New Release Books by Colleen AF Venable

Did you know that Patrick Swayze was 35 when he got his big break in Dirty Dancing? The Swayze Year is an entertaining and inspiring humor book that proves you're never too old to reach your potential. The Swayze Year celebrates later-in-life wins with short profiles of one person for every year from age 35 to age 100 who climbed mountains--metaphorical and literal--wrote their own storylines, and found their happy little trees at a more mature age. With wit, humor, and warmth, The Swayze Year proves that no matter how old you are, you're not done yet. Featured profiles include: Toni Morrison published her debut novel, The Bluest Eye, at age 39 At 41, Bob Ross became the beloved host of The Joy of Painting Judi Dench first achieved international fame for her role in Goldeneye at age 61 At 84, Iris Apfel and her unique style were showcased by the Metropolitan Museum of Art Pinetop Perkins became the oldest person to win a Grammy at age 97

Calling all Raina Telgemeier fans! It's back to school for Katie the Catsitter in this purr-fectly irresistible graphic novel series about friendship, heroes, and cats (lots of cats)! Katie loves skating with the Wheelas and the fact that she’s officially a superhero sidekick. But now that school’s starting, everything’s changing. The Mousetress is getting blamed for things Katie knows she didn’t do. Sidekick training is NOT as exciting as she’d hoped. Katie’s best friend Beth is back in town and Beth’s new boyfriend is always hanging around (ugh!). Not to mention that all of Katie’s friends are mad at her. Fixing this will be harder than any skateboarding trick. But with the help of 217 slightly out of the ordinary cats, Katie’s going to try! Can she clear the Mousestress’s name, uncover the real supervillain, and become the sidekick (and the friend) she’s always dreamed of being? Don't miss more Katie the Catsitters—Katie the Catsitter 1 and Katie the Catsitter 3: Secrets and Sidekicks! “Readers will revel in the heroic antics.” –The New York Times

Calling all graphic novel fans! Get ready for sidekick training (and friendship drama!) with Katie the Catsitter in book 3 of the purr-fectly irresistible, bestselling middle-grade graphic novel series about growing up, friendship, heroes, and cats (lots of cats)! “Readers will revel in the heroic antics.” --The New York Times What’s better than BFFs? Super sidekick BFFs! Katie can’t wait to have Beth join her for sidekick training! Until . . . it turns out Beth might be a way better sidekick than Katie! And now Beth and Marie are hanging out all the time, Jess is acting super weird, and Katie still needs to tell her mom about being a sidekick. Oh yeah, and giant robots are attacking the city. So. That’s not great. Can Katie and 217 super-unusual cats work together to save the city (and seventh grade)? Or is Katie about to be in super trouble? Bonus: includes instructions to make your own friendship bracelet! Looking for more cats and more fun?! Don't miss Katie the Catsitter and Katie the Catsitter: Best Friends for Never!

From Epic Originals comes an even spookier, sillier, slimier collection of illustrated stories guaranteed to make you laugh so loud you'll wake the monster under the bleachers! The Cafetorium is open for lunch--and play rehearsal, gym class, and unintentional interdimensional travel! Join comic book fan Dee Dee, master gamer Jackie, and the rest of the crew (including everyone's favorite goat) in this brand-new set of wonderfully weird tales. These charming stories present kids' everyday school and friendship challenges in unexpected ways, letting kids laugh while they build empathy, resilience, social skills, and more.

Over 500 pages of sweet, slimy fun! Enjoy the complete My Pet Slime series in this gift-worthy box set. Piper Maclane wants a pet so badly, but she's allergic to everything. So she creates her own . . . out of slime! From Epic! Originals, My Pet Slime is a heartwarming series about a girl who makes the most of a challenging situation and is rewarded with a bit of magic! Book 1: My Pet Slime Piper wishes she could have a pet to care for and snuggle with and take to school for show-and-tell. All of the other kids have one. But she's allergic to every animal imaginable! So instead, she makes her own pet out of slime, with big eyes, a little mouth, and two arms just long enough for hugs. It would be the perfect pet for Piper, if it were real. When a strange turn of events brings her slime to life, Piper learns how fun, challenging, and messy it can be to care for a pet . . . especially one made out of slime! Book 2: Cosmo to the Rescue Piper was beyond surprised when her slime magically came to life and became her adorable pet, Cosmo. Now she must deal with an even bigger shocker: Her grandma has gone missing. With the help of their new friend Claire, it's up to Piper and Cosmo to save Grandma Sadie! Book 3: Saving Cosmo After her pet slime came to life and her grandma got kidnapped, Piper didn't think life could get any stranger. But then she found herself trapped in the headquarters of the mysterious MaLa corporation with her Grandma Sadie, her enemy-turned-friend Claire, and Cosmo, her pet slime. Luckily, Piper has an out-of-this-world plan to escape from MaLa and make sure sweet, cuddly Cosmo stays safe forever!

