Staff Picks

From the author of Hyperfocus, a treasure trove of practical, science-backed strategies that reveal how the key to a less anxious life, and even greater productivity, is a calm state of mind

“After rebounding from his own burnout, Bailey devised a clear-eyed, concise method that marries science and self-help; he’s equally proficient in probing the roles of serotonin and endorphins while charting concrete steps in chapters titled ‘The Mindset of More’ and ‘Heights of Stimulation.’ Slow down, breathe, and submerge into these pages.” —Oprah Daily


A PENGUIN LIFE BOOK

It took an on-stage panic attack for productivity expert Chris Bailey to recognize how critical it is to invest in calm at the same time that we invest in becoming more productive. Productivity advice works—and we need it now more than ever—but it’s just as vital that we develop our capacity for calm. By finding calm and overcoming anxiety, we don’t just feel more comfortable in our own mind—we build a deeper, more expansive reservoir of energy to draw from throughout the day. The pursuit of calm ultimately leads us to become more engaged, focused, and deliberate—while making us more satisfied with our lives. And because calm saves us time by making us more productive, we don’t even need to feel guilty about the time we spend investing in it.

How to Calm Your Mind is our crucial guide to achieving calm, navigating anxiety, and staving off burnout. It explains how our digital world drains us, and what we can do to abate the hidden sources of stress that burden our days. Bailey has learned to embrace the analog world and “stimulation fasts,” to use the science of “savoring” to become more focused and present, and to relax without guilt—and he shows us how we can reclaim calm, too. In an anxious world, investing in calm might be the best productivity strategy around.

Edited by Kate

NOW IN PAPERBACK: Turn your sensitivity into a superpower with these proven strategies to regain your confidence at work, reclaim control of your life, and reach your full potential.

Are you a sensitive striver? Often feel "not good enough?" Take things too personally? Judge yourself harshly? Struggle with burnout and setting boundaries? Highly sensitive and high performing? Being highly attuned to your emotions, environment, and the behavior of others can be the keys to success, but they can also lead to overthinking everything and burnout. Human behavior expert and executive coach Melody Wilding identifies this problem and gives the nuanced reader profile a name--"sensitive strivers." Drawing on the latest research and work with clients, she examines the intersection of sensitivity and achievement and the challenges that come along with it in the workplace, and offers neuroscience-based strategies readers can use to reclaim control of their lives and reach their full potential.

FOR READERS OF: The Highly Sensitive Person, No Hard Feelings, Quiet, and Introvert Power.

ENDORSEMENTS FROM: Susan Cain, Elaine Aron, Julia Cameron, and more.

EXPERT TAKE ON A NEWLY TRENDING TOPIC: What Susan Cain and Quiet were for introverts, and Elaine Aron and her books were for the highly sensitive, Melody Wilding is and will be for the growing number of people who identify as sensitive strivers. As a human behavior expert, executive coach, and Forbes contributor, Wilding is the perfect author to offer practical solutions for the latest embraced personality type. Her advice strikes the perfect balance between action-taking and introspective.

The perfect book for:

- Coaches and coaching clients
- Social workers
- Entry-level workers, middle managers, executive level and above
- Anyone who identifies as highly sensitive

Edited by Kate 

With simple visual step-by-step instructions and hand-drawn illustrations, effortlessly create over 50 different paper creations, from sea lions to spinning tops, Christmas decorations and colorful flowers.

This is origami at its most simple and elegant. With a special focus on a very visual method of explanation, this collection brings together 50 traditional origami projects, accessible to experts and beginners alike. The folds are organized from the simplest to the most complex.

The projects range from sea lions to spinning tops, Christmas decorations and colorful flowers, to sailboats. Detailed illustrations show you exactly where to place your hands at every step of the process, and projects are given a difficulty rating for ease of reference. Simply follow the diagrams and watch origami creations of all kinds come to life at your fingertips.

Brought to you from the Parisian boutique of Adeline Klam, this book is full of beautiful designs, fun toys, useful tips and paper surprises of every shape and size.

Edited by Kate 

What is a blessing? Do you have to believe to receive one? Can you doubt while you pray? And can you extend grace to others while still desperately in need of it yourself?

Once a week Episcopal priest Adrian Dannhauser stands outside her Manhattan church beside a chalkboard sign that reads ""Ask me for a blessing (because God knows you need one)."" Passersby stop, chat, and ask for prayer: for a sick friend, an addicted son, an upcoming job interview, the state of our nation, or the grief of our world. Bus drivers sometimes open their doors for a quick prayer before the light turns green, and someone once took her to meet their doorman so she could bless him too. Half of those who stop are in crisis. Someone always cries. A few are simply curious.

Through the heartfelt, frank, and sincere stories of her unique ministry, Dannhauser offers glimpses into the tender, holy, and sometimes hilarious moments of sidewalk prayers. With a potent blend of reverence and irreverence, as well as insights from Christian scriptures, she delves into the power that ancient ideas--blessing, forgiveness, miracles, and prayer--hold in a disenchanted world. For people of Christian faith, other faiths, or no faith at all, having spiritual conversations, even awkward ones with strangers on the street, can help us face our vulnerability, where we may discover a grace sufficient for all.

Edited by Kate 

Innovative digital designs for the adventurous quilter Quilting Rhythm offers 98 quilting designs with a modern slant. You'll find unique designs ranging from retro to contemporary, with some offering both angular and curved variants. Explore geometric to graphically-inspired designs and summon echoes of decades past, such as skylines and mountains, and line reflections of the commonplace, such as flames, EKGs, and paper airplanes. Inside, you'll find each design in print form, plus a QR code linking to the digitized file. All designs are suitable for home free-motion quilters, quilters with long arms, and those with embroidery or domestic machines. Innovative and fresh, the quilting designs provide a vast array of texture and rhythym. Includes instructions on how to use the digitized designs and guidance for free-motion quilters.

Edited by Kate 

Craft your own stylish accessories worthy of a high-end boutique with this collection of 21 macramé bags, belts, and straps.

From durable market totes to cross-body boho bags, there’s a purse for every occasion.
After mastering basic macramé techniques, discover how to add special details, such as wooden handles, metal buckles, and zippers, to elevate the style and function of your designs.
With its assortment of small-scale projects, this book is great for beginners, but also provides fresh inspiration for veteran macramé enthusiasts looking to create wearable art.

Edited by Kate 

 

The internationally bestselling practical guide on how to breathe for better sleep, stress management, improved self esteem, and to care for your mental health.



It's time to get your breath back.



Since tragic loss brought him to breathwork, Stuart Sandeman has helped thousands of people transform their lives, simply by changing the way they breathe.



In Breathe In, Breathe Out, Stuart takes you on a journey to discover a hidden power within you that can change the way you think and feel. His accessible exercises, grounded in research and developed over years of practice, will help you to:
 

• Sleep soundly and manage stress and pain.
• Identify and let go of the beliefs that are holding you back.
• Develop better focus and boost your performance in any field.
• Deepen the connection with yourself, others and the world around you.

You can become stronger, healthier and happier than you've ever imagined. All you have to do is Breathe In, Breathe Out.

Edited by Kate

An epic meditation on loving yourself in the face of heartbreak, from the acclaimed author of Build Yourself a Boat, longlisted for the National Book Award
 
When Camonghne Felix goes through a monumental breakup, culminating in a hospital stay, everything—from her early childhood trauma and mental health to her relationship with mathematics—shows up in the tapestry of her healing. In this exquisite and raw reflection, Felix repossesses herself through the exploration of history she’d left behind, using her childhood “dyscalculia”—a disorder that makes it difficult to learn math—as a metaphor for the consequences of her miscalculations in love. Through reckoning with this breakup and other adult gambles in intimacy, Felix asks the question: Who gets to assert their right to pain?
 
Dyscalculia negotiates the misalignments of perception and reality, love and harm, and the politics of heartbreak, both romantic and familial.

Edited by Kate 

As we expand our understanding of what “family” means, we need to change the way we think about having kids.

How much does it cost to have kids? How long can I wait? What if I have fertility issues? And, wait a minute... do I even want kids? If you’re unsure whether you want kids or struggling to decide, this book is for you.

So When Are You Having Kids? is not your parents’ parenting book, nor is it a how-to for getting pregnant. It’s a nonjudgmental, inclusive guidebook for women, men, gender-nonconforming people, same-sex couples, and prospective single parents who want to make an informed decision regarding if and how they bring children into the world. Combining research with over 100 compelling real-life stories, the resources in this book are as diverse as the generations they’re meant to serve.

With deep insight and empathy, Davidson explores:

• Ways to cope with familial and societal pressure to have children
• What makes a good parent, and the skills you need to be one
• The facts about infertility, adoption, fostering, and alternative methods of becoming a parent
• The real financial costs of having and raising kids
• How to move past fears related to pregnancy and childbirth
• The ethics and consequences of having kids in the face of climate change
• And, what it means to choose a child-free life for those who are unsure whether they want kids

So When Are You Having Kids? is a much-needed resource for family planning in the modern world, packed with the knowledge and tools you need to make one of the most important decisions—if not the most important decision—of your life.

Edited by Kate

A deeply intelligent and engrossing narrative that will transform our relationship with water and how we view climate change.

The global water crisis is upon us. 1 in 3 people do not have access to safe drinking water; nearly 1 million people die each year as a result. Even in places with adequate freshwater, pollution and poor infrastructure have left residents without basic water security. Luckily, there is a solution to this crisis where we least expect it. Icebergs—frozen mountains of freshwater—are more than a symbol of climate change. In his spellbinding Chasing Icebergs, Matthew Birkhold argues the glistening leviathans of the ocean may very well hold the key to saving the planet.

Harvesting icebergs for drinking water is not a new idea. But for the first time in human history, doing so on a massive global scale is both increasingly feasible and necessary for our survival. Chasing Icebergs delivers a kaleidoscopic history of humans’ relationship with icebergs, and offers an urgent assessment of the technological, cultural, and legal obstacles we must overcome to harness this freshwater resource.

Birkhold takes readers around the globe, introducing them to a colorful cast of characters with wildly different ideas about how (and if) humans should use icebergs. Sturdy bureaucrats committed to avoiding another Titanic square off against “iceberg cowboys” who wrangle the frozen beasts for profit. Entrepreneurs selling luxury iceberg water for an eye-popping price clash with fearless humanitarians trying to tow icebergs across the globe to eradicate water shortages.

Along the way, we meet some of the world’s most renowned scientists to determine how industrial-scale iceberg harvesting could affect the oceans and the poles. And we see firsthand the looming conflict between Indigenous peoples like the Greenlandic Inuit with claims to icebergs and the private corporations that stand to reap massive profits.

As Birkhold shepherds readers from Connecticut to South Africa, from Newfoundland to Norway, to Greenland and beyond, he unfurls a visionary argument for cooperation over conflict. It’s not too late for icebergs to save humanity. But we must act fast to form a coalition of scientists, visionaries, engineers, lawyers and diplomats to ensure that the “Cold Rush” doesn’t become a free-for-all.

Edited by Kate 

A daring and magnificent historical narrative nonfiction account of Iceland's most famous female sea captain who constantly fought for women's rights and equality--and who also solved one of the country's most notorious robberies.

Every day was a fight for survival, equality, and justice for Iceland's most renowned female fishing captain of the 19th century.

History would have us believe the sea has always been a male realm, the idea of female captains almost unthinkable. But there is one exception, so notable she defies any expectation.

This is her remarkable story.

Captain Thurídur, born in Iceland in 1777, lived a life that was both controversial and unconventional. Her first time fishing, on the open unprotected rowboats of her time, was at age 11. Soon after, she audaciously began wearing trousers. She later became an acclaimed fishing captain brilliant at weather-reading and seacraft and consistently brought in the largest catches. In the Arctic seas where drownings occurred with terrifying regularity, she never lost a single crewmember. Renowned for her acute powers of observation, she also solved a notorious crime. In this extremely unequal society, she used the courts to fight for justice for the abused, and in her sixties, embarked on perilous journeys over trackless mountains.

Weaving together fastidious research and captivating prose, Margaret Willson reveals Captain Thurídur's fascinating story, her extraordinary courage, intelligence, and personal integrity.

Through adventure, oppression, joy, betrayal, and grief, Captain Thurídur speaks a universal voice. Here is a woman so ahead of her times she remains modern and inspirational today. Her story can now finally be told.

Praise for Woman, Captain, Rebel:

"Meticulously researched and evocatively written, Woman, Captain, Rebel provides not only a captivating insight into 19th-century Iceland, but also introduces readers to the inspirational, real-life fishing captain Thurídur, a tough and fiercely independent woman who deserves to be a role model of determination and perseverance for us all." --Eliza Reid, internationally bestselling author of Secrets of the Sprakkar

"A crime has been committed in 19th century Iceland and in steps a mysterious seawoman moonlighting as a detective, dressed in male clothes. Margaret Willson unravels this legendary casework of Captain Thurídur, down to the finest detail, with a brilliant portrait of old Iceland by the sea." --Egill Bjarnason, author of How Iceland Changed the World

"Reading about this remarkable woman's journey will challenge your ideas about history and change yours too." --Major General Mari K. Eder, author of The Girls Who Stepped Out of Line

"All credit to Margaret Willson for excavating the story of Thurídur Einarsdóttir in a century which can at long last appreciate this feisty and resilient Icelandic seafarer. The meticulous research is worn so lightly that it reads like a saga." --Sally Magnusson, author and broadcaster

"A beautiful story of one woman's perseverance against tragedy, hardship, and the open seas." --Katharine Gregorio, author of The Double Life of Katharine Clark

"With a clear, compelling narrative voice, Willson illuminates the life of an extraordinary woman and brings rural Iceland to life for her readers." --Shelf Awareness

Edited by Kate 

An artistic cocktail book that is as beautiful as it is practical. By utilizing design and their expertise, Sammi and Olivia have created a vibrant, knowledgeable mixology book for both seasoned and newbie drinkmakers.



