Animalia: A to Z

There are so many animals in the world. We have to think about how we as humans are impacting their world. Every animal deserves to survive and thrive, and with human help, they can do so. This book is just a sampling of all the amazing creatures found in the diverse habitats on our beautiful planet Earth.

Anna and Darel

Who were these parents who had lived in a tent on an island in the Potomac River during the Depression while the father wrangled WPA guidebooks toward publication, and later wrote speeches for the Senator investigating cartels during World War II, wrote the book on foot-and-mouth disease, and crossed swords with Joe McCarthy’s inquisition? Who was the mother who hadn’t worked in thirty years yet fended off financial disaster after her husband’s early death?

At his mother’s death seventeen years later, the questions still lingered, leaving a void which Jim McConkey fills with a compelling narrative. From ‘drinking wet and voting dry’ during Prohibition to starving as a freelance writer in the Depression, the WPA Writer’s Project, the early days of commercial air travel, and the international cartels that thwarted America’s war mobilization and led to civilian rationing, McConkey’s story captivates and informs.

And finally, that gorgeous farm in the foothills of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains is vividly preserved. The family’s history, stored in a four-drawer filing cabinet stuffed with family papers, is brought to life in this loving parental biography.

Apex Blues

Apex Blues chronicles the extraordinary lives and musical legacies of two generation-spanning Jazz clarinet virtuosos: Jimmie Noone Sr. and his son Jimmy Noone Jr.

Jimmie Noone Sr. rose to fame in the 1910s New Orleans French Quarter jazz scene, forging his iconic ‘Sweet Lorraine’ style during the dawn of the genre. Later, his son Jimmy initially made waves as a San Diego local musician before feeling called to follow in his father’s footsteps. He set out to revive his dad’s New Orleans Jazz sound and mentorship.

As the author witnesses firsthand, Jimmy exceeds even his father’s musical heights through raw talent and relentless dedication to his craft. In his final days, he completes his quest: to honor Jazz history by propelling his father’s sound into the future. Jimmy cements the Noone legacy, ensuring the nation remembers what sublime Jazz can be.

Spanning generations, geographies, and evolutions of musical style, Apex Blues captures how two clarinet greats shepherded Jazz from regional obscurity into an acclaimed American art form.

Apollo the Angora Goat

Apollo the Angora Goat is a heartwarming children’s book that tells the story of Apollo, an Angora goat born and raised on a lively farm in California. Through Apollo’s eyes, young readers will discover the joys of farm life, the beauty of friendships, and the adventures that come with growing up alongside a diverse group of animal friends. As Apollo and his companions play and explore their world, they learn valuable lessons about friendship and life. This charming first book in a series invites children to join Apollo on his delightful adventures, promising a journey filled with fun and learning.

Are You Free?

The Morettis are a Sarasota family of Cafeteria Catholics, (rejecting some Vatican doctrines—mainly pelvic issue ones). Widower Dante goes to his first Confession in decades. He confesses gossip: telling his two daughters of his brother Nick’s fling with the caterer for his wedding vow renewal with Nick’s then-wife Rosemary. An unusual Penance surprises Dante. Tantrums of Nick’s ex-wife Rosemary impact events. Dante wants another good woman to love, but dating yields only stories that amuse his girls.

Dante’s gossip is repeated, changing with each teller. Floridians talk about freedom (yet yearn to mate). An undreamt-of source for finding love and fulfilling Dante’s Penance offers challenge and hope. Her name is Abigail.

Soon they’re doing everything in a pandemic. How could anything go right?

Are You Free? offers a witty rumination on family, religion, and the search for love in many forms – grief, longing, regret, surprise.

Aristotle: Form and Matter Edification

Aristotle: Form and Matter Edification offers an in-depth exploration of Aristotle’s central metaphysical concepts. This scholarly work meticulously reconstructs Aristotle’s theories, presenting them through the rigorous lens of analytic geometry and metaphysics. Fortin successfully bridges ancient philosophical thought with modern scientific inquiry, making complex ideas accessible and relevant for contemporary scholars.

In this treatise, Fortin delves into the intricate relationship between form and matter, which lies at the heart of Aristotelian ontology. He thoroughly examines Aristotle’s notions of substance, expanse, and quantity, elucidating how these foundational principles underpin existence and change. The text traverses various dimensions of being, from the indivisible unity of numbers to the tangible perceptions of visual and auditory experiences, offering a comprehensive understanding of Aristotle’s enduring impact on both ancient and modern science and philosophy.

Fortin’s focus on the dynamic nature of human intellect underscores the timeless relevance of Aristotelian thought. Aristotle: Form and Matter Edification is an essential read for serious students of philosophy and science, providing a rigorous and thoughtful analysis of Aristotle’s work. This volume not only pays homage to Aristotle’s intellectual legacy but also invites readers to engage with the perennial questions of existence, substance, and the nature of reality.

Arlington

In Lisbon, 1941, an all-American boy, Manny, falls for a captivating French girl, Mari. Their whirlwind romance leads them to the heart of France, where they join the resistance against Nazi occupation. Together, they foil a German