Marketplace

Distinguished artist and teacher Alan Flattmann provides invaluable information about theory and technique as well as making crayons, designing proper studio lighting, and much more. Both amateur and professional artists will find this book informative and useful.Highlighted techniques include the painterly blended and the Impressionistic broken-color approaches. There are also illustrated discussions of concept and technique, mood and technique, mixed media, form and space, aerial perspective, modeling, and the importance of simplicity.

Emotional first-person accounts tell of the destruction faced by one parish on August 29, 2005, and the days that followed. While attention and resources were focused on New Orleans, survival became the ultimate goal of the neighboring parish of St. Bernard. An unprecedented 99 percent of the parish was submerged in water and almost all buildings were destroyed. Each account is filled with the heartwrenching reality of a community lost and the strength it took to rise again.

From summer getaway to historic landmark, this history of Bloomfield Hills is a perfect visual history for Detroit and Michigan enthusiasts.

Bloomfield Hills is an affluent suburban city located 20 miles north of downtown Detroit. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, much of the area's rolling farmland was purchased by wealthy Detroit residents who had first discovered The Hills when they went touring northward in their new horseless carriages. Seeking refuge from Detroit's summer heat and crowds, the newcomers built weekend homes that ranged from elaborate farmhouses to large manor estates. Philanthropists George Gough Booth and his wife, Ellen Scripps Booth, envisioned more than a manor house for themselves, however, and built what is now a National Historic Landmark, the Cranbrook Educational Community. In 1932, Bloomfield Hills incorporated as a city. The city retains its mystique as an enclave of elegant living and exceptional schools, but its history also includes instances of poverty and mayhem.

Bloomfield Hills, written by historian, journalist, and local resident Christine Blackwell, takes a look at a city with a very vibrant history.

The bivalve lover's guide to Louisiana's best oysters. From the brackish bayous of Louisiana to the tables of some of the most beloved restaurants around the country, P&J oysters are among the best in the industry. Featuring recipes for oysters on the half shell, oyster appetizers, baked oysters, and grilled oysters, this lavish cookbook includes a history of the legendary P&J Oyster Company, tantalizing photographs of prepared oyster dishes, and shots of oysters in their native beds during the harvesting process.

Seventy-seven home-style shrimp recipes are interspersed with historical, biological, and food preparation advice. From an inside look at the seafood industry in Louisiana, past and present, to techniques on how to identify fresh shrimp at the local market, this complete resource includes all the information shrimp lovers need. Taking readers from the shrimp boat to the table, the authors share the art of catching, buying, peeling, storing, freezing, and thawing shrimp so that they can be turned into a delicious dish.

Prize-winning Atlantic Online cartoonist Sage Stossel has created her next Find the Animals book with On the Loose in New Orleans. Children will have hours of fun finding the Audubon Zoo animals around the Big Easy—whether a monkey on a riverboat, a giraffe in Jackson Square, or elephants eating beignets! Over 100 animals are hiding cleverly in favorite New Orleans locations in this colorfully illustrated rhyming picture book.

A young peasant boy convinces his poor but wise father to enter a contest to solve the warlord's puzzle, which is actually the original tangram. Recommended by the Califorina Department of Education.

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.



People are talking . . .



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.

When Max and Raven went to the pound to adopt a new animal, they certainly didn't expect to find Rex, a . . . well, we don't know. With his fluffy green hair, a long curly tail, and a sparkly-white horn on his forehead, they fell in love with him instantly and decided they'd give him a chance. They are soon in for the time of their lives!

Meerkats and other animals, birds, and insects from southern Africa's Kalahari Desert star in this engagingly illustrated cooking safari for young people. Funny, "wildly" educational, and sometimes yucky facts about these creatures are accompanied by recipes such as Dung Beetle Pancakes (using either real dung beetles or breakfast sausages), Sun Spider Bundles (using either real sun spiders or tuna), and Spaghetti with Grasshopper Heads (using either real grasshoppers or peas). The author guides safaris in southern Africa, directs a meerkat wildlife center, and is a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society in London.

Record all the books you read together with the child you love in this keepsake reading log. In these pages you will preserve a lifetime of unforgettable memories. The hours, days, and years you spend reading together will greatly influence who your child becomes. This book has spaces to record a thousand books. It seems like a mountain, but it's easy to read a thousand books when you make reading aloud to your child a daily habit. Parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, friends, and others who read aloud to children create a wonderful bond and encourage children to learn, grow, and succeed, while developing a love of reading that can last a lifetime. Watch your child grow a thousand stories tall!