Cocktails in Color celebrates the craft of drinkmaking, from raw ingredients to finished, delightful refreshments. Together, Sammi Katz and Olivia McGiff explore the elements, tastes, and techniques of all things drinks to create an accessible, visually delicious new guide to drinking that gives you the tools to design your own cocktails. Whether you're a seasoned pro or a new kid at the bar, Cocktails in Color deserves a spot on your bar cart. Each page is fully illustrated with rich, inspiring gouache paintings, making it a visual delight that stands out from other bartender books. This book encourages readers to explore a palette of ingredients for their developing palate.



Fans of cocktail recipe books like The Art of Mixology or The Home Bartender who want a fresher, more aesthetically driven alternative will find exactly what they're looking for in Cocktails in Color, with its stunning gouache illustrations on every page. Anyone looking for bartender gifts will appreciate the unique combination of essential tips and recipes and beautiful art that make this a must-have for cocktail enthusiasts everywhere.

Edited by Kate 

With over two decades’ experience both observing and interpreting how people channel disaster into opportunity in the most extreme circumstances and environments on Earth, Ben Ramalingam has a unique vantage point from which to identify the key principles that can enable anyone to use stress as an opportunity for change.

In Upshift, Ramalingam distils this expertise into an insightful, powerful, and engaging book that will show you how to reframe your set responses to stress and pressure and instead use them to harness the potential they hold not just for improving your work, your relationships, and your mindset, but for transforming them.

Upshift takes readers on an epic journey from early humans’ survival of the Ice Age to present times in our inescapable, pernicious and ever-shifting digital landscape. You will hear remarkable stories from a vast range of upshifters—all of whom carved new routes around perceived barriers using their powers to upshift. Underlying stories of how city commuters navigate train cancellations to how astronauts deal with life-threatening incidents, is one key message: We all have the power to innovate, whether or not we identify ourselves as creative or extraordinary.

Maybe you’re the challenger, who thrives by constructively disrupting the status quo like Greta Thunberg. Or perhaps you find yourself constantly tweaking, prodding, breaking, rebuilding, and improving like crafters such as the team that revolutionized space travel called the NASA Pirates. Do you love introducing people whose combined efforts will lead to greater achievements? You might be a connector, like master networker Ariana Huffington.

In a runaway world that is an engine for perpetual crisis, Upshift is not only an essential toolkit for survival, it is a roadmap for positive, and potentially life-changing transformation and influence. You don’t have to shut down – you can upshift.

Edited by Kate 

A Guardian Book of the Year

“A beautiful book; wise and sharp-eared as its subject.” —Robert Macfarlane 

Owls have existed for over sixty million years, and in the relatively short time we have shared the planet with these majestic birds they have ignited the human imagination. But even as owls continue to captivate our collective consciousness, celebrated British nature writer Miriam Darlington finds herself struck by all she doesn't know about the true nature of these enigmatic creatures.

Darlington begins her fieldwork in the British Isles with her teenage son, Benji. As her avian fascination grows, she travels to France, Serbia, Spain, Finland, and the frosted Lapland borders of the Arctic for rare encounters with the Barn Owl, Tawny Owl, Long-eared Owl, Pygmy Owl, Snowy Owl, and more. But when her son develops a mysterious illness, her quest to understand the elusive nature of owls becomes entangled with a search for finding a cure.

In The Wise Hours, Darlington watches and listens to the natural world and to the rhythms of her home and family, inviting readers to discover the wonders of owls alongside her while rewilding our imagination with the mystery, fragility, and magnificence of all creatures.

Edited by Kate 

Discover 20 fresh, inspiring ways to turn your fabric stash into wonderful items and gifts.

How do you keep your piles of scrap fabric from growing out of control? Sew with them, of course!

In this inspirational book, best-selling author Debbie von Grabler-Crozier shows you how to stitch 20 stylish, fresh items from very small amounts of fabric. From tiny scraps that can be transformed into patchworked coasters, strips that can be made into scrap bunting and offcuts that can be used for pouches or pincushions, your treasured scraps can be given a new lease of life!

An invaluable crash-course on key techniques is included at the beginning of the book, and every project includes clear step-by-step instructions and a stunning photograph of the finished design to inspire.

Edited by Kate 

Explore masterpieces hidden in plain sight, historic artist enclaves, and iconic works of public art in this charmingly illustrated exploration of Paris, from the authors of Art Hiding In New York.



Paris is the city of light, the city of love, and the city of more art than you could possibly explore in a lifetime--and not just in museums. Tucked away in tree-lined parks, preserved in world class restaurants, emblazoned on Metro station walls, and hidden in the most unexpected places are masterpieces worthy of the Louvre, if you know where to look!



In this whimsically illustrated celebration of Parisian art and artists, author and curator Lori Zimmer highlights more than 100 treasures. From the gorgeous remnants of the Art Nouveau era to the homes of some of the world's most influential artists--including Vincent Van Gogh, Pablo Picasso, and more--to an introduction to the modern masters of urban art, there are endless riches to be explored. Discover art that was hidden for decades inside cafes, shops and even a Belle Époque brothel! Paris will surprise you.



Illustrated by artist Maria Krasinski, this book provides curated itineraries for dreaming up your next urban exploration, and is perfect for displaying on any art lover's shelf.
 

Edited by Kate 

The adventures, mysteries and many lives of a Matisse masterpiece

Created in 1911, Henri Matisse's The Red Studio would go on to become one of the most influential works in the history of modern art. The painting, which has hung in MoMA's galleries since 1949, depicts the artist's studio in the Parisian suburb of Issy-les-Moulineaux, filled with his own artworks, furniture and decorative objects. Matisse's radical decision to saturate the work's surface with red has fascinated generations of scholars and artists, yet much remained to be discovered about the painting's genesis and history.
Published in conjunction with an exhibition that reunites the artworks shown in The Red Studio for the first time since they left Matisse's work space, this copiously illustrated catalog examines the paintings and sculptures depicted in it, from familiar works such as Young Sailor II (1906) to lesser-known pieces whose locations have only recently been discovered. A narrative essay by Ann Temkin, the Marie-Josée and Henry Kravis Chief Curator of Painting and Sculpture at the Museum of Modern Art, New York, and Dorthe Aagesen, Chief Curator and Senior Researcher at Statens Museum for Kunst, Copenhagen, traces the life of The Red Studio, from the initial commissioning of the work in 1911 through its early history of exhibition and ownership to its arrival at MoMA after World War II. The book features a rich selection of archival materials, including photographs, letters and ephemera, many of which have never before been published or exhibited. With its groundbreaking research and close reading of the work, Matisse: The Red Studio transforms our understanding of this landmark of 20th-century art.

Edited by Kate 

Transform your down time into 'do time'.



The most successful language learners create a habit of studying on a regular basis. 50 Spanish Coffee Breaks makes it easy to master a simple routine of improving your Spanish by effortlessly integrating it with your calming daily ritual-from a 5-minute espresso to a 15-minute latte.



Organized by 5,10 and 15 minutes, these 50 varied and lively activities - from anagram and idiom challenges to recipes and quotations - are created for high-beginner to intermediate adult and young-adult learners and designed to keep you motivated while building your skills in key areas.



· Reading comprehension

· Writing skills

· Grammar confidence

· Translation abilities

· Vocabulary expansion

· Cultural awareness



By practicing Spanish in a fun and relaxed way in the time you have,you will stay on track to achieve your language learning aspirations. So,pick up your preferred brew and this practical book, and make learning the most pleasurable and productive part of your busy day.



The Spanish used in this book includes a variety of sources and contexts including both Peninsular Spanish and Latin American Spanish, making the book a valuable tool for learners of both.



For 15 years Coffee Break Languages has helped make it possible for millions of people to learn a language in a way that fits into their everyday life: whether that's while walking the dog,at the gym, or on their coffee break!



Teach Yourself has collaborated with Coffee Break Languages to bring their brilliant method to a wider audience by producing their first-ever printed product. All the activities are written by long-time teachers of the language in Coffee Break's characteristically friendly and conversational style. It's the perfect complement to your studies.



The activities are levelled for high-beginner to low-intermediate learners: CEFR A2-B1 and ACTFL Intermediate-low/mid

Edited by Kate 
 

Inspiring ideas for hosting a spectacular wedding from the experts of Relais & Châteaux, the world’s finest hotel and restaurant association.

Whether intimate or grand in scale, every couple wants to create a memorable wedding that feels personal and completely unique to them. The enchanting weddings featured here showcase imaginative ideas for a wide range of celebrations, from a cozy affair on a rustic ranch to a vibrant seaside celebration to a sophisticated dinner in a city mansion. Proprietors, wedding planners, florists, and chefs offer their insights on everything from distinctive invitations and stunning floral designs to creative cakes and inviting table settings, culminating in the ultimate go-to resource for weddings.

Edited by Kate 

The Gadget Show', first launched in 2004, is one of the UK's longest running returnable formats, providing its TV audience access to the largest gadget reviews and technological innovations. Based in the studio, the team, which includes Craig Charles, Georgie Barrat, Ortis Deley and Jon Bentley, inform the audience about the latest consumer gadgets to hit the market in a lively and engaging way, keeping viewers fully entertained until the end of each episode. The show is aimed at giving the mass consumer an insight into the gadget world, but also gives adequate information for the more "geeky" or knowledgeable audience, while still remaining accessible to the more casual viewer. The Gadget Show: The Big Book of Cool Stuff is a beautiful hardback book that takes the reader on a journey through the many gadgets they either have read about or heard of, to the ones they use, are about to invest in, or dream about owning. The book also discusses what the future could look like if all our lives could be made easier and more fun by gadgets. Contributors include: Craig Charles, Georgie Barrat, Ortis Deley, Jon Bentley, Harry Wallop, Jordan Erica-Webber.

Edited by Kate

A shocking, groundbreaking oral history of the infamous Rikers jail complex and an unflinching portrait of injustice and resilience told by the people whose lives have been forever altered by it
 
“This mesmerizing and gut-wrenching book shows the brutal realities that tens of thousands of people have been forced to navigate, and survive, in America’s most notorious jail.”—Piper Kerman, New York Times bestselling author of Orange is the New Black

What happens when you pack almost a dozen jails, bulging at the seams with society’s cast-offs, onto a spit of landfill purposefully hidden from public view? Prize-winning journalists Graham Rayman and Reuven Blau have spent two years interviewing more than 130 people comprising a broad cross section of lives touched by New York City's Rikers Island prison complex—from incarcerated people and their relatives, to officers, lawyers, and commissioners, with stories spanning the 1970s to the present day. The portrait that emerges calls into question the very nature of justice in America.
 
Offering a 360-degree view inside the country’s largest detention complex, the deeply personal accounts—featured here for the first time—take readers on a harrowing journey into every corner of Rikers, a failed society unto itself that reflects society’s failings as a whole.
 
Dr. Homer Venters was shocked by the screams on his first day working at Rikers: “They’re in solitary, just yelling . . . the yelling literally never stops.” After a few months, though, Dr. Venters notes, one's ears adjust to the sounds. Nestor Eversley recalls how detainees made weapons from bones. Barry Campbell recalls hiding a razor blade in his mouth—“just in case”.
 
These are visceral stories of despair, brutality, resilience, humor, and hope, told by the people who were marooned on the island over the course of decades. As calls to shutter jails and reduce the number of incarcerated people grow louder across the country, with the movement to close the island complex itself at the forefront, Rikers is a resounding lesson about the human consequences of the incarceration industry.

Edited by Kate 

Pulitzer Prize winning reporter Lewis M. Simons's recollects his 50 years as a foreign correspondent, one whose powerful stories contributed to transforming Asia from Vietnam War-era basket case to a global boomtown that today rivals the United States. Simons's investigative work led to the toppling of a dictator in the Philippines. He covered the Tiananmen Square massacre in China, bloody coups in Thailand, attempted genocide and societal collapse in Cambodia, and economic advance, decline and rebirth in Japan. He was expelled from India for his exclusive reporting on Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's political misuse of the armed forces. Breaking his own strict rule against becoming personally involved with people whose stories he covered, he saved the life of a dying teenaged Tibetan Buddhist monk. Simons molds the narrative of his lengthy, action-packed career from foxhole mud and backroom dirt. Layered with moments of tenderness and humor, as his camp-following family often accompanies him, the result is a masterful chronicle of war and murder; extreme poverty and suffering alongside repellent wealth and indulgence; wholesale larceny and ruling-class corruption--much of which escaped the scrutiny of other journalists. Readers who appreciate real-life historic drama will be enthralled.

Edited by Kate

Edible Economics brings the sort of creative fusion that spices up a great kitchen to the often too-disciplined subject of economics



For decades, a single, free-market philosophy has dominated global economics. But this intellectual monoculture is bland and unhealthy.



Bestselling author and economist Ha-Joon Chang makes challenging economic ideas delicious by plating them alongside stories about food from around the world, using the diverse histories behind familiar food items to explore economic theory. For Chang, chocolate is a lifelong addiction, but more exciting are the insights it offers into postindustrial knowledge economies; and while okra makes Southern gumbo heart-meltingly smooth, it also speaks of capitalism's entangled relationship with freedom.



