Spotlight: The Griffins of Castle Cary by Heather Shumaker

A charming, adventure-filled debut novel that’s perfect for fans of The Penderwicks series.

Siblings Meg, Will, and Ariel Griffin are off on an adventure! They can’t wait to spend a week visiting their eccentric aunt and her giant, tongue-drooling Newfoundland dog in England. But when they finally arrive, they’re faced with a few local secrets that stir up more than a little trouble.

Add in some very peculiar lights, strange new friends, a police chase and some stampeding sheep, and the Griffin kids are in over their heads—literally. Apparently this town has a ghost problem and the three children must race to solve the mystery before the ghosts take something that doesn’t belong to them.

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About the Author

Heather Shumaker grew up always wanting to be an author. She began writing books in elementary school and is now an award-winning author of several books for adults (It’s OK Not to Share, It’s OK to Go Up the Slide and Saving Arcadia). Heather has tried many jobs including sailing on tall ships, leading llama treks, and recycling at the South Pole, Antarctica, but she likes writing best. Today Heather lives up in northern Michigan with her husband and two children. The Griffins of Castle Cary is her first book for children.

Spotlight: A Storm of Strawberries By Jo Cotterill

Twelve-year-old Darby loves living on her family's strawberry farm. But a big storm is coming, and it threatens to destroy everything she and her family hold dear.

Darby is twelve years old and has Down syndrome. Her favorite things are music, chocolate, and her big sister Kaydee. It's a big weekend for Darby. It's time for their annual chocolate hunt, and it's all she can think about. Well, that and spending time with her big sister. But this year Kaydee's friend Lissa is staying over for the weekend, and she seems to be stealing all of Kaydee's attention. And to make things worse, the strawberry farm is hit by a tornado. Suddenly, it's as though both the chocolate hunt and her sister are slipping away from her.

Although the family is prepared for the tornado, they aren't prepared for the storm of emotions that surface when a truth is brought to light. With tension rising within the family, can Darby mend what's been broken when it seems like no one is listening to her?

A Storm of Strawberries is a warm, thoughtful, and empathetic novel from acclaimed author Jo Cotterill.

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About the Author

Jo Cotterill has had several careers - actor, musician, teacher, fireworks technician - but is now a full-time writer in Oxfordshire. She has published over thirty books for children and young people, including the award-winning Looking at the Stars, A Library of Lemons, and the superhero comic/novel Electrigirl. 

Jo loves going into schools and talking about books and reading, and can be found making cards and writing music when she's not spending time with her two young daughters.

Find her online: jocotterill.com / @jocotterillbook

Spotlight: Cake by Sue Hendra and Paul Linnet

In the tradition of I Want My Hat Back, this delicious story from Sue Hendra and Paul Linnet tells the story of a cake who’s about to attend his very first party—but he has no idea what’s coming!

Cake has been invited to his very first birthday party!

He buys just the right outfit—including the PERFECT hat.

But as the candles on his perfect party hat begin to burn, and the other party guests start to sing, Cake starts to think that this is one party he’d rather not be at…

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About the Author

Sue Hendra studied illustration at Brighton University while also selling doughnuts from a kiosk at Chessington Zoo. Sue has now illustrated over 100 books for children. When Sue met Paul Linnet she found another person with the same silly sense of humor as her and they fell in love and started writing and illustrating together. Their creative brilliance soon led them to come up with a wealth of bestselling, award-winning picture books including Barry the Fish with Fingers, Norman the Slug with the Silly Shell, Supertato, and most recently the Laugh Out Loud Book Award–winning I Need a Wee. Sue and Paul live in Brighton with their daughter Wanda who inspired Sue’s picture book and TV series Wanda and the Alien.

Paul Linnet was born by the sea near to Brighton, but he grew up in Derby, where he studied graphic design and played guitar in a band called The Chihuahuas. Eventually Paul moved back to Brighton where he met Sue Hendra and they instantly fell in love. Their celebrated picture book partnership has created many bestselling, award-winning books including Barry the Fish with Fingers, Norman the Slug with the Silly Shell, Supertato, and most recently the Laugh Out Loud Book Award–winning I Need a Wee. Sue and Paul live with their daughter Wanda in a house in Brighton where Paul likes to fuss about with an old motorbike and still plays the guitar.

Spotlight: I Dream in Color By Delphine Finnegan and Illustrated by Tony Neal

Learn how the colors all around you inspire your biggest dreams with this keepsake board book from Crayola!

Do you dream in color? With the help of Crayola colors, this book explores big dreams and the colors that inspire them, from the “silver” of a spaceship and big dreams of being an astronaut, to the “sunset orange” of a landscape and big dreams of being an artist, and more. Whatever you dream about—whether it’s becoming a veterinarian, a baker, and beyond—this book is a sweet reminder that your dreams can be as big, bright, and beautiful as your imagination!

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Spotlight: All the Little Fathers By Margaret Wise Brown and Illustrated by Marilyn Faucher

Fun and playful story by Margaret Wise Brown, author of the children's classics Goodnight Moon and Runaway Bunny.

Animals have fathers, just like you. Fathers that play with them, care for them, and love them. All the fathers are looking after their children in this fun and playful story by Margaret Wise Brown, author of the children's classics Goodnight Moon and Runaway Bunny.

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Spotlight: Hibernate with Me By Benjamin Scheuer and Illustrated by Jemima Williams

Hibernate with Me is a gentle reminder that no matter how sad, small, or scared you feel, you are always worthy of love, and that brighter days are always ahead.

Sometimes you feel small. Sometimes you feel shy.
Sometimes you feel worried, and you might not know why.

Sometimes you want nobody to see.
Darling, you can hibernate with me.

If you feel scared or lost, or even just a little shy, love means there will always be a place to hibernate together.

A place that’s cozy, warm, and safe.

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About the Author

Benjamin Scheuer is a Drama Desk Award–winning singer-songwriter and playwright. He toured his solo show The Lion around the United States and Europe, giving more than five hundred performances. His album Songs from The Lion was released in 2016 (Warner/ADA) along with four animated music videos, which have been shown at film festivals around the world. With photographer Riya Lerner, Scheuer created the book Between Two Spaces, the proceeds of which raise funds for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Scheuer lives in New York City with his wife, illustrator Jemima Williams, and their dog, Porthos.  Visit him online at BenjaminScheuer.com.