My First Reading Log includes: Reward stickers to celebrate reading milestones, a four-foot growth chart to measure reading progress, fun and colorful illustrations, tips, and inspiring quotes throughout.

Jenny Giraffe is all set for the big Christmas parade, the caroling, and especially, the arrival of Papa Noel. But Jenny has never experienced the holiday season and hasn’t any idea what Christmas is all about or even who Papa Noel is! Luckily, her friends T-Boy, Lita, Claude, and Angelle are going to teach her all about the joyous season through the special Christmastime celebrations in Louisiana.

Jenny Giraffe Discovers Papa Noel brings the holiday spirit to homes everywhere through the fun-loving adventures of everyone’s favorite four-legged artist. From the celebrated Christmas parade to the tradition of the Christmas tree to the story of Baby Jesus’ birth, Jenny learns to appreciate the excitement and love of the season. She even gets to participate in some truly unique Louisiana festivities like the lighting of the bonfires along the river to guide Papa Noel on his route to deliver his gifts. But Jenny is still puzzled about who this jolly man is and why it is that some people call him Santa Claus. Perhaps only on Christmas Eve will everything become much clearer.

Author Kathleen Welch, a member of the Core Committee for developing the Louisiana Alzheimer’s State Plan, and her husband, illustrator Alan McGillivray, provide a child’s perspective in their tale for little ones experiencing Alzheimer’s and dementia in their family. As the elder elephant and her young grandson spend the day together, she forgets her hat, loses her brush, gets lost, confuses her grandson’s name, and tells stories of things that happened long ago as if they just occurred. When danger threatens, her love for her family shines through the clouds of her memory and she remembers things she learned as a child. The author provides a guide to further discussion with young children and a resource list for families facing this devastating disease.

Stately mansions and picturesque, cozy cottages line the avenues of beautiful Beaufort, South Carolina, but most visitors have had to be content with merely enjoying their facades--until now. The Majesty of Beaufort invites you to come inside and enjoy the simple elegance and down-home southern charm of these historic homes. Inside these pages you will find stunning full-color photographs of historic house museums, architectural landmarks, and the famous downtown historic district, as well as St. Helena Island sites and attractions. Whether you are lucky enough to live in Beaufort, plan on visiting, or just have an interest in Southern history or American architecture, this volume will be a welcome and beautiful addition to your library.

Explore the grounds of Colonial Williamsburg with this unique seek-and-find alphabet book offering beautiful photographs with hidden animals on every page.

Discover everything from sheep pastures and underground ice houses to walled gardens and winding hedge mazes. Included are fun facts about Colonial Williamsburg's history in an illustrated glossary and a kid-friendly map for planning your journey. Whether you use this book as a guide for an upcoming visit to Colonial Williamsburg or as a souvenir to commemorate your stay, a magical adventure awaits you and your family!

Home to thousands of US sailors, the USS Alabama fought bravely in World War II, but after she finished her service, the battleship was set to be scrapped. The people of Alabama decided they had to save the ship named for their proud state. No one was more determined than Alabama's schoolchildren.

Author Karyn Tunks traces the story of the children's efforts in this informative and entertaining account. Tunks reveals a wealth of detail about life at sea before the ship was decommissioned and the many challenges Alabamians faced in securing the ship's permanent home.

Artist Julie Dupré Buckner captures the feeling of the era in her detailed, vivid illustrations of the ship, those who called her home, and those who saved her for future generations. Complete with a glossary, illustrated ship's diagram, and timeline, USS Alabama: Hooray for the Mighty A! offers beginning readers a glimpse of the fascinating history of the battleship and how even the smallest of actions can produce incredible results.

Award-winning author and illustrator duo Ed Shankman and Dave O'Neill turn to the birthplace of jazz, New Orleans, Louisiana! Jazz, of course, is the only truly American form of music, born from a meeting and mixing of cultures where the mighty Mississippi meets the Gulf of Mexico. Drummer Bobcat Bob leads a hot band of multi-cultural musicians, featuring a gator on bass, a finger-snapping frog, and a horn section made up of raccoons, a crayfish, and some loons. Bobcat Bob's band is known for miles around - They played like wind. They played like fire. They raised the roof, and raised it higher. They played all night and weren't done, 'Til morning came and they raised the sun. But one day the music stopped and the great New Orleans lost its voice. Through months of darkness and sadness the people wished that things were like before. And with a single drum beat on Bourbon Street, and then another, and another, the music came back to New Orleans, better than ever! Children and parents alike will love this story about the healing power of music.

A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this book will be donated to the New Orleans Musicians Assistance Foundation.