Myth-busting, witty, and thought-provoking, Edible Economics serves up a feast of bold ideas about globalization, climate change, immigration, austerity, automation, and why carrots need not be orange. It shows that getting to grips with the economy is like learning a recipe: when we understand it, we can adapt and improve it--and better understand our world.
 

Edited by Kate 

A significantly expanded edition of Carrington's acclaimed Tarot series, featuring new archival images and research

The British-born Mexican surrealist Leonora Carrington (1917-2011) spent a lifetime exploring the esoteric traditions of diverse cultures, and incorporated their ideas and symbols into her artistic and literary oeuvre. Tibetan Buddhism, the Kabbalah, ancient Egyptian and Mesopotamian magic, Celtic mythology, witchcraft, astrology and the Tarot were filtered through her feminist lens to create a visionary, woman-centered worldview.
Carrington created a spectacular Major Arcana Tarot deck sometime during the 1950s, laying gold and silver leaf over brilliant color. Exhibited for the first time during her centennial exhibition Leonora Carrington: Magical Talesin 2018, this extraordinary work was a revelation for the public and inspired the publication of The Tarot of Leonora Carrington.
This second, considerably expanded edition--encouraged by the overwhelmingly positive reception of Fulgur's publication in 2020--explores further the central position that the Tarot held in Carrington's work. The volume includes an introductory text by her son Gabriel Weisz Carrington, who recalls his mother's long involvement with the Tarot, followed by a revised and more extensive essay by scholar Susan Aberth and curator Tere Arcq, including detailed analysis of each card: their color symbolism, their relationship to other works and their iconographic origins in ancient esoteric beliefs, including the Mesoamerican influences of her adopted country.
This new edition also reproduces previously unpublished photographs and images, as well as exciting new research into Carrington's influences, emphasizing the authors' claim that her work on the Major Arcanarepresents an esoteric roadmap to Carrington's feminist vision and wish for a new global gender equality toward a better ecological future for our planet.
 

Edited by Kate 

Readers will gain a deeper knowledge of 38 of today's top African American artists in clay, the earlier Black artists who paved their paths, and how their work fits into the 21st-century conversation. donald a clark and Chotsani Elaine Dean begin by grounding us in history and context taking us from the colonial era of South Carolina to the Harlem Renaissance to today!

• Exhibit will travel to multiple museums beginning in Fall 2022: Crocker Art Museum (Sacramento, CA), Northern Clay Center (Minneapolis, MN), and several more. Authors are highly respected in the ceramic art field Reflects a diverse group: these makers range from new to the medium to more experienced and produce everything from tableware to sculpture.

The book features an introduction and an interview with each artist plus more than 300 stunning photos of their work. Sharing their insights in compelling interviews, today's Black ceramists demonstrate a diversity of studio practices and ways of using clay. Contemporary Black American Ceramic Artists is long overdue!

Edited by Kate 

In homage to the radical power of art, Living While Black celebrates the small acts of resistance that comprise the daily lives of Black folks by presenting them in a series of vivid illustrations.



Laughing. Grieving. Being a kid. Even the purest expression of pleasure, the most human display of sorrow, or the simplest delight of childhood is an act of resistance if you happen to be Black. This immersive hardcover book features forty defiantly joyful illustrations by artist and educator Ajuan Mance, each artwork depicting a person of African descent going about their everyday business. Begun as Mance's personal response to the groundswell of Black Lives Matter protests in 2020, Living While Black denounces the excessive surveillance, harassment, and violence aimed at Black folks engaged in the activities of everyday life--and celebrates the courage and resilience of the Black community. Fittingly, the book also features a foreword from Alicia Garza, BLM founder and principal at the Black Futures Lab. Mance's thoughtful meditation on what it's like to be Black in America makes a wonderful tool for teachers, students, activists, and parents navigating conversations about racism and resistance.



POWERFUL MESSAGE: In the contrast between the colorful illustrations and the weighty subject matter, a powerful message emerges: No matter how strong the forces of oppression, Black people will persist in striving for justice, equality, and joy. The book itself is also a reminder that there are many ways to be an activist--from marching for what you believe in, to spreading a message with your art.



VIBRANT ARTWORK: Bright colors, bold shapes, vivid patterns--Ajuan Mance's artwork speaks to the enduring power and importance of joy.



EXCEPTIONAL TEACHING TOOL: To provide context for the artwork, Mance has compiled a timeline of recent events that lend urgency to the fight for Black lives--she highlights the ways that the conversation has shifted since cell phones allowed bystanders to document instances of racial injustice and violence and offers an entry point for anyone who wants to learn about the roots of contemporary racial justice movements.



Perfect for:

• Activists and agitators
• Art book lovers
• Students of Black history
• Teachers and parents looking for colorful ways to talk to young people about activism and resistance

Edited by Kate 

Draw unique cartoon characters using simple geometric shapes!

In Cartooning Made Easy: Circle, Triangle, Square, professional artist and My Modern Met contributor Margherita Cole offers easy-to-follow instruction for using basic shapes to draw cute cartoon characters.

Her approach is simple: All you need are basic drawing tools and shapes to cartoon! The book features dozens of drawing projects and step-by-step instruction perfect for beginning and aspiring artists, cartoonists, illustrators, pen and graphite artists, and many others.

Each project combines simple geometric shapes—including circles and triangles and squares but also ovals, rectangles, and more—to draw adorable, cartoon-inspired artwork, including cartoon:

• Heads
• Faces
• Bodies
• Unique characters
• Animals, such as elephants
• And more!

Cartooning can be easy—with the right instruction! Learn to draw cartoon characters and more using geometric shapes with Cartooning Made Easy: Circle, Triangle, Square.

Edited by Kate 

A powerful, lush memoir about a Hawaiian woman who ran away from paradise to discover who she is and where she belongs.

Born and raised in Hawai'i by a father whose ancestors are indigenous to the land and a mother from the American South, Jessica Machado wrestles with what it means to be "local." Feeling separate from the history and tenets of Hawaiian culture that have been buried under the continental imports of malls and MTV, Jessica often sees her homeland reflected back to her from the tourist perspective--as an uncomplicated paradise. Her existence, however, feels far from that ideal. Balancing her parents' divorce, an ailing mother, and growing anxiety, Jessica rebels. She moves to Los Angeles, convinced she'll leave her complicated family behind and define herself. Instead, her isolation only becomes more severe, and her dying mother follows her to California. For Jessica, the only way to escape is a reckless downward spiral.

Interwoven with a rich and nuanced exploration of Hawaiian history and traditions, Local is a personal and moving narrative about family, grief, and reconnecting to the land she tried to leave behind.

Edited by Kate 

NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FINALIST • Songs from our era of communal grief and reckoning—by the Pulitzer Prize and T. S. Eliot Prize for Poetry winner, called "a poet for these times, a powerful woman who won’t back down" (San Francisco Chronicle).

"At the time of have-not, I look at myself in this mirror," writes Olds in this self-scouring, exhilarating volume, which opens with a section of quarantine poems, and at its center boasts what she calls Amherst Balladz (whose syntax honors Emily Dickinson: "she was our Girl - our Woman - / Man enough - for me") and many more in her own contemporary, long-flowing-sentence rhythm. Olds sings of her childhood, young womanhood, and maturity all mixed up together, seeing an early lover in the one who is about to buried; seeing her whiteness, seeing her privilege; seeing her mother (whom her readers will recognize) "flushed exalted at Punishment time"; seeing how we've spoiled the earth but carrying a stray indoor spider carefully back out to the garden.

It is Olds's gift to us that in the richly detailed exposure of her sorrows she can still elegize songbirds, her true kin, and write that heaven comes here in life, not after it.

Edited by Kate 

From her idyllic childhood in the American Midwest to her Oscar-nominated performance in Sunset Boulevard (1950) and the social circles of New York and Los Angeles, actress Nancy Olson Livingston has lived abundantly. In her memoir, A Front Row Seat, Livingston treats readers to an intimate, charming chronicle of her life as an actress, wife, and mother, and her memories of many of the most notable figures and moments of her time.
Livingston shares reminiscences of her marriages to lyricist and librettist Alan Jay Lerner, creator of award-winning musicals Paint Your Wagon, Gigi, and My Fair Lady (which was dedicated to her), and to Alan Wendell Livingston, former president of Capitol Records, who created Bozo the Clown and worked with legendary musical artists, including Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland, the Beach Boys, the Beatles, the Band, and Don McLean. One of the last living actors of the Golden Age of Hollywood, Livingston shares memorable encounters with countless celebrities--William Holden, Billy Wilder, Bing Crosby, Marilyn Monroe, and John Wayne, to name a few--and less pleasant experiences with Howard Hughes and John F. Kennedy that act as reminders of women's long struggle for equality.
Entertaining and engrossing, A Front Row Seat deftly interweaves Livingston's life with her observations of the artists, celebrities, and luminaries with whom she came in contact--a paean to the twentieth century and a treasure for readers enamored with a bygone era.

Edited by Kate 

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY BESTSELLER • The definitive guide to the healing benefits of bone broth on weight loss, wrinkles, digestion, fatigue, libido, and stress, by the author of the New York Times bestselling Dr. Kellyann’s Bone Broth Diet

“Dr. Kellyann is a no-BS author, one who walks the walk in her own life and is always ready with the right advice to help us rediscover ourselves and transform.”—Mario Lopez

Twenty years ago, Dr. Kellyann Petrucci seemed to freeze time: Her skin looked firmer and smoother, she had a noticeably youthful glow, the weight creep that she’d been experiencing stopped in its tracks, and she consistently had more energy. No, she didn’t make a deal with the devil! She made a deal with her cells. She discovered a way to give them exactly what they needed: Bone broth.

As she puts it, bone broth is concentrated healing: the antioxidants in it promote “slim-gestion” and digestive health, its collagen naturally plumps skin and reduces wrinkle, and its stress-reducing properties make it a stamina-supporting change agent. Adding this healing elixir to your daily diet is the single greatest thing you can do to transform your health and defy your age.

Drawing on Dr. Kellyann’s decades of wellness practice, her own health transformation journey, and new research about the power of this ancient wonder ingredient, Dr. Kellyann’s Bone Broth Breakthrough presents a paradigm shift in the way you think about aging and weight loss. Guiding you to better tune into what your own body needs, Dr. Kellyann puts bone broth and a host of thoughtful, effective lifestyle recommendations to work on the most common female health concerns—including weight management, aging skin, digestion woes, fatigue, lack of libido, and stress. She offers 35 easy-to-make and delicious broth-based recipes that are customized to mitigate these persistent issues as well as advice for building a nourishing, delicious “happy plate” and meal plan tips that work for your busy lifestyle.

Empowering and actionable, Dr. Kellyann’s Bone Broth Breakthrough is an essential, simmer-and-sip blueprint for looking leaner, feeling stronger, and living with renewed energy now and forever.

Edited by Kate 

With Paper Collage Workshop, you can experience the joy of creativity as you use color swatches torn from magazines to transform photos into original collages.

In addition to taking you through both foundational collage activities and intermediate-level projects, this book introduces you to a unique analog-grid system, a color-based collage technique developed by the artist Samuel Price over the past 20 years. Whatever your age or skill level, you will be able to add focus and precision to your creations and turn life into art.
 
Organized by level of difficulty, the book is designed to progressively build skills as you complete projects. Beginning with color-based lessons, you will learn how to use form and line, and then move on to create landscapes, abstracts, and pets. You will delight in completing beautiful projects you can frame and display in your own home.

Color collage is a mindfulness practice. Like a coloring book, Paper Collage Workshop is a personal meditative experience that quiets and focuses the mind—a great way to experience some true peace as you create. Whether practiced and exercised in tiny doses or taken all at once, the process of making art is truly transformative and relaxing with Paper Collage Workshop.

Edited by Kate 

An inspirational sourcebook of innovative and unexpected green design solutions for our homes in a rapidly changing world. 

Nothing short of a design revolution is underway as architects, designers, engineers, self-builders, and artists confront climate change, polluting plastics, global migration, rapidly expanding cities, and an ageing population. Part handbook, part manifesto, Houses That Can Save the World shows how creative thinkers are embracing the new challenges we are all facing.

Featuring nineteen home-building and design strategies that are direct, original, and often surprisingly simple, this inspirational sourcebook presents a mix of new technology and time-tested vernacular methods that will change the way we think about “home.” Each strategy features carefully selected and generously illustrated projects that put ideas into practice, offering real-world solutions regardless of location or size. With ideas and houses that span the globe, including developing regions in Asia, Africa, and South America, this highly illustrated volume shines a spotlight on everything from new techniques to creative reuse of existing buildings and materials.

Whether you are planning a self-build or are simply looking for ways to make your home more environmentally friendly and efficient, this book is packed with innovative ideas that can help to make our homes, and the world, a better place to be. 

Edited by Kate 

You can't run from your problems forever. Breakups, dead-end jobs, bumps in the road to adulthood--author Jess Keefe and her little brother Matt navigate them together as roommates, sharing late-night conversations and laughs. But when Matt's heroin addiction comes roaring back after lying dormant for years, an overdose on a warm October night changes everything. In the year that follows her brother's death, Keefe tries to start over, but her grief and trauma keep her obsessed with the past. She wonders how things could have turned out differently, diving into research about addiction and drugs and excavating their shared childhood and young adulthood for clues about what happened. To soothe her aching body and scattered brain, she takes on a new physical challenge: training for her first half marathon. She pushes her body to its limits to quiet the chaos in her mind, but as the race date nears, her recklessness catches up with her. With propulsive narrative scenes, a unique voice, empathy, and humor, Keefe combines her grieving experience with explorations of the social, political, and scientific drivers that influenced what happened to her brother. Thirty-Thousand Steps, a powerful, transformative memoir, explores the psychosocial risk factors that lead to addiction, the cudgel of Catholicism, the joy and shame in the early-aughts queer experience, and the extent to which one can push mind and body to regenerate after a major loss.

