We're back and we're throwing a party!

Hello! Mr. Pig here. I've thrown open the shutters, dusted, mopped, picked some late-summer blooms from the garden, and put the kettle on. I can't tell you how good it feels to be home!

It's been a whirlwind adventure this summer—but more about that later.

Right now, I have to start the preparations for a party. That's right! What would The Little Crooked Cottage be without a good welcome home party? We have so much to celebrate!

Cottager Anika Denise's new book Baking Day at Grandma's, illustrated by Christopher Denise, releases TODAY, August 14th! (Grandma Bear and her grand-cubs should be arriving shortly. They're bringing the cake, of course.)

Here's what School Library Journal had to say about the book: "The text is a wonderful rhyming poem/song with the refrain, 'It’s baking day!/It’s baking day!/It’s baking day/at Grandma’s!' And it’s such fun to read aloud. 'Old-time music, soft and sweet./Skippy notes and tapping feet./Learning songs that Grandma sings–/when the kitchen timer rings!' A recipe for Grandma Rosie’s Chocolate Cake is included. This gentle story will leave children feeling warm and fuzzy. It’s perfect for individual sharing, storytime, baking time, and pretty much any time."

Let's see, what else?

Oh! Jamie Michalak's Joe and Sparky Go to School, illustrated by Frank Remkiewicz, released in paperback in June! I know several little piglets who'll be heading back to school soon and I can't wait to for them to read it. Speaking of back-to-school, the Cottagers are working on a list of their favorite back-to-school books to share with you on August 20th.

Kara LaReau has been visiting young readers all over the world and talking about her newest book, No Slurping No Burping! A Tale of Table Manners, thanks to Skype Classroom.

Kristen Tracy has been traveling and writing up a storm this summer, as well. She has some fun new project news we'll be breaking shortly. We'll tell you all about it when we do our summer vacation recap on August 28th. 

What have you been up to? I hope you've read a ton of great books like I have. I met many talented children's book authors, illustrators, and characters in my travels, and I invited them all to visit the cottage soon! It's going to be a busy and exciting season. I've lined up some absolutely fabulous guests for my hit talk show: MR PIG LIVE!

Louise from Kelly Light's highly anticipated Louise Loves Art will drop by on September 15th, and Leroy Ninker will trot in for a chat about his all new book Leroy Ninker Saddles Up: Tales from Deckawoo Drive, from the one and only Kate DiCamillo and the fabulously talented Chris Van Dusen on September 29th.

Authors Ann Stott (What to Do When You're Sent to Your Room, Always), Elise Broach (Masterpiece),  Nina Laden (Once Upon a Memory), Nancy Castaldo, (Sniffer Dogs: How Dogs [And Their Noses] Save the World), Deborah Underwood (The Quiet Book; Bad Bye, Good Bye), and others will be here to talk about the books they Loved-to-Pieces as young readers.

As you know, I'm a pig on the go. I'll be heading out to visit the studios of the talented Matt Tavares (illustrator of Growing Up Pedro, Becoming Babe Ruth, Jubilee! and others), the aforementioned fabulous Chris Van Dusen (author-illustrator of many wonderful books including Kate DiCamillo's Mercy Watson and Leroy Ninker series), children's book superstar Rosemary Wells (Max and Ruby, Time-Out for Sophie, Yoko Find Her Way), the delightful Debbi Ridpath Ohi (illustrator of Naked! and I'm Bored by Michael Ian Black, and creator of the hilarious Inky Girl comic), and many more!

We are also pleased to announce that Nina of MamaBelly Lunches with Love will be with us again this year, making her popular and delicious Literary Lunches!  

The Cottagers have been busy cooking up new content, too, including a special Little Crooked Bookshelf spotlight, where we pull something lesser known but wonderful off the shelf and tell you why we love it—along with new monthly reading recommendations written by librarians and kidlit experts to help kids and parents discover new books in their favorite genres.

So get ready, folks! It's going to be a great year at The Little Crooked Cottage. For now, I better run. Grandma Bear is here with twenty two chocolate cakes, and . . . oh my, from the looks of her cubs they've had a lot of sugar. I hope they haven't gobbled up all my milk and honey.

In the meantime, help yourself to a cup of tea, and check out the all-new book trailer for Baking Day at Grandma's by Anika & Christopher Denise! See you soon!