New Releases by Barbara Joosse

In this delightful picture book, meet two sisters who may be little, but are brave and clever enough to defeat the hungry shark that crashes their tea party. Mama and Papa are away for the afternoon, so sisters Sadie and Flora decide to throw a fancy pretend tea party in their garden by the sea. When the girls are joined by a surprise guest -- an odd-looking fisherman who wolfs down their cake -- they quickly realize something is not quite right. Is that a silver fin on the fisherman''s neck, beneath his bib? And are those double rows of sharp, sharp teeth in his mouth? This fishy guest -- is he... he must be... a shark!! Join this unstoppable sister duo as they summon all their strength and cleverness -- and a little bit of Flora''s unique magic -- to vanquish the shark... all before Mama and Papa get home.

Lulu and her cousin Rocky are visiting Music City--Nashville! There are so many fun things to see and do, like visiting the Goo-Goo Shop to make the famous candies, climbing the dragon at Fannie Mae Dees Park, and standing on the stage of Ryman Auditorium. Written by Barbara Joosse and illustrated by Renée Graef, this third book in the Our City Adventures series explores the city of Nashville, visiting well-known sites like the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Adventure Science Center, as well as unexpected gems.

Lulu and her cousin Rocky are visiting the city of Detroit, the Motor City! There are so many fun things to see and do, like visiting Campus Martius to make sand castles, eating cherries at the Eastern Market, riding the carousel at the Riverfront, and seeing the works of Diego Rivera at the Detroit Institute of Arts. Written by Barbara Joosse and illustrated by Renée Graef, this second book in the Our City Adventures series explores the city of Detroit, visiting well-known sites like Comerica Park, Fox Theatre, and "Hitsville, U.S.A," where the Motown sound came alive, as well as unexpected gems.

Lulu and her cousin Rocky are visiting the city of Milwaukee. There are so many fun things to see and do, like canoeing, visiting a lighthouse, riding surrey-bikes, going to a fish fry, and even gearing up and burning rubber at the Harley-Davidson Museum! Written by Barbara Joosse and illustrated by Renée Graef, this first book in the Our City Adventures series explores the city of Milwaukee, visiting well-known sites and attractions as well as unexpected gems.

Strange, wonderful sights await Girl and Dragon as the inseparable friends journey far across the sea in a third warmhearted and beautifully illustrated tale. Dragon and Girl are the very best of friends, and they share the very same dream: to sail to the farthest far-away. So they set out to sea, Girl sailing on Dragon’s back. For a year and a day the two friends search up, down, and around for the faraway place, meeting creatures along the way: dolphins, whales, and even some snarly, sword-wielding pirates. And when Girl and Dragon finally reach the farthest far-away, they still share a heart and the very same dream — home. Randy Cecil’s muted, dreamy artwork and Barbara Joosse’s softly poetic words cast a comforting spell over imaginative explorers, leaving them safe with the knowledge that however far you go, there is nothing quite like coming home again with someone you love.

In Better Together, each spread starts with a single animal, all alone. Then a gatefold opens to reveal that the single animal is actually one of many animals working together to comfort, feed, and protect one another. At the end, we see how human families come together in similar ways to care for their little ones. Careful readers will be delighted to see that every animal mentioned in the book is hidden somewhere in the last image. The final spread offers interesting facts about the animals in the book, including the collective nouns for each. Jared Andrew Schorr’s bright, lively cut-paper illustrations and an unexpected freshness round out a very satisfying package.

Hooray! Someone''s coming to play with you. Can you guess who? In this wonderful read-aloud for very young children, Gramma comes to visit and brings a surprise . . . or two . . . or three. And a lot of the fun is guessing which surprise is next! Part thoughtful play, part playful imagination, this tongue tickling tale of funny animals and loving family will entertain and involve children with each turn of the page!

Ziva, a "wind-wild" young sled dog, decides whether to stay with the man who has trained her or to run free with the wolves and wind. What will Ziva choose, her love for the Man or the freedom of the wild? What will Ziva choose, her love for the Man or the freedom of the wild? Ziva heard the call of the wild. Most mushers believed that Ziva''s eyes of different colors made her half wild, so no one wanted her. But one man took a liking to her. As Ziva begins to trust the Man, she learns to use her wild energy to pull his sled, but she''s torn between her love for the Man and the wolf''s call. Will she stay . . . or go?

A little Inuit girl who lives in Alaska tests her mother''s love.