Edited by Kate 

A guidebook for beating the monotony of the everyday by purposefully cultivating the surprising joys that come from living an off-kilter life

It's all too easy to get caught up in the often monotonous nature of our day to day--moving from one rote task to the next, only to rinse and repeat the next day. Weirdness, however, is an easily accessible antidote to these feelings of languishing. The quirky, eccentric, and peculiar can take us out of our normal habits of thought and perception, surprising us by breaking up our routines and reminding us that there's more to life than the everyday.

In How to Be Weird, Eric G. Wilson offers 99 fun and philosophically rich exercises for embracing all the weird in the world around us--taking aimless walks, creating a reverie nook, exploring the underside of bridges, making tombstone rubbings, finding your own Narnia, and more.

With brief digestible entries on how to make sense of the random, guidelines on how to defamiliarize familiar objects through meditation, and exercises for locating weird states and phenomena for ourselves, How to Be Weird is an invitation to lean into the weird and to live a fuller life.

Edited by Kate 

Helps readers to identify how narcissism shows up in their own lives and when everyday narcissism becomes destructive. The Narcissist in You and Everyone Else introduces readers to the notion of narcissism as a spectrum-based model of increasing loss of empathy (due to a variety of factors including genetics, trauma, abuse, conditioning and environment) that can give way to a propensity toward narcissism. Through studies and examples, Sterlin Mosley defines the 27 subtypes of narcissism and how these variations differ from the limited description of the narcissistic as popularized in psychological literature, movies, and other forms of popular culture. He offers readers an opportunity to explore how their own narcissistic tendencies may show up and how to challenge those tendencies to continue to push for greater compassion and empathy for ourselves and others. Using the Enneagram model of personality, Mosley explores and explains the variety of narcissistic tendencies and types and reveals useful tips on how to best to manage those tendencies in ourselves and the narcissists around us.

Edited by Kate 

Why are Celtic fairies behind our compulsion to knock on wood? How is a Norse myth responsible for our fear of the number 13? And why might an ancient Byzantine war strategy make us wary of spilling salt?

A fascinating and mystical tumble through thousands of years of curious traditions, Very Superstitious gets to the root of just why we practice these rituals. From keeping new shoes off the table to nailing a horseshoe above the door, so many of our habits are informed by beliefs handed down through generations.

Weaving between folklores, religions, cultures and traditions, Very Superstitious is a beautifully illustrated exploration of 100 of the most curious beliefs from around the world. In telling the stories of how we came to adopt these superstitions and their place in our lives today, this peculiar history explores human nature itself.

Edited by Kate 

From Youtube crafter and Cricut expert Angie Holden comes the only book you'll ever need to make cool and creative crafts with your Cricut. Through 30 step-by-step beginner projects using various design and cutting techniques, Angie invites readers to explore the machines' full versatility.

Amateur craft artists need not feel daunted; starting with a full tutorial on Cricut Design Space, Angie breaks down each chapter by material--from vinyl to HTV, paper, fabric and more--covering, with each, the numerous skills they'll be getting from the Cricut. With designs ranging from DIY home goods, to jewelry and creative gift ideas, there is no shortage of inspiration for readers to use their Cricut.

Upgrade your home with a Wood Door Hanger with Paper Leaves and some Vinyl Pantry Labels; Etched Wine Glasses, Chipboard Puzzles and Leather Tassel Earrings will make crowd-pleasing gifts; young ones will appreciate Stickers and cozy Onesies with Appliqué for those colder months; craft lovers can flex their imaginative muscles with seasonal and event-based projects like Paper Cake Toppers and Felt Succulent Wreaths.

Whether readers are beginners looking for a fun new hobby, casual crafters wishing to broaden their gifting and decorating horizons or small business owners dedicated to personalizing their brand, The Complete Cricut Handbook is the definitive one-stop for all.

Edited by Kate

From the Los Angeles Times Book Prize-winning historian, the colorful, dramatic story of Charles Darwin's journey on HMS Beagle that inspired the evolutionary theories in his path-breaking books On the Origin of Species and The Descent of Man

When twenty-two-year-old aspiring geologist Charles Darwin boarded HMS Beagle in 1831 with his microscopes and specimen bottles--invited by ship's captain Robert FitzRoy who wanted a travel companion at least as much as a ship's naturalist--he hardly thought he was embarking on what would become perhaps the most important and epoch-changing voyage in scientific history. Nonetheless, over the course of the five-year journey around the globe in often hard and hazardous conditions, Darwin would make observations and gather samples that would form the basis of his revolutionary theories about the origin of species and natural selection.

Drawing on a rich range of revealing letters, diary entries, recollections of those who encountered him, and Darwin's and FitzRoy's own accounts of what transpired, Diana Preston chronicles the epic voyage as it unfolded, tracing Darwin's growth from untested young man to accomplished adventurer and natural scientist in his own right. Darwin often left the ship to climb mountains, navigate rivers, or ride hundreds of miles, accompanied by local guides whose languages he barely understood, across pampas and through rainforests in search of further unique specimens. From the wilds of Patagonia to the Galápagos and other Atlantic and Pacific islands, as Preston vibrantly relates, Darwin collected and contrasted volcanic rocks and fossils large and small, witnessed an earthquake, and encountered the Argentinian rhea, Falklands fox, and Galápagos finch, through which he began to discern connections between deep past and present.

Darwin never left Britain again after his return in 1836, though his mind journeyed far and wide to develop the theories that were first revealed, after great delay and with trepidation about their reception, in 1859 with the publication of his epochal book On the Origin of Species. Offering a unique portrait of one of history's most consequential figures, The Evolution of Charles Darwin is a vital contribution to our understanding of life on Earth.

Edited by Kate 

This beautifully illustrated picture book showcases the workers that keep a city running all through the night and make it ready for the new day.

The sky is getting dark. In the city, a little girl is eating her dinner, brushing her teeth, and getting ready for bed. Meanwhile, her mother is putting on her coat and getting ready to go to work. Where is she going and who will she see along the way? As the night goes on, readers will see nurses, cleaners, delivery workers, doctors, police officers, journalists, and many other workers who help keep the city running all through the night.

(Added by Jenna)

"Leopards are known for being shy and elusive, and leopard mothers are even more so. Imagine, then, having the rare opportunity to follow and photograph a mother leopard and her cubs. When world-renowned nature photographer Suzi Eszterhas was given the chance to do so, she jumped on a plane to Botswana. And through this collection of informative diary entries and stunning photos, readers are able to share this rare privilege. This compelling chronical of Suzi's time following a female leopard spans roughly a year and a half, but between the informative first-person observations and the photos of rarely seen moments in the wild, the time flies by. The story begins with Suzi arriving at the Jao Reserve in Botswana's Okavango Delta and meeting Kambango, the local tracker and guide who would become her close friend and whose knowledge and expertise she relies on throughout. They go immediately to the mother leopard's den where, after waiting patiently for a number of hours, Suzi catches her first glimpse of the newborn cubs and her joy is palpable. From here on, readers are along for wild ride that is sometimes bumpy (such as a dramatic close encounter with the mother who feared for her cubs' safety), sometimes smooth (the entries and photo captions are rich with observations of the cubs' behavior as they grow up, as well as more general information about leopard behaviour) and sometimes even a bit uncomfortable (such as the grim reality of having to watch the cubs learn to hunt by practicing on a wounded kudu calf). Throughout the whole diary, though, the excitement in Suzi's voice is clear, and her entries are full of her sense of wonder and respect for these amazing and secretive animals. Endmatter includes a Q&A with Kambango, who played such an essential role in this adventure, as well as a glossary of terms."--

(Added by Jenna)

The only book kids and parents need to make their own delicious bread at home—and make it fun, simple, and easy, with 20+ recipes for ages 7 and up. No fancy tools needed!

“With this fantastic book, Jen Latham is literally educating and empowering kids of current and future generations.”—Chad Robertson, baker and owner of Tartine Bakery and author of Bread Book and Tartine Bread

Making bread can be so simple and fun that any kid can learn to master the art of mixing, folding, proofing, and baking to create incredible breads. From sandwich breads, like Honey Whole Wheat and fluffy Milk Bread, to buttery Brioche Rolls, puffy Pita, and chewy Baguettes to the not-quite-bread treats like fresh Flour Tortillas, Pizza Dough, and Cornbread, Baking Bread with Kids includes more than twenty recipes for aspiring bread bakers. 
 
Each recipe is organized into clear and easy-to-follow instructions and accompanied by beautiful illustrations depicting each step, perfect for school-age readers or younger kids accompanied by an adult in the kitchen. Baking Bread with Kids is the definitive bread book for learning to make delicious loaves and treats that everyone will enjoy.

(Added by Jenna)

"THE TRAY OF TOGETHERNESS is a celebration of a culturally specific experience that also speaks to the universality of having family traditions and the specialness of that connection. In Flo Leung's heartwarming, food-focused story, a young girl helps her multi-racial family prepare their Tray of Togetherness as part of that evening's Lunar New Year celebration. And her exuberance for the task at hand will have readers - whether familiar with the tradition or not - happily joining her. The story opens with the girl helping prepare her family's apartment - a space warmly decorated with a wall of portraits that signal to the reader the diversity of this girl's family and what "togetherness" might mean to her. Then it's time to get their coats and go on a shopping adventure - their tray needs to be filled with all sorts of good wish treats: candied coconut for strong family ties, peanuts for a long life, candied winter melon for good health and much more... After collecting their special treats from the bustling market, the family returns home, passing out delicious good wishes to the friends and neighbors they meet along the way. Once home, the tray is filled and finishing touches hung - just in time for their party. Friends and family arrive, all ready "to celebrate this HAPPY NEW YEAR together!" A short note from Flo at the end of the book explains the word play behind the edible New Year's wishes and fondly describes her own experiences as a child whose family celebrated Lunar New Year"--

(Added by Jenna)

In this "surprisingly simple yet mesmerizing introduction to a wonder of the natural world" (Kirkus STARRED ★Review), kids aged 4 to 8 will marvel at the science of bioluminescence through stunning images of glowing creatures and other organisms.

When it's dark out, we need light to see. But what if your body could make its own light?

From acclaimed author-illustrator Julia Kuo comes a remarkable picture book about bioluminescence, the light made from living things, and its many forms: fireflies and foxfire, fungi and glow-worms, deep-sea fish and vampire squids.

Kuo's radiant art portrays a young child and adult discovering different bioluminescent creatures, accompanied by simple lyrical text and informative sidebars that reveal fascinating scientific facts about each of them.

An introduction to an extraordinary natural phenomenon, Luminous shines a light upon how truly wondrous the world is.

(Added by Jenna)

Join Ashley Eckstein and live your best Star Wars life, with this 12-month guide to party planning, crafting, and cooking inspired by a galaxy from far, far away!

She may be the voice of Ahsoka Tano on Star Wars: The Clone Wars, but first and foremost, Ashley Eckstein is a lifelong fan of the Star Wars galaxy—a passion that led her to start the fangirl fashion brand Her Universe, and become a pillar of the Star Wars fan community. Now, you can celebrate your fandom with Ashley, as she shows you how to bring Star Wars into your everyday life, with this unique lifestyle book!

CELEBRATE STAR WARS WITH ASHLEY ECKSTEIN: This book is a delightful exploration of Star Wars fandom from one of the galaxy’s most positive and inspirational fangirls.

THE ULTIMATE LIFESTYLE BOOK FOR STAR WARS FANS: Ashley herself guides you through crafting projects, recipes, mindfulness exercises, and party planning ideas that are fun and accessible for Star Wars fans of any age.

YEARLONG ACTIVITIES: Designed to be used throughout the year, this book features family friendly activities that are organized by monthly themes, such as Hope, Friendship, and Adventure.

PERFECT FOR YOU AND YOUR PADAWAN: A great gift for families obsessed with Star Wars, this book is a fantastic way to create engaging galactic adventures for both parents and children.

COMPLETE YOUR STAR WARS COLLECTION: This book stands alongside fan-favorite titles such as Star Wars: Knitting the Galaxy and Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge: The Official Black Spire Outpost Cookbook.

(Added by Jenna)

Uncover the science behind the beautiful and vast array of natural events that make the sky glow all over the world in this enlightening nonfiction picture book.

Sunrises and lightning storms, rainbows and volcanoes, meteors and eclipses—these beautiful, awe-inspiring events that light up the sky might seem like magic. But there is a fascinating scientific explanation for each. Nell Cross Beckerman’s playful and illuminating text and David Litchfield’s vibrant illustrations are certain to capture the curiosity of young sky watchers everywhere.

(Added by Jenna)

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author Lisa Lillien, Hungry Girl Simply Comfort is a cookbook completely dedicated to healthy comfort food made in an air fryer or slow cooker—all under 400 calories!

From the author of the bestselling Hungry Girl cookbook series, this new recipe collection is a must for anyone who loves decadent comfort food without the excess calories and unhealthy ingredients. Fully illustrated with a four-color photo of every recipe included!

Get ready for cozy favorites like . . .
* satisfying make-ahead breakfasts
* hearty soups, stews & chilis
* classic casseroles & childhood favorites
* steaks, pork chops & crispy chicken
* meatloaves & mashed potatoes
* indulgent cakes, pies & cobblers

Not to mention . . .
* 70+ recipes with 5 ingredients or less
* 85+ recipes in 30 minutes or less
* 70+ vegetarian recipes
* 90+ gluten-free recipes

No air fryer or slow cooker? No problem! This book includes everything you need to know to make these recipes with a traditional oven.

