Book series!

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• Learn about different kinds of wild animals, listen to the sounds they make, and practice counting in this interactive, lively animal sound book!

• Icons on every page correspond with the buttons providing an opportunity for toddlers and preschoolers to practice matching and fine-motor skills

• Sturdy board book pages are perfect for little one to explore on their own or with their grownups

• A must for learning numbers and counting! 

• Count and Hear Animal Families is part of the Early Bird Sound Books collection from Cottage Door Press

Farm Animals 8-button Early Bird Switch Sound Book

Cottage Door Press, 2020

Order: IndieBound, Barnes & Noble, Amazon

Spell and hear animals on the farm! Explore this sound book with eight interactive buttons that will help you spell animal names. D-O-G, dog! Or, flip the switch, and they'll play fun animal sounds. Woof woof! Cute animal icons on the page and on the buttons make a fun matching game while you read along with the farmyard story. Play with our farm animal friends, including cats, pigs, cows, goats, horses, ducks, and chickens. Let's learn to spell on this farmyard adventure!

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• Learn about barnyard friends, listen to the sounds they make, and find out how to spell their names

• Practice matching the icons on the page with the buttons that play the songs

• Pressing the buttons helps develop fine motor skills while singing along promotes language development

• Sturdy board book pages are perfect for little one to explore on their own or with their grownups

• Farm Animals is part of the Early Bird Sound Books collection from Cottage Door Press