A 2019 New York Public Library Best Books for Kids A 2020 Tayshas Reading List Selection A 2020 Maverick Graphic Novel Reading List Selection Mads is pretty happy with her life. She goes to church with her family, and minor league baseball games with her dad. She goofs off with her best friend Cat, and has thus far managed to avoid getting kissed by Adam, the boy next door. It's everything she hoped high school would be... until all of a sudden, it's not. Her dad is hiding something big—so big it could tear her family apart. And that’s just the beginning of her problems: Mads is starting to figure out that she doesn't want to kiss Adam... because the only person she wants to kiss is Cat. Kiss Number 8, a graphic novel from writer Colleen AF Venable and illustrator Ellen T. Crenshaw, is a layered, funny, sharp-edged story of teen sexuality and family secrets.

In Book 3 of the hugely popular Cat Ninja series, small-time crooks, sidekicks, and the wannabe supervillains who made our heroes who they are all get a chance to tell their stories--and their stories are hilarious! Cat Ninja: Wanted features Metro City's favorites and newcomers in tales that include a nearly cat-astrophic case of stolen identity, the not-so-villainous adventures of Master Hamster, and Adonis's first mission as one of the good guys. Enjoy six stand-alone stories, plus a five-part Cat Ninja special miniseries! The stories in Cat Ninja: Wanted teach readers that: People (and villains!) can change Everyone deserves a second chance You don't need superpowers to be a hero!

Inside this volume of Maker Comics, First Second's DIY comic series, you'll find step-by-step instructions on how to construct six different robots! The family toaster is preparing to take over the world with an army of evil robots, but he needs your help to build them! Several obstacles lie in his path: your homework, a pesky little sister, and even a dastardly kitty cat. Just follow his instructions to build a series of robots, and world domination is within reach! With Maker Comics: Build a Robot! written by Colleen AF Venable, featuring illustrations from Kathryn Hudson, you can create a bunch of (non-evil) robots of your very own! All you need are a few everyday items you can find lying around the house and some simple components you can order online. With the easy instructions in this book and you can build a robot that can move on its own, sound an alarm, and even use a sensor to respond to the outside world! Follow the easy step-by-step instructions inside this book and you can make these robots! Brush bot Art bot Scare bot Noisy bot LED throwie Remote controlled car bot

First Second's graphic novel sampler for Winter 2019, including excerpts from award-winning authors and artists such as Gene Luen Yang, Box Brown, Ellen T. Crenshaw, and more!

Unicycle. One wheel! Bicycle. One more wheel! Tricycle? Nope! Steamroller! One more wheel! In this novelty concept book with a moving multi-wheel cover, readers spin their way through a tale of two animal friends competing to find the vehicle with more wheels. Simple text and expressive artwork make this counting book an absolute delight for toddlers learning to count from one to ten. A new and often unexpected vehicle appears on each spread, from rollerskates to a jet. Readers won't be able to guess what's on the next page! A final spread expands to reveal a train with "all the wheels" and the two friends celebrating together.

"The band is assembled and the band director is ready to tell you all about the instruments, but an enthusiastic little drummer girl keeps interrupting"--

The animals in Mr. Venezi's pet shop are used to how forgetful he is. Then he hires the perfect assistant, Viola. She does her job so well that Mr. V hardly needs to be there. In fact, one day, Mr. V doesn't come back at all! But then Viola starts ignoring the animals. Has Mr. V given the pet shop to a villain? Or is some other mystery afoot? Sasspants, PI(G)—fluffy-but-determined guinea pig detective—and junior detective Hamisher the hamster—will soon fish out the answers!