Eating well has never been easier . . . or more delicious!

Edited by Kate 

"Fun and simple for the home cook, while still maintaining the desired wow factor for breakfast, lunch and dinner."--LA Weekly

"There's an art to making toast and Prue Leith knows it."--Yotam Ottolenghi

75 delicious things on toast from beloved British foodie Prue Leith.

There is nothing more comforting and delicious than toast. And when you top it with a few cleverly paired ingredients, it becomes a full meal—not to mention pure bliss. In Bliss on Toast, Great British Baking Show judge Prue Leith toasts sourdoughs, focaccias, baguettes, flatbreads and more, then pairs them with everything from seasonal vegetables to meat and fish. The collection spans healthy, hearty, salty, and sometimes sweet. Ideal for a busy home cook who loves a full and balanced plate, the recipes are incredibly versatile and perfect for any time of the day: tomatoes, shallots, and oregano on black olive toast; grilled chicken tikka with yogurt on naan; smoked salmon, wasabi, and avocado on multigrain bread; and bananas and ice cream with brandy syrup on panettone. Bliss on Toast is as much a toolkit for quick fridge-raids as it is inspiration for seasonal delights. With 82 years’ experience of good eating and 60 years of cooking, writing about and judging food, there is no one who better knows what makes a meal bliss than Prue Leith.

Edited by Kate 

The brand-new official book from The Great British Baking Show

Tuck into your all-time favorite flavors and a good sprinkling of Bake Off magic with our easy-to-follow recipes. A feast for both the eyes and the taste buds, these flavorful bakes will leave you inspired to mix and match different combinations, or to indulge yourself with some classic tastes and textures.

Whether you're looking for a tart blackcurrant millefeuille, a fresh passion fruit trifle, a sticky ginger treacle tart or a rich chocolate and speculoos cake - Paul, Prue, the Bake Off team and the 2022 bakers are here to show you how to get the perfect result. From earthy to spicy, and from tangy to creamy, this book showcases how to bring out the very best flavors in whatever you create.

Edited by Kate 

STAND TALL.

BE LOUD.

GAME FACE ON.

This pitch perfect graphic memoir about courage and competition, friendship and belonging is perfect for fans of Smile, New Kid, Rollergirl, and Real Friends.

"A captivating middle-grade gem." -- The New York Times Book Review

★ "Funny, relatable, and genuine." -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review

★ "Captures every nuanced emotion." -- School Library Journal, starred review

★ "Genuinely nail-biting." -- Publishers Weekly, starred review

★ "Cringe-worthy in the best possible way...inspiring and insightful." -- Shelf Awareness, starred review

"Delightfully expressive...a standout." -- Booklist

When cheerleading tryouts are announced, Christina and her best friend, Megan, literally jump at the chance to join the squad. As two of the only kids of color in the school, they have always yearned to fit in--and the middle school cheerleaders are popular and accepted by everyone. But will the girls survive the terrifying tryouts, with their whole grade watching? And will their friendship withstand the pressures of competition?

Hilarious and highly relatable, The Tryout by two-time Newbery Honoree Christina Soontornvat and shining new talent Joanna Cacao will make you laugh, cry, and cheer!

(Added by Jenna)

Sibert Medalist and naturalist Nic Bishop explores the world's largest land animal -- the ELEPHANT!

Few animals are more impressive than elephants. They are by far the biggest of all land animals. And yet, elephants are more than mighty. They are sensitive and intelligent creatures who live in large, caring family societies run by females. They have extraordinary senses and communicate in complex ways that scientists are only now starting to understand. Elephants play an essential role in the delicate African and Asian ecosystems. Today, elephant populations in both Africa and Asia are being threatened.

Join award-winning author, photographer, and naturalist Nic Bishop as he gives readers an in-depth look at one of the world's smartest and most fascinating animals.

(Added by Jenna)

For a young Fred Rogers, music was a gift. It eased the pain of childhood illness and bullying and helped Fred express how he felt when words alone were difficult.

As an adult, he gifted his melodies to the world, showing children by example that they can express themselves, cope with negative feelings, and connect to each other through music.

This sensitive, life-affirming biography not only portrays the life of this beloved TV personality, but focuses on Fred’s most memorable songs and musical TV moments, and captures the enduring magic of his music in brilliantly colorful abstract illustration. Readers will not only learn about what music meant to Fred Rogers, but find the encouragement and inspiration to brighten their own lives with song.

(Added by Jenna)

Thai American creators portray the inspirational and barrier-breaking life of Senator Tammy Duckworth in a picture-book tribute to an extraordinary woman.

Senator Tammy Duckworth has logged a long list of “firsts” during her tenure as the first Thai American woman elected to Congress, including being the first woman with a disability to serve in the House and Senate. But while she dreamed of serving her country from a young age, Tammy’s path was not without its challenges. In this dramatic account, award-winning creators Christina Soontornvat and Dow Phumiruk chronicle Tammy’s journey. From her childhood fight to keep her family from homelessness, to her service in the US Army, to her recovery from grievous injuries sustained in the line of duty, Tammy never lost her determination to keep going against staggering odds.
Evoking Tammy Duckworth’s spirited nature with sensitivity and joy, this uplifting account of a groundbreaking military veteran and rising political star will inspire readers to dream and achieve. Includes a time line and suggestions for further reading.

(Added by Jenna)

A tiny difference in your DNA makes you one of a kind.

Inside every cell in the human body are tiny molecules that define all of a person's biological traits. Award-winning science author Robert E. Wells explores DNA with curiosity and awe, pairing thrilling facts with clear explanations. Our human DNA might be 99% the same, but that last 1% difference makes each person unique.

(Added by Jenna)

A feast of soccer facts, plus everything you need to know about action on the pitch and behind the scenes at the stadium.

This book is a visual guide to the world's most popular game. From the rules of the game to the top tournaments - the information leaps right off the page! Learn about historic ball games and the birth of soccer. Gen up on the laws of the game and the new technology that referees use to make vital decisions. See what it takes to run a club and keep the players in tip-top shape. There's a chapter, too, on all the international trophies and tournaments, including the FIFA Women's World Cup, Copa América, and the Olympic Games. This new edition includes updates to soccer's roll of honor to include the latest tournament winners.

Inside this fantastic soccer book for kids you will find:

• Highly visual approach brings information to life 
• A global mix of content covering both the men’s and women’s games 
• Packed wth vital tips and trips 
• Astounding facts and mind-boggling stats all about football

The perfect gifting title for soccer-mad fans aged 8+, doubling up as a great read for sporty kids who may be reluctant readers, Everything You Need To Know About Soccer is sure to delight!

(Added by Jenna)

A balanced relationship with your food is within reach! These 75+ recipes offer the freedom to eat the foods you love, without guilt, and to live your damn life once and for all.
 
“Nicole’s focus on wholesome recipes that fill your body and soul is such a balanced way to approach cooking, and will help encourage a healthy, loving relationship to food and your body.”—Rachel Conners, author of Bakerita

In Love to Eat, Nicole Keshishian Modic teaches you how to listen to your body’s cues around food, discover a more flexible relationship to your diet, and nourish your body with real, whole-foods recipes that celebrate flavor.
 
Growing up in Los Angeles, Nicole was surrounded by society’s complicated views on women’s bodies and countless diet crazes, but her Armenian father instilled his deep passion for food and flavor within her. Years of quietly suffering from an eating disorder led Nicole to find healing in the most unlikely place for her at the time—the kitchen—as she turned former binge foods into healthy but indulgent standards on her wildly popular blog, KaleJunkie.  
 
This inspirational cookbook is filled with recipes and inspirational stories to keep you feeling satisfied in body and mind. Nicole also shares her philosophy on what food freedom and intuitive eating truly mean (spoiler alert: Neither is about restrictive dieting!) and advice on how to carry that positive attitude into other aspects of your life. 
 
75+ recipes showcase Nicole’s Armenian background, love of comfort foods, and passion for creative (and kid-friendly) plant-forward meals.
 
Discover dishes such as:
• Blueberry Pancake Bread Muffins
• Armenian Stuffed Bell Pepper Dolmas
• The Best Quinoa Tabbouleh
• Sweet and Sour Crunchy Cauliflower Bites
• One-Pot Penne Arrabbiata
• The Coziest Lemon Chicken Soup
• Sweet Potato S'Mores Cookies.
• Life-Changing Chocolate Chip Tahini Cookies

With accessible and nutritious recipes designed for real, busy life, Love to Eat proves that there is room for a juicy burger in a healthy lifestyle—as long as you’re eating with purpose and listening to your intuition.

Edited by Kate 

Mixology in a minute! This cocktail recipe book from award-winning drink experts offers 60 delicious cocktails you can create in 60 seconds or less. Whether you have classic or adventurous taste, this guide to easy cocktail creation is the perfect addition to your home bar. The recipes include original drinks as well as tasty twists on the classics.

Joel Harrison and Neil Ridley prove that mixing cocktails at home doesn't have to be time-consuming or complicated; it's fun, simple, and affordable! Featuring 60 cocktails that utilize a variety of spirits--including tequila, gin, rum, whiskey, vodka, and more--this recipe book is divided into three sections:

• No Shake, Sherlock: The easiest to make, using standard spirits and mixers. Includes a Simple Paloma, a Sloe Gin & Soda, a Douro Spritz, and the Berliner, made with wheat beer.
• Shake It Up: Slightly more complex drinks requiring a quick shake or a stir. Includes a Bellini, a Firecracker Margarita, a Wonder Mint Julep, and a new Classic Sour.
• Magnificent Mixes: Specialty cocktails requiring a little more prep or an unusual ingredient. Includes the Best Ever Piña Colada, an Elderflower Gimlet, and the Sazerac.

Edited by Kate 

An extraordinary story of American can-do, an inside look at the building of the most dangerous aircraft carrier in the world, the John F. Kennedy.

Tip the Empire State Building onto its side and you'll have a sense of the length of the United States Navy's newest aircraft carrier, the most powerful in the world: the USS John F. Kennedy. Weighing 100,000 tons, Kennedy features the most futuristic technology ever put to sea, making it the most agile and lethal global weapon of war.

Only one place possesses the brawn, brains and brass to transform naval warfare with such a creation - the Newport News Shipbuilding yard in Virginia and its 30,000 employees and shipyard workers. This is their story, the riggers, fitters, welders, electricians, machinists and other steelworkers who built the next-generation aircraft carrier.

Heavy Metal puts us on the waterfront and into the lives of these men and women as they battle layoffs, the elements, impossible deadlines, extraordinary pressure, workplace dangers and a pandemic to complete a ship that will be essential to protect America's way of life.

The city of Newport News owes its very existence to the company that bears its name. The shipyard dominates the town--physically, politically, financially, socially, and culturally. Thanks to the yard, the city grew from a backwater to be the home of the premier naval contractor in the United States.

Heavy Metal captures an indelible moment in the history of a shipyard, a city, and a country.

Edited by Kate 

New York Times Editors’ Choice

A riveting Revolutionary Era drama of the first published rape trial in American history and its long, shattering aftermath, revealing how much has changed over two centuries—and how much has not

On a moonless night in the summer of 1793 a crime was committed in the back room of a New York brothel—the kind of crime that even victims usually kept secret. Instead, seventeen-year-old seamstress Lanah Sawyer did what virtually no one in US history had done before: she charged a gentleman with rape.

Her accusation sparked a raw courtroom drama and a relentless struggle for vindication that threatened both Lanah’s and her assailant’s lives. The trial exposed a predatory sexual underworld, sparked riots in the streets, and ignited a vigorous debate about class privilege and sexual double standards. The ongoing conflict attracted the nation’s top lawyers, including Alexander Hamilton, and shaped the development of American law. The crime and its consequences became a kind of parable about the power of seduction and the limits of justice. Eventually, Lanah Sawyer did succeed in holding her assailant accountable—but at a terrible cost to herself.

Based on rigorous historical detective work, this book takes us from a chance encounter in the street into the sanctuaries of the city’s elite, the shadows of its brothels, and the despair of its debtors’ prison. The Sewing Girl's Tale shows that if our laws and our culture were changed by a persistent young woman and the power of words two hundred years ago, they can be changed again.

Includes photographs

Edited by Kate 

An eye-opening look at how America's elite colleges and suburbs help keep the rich rich--making it harder than ever to fight the inequality dividing us today

The front-page news and the trials that followed Operation Varsity Blues were just the tip of the iceberg. Poison Ivy tells the bigger, seedier story of how elite colleges create paths to admission available only to the wealthy, despite rhetoric to the contrary. Evan Mandery reveals how tacit agreements between exclusive "Ivy-plus" schools and white affluent suburbs create widespread de facto segregation. And as a college degree continues to be the surest route to upward mobility, the inequality bred in our broken higher education system is now a principal driver of skyrocketing income inequality everywhere.

Mandery--a professor at a public college that serves low- and middle-income students--contrasts the lip service paid to "opportunity" by so many elite colleges and universities with schools that actually walk the walk. Weaving in shocking data and captivating interviews with students and administrators alike, Poison Ivy also synthesizes fascinating insider information on everything from how students are evaluated, unfair tax breaks, and questionable fundraising practices to suburban rituals, testing, tutoring, tuition schemes, and more. This bold, provocative indictment of America's elite colleges shows us what's at stake in a faulty system--and what will be possible if we muster the collective will to transform it.

Edited by Kate 

In this joyous and inventive rereading of the beloved children's book Harold and the Purple Crayon, the author of How We Change (And Ten Reasons Why We Don't) celebrates our inherent "sacred originality" and establishes a new framework for self-reliance.

