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As Merrae dances with her friends and family to the sound of washboards and banjos, her excitement only grows when she receives a Nutcracker from Perrain for Christmas. But later that night, she awakes to find herself surrounded by nutrias and the evil Alligator King. Soon toy soldiers and the heroic Nutcracker come to life and begin to battle the creatures. After Merrae is saved by the Nutcracker, they sail through the swamp to see the Sugar Cane Fairy, where the air smells sweet with magnolias.

If you’ve ever given an imp a penny, then you know how outrageous things can get. If you haven’t…consider yourself warned! In this vibrant new story from the writer and illustrator behind Monster Goose Nursery Rhymes, a well-meaning imp needs one tiny favor. But sometimes even the smallest of good deeds can lead to huge accidents! When he tries to help you clean house, this clumsy imp will leave everything messier than ever. And once he’s done burying his money bag for safekeeping, your yard might never be the same. With colorful illustrations right out of a fairy tale and a story that will get the whole family laughing, this book is a must-have for every lover of fantasy.

Joey, left at home alone one night, sees and hears strange things, but he has the superior wit to convince any and all possible monsters that his brother, Dan, is the better choice for dinner.

"Wonderful and powerful . . . This story has kept our memories alive."
-Toshimi Ishida, survivor of the Hiroshima bombing, student at Honkawa Elementary School

"[This] inspiring story . . . reminds us to live hand in hand together on this earth."
-Hiroko Matsui, first lady of Hiroshima

"There's never been a story like this in English. Running with Cosmos Flowers is like a Bible of Peace."
-Tomoko Furusawa, survivor of the Hiroshima bombing, student at Honkawa Elementary School

Reading through these words and phrases is an abbreviated trip through history, with lists of major naval mutinies, a summary of the slave trade, and even jokes. This dictionary is written to be entertaining as well as informative, to give a flavor of the interesting times from the fifteenth to the eighteenth centuries when pirates controlled many sea lanes. It also contains a treasure trove of factual information about life aboard the ship, important pirate haunts, and technical terms.

A true music-lover's journey into the past!

Late one night in 2005, Zeke Schein made an amazing discovery while searching for a vintage guitar on eBay: a grainy, battered photograph captioned Old Snapshot Blues Guitar BB King???? Neither man looked like King, but one seemed to resemble the twentieth century's most mysterious musician, Robert Johnson. Would others see what he saw? With only three or four known images of the legendary blues guitarist in existence, this single picture was certainly an exceptional link to the past.

In 2014, the truth about the photo was finally revealed. Schein details his strange journey in solving this musical mystery and crusade for legitimacy amidst pushback from music historians.

"No, mon ami! You can't catch me!"

When an old Creole woman bakes dessert on King's Day, she has no idea what shenanigans will ensue. In this New Orleans adaptation of The Gingerbread Man, a mischievous king cake baby escapes his cake! He outruns a praline lady and a waiter at Café du Monde, but can he outsmart the clever baker? Chock full of Louisiana phrases and comic-book-style illustrations, this new take on an old tale brings the Crescent City to life from Jackson Square to the Creole Queen riverboat. This lively story is a great way to introduce children to the sights, sounds, and especially tastes of New Orleans. It even comes with a recipe for homemade king cake--just make sure to keep track of the baby!

Upsie Downsie has convinced his mother he's having trouble falling asleep, so she brings in the neighborhood experts to help. They try lullabies, tedious recitations, storytelling, a massage, a warm bath, and even counting, but they all succumb to sleep, leaving Upsie to the next neighbor.

Love to shop? The residents of Milwaukee, Wisconsin were lucky to have Schuster's and Gimbels, a part of Milwaukee culture.

For well over a century, Milwaukee shoppers have had Gimbels or Schuster's on the brain. Even if they didn't crave sewing notions or prize-winning apple pies, they were watching holiday parades wind by, tuning in for Billie the Brownie's radio updates or losing themselves in front of one of the fabulous window displays. Not only were they magical places to shop but also wonderful places to work, creating the kind of community where a kid might come in to work the Christmas rush and stay for twenty-five years. Enjoy this loving trip through the history of these beloved stores, from their arrival in Milwaukee in the 1880s through the 1962 merger and beyond.

A detailed history of a New Orleans landmark. Congo Square is an iconic location in New Orleans culture, filled with the echoes of jazz and the footsteps of modern dance. Brimming with the rich history of the city, this auspicious landmark traces its origins back to the 1740s. A popular gathering place for African-Americans, the square hosted public markets, musical events, and even the Congo Circus throughout its history. Johnson's detailed analysis of the development of the landmark places the deep-set culture of both the African-American community and the roots of New Orleans music firmly in the heart of Congo Square.

More than 800 recipes reflect the flavorful cuisine of Louisiana�s Isle�os�modern-day descendants of Canary Islanders who immigrated in 1778.

A great big tale about peach pickin' fun. Join Tall Papa Tom, Pretty Mama May, Little Buddy Earl, and the rest of the bunch as they head to the Peach Pickin' Festival. Little Buddy Earl yodels each time they pass a field, but what's the use of that? His yodel soon comes in handy when he turns a tiny peach into the largest in the land! Complete with a recipe for peach cobbler, this tale about teamwork proves that sometimes the smallest person can be the biggest help.

When his father relocates the family to Paradise to work for the mysterious Eden Corporation, Jack Barrett uncovers a sinister plot that threatens everyone he loves.

An intimate look at the Cajun trappers and fishermen who live off the land in the Louisiana marshes.

Chuan helps readers learn about ratios to craft puppets.

Stunning photos accentuate the charm of this Panhandle town. Seaside, the most successfully planned city of recent years, requires picket fences. Each must be of a different design.

Alycat wakes up on Monday with the dreaded Monday Blues, certain that nothing will go right. But when a mishap sends her astray, she discovers that helping a friend will lead her to discover her own hidden talent and cure her Monday Blues!

Find the original song, Monday Blues, on iTunes, YouTube, and Apple Music!The themes of the books in the Alycat Series all reflect a reliance on friendships, imagination, and creativity towards problem solving. The character traits of Alycat and her friends inspire and encourage young readers to find their own special gifts.

Alycat and the Monday Blues has been named among the best in family-friendly media, products, and services by the Mom's Choice Awards.

"[A] charmingly illustrated [and] deftly written picture book for children ages 4 to 7, Alycat and the Monday Blues will prove to be a unique and extraordinarily entertaining addition to family, daycare center, preschool, elementary school, and community library picture book collections." --Midwest Book Review

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The Alycat Series features: Alycat and the Thursday Dessert Day, Alycat and the Monday Blues, Alycat and the Friendship Friday, Alycat and the Tournament Tuesday, Alycat and the Cattywampus Wednesday, Alycat and the Sleepover Saturday, and Alycat and the Sunday Scaries. The books in this series have won more than 17 awards, including the NYC Big Book Award, the Mom's Choice Awards, and the Next Generation Indie Book Awards; have been featured in Kirkus Reviews and Publishers Weekly; and have appeared in the Oscars celebrity swag bag and the Grammy Awards gift bag. Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, featured Bourque and her life-size mascot, Alycat, on her popular YouTube channel Little Red News.