There's a sandwich thief in Mr. Venezi's pet shop, and everyone is a suspect, from the chinchillas to the goldfish. Never fear! The world's fluffiest detective on the case: Sasspants, PI(G). By day, Sasspants is your average book-loving, gizmo-inventing guinea pig. By night she solves pet shop mysteries with the help of her sidekick, Hamisher the hamster. Our furry little heroes will stop at nothing to find the sandwich thief! This is the first book in the Guinea PIG, Pet Shop Private Eye series.

Mr. Venezi has put up a “help wanted” sign in the pet shop. He needs someone to keep track of the animals. But more help might mean he sells more pets, and the animals will have to leave their home. Sasspants, PI(G)— fluffy-but-reluctant detective—is on the case. She fixes the signs on all the cages, but then a vandal turns turtle into turnip and fish into knish! Are the crazy ferrets behind it? The game is afoot for Sasspants and her sidekick Hamisher!

An exuberant, hilarious guessing game about storytelling, creativity, friendship, and patience—with the most adorable animal menagerie you’ll find anywhere! Amy the Red Panda starts to tell her best friend Mervin the Sloth a story when—uh-oh—a rainstorm of letters pours down! When it stops, Amy reads a sentence in the sky: Amy the Red Panda is writing the best story in the world. The BEST story in the WORLD? That’s a tall order. Especially when all of the other animals have their own opinions on what the story should be about. Big animals or small ones? Acrobats? A pirate bird flying the Seven Seas? Oh, dear! Luckily, Mervin is there to give Amy just the right inspiration. A companion to Mervin the Sloth Is About to Do the Best Thing in the World, this funny-bone–tickling picture book brings back a cast of zany, irresistible animal friends and an inventive, playful format. Pitch-perfect, full of imagination, and just right for fans of Dragons Love Tacos, The Book with No Pictures, and The Monster at the End of This Book.

Mervin the Sloth is just standing there quietly when giant letters drop onto the page: “Mervin the Sloth is about to do the best thing in the world.” But what is the best thing in the world? What is Mervin about to do? It doesn’t take long for all of Mervin’s exuberant animal friends to barge in with their own ideas. Flying! Digging! Gazelling! Wait, gazelling? Is that even a word? If only sloths weren’t so slow! Because maybe it’s something even better. But only Amy the red panda sticks around to see it. This inventive picture book balances zany, pitch-perfect humor with warmth and heart—and irresistibly huggable animal characters. Fans of The Book with No Pictures and The Monster at the End of This Book will delight in the way it plays with form, makes you laugh out loud, and introduces us all to our new, very slow-moving best friend.

Sasspants, PI(G), the world's fluffiest detective, is back on the case―or she will be, if her sidekick Hamisher can convince her there's really a mystery afoot. Hamisher has made up so many stories, Sasspants doesn't believe him. But one by one the mice in Mr. Venezi's pet shop are going missing, and all the spooky clues point to...a ghost! Once our shaggy Sherlocks start digging for answers, they will stop at nothing to ferret out the truth!

It's a dark and stormy afternoon when Sasspants, PI(G), leaves Mr. Venezi's pet shop to live with a new owner. Soon there's a mystery afoot back at the shop: the cat from the bookstore next door has disappeared. All the pet shop animals are putting on their detective hats, but their fluffy-but-faraway guinea pig detective can't help them follow the clues! Can Hamisher the hamster solve this cat-napping without Sasspants? He's going to try his furry best not only to crack the case, but to reunite with his best friend and fellow sleuth too.

Mr. Venezi has put up a help wanted sign in the pet shop. He needs someone to keep track of the animals. But more help might mean he sells more pets, and the animals will have to leave their home. Sasspants, PI(G) fluffy-but-reluctant detective is on the case. She fixes the signs on all the cages, but then a vandal turns turtle into turnip and fish into knish! Are the crazy ferrets behind it? The game is afoot for Sasspants and her sidekick Hamisher!

Sasspants, PI(G), the world's fluffiest detective, is back on the case or she will be, if her sidekick Hamisher can convince her there's really a mystery afoot. Hamisher has made up so many stories, Sasspants doesn't believe him. But one by one the mice in Mr. Venezi's pet shop are going missing, and all the spooky clues point to...a ghost! Once our shaggy Sherlocks start digging for answers, they will stop at nothing to ferret out the truth!

Sasspants, a guinea pig, reluctantly agrees to act as a private investigator when Hamisher the hamster begs for her help in discovering who is stealing sandwiches from the pet shop's befuddled owner.