In 1955, Crockett Johnson introduced one of the world's most beloved and enduring young adventurers, Harold and his purple crayon. Today, we need Harold and his penchant for creative solutions more than ever. In Purple Crayons, Ross Ellenhorn looks to Johnson's classic for insights and answers that can help us understand our current condition and point the way towards solutions for healing. Purple Crayons tells a story about America then and now, about living one's life as art; about the powers that block us from doing so, about the pull and perils of conformity; about serious play and too much seriousness, about what it means to feel alive inside and what deadens our existence. It's also about 1955 in America, all that lay before and--presciently--all that lay ahead, as each of us struggles to draw meaningful and resilient existences on the blank pages--the future yet unlived--of our lives.

This delightful, provocative adventure is a gift of kindness and love that encourages us and gives us hope. As he traces Harold's journey, Ellenhorn offers insights into our "sacred originality"--the idea that each of our unique inner lives are worth nurturing and protecting, and the perseverance, courage, connection, and community necessary to sustain them. Engaging, thoughtful, wise--and illustrated throughout with drawings from the original Harold--Purple Crayons transcends the current divides separating us, reminding us that our fulfillment rests on tapping into what is original about ourselves, finding ways to express our originality, and understanding that doing so is rooted in who we are as Americans.

Edited by Kate

This lovely and lyrical picture book, based on a real Icelandic tradition, brings all the sparkle and anticipation of Christmas—and of the joys of reading—to the page.

The northern lights dance,
snow blankets the ground,
it’s the Christmas season—so the Book Flood begins!

People plan and they dream,
and they visit the shops
for books to give loved ones, and families, and friends.

And when Christmas Eve comes,
they’ll share magical stories,
curl up by the fire, and read, read, read, read...

With gorgeous artwork and a diverse cast of characters, Emily Kilgore and Kitty Moss's The Christmas Book Flood is a surefire holiday classic.

(Added by Jenna)

The heartfelt and funny memoir of a boy who built himself a prosthetic arm out of the world-famous toy bricks.

David Aguilar was born missing part of one arm, a small detail that seemed to define his life and limit people's ideas of who he was and who he could be. But in his funny and heartfelt memoir, David proves that he can throw out the rulebook and people's expectations and maybe even make a difference in the world--and all with a sense of humor. At only nine years old, David built his first prosthesis from LEGO bricks, and since then he hasn't stopped creating and thinking about how his inventions, born from a passion for building things, could fuel change and help others.

With a voice full of personality and heart, David tells his powerful story, of family and friendship, of heartbreak and loss, and ultimately of triumph and success, as he continues to dream big and build a life and a better world--piece by piece.

(Added by Jenna)

In the vein of Hidden Figures comes a nonfiction picture book about the Green Book, a travel guide by Victor Hugo Green, a Black postal worker from Harlem, made to help African Americans stay safe while traveling during segregation.

As a mail carrier, Victor Hugo Green traveled across New Jersey every day. But with Jim Crow laws enforcing segregation since the late 1800s, traveling as a Black person in the US could be stressful, even dangerous.

So in the 1930s, Victor created a guide--The Negro Motorist Green-Book--compiling information on where to go and what places to avoid so that Black travelers could have a safe and pleasant time. While the Green Book started out small, over the years it became an expansive, invaluable resource for Black people throughout the country--all in the hopes that one day such a guide would no longer be needed.

Award-winning author Tonya Bolden and acclaimed illustrator Eric Velasquez shine a light on this little-known history of Victor Hugo Green and the deep impact of his incredible book on generations of Black families in America.

(Added by Jenna)

Tabletop board games are having a comeback, and especially within a younger, tech-y audience who enjoys the challenge and opportunity to work in an analog sphere. Game design expert Jesse Terrance Daniels teaches all the fundamentals of game design, from rule-setting to physical construction, along with original illustrations that capture the ethos and energy of the young, contemporary gaming community.
 
Readers will learn the “building blocks” of game design, including game components, rules, and gameplay mechanics, and then how to craft a game, with a variety of examples and design prompts. After completing Make Your Own Board Game, readers are equipped with a broad understanding of game construction and flow and ready to create games that are playable and satisfying, while also expressing the makers’ unique creativity and passions.

(Added by Jenna)

This is the Arctic. It sits on the top of the world—a frozen sea in a circle of land.

This beautiful book brings together a spellbinding narrative, breathtaking illustrations, and fascinating facts about one of our planet’s most precious environments. On a journey to the North Pole and back, and from fall to spring, the story begins and ends with the extraordinary wood frog, a tiny creature that freezes for the long Arctic winter. On the way we meet polar bears, an Arctic fox, narwhals, and many other animals, discovering how each one is perfectly adapted for life on the tundra, in the ocean, and on the ice.

With lyrical text by Jane Burnard combining with Kendra Binney's evocative illustrations to show readers the awesome beauty of the Arctic, this is a story sure to inspire wonder in the natural world.

(Added by Jenna)

Antoine's remarkable journey as a rescue-turned-therapy dog comes to life on the page and through pictures in this heartwarming true story.

Antoine's Tale is more than the average dog adventure. An engaging and inspiring picture book about Antoine, the most remarkable rescue dog, Antoine's Tale follows Antoine through his journey, highlighting his most important accomplishments, including overcoming paralysis in his hind legs, to surviving multiple surgeries, making friends wherever he goes, and slobbering on every person he meets. A story of courage, family, and perseverance told by Antoine himself, Antoine's Tale will delight and captivate young readers through engaging photography, an incredible story, and a main character whose extraordinary determination to heal helped him heal those around him.

Today, Antoine lives a full life. He has found his own passion as a therapy dog for children and inspiring people all over the country.

(Added by Jenna)

A gorgeously illustrated guide to stimulating creativity, inviting in love, achieving your goals, and improving your life with crystals.

Whether you would like to take back control in an uncertain world, encourage harmony in the home, or invite in prosperity, Awakening the Crystals will help transform your life. Learn how to:



  •  choose stones for protection at home and on the road
  •  calm your nerves and boost your energy
  •  foster positive interactions with family
  •  attract love and enhance intimacy
  •  achieve health goals
  •  welcome good luck, growth, and success
  •  meditate and manifest results with the assistance of crystals
 
Whether it’s rose quartz for love or a tiger’s eye for protection, Salem-based intuitives Sandra Wright and Leanne Marrama show you how to put the power of these simple, ancient tools to work in your daily life, to improve your relationships, achieve success, increase health, honor those who have passed, promote self-love and -care, and make magic happen—from the bedroom to the office and everywhere in between. Beautiful watercolor illustrations demonstrate how to choose, connect with, charge, cleanse, and arrange crystals throughout your home to help you live your best life.

Edited by Kate 

For fans of Code Girls and Hidden Figures, PROVING GROUND is the untold, World War II-era story of the six American women who programmed the world's first modern computer.

After the end of World War II, top-secret research continued across the United States as engineers and programmers rushed to complete their confidential assignments. Among them were six pioneering women, tasked with figuring out how to program the world's first general-purpose, programmable, all-electronic computer -- a machine built to calculate a single ballistic trajectory in twenty seconds rather than forty hours by human hand -- even though there was no instruction codes or programming languages in existence. But their story, never told to the reporters and scientists who thronged the huge computer after it became public, was lost.

Kathy Kleiman, through meticulous research and vivid prose, brings these women back to life, and back into the historical record. For more than two decades, she met with four of the original six ENIAC Programmers, pored over documentation and images, and recorded extensive oral histories with the women about their work. She found stories that had been relegated and dismissed by even computer history experts, who had assumed the women in the old black-and-white pictures with ENIAC were nothing more than models. PROVING GROUND is a character-driven narrative that restores these women to their rightful place as technological revolutionaries. As the tech world continues to struggle with gender imbalance and its far-reaching consequences, the story of the ENIAC Programmers' groundbreaking work is more urgently necessary than ever before, and PROVING GROUND is the celebration they deserve.

Edited by Kate

The remarkable and inspiring story of William Still, an unknown abolitionist who dedicated his life to managing a critical section of the Underground Railroad in Philadelphia—the free state directly north of the Mason-Dixon Line—helping hundreds of people escape from slavery.

Born free in 1821 to two parents who had been enslaved, William Still was drawn to antislavery work from a young age. Hired as a clerk at the Anti-Slavery office in Philadelphia after teaching himself to read and write, he began directly assisting enslaved people who were crossing over from the South into freedom. Andrew Diemer captures the full range and accomplishments of Still’s life, from his resistance to Fugitive Slave Laws and his relationship with John Brown before the war, to his long career fighting for citizenship rights and desegregation until the early twentieth century.

Despite Still’s disappearance from history books, during his lifetime he was known as “the Father of the Underground Railroad.” Working alongside Harriet Tubman and others at the center of the struggle for Black freedom, Still helped to lay the groundwork for long-lasting activism in the Black community, insisting that the success of their efforts lay not in the work of a few charismatic leaders, but in the cultivation of extensive grassroots networks. Through meticulous research and engaging writing, Vigilance establishes William Still in his rightful place in American history as a major figure of the abolitionist movement.

Edited by Kate

“Amusing and assertive . . . It distills Diaghilev’s life down to its concentrated, aromatic, essence . . . [Rupert Christiansen] seems to have undergone the task for the sheer love of it, and his delight is infectious.” —Alexandra Jacobs, The New York Times

Rupert Christiansen, a renowned dance critic and arts correspondent, presents a sweeping history of the Ballets Russes and of Serge Diaghilev’s dream of bringing Russian art and culture to the West.

Serge Diaghilev, the Russian impresario and founder of the Ballets Russes, is often said to have invented modern ballet. An art critic and connoisseur, Diaghilev had no training in dance or choreography, but he had a dream of bringing Russian art, music, design, and expression to the West and a mission to drive a cultural and artistic revolution.

Bringing together such legendary talents as Vaslav Nijinsky, Anna Pavlova, Igor Stravinsky, Pablo Picasso, and Henri Matisse, this complex and visionary genius created a new form of ballet defined by artistic integrity, creative freedom, and an all-encompassing experience of art, movement, and music. The explosive color combinations, sensual and androgynous choreography, and experimental sounds of the Ballets Russes were called “barbaric” by the Parisian press, but its radical style usurped the entrenched mores of traditional ballet and transformed the European cultural sphere at large.

Diaghilev’s Empire, the publication of which marks the one hundred fiftieth anniversary of Diaghilev’s birth, is a daring, impeccably researched reassessment of the phenomenon of the Ballets Russes and the Russian Revolution in twentieth-century art and culture. Rupert Christiansen, a leading dance critic, explores the fiery conflicts, outsize personalities, and extraordinary artistic innovations that make up this enduring story of triumph and disaster.

Edited by Kate 

Combat stress and anxiety and release your own inner creative with this beautiful mindful watercolour book.

In this simple and vibrant guide, hugely popular Instagram muse @TerryRunyan explores the art of watercolour through the lens of mindfulness, presenting activities and projects which you can paint along with as you allow your creative side to flourish.

This watercolour guide is easy and accessible for beginners, as Runyan gently delves into the basics of the artform, starting with simple techniques which you can follow along with, as well as presenting some fun projects ideas for painters to explore.

Alongside beautiful examples of the techniques and styles explored in the book, Runyan also encourages readers to practice mindfulness as they paint, and explores the ways in which art can be used to help improve mental health. Exploring the idea of 'perfectly imperfect watercolours', Runyan places emphasis on self-expression and allowing yourself to make mistakes.

Painting Happiness also includes fun projects for readers to try at home, including:

• Turning blobs into birds
• Creating wild hairstyles
• Experimenting with different prompts to paint at least one thing a day

From technical skills and notes on materials to insight into the creative process, this book has everything you need to start flourishing in watercolour.

Edited by Kate 

"An illuminating look at what it takes to be an Olympian... In this story, passion reigns supreme." --Cosmopolitan



"An emotionally articulate memoir...[and] an intimate insight into the good-hearted and talented young man behind the medals." --Attitude



A deeply personal and inspiring memoir from the celebrated Olympic gold medal diver and LGBTQ+ advocate



Tom Daley is one of the most beloved athletes of our time, having competed as a diver in four Olympics, garnering medals and finally, in 2021 in Tokyo, winning gold. But few people know the realities of his life beyond the pool--his struggles, his secret triumphs and the mindset he needed to cultivate to become a champion.



In this deeply personal book, Tom explores the experiences that have shaped him and the qualities that brought him success and joy--from the resilience he developed competing at a world-class level, to the courage he discovered while reclaiming the narrative around his sexuality, to the perspective that family life has brought him.



Inspiring, candid and compulsively readable, Coming Up for Air offers an intimate window into the life and mindset of an athlete and advocate who has left an indelible imprint on sports.

Edited by Kate 

Fans of Richard Scarry's Busy, Busy World will enjoy this fun, interactive picture book about the nation's capitol, the meeting place of Congress. Learn more about this important building in the first book of this picture book series.

Welcome to the Capitol! The Capitol is the meeting place of the United States Congress. Over 2,000 people work here, including 100 senators and 435 representatives from all 50 states.

Peter is visiting his dad, the head mason. Nima is meeting up with her mom, a senator. Gabriel is handing out headphones with his grandma, an official tour guide at the building. What will they see and learn at the Capitol?

This interactive book is perfect for kids to learn all about the different people who work in and help maintain one of the country's most important and famous buildings. It includes educational backmatter, a glossary, counting prompts, and search-and-find elements.

