FRANK AND BEAN sneak peek!!!!!

Superstar librarian and blogger Margie Myers-Culver recently revealed the cover of the funny new early reader FRANK AND BEAN (Candlewick Press, October 2019)! It's written by our very own Cottager Jamie Michalak and illustrated by Bob Kolar.

Find out if you're a Frank or a Bean on Margie's popular blog Librarian's Quest!

COVER REVEAL . . . Joe and Sparky, Party Animals!!!

It's Friday . . . who's ready to party? We're doing the conga here in the Cottage because we just received the cover of JOE AND SPARKY, PARTY ANIMALS! by Jamie Michalak and Frank Remkiewicz. YOU, dear readers, are the first to get a sneak peek!

When Joe and Sparky happen across a surprise party, they have a fabulous time. It's so fun that Joe decides to throw a surprise party in honor of his pet worm, Wiggy -- except that nobody has ever seen Wiggy. According to Joe, Wiggy leads a busy life. Sometimes he is sailing his ship. Sometimes he is climbing mountains. Sometimes he is playing with his band, the Worms. (They are even bigger than the Beetles!)

Soon it's party time. All the animals in the cageless zoo arrive with cake, presents, and even a band. But there's still no guest of honor. Where is Wiggy?

Young readers will revel alongside the hilarious duo in this story about being willing to take a leap of faith for a friend -- especially if there's a party involved.

Ooh, this sounds funny! I hope we'll finally get to see Wiggy.

Here's what Jamie said about creating this book, the fourth Joe and Sparky early reader:

"Kids have asked me if Joe's pet worm, Wiggy, is real or imaginary. I wasn't entirely sure myself, so I wrote this book to find out."

JOE AND SPARKY, PARTY ANIMALS! will be congaing into bookstores and libraries in summer 2017!

Literary Lunch

Squirrel's Fun Day, by Lisa Moser and illustrated by Valeri Gorbachev, is the perfect book for these last snow-free days! Take a hike outside and then read this funny early reader about a squirrel determined to have a fun day. He's trying so hard, he doesn't notice that his "Gotta go. Gotta go. Gotta go, go, go" attitude doesn't work for everyone. A charming story just right for reading aloud!

Nina from Mamabelly's Lunches with Love packed a lunch on-the-go bento box filled with:

• a Squirrel peanut butter sandwich
• almonds
• wild strawberries
• carrots
• corn and peas
• cucumber wheels 
• and hidden underneath the squirrel,  a sweet cream cheese and strawberry sandwich (because underneath it all, Squirrel is sweet and caring)

For more eye-popping bento lunches, check out Nina's fabulous blog, Mamabelly's Lunches with Love!