(Added by Jenna)

Everyone has a conflict now and then. In this book, readers will learn how to solve them with help from their friends on Sesame Street. Tools like a five-step conflict resolution model provide age-appropriate ways to handle conflict.

(Added by Jenna)

A Spanish edition of ALL ARE WELCOME! Join the call for a better world with this New York Times bestselling picture book about a school where diversity and inclusion are celebrated.

Discover a school where--no matter what--young children have a place, have a space, and are loved and appreciated.

Follow a group of children through a day in their school, where everyone is welcomed with open arms. A school where students from all backgrounds learn from and celebrate each other's traditions. A school that shows the world as we will make it to be.

(Added by Jenna)

In advance of the all-new movie, Hocus Pocus 2, dive into the world of Disney's Hocus Pocus with this stunning spell book..

It's all just a bunch of hocus pocus inside this gorgeous Hocus Pocus Spell Book. Fans of the annual Halloween favorite, Hocus Pocus will love this enchanting title featuring spells, potions, witch history, and more! Full of magical of illustrations, comments from Winnie, Mary, and Sarah, and more, this beautiful book is a must-have accessory for any want-to-be Sanderson sister and the perfect gift for Hocus Pocus fans of any age.

For more spellbinding Hocus Pocus stories, check out these magical titles:

• Hocus Pocus and the All-New Sequel
• Art of Coloring: Hocus Pocus
• Hocus Pocus: The Illustrated Novelization

(Added by Jenna)

An insider's look at how the rise of "fast fashion" obstructs ethical shopping and fuels the abuse and neglect of garment workers

"With years of expertise in the fashion industry, Alyssa's reporting is consistently deep and thoughtful, and her work on sustainability and ethics has changed how I view the clothes I wear."
--Brittney McNamara, features director at Teen Vogue

Ours is the era of fast fashion: a time of cheap and constantly changing styles for consumers of every stripe, with new clothing hitting the racks every season as social media-fueled tastes shift.

Worn Out examines the underside of our historic clothing binge and the fashion industry's fall from grace. Former InStyle senior news editor and seasoned journalist Alyssa Hardy's riveting work explores the lives of the millions of garment workers--mostly women of color--who toil in the fashion industry around the world--from LA-based sweatshop employees who experience sexual abuse while stitching clothes for H&M, Fashion Nova, and Levi's to "homeworkers" in Indonesia who are unknowingly given carcinogenic materials to work with. Worn Out exposes the complicity of celebrities whose endorsements obscure the exploitation behind marquee brands and also includes interviews with designers such as Mara Hoffman, whose business models are based on ethical production standards.

Like many of us, Hardy believes in the personal, political, and cultural place fashion has in our lives, from seed to sew to closet, and that it is still okay to indulge in its glitz and glamour. But the time has come, she argues, to force real change on an industry that prefers to keep its dark side behind the runway curtain. The perfect book for people who are passionate about clothing and style, Worn Out seeks to engage in a real conversation about who gets harmed by fast fashion--and offers meaningful solutions for change.

Edited by Kate 

"Subtly altered how I see the world." —Michelle Goldberg, New York Times

“[Status and Culture] consistently posits theories I'd never previously considered that instantly feel obvious.” —Chuck Klosterman, author of The Nineties

“Why are you the way that you are? Status and Culture explains nearly everything about the things you choose to be—and how the society we live in takes shape in the process.” —B.J. Novak, writer and actor

Solving the long-standing mysteries of culture—from the origin of our tastes and identities, to the perpetual cycles of fashions and fads—through a careful exploration of the fundamental human desire for status

All humans share a need to secure their social standing, and this universal motivation structures our behavior, forms our tastes, determines how we live, and ultimately shapes who we are. We can use status, then, to explain why some things become “cool,” how stylistic innovations arise, and why there are constant changes in clothing, music, food, sports, slang, travel, hairstyles, and even dog breeds.

In Status and Culture, W. David Marx weaves together the wisdom from history, psychology, sociology, anthropology, economics, philosophy, linguistics, semiotics, cultural theory, literary theory, art history, media studies, and neuroscience to demonstrate exactly how individual status seeking creates our cultural ecosystem. Marx examines three fundamental questions: Why do individuals cluster around arbitrary behaviors and take deep meaning from them? How do distinct styles, conventions, and sensibilities emerge? Why do we change behaviors over time and why do some behaviors stick around? The answers then provide new perspectives for understanding the seeming “weightlessness” of internet culture.

Status and Culture is a book that will appeal to business people, students, creators, and anyone who has ever wondered why things become popular, why their own preferences change over time, and how identity plays out in contemporary society. Readers of this book will walk away with deep and lasting knowledge of the often secret rules of how culture really works.

Edited by Kate 

Selected as one of the most anticipated books of Fall 2022 by the New York Times, Boston Globe, Los Angeles Times and Chicago Tribune

From legendary historian Adam Hochschild, a groundbreaking reassessment of the overlooked but startlingly resonant period between World War I and the Roaring Twenties, when the foundations of American democracy were threatened by war, pandemic, and violence fueled by battles over race, immigration, and the rights of labo

A riveting, resonant account of the fragility of freedom."--Kirkus, STARRED review

The nation was on the brink. Mobs burned Black churches to the ground. Courts threw thousands of people into prison for opinions they voiced--in one notable case, only in private. Self-appointed vigilantes executed tens of thousands of citizens' arrests. Some seventy-five newspapers and magazines were banned from the mail and forced to close. When the government stepped in, it was often to fan the flames.

This was America during and after the Great War: a brief but appalling era blighted by lynchings, censorship, and the sadistic, sometimes fatal abuse of conscientious objectors in military prisons--a time whose toxic currents of racism, nativism, red-baiting, and contempt for the rule of law then flowed directly through the intervening decades to poison our own. It was a tumultuous period defined by a diverse and colorful cast of characters, some of whom fueled the injustice while others fought against it: from the sphinxlike Woodrow Wilson, to the fiery antiwar advocates Kate Richards O'Hare and Emma Goldman, to labor champion Eugene Debs, to a little-known but ambitious bureaucrat named J. Edgar Hoover, and to an outspoken leftwing agitator--who was in fact Hoover's star undercover agent. It is a time that we have mostly forgotten about, until now.

In American Midnight, award-winning historian Adam Hochschild brings alive the horrifying yet inspiring four years following the U.S. entry into the First World War, spotlighting forgotten repression while celebrating an unforgettable set of Americans who strove to fix their fractured country--and showing how their struggles still guide us today.

Edited by Kate 

This abundantly illustrated book is an illuminating exploration of the impact of medieval imagery on three hundred years of visual culture.

From the soaring castles of Sleeping Beauty to the bloody battles of Game of Thrones, from Middle-earth in The Lord of the Rings to mythical beasts in Dungeons & Dragons, and from Medieval Times to the Renaissance Faire, the Middle Ages have inspired artists, playwrights, filmmakers, gamers, and writers for centuries. Indeed, no other historical era has captured the imaginations of so many creators.

This volume aims to uncover the many reasons why the Middle Ages have proven so flexible—and applicable—to a variety of modern moments from the eighteenth through the twenty-first century. These “medieval” worlds are often the perfect ground for exploring contemporary cultural concerns and anxieties, saying much more about the time and place in which they were created than they do about the actual conditions of the medieval period. With over 140 color illustrations, from sources ranging from thirteenth-century illuminated manuscripts to contemporary films and video games, and a preface by Game of Thrones costume designer Michele Clapton, The Fantasy of the Middle Ages will surprise and delight both enthusiasts and scholars. This title is published to accompany an exhibition at the J. Paul Getty Museum at the Getty Center from June 21–September 11, 2022.

Edited by Kate 

15 cute crochet projects for the little ones in your life

Have you ever had an itch to crochet anything as soon as a baby arrives in your life? Head to Toe Crochet contains bright, modern patterns using simple stitches. Suitable for beginners or those who have crocheted for years, these accessories will be quick to make and guaranteed to raise a smile. Including:

- Fifteen beanie hats and matching booties patterns
- Three sizes - preemie, 0-6 months and 6-12 months
- Step-by-step illustrated tutorials of basic crochet techniques

Got a sporty baby? Go with a soccer hat and matching boots! Or a colourful cupcake combination for a deliciously sweet look. The perfect book for new and experienced crocheters.

Gurinder Kaur Hatchard was taught to crochet by her mother at a young age. She is the founder of YayForCrochet.com and her designs have been published in magazines such as Inside Crochet, Crochet Now, My Weekly and Your Crochet and Knitting Magazine.

Edited by Kate

Rising to prominence in the downtown New York art scene in the 1980s and 1990s, multidisciplinary artist Mary Ann Unger (1945-1998) was skilled in graphic composition, watercolor, large-scale conceptual sculpture, and environmentally responsive, site-specific interventions. At the time of her death, Unger was a member of the Guerrilla Girls and acknowledged as a feminist pioneer of neo-expressionist sculptural form. Accompanying Unger's first solo museum presentation in the twenty-first century, this publication aims to revive and redirect cultural and scholarly attention on Unger's pioneering and lyrical practice, which was set aside in favor of the cishet male-dominated narrative of postwar American sculpture.

Taking the reprinting of Roberta Smith's 1999 obituary for Unger as its starting place, the book's essays provide the artist her first fulsome consideration within the New York art milieu of her day, tracing Unger's life, her studies, and her network of artists and mentors. Following the exposition of Unger's life and practice, an interview with the artist's daughter will position Unger's legacy within the collaborative discourse and activism of a multigenerational family of artists. Two other essays will closely examine Unger's work in the context of contemporary conversations around feminist revisionings of history and modes of cultural appropriation and inspiration in her oeuvre. The catalogue concludes with a bibliography of various texts for further reading, in hope that such a reconsideration gives rise to further scholarly interest in Unger's practice.

Edited by Kate 

"Essential ... This book belongs on the shelf next to Merchants of Doubt, Dark Money, and Kochland."--Roy Scranton, author of Learning to Die in the Anthropocene

The petroleum industry is guilty of a Big Tobacco-style public cover-up, according to this vivid exposé."--Publishers Weekly STARRED Review

Burning fossil fuels will cause catastrophic global warming: this is what top American oil executives were told by scientists in 1959. But they ignored that warning. Instead, they developed one of the biggest, most polluting oil sources in the world--the oil sands in Alberta, Canada. As investigative journalist Geoff Dembicki reveals in this explosive book, the decades-long conspiracy to keep the oil sands flowing into the U.S. would turn out to be one of the biggest reasons for the world's failure to stop the climate crisis.

In The Petroleum Papers, Dembicki draws from confidential oil industry documents to uncover for the first time how companies like Exxon, Koch Industries, and Shell built a global right-wing echo chamber to protect oil sands profits--a misinformation campaign that continues to this day. He also tells the high-stakes stories of people fighting back: a Seattle lawyer who brought down Big Tobacco and is now going after Big Oil, a Filipina activist whose family drowned in a climate disaster, and a former Exxon engineer pushed out for asking hard questions.

With experts now warning we have less than a decade to get global emissions under control, The Petroleum Papers provides a step-by-step account of how we got to this precipice--and the politicians and companies who deserve our blame.

Published in Partnership with the David Suzuki Institute

Edited by Kate 

Whittling is more than just a way of busying idle hands - it is a pastime for those who love the texture of wood and a way of life for those who feel a special connection between people and trees.

This beautiful and practical guide to the art of whittling offers the perfect antidote to the stresses of modern life and a means of getting back to basics and creating unique items from scratch. Inside you will learn about the ancient art of whittling as one of the earliest forms of artistic expression; the different types of wood to use in your work; the simple tools you need to get started; and the various cutting techniques.

The Art of Whittling also preaches the idea of Danish hygge - translating to coziness and being with friends and family in a warm atmosphere. Here, author Niklas Karlsson gives us an insight into why the Danes are considered the happiest people in the world - and how you can bring some hygge into your own lives.

More than just a manual, this book offers a contemplative view on a skill that is more popular than ever.

Edited by Kate 

When everything fell apart for Lynn Melnick, she went to Dollywood. It was perhaps an unusual refuge. The theme park, partly owned by and wholly named for Dolly Parton, celebrates a country music legend who grew up in church and in poverty in rural Tennessee. Yet Dollywood is exactly where Melnick—a poet, urbanite, and daughter of a middle-class Jewish family—needed to be. Because Melnick, like the musician she adores, is a survivor.

In this bracing memoir, Melnick explores Parton’s dual identities as feminist icon and objectified sex symbol—identities that reflect the author’s own fraught history with rape culture and the grueling effort to reclaim her voice in the wake of loss and trauma. Each chapter engages with the artistry and cultural impact of one of Parton’s songs, as Melnick reckons with violence, creativity, parenting, abortion, sex work, love, and the consolations and cruelties of religion. Guided by Parton’s music, Melnick walks the slow path to recovery in the company of those who came before her and stand with her, as trauma is an experience both unique and universal. Candid and discerning, I’ve Had to Think Up a Way to Survive is at once a memoir and a love song—a story about one life and about an artist who has brought life to millions.

Edited by Kate 

A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

“An informed and entertaining guide to what science can and cannot tell us.” —The Wall Street Journal

“Stimulating . . . encourage[s] readers to push past well-trod assumptions […] and have fun doing so.” —Science Magazine

From renowned physicist and creator of the YouTube series “Science without the Gobbledygook,” a book that takes a no-nonsense approach to life’s biggest questions, and wrestles with what physics really says about the human condition

Not only can we not currently explain the origin of the universe, it is questionable we will ever be able to explain it. The notion that there are universes within particles, or that particles are conscious, is ascientific, as is the hypothesis that our universe is a computer simulation.  On the other hand, the idea that the universe itself is conscious is difficult to rule out entirely. 
 
According to Sabine Hossenfelder, it is not a coincidence that quantum entanglement and vacuum energy have become the go-to explanations of alternative healers, or that people believe their deceased grandmother is still alive because of quantum mechanics. Science and religion have the same roots, and they still tackle some of the same questions: Where do we come from? Where do we go to? How much can we know? The area of science that is closest to answering these questions is physics. Over the last century, physicists have learned a lot about which spiritual ideas are still compatible with the laws of nature. Not always, though, have they stayed on the scientific side of the debate.

In this lively, thought-provoking book, Hossenfelder takes on the biggest questions in physics: Does the past still exist? Do particles think? Was the universe made for us? Has physics ruled out free will? Will we ever have a theory of everything? She lays out how far physicists are on the way to answering these questions, where the current limits are, and what questions might well remain unanswerable forever. Her book offers a no-nonsense yet entertaining take on some of the toughest riddles in existence, and will give the reader a solid grasp on what we know—and what we don’t know.

Edited by Kate 

After immigrating from Jamaica to the United States, Prince Shakur's family is rocked by the murder of Prince's biological father in 1995. Behind the murder is a sordid family truth, scripted in the lines of a diary by an outlawed uncle hell-bent on avenging the murder of Prince's father. As Shakur begins to unravel his family's secrets, he must navigate the strenuous terrain of coming to terms with one's inner self while confronting the steeped complexities of the Afro-diaspora.

When They Tell You to Be Good charts Prince Shakur's political coming of age from closeted queer kid in a Jamaican family to radicalized adult traveler, writer, and anarchist in Obama and Trump's America. Shakur journeys from France to the Philippines, South Korea, and elsewhere to discover the depths of the Black experience, and engages in deep political questions while participating in movements like Black Lives Matter and Standing Rock. By the end, Shakur reckons with his identity, his family's immigration to the US before his birth, and the intergenerational impacts of patriarchal and colonial violence.

Examining a tangled web of race, trauma, and memory, When They Tell You to Be Good is a powerful interrogation of what we all must ask of ourselves to be more than what America envisions for the oppressed and Shakur compels readers to take a closer, deeper look at the political world of young, Black, queer, and radical millennials today.

Edited by Kate

The key to your career advancement is understanding how power works--who has it, where it hides, and how it's used. Please Sit Over There teaches Black women the career skills they need to navigate an uneven playing field and achieve long-lasting professional success.

Black women continuously navigate systems that were never intended for them while playing by a set of rules they never agreed to or were ever trained for.

In this book, Francine Parham shares her knowledge as a Black woman and a former global executive of two major corporations on how to move up in the workplace while maintaining a sense of sanity. The key skill--one that Black women are rarely taught--is understanding the power dynamics within your organization and learning how to "shift the power" to your advantage. Parham shows how to use your voice, strategically build the right relationships, and support others once you have achieved a powerful position--tools any woman can use to increase her power and ensure a successful, fulfilling career.

Parham says Black women are already empowered; there is no shortage of qualified professional Black women in the talent pipeline. But it does not feel empowering when organizations force Black women to work every day to overcome biases, discriminatory institutional practices, and unwritten rules of power at play that hinder their career development and professional advancement.

Please Sit Over There honors the painstaking work being undertaken to deconstruct broken institutions and demonstrates how Black women can achieve their goals while those institutions still exist--effectively opening doors for all women of color.

Edited by Kate 

Reconnect with Nature through Colorful Macramé Creations

Bring the beauty of the natural world into your home as you knot your way through this captivating collection from visionary fiber artist Rachel Breuklander. Known in the macramé community for her unique color-blocked landscape wall hangings, Rachel now shares the secrets to her approach for the first time, so you can fill your home with gorgeous, handmade pieces that are all your own! With plenty of projects for all skill levels, featuring clear, thoughtful instructions and beautiful step-by-step photos, you’ll soon be creating nature-inspired works of art with ease.

Dive into a sea of stunning designs like the Riptide Woven Hoop or breathtaking Ocean Goddess Wall Hanging. Elevate your macramé skills as you knot together the Cascade Mountain Landscape or Ponderosa Plant Hanger. Let your fingers fly across small, quick pieces like the Bird Nesting Bag or Foraging Pouch, and feel inspired all day long as you work up the Sun Mandala or Luna Wall Hanging. No matter where you are in your macramé journey—or where you’re hoping to go—these magnificent designs will let you explore the beautiful world around you, all from the comfort of your home.

Edited by Kate

Artist and founder of The Painting School Sara Woster invites readers into the vibrant world of painting as a creative practice powerful enough to transform our lives.

Sara Woster is a painter, teacher, and art evangelist. She believes in art as a form of mindfulness, a ritual for healing, and an outlet for self-expression. In Painting Can Save Your Life, Woster welcomes readers into this transformative art form, inviting them to pick up a brush and discover how painting can help you see the world in a whole new way.

Weaving soup-to-nuts instruction on how to paint—from choosing the right materials to painting the human body—with her own story of discovering a passion for painting, this book includes:

• simple and easy techniques for painters of all skill levels
• playful and challenging painting exercises
• tips on how to build a creative community using art
• insights on how to use painting to cultivate a sense of calm in a stressful world


• Part how-to-paint, part sheer inspiration, Painting Can Save Your Life is a wise and inspiring guide to the power of painting.

Edited by Kate 

A Honeybee Heart Has Five Openings begins as Helen Jukes is entering her thirties and struggling to settle into her new job and home. Then friends gift her a colony of honeybees--a gift which, according to folklore, brings good luck--and Jukes embarks on the rewarding, perilous journey of becoming a beekeeper.

Jukes writes about what it means to keep wild creatures, and to live alongside beings whose laws of life are so different from our own. She delves into the history of beekeeping, exploring the ancient--and sometimes disturbing--relationship between keeper and bee, human and wild thing. And as her colony grows, the very act of beekeeping seems to open new perspectives, making her world come alive again. A beautifully wrought meditation on uncertainty and hope, feelings of restlessness and home, and how we might better know ourselves, A Honeybee Heart Has Five Openings shows us how to be alert to these small creatures flitting among us that are yet so vital a force for the continuation of life.

Edited by Kate 

In her debut picture book, professional Indigenous dancer Ria Thundercloud tells the true story of her path to dance and how it helped her take pride in her Native American heritage.

At four years old, Ria Thundercloud was brought into the powwow circle, ready to dance in the special jingle dress her mother made for her. As she grew up, she danced with her brothers all over Indian country. Then Ria learned more styles--tap, jazz, ballet--but still loved the expressiveness of Indigenous dance. And despite feeling different as one of the only Native American kids in her school, she always knew she could turn to dance to cheer herself up.    
 
Follow along as Ria shares her dance journey--from dreaming of her future to performing as a professional--accompanied by striking illustrations that depict it while bringing her graceful movements to life.

(Added by Jenna)

A family honors their living and dead relatives as they celebrate this holiday with shared food and stories.

The Day of the Dead is a happy day when Mar’s family gathers together. There are favorite dishes to enjoy, games to be played, and most importantly, stories to tell. No one in the family is forgotten because this is the day of the year when the dead come to visit the living—and for this holiday it is almost as if they’re alive again, as the family takes great joy in celebrating the things that made them special. Mar realizes she is just like her Grandpa Ramón, who kept a journal. And her sister, Paz, plays accordian, just like their great-grandfather. There are so many things that connect them all—and at dinner, Abuelita spins even more stories that make them feel close to the ones they will love forever. Ana Aranda’s tender text and vibrant art make the joy felt on this sweet day totally palpable.

(Added by Jenna)

Explore harvest festivals from around the globe! Lyrical, rhyming text and lush, detailed artwork from Italian artist Martina Peluso immerse young readers in some of the most ancient traditions in the world. Nine pages of rich, educational endnotes dive deep with more information about the 12 cultures explored in the book and invite young readers to ask questions about food and the labor that produces it.

(Added by Jenna)

In this Wampanoag story told in a Native tradition, two kids from the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe learn the story of Weeâchumun (corn) and the first Thanksgiving.

The Thanksgiving story that most Americans know celebrates the Pilgrims. But without members of the Wampanoag tribe who already lived on the land where the Pilgrims settled, the Pilgrims would never have made it through their first winter. And without Weeâchumun (corn), the Native people wouldn't have helped.

An important picture book honoring both the history and tradition that surrounds the story of the first Thanksgiving.

(Added by Jenna)

“Nietfeld’s gifts for capturing the fury of living at the mercy of bad circumstances, for critiquing the hero’s journey even while she tells it, make Acceptance a remarkable memoir.” —The New York Times Book Review

A luminous, generation-defining memoir of foster care and homelessness, Harvard and Big Tech, examining society’s fixation with resilience—and its cost

As a homeless teenager writing college essays in her rusty Toyota Corolla, Emi Nietfeld was convinced that the Ivy League was the only escape from her dysfunctional childhood. But upward mobility required crafting the perfect resilience narrative. She had to prove that she was an “overcomer,” made stronger by all that she had endured.

The truth was more complicated. Emi’s mom was a charming hoarder who had her put on antipsychotics but believed in her daughter’s brilliance—unlike the Minnesotan foster family who banned her “pornographic” art history flash cards (of Michelangelo’s David). Emi’s other parent vanished shortly after coming out as trans, a situation few understood in the mid-2000s. Her own past was filled with secrets: mental health struggles, Adderall addiction, and the unbecoming desperation of a teenager fending for herself. And though Emi would go on to graduate from Harvard and become a software engineer at Google, she found that success didn’t necessarily mean safety.

Both a chronicle of the American Dream and an indictment of it, this searing debut exposes the price of trading a troubled past for the promise of a bright future. Told with a ribbon of dark humor, Acceptance challenges our ideas of what it means to overcome—and find contentment on your own terms.

Edited by Kate 

Where is the line between digital utopia and digital police state?

Surveillance State tells the gripping, startling, and detailed story of how China’s Communist Party is building a new kind of political control: shaping the will of the people through the sophisticated—and often brutal—harnessing of data.

It is a story born in Silicon Valley and America’s “War on Terror,” and now playing out in alarming ways on China’s remote Central Asian frontier. As ethnic minorities in a border region strain against Party control, China’s leaders have built a dystopian police state that keeps millions under the constant gaze of security forces armed with AI. But across the country in the city of Hangzhou, the government is weaving a digital utopia, where technology helps optimize everything from traffic patterns to food safety to emergency response.

Award-winning journalists Josh Chin and Liza Lin take readers on a journey through the new world China is building within its borders, and beyond. Telling harrowing stories of the people and families affected by the Party’s ambitions, Surveillance State reveals a future that is already underway—a new society engineered around the power of digital surveillance.

Edited by Kate

From the author of the provocative and influential Glow Kids, Digital Madness explores how we’ve become mad for our devices as our devices are driving us mad, as revolutionary research reveals technology's damaging effect on mental illness and suicide rates—and offers a way out.

Dr. Nicholas Kardaras is at the forefront of psychologists sounding the alarm about the impact of excessive technology on younger brains. In Glow Kids, he described what screen time does to children, calling it “digital heroin”. Now, in Digital Madness, Dr. Kardaras turns his attention to our teens and young adults and looks at the mental health impact of tech addiction and corrosive social media.

In Digital Madness, Dr. Kardaras answers the question of why young people’s mental health is deteriorating as we become a more technologically advanced society. While enthralled with shiny devices and immersed in Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, Facebook and Snapchat, our young people are struggling with record rates of depression, loneliness, anxiety, overdoses and suicide. What’s driving this mental health epidemic? Our immersion in toxic social media has created polarizing extremes of emotion and addictive dependency, while also acting as a toxic "digital social contagion”, spreading a variety of psychiatric disorders.

The algorithm-fueled polarity of social media also shapes the brain's architecture into inherently pathological and reactive "black and white" thinking—toxic for politics and society, but also symptomatic of several mental disorders. Digital Madness also examines how the profit-driven titans of Big Tech have created our unhealthy tech-dependent lifestyle: sedentary, screen-staring, addicted, depressed, isolated and empty—all in the pursuit of increased engagement, data mining and monetization.

But there is a solution. Dr. Kardaras offers a path out of our crisis, using examples from classical philosophy that encourage resilience, critical thinking and the pursuit of sanity-sustaining purpose in people’s lives. Digital Madness is a crucial book for parents, educators, therapists, public health professionals, and policymakers who are searching for ways to restore our young people’s mental and physical health.

Edited by Kate

100 recipes for everyday eating with built-in wow factor, from the Ottolenghi protégé and co-author of Ottolenghi Flavor shaking up the food world.

"This is such a beautiful and joyful book!"--NIGELLA LAWSON

MEZCLA means mix, blend, or fusion in Spanish, and in her first solo cookbook, Ixta Belfrage--loved for her inventive ingredient combinations--shares her favorite mezcla of flavors. Helpfully divided into quick recipes (for when you need something great on the table, fast) and longer recipes (for when you have time to slow down and savor the process), here are one hundred bold, impactful recipes inspired by Italy, Brazil, Mexico, and beyond.

There are quick, flavorful recipes such as Giant Cheese on Toast with Honey and Urfa Butter, Piri Piri Tofu with Crispy Orzo, and Chicken with Pineapple and 'Nduja, as well as dishes to spend more time over: Chiles Rellenos with Salsa Roja Risotto, Sticky Coconut Rice Cake with Turmeric Tomatoes and Shrimp Lasagna with Habanero Oil.

Creative, colorful, and always delicious, this is food for every day and every occasion.

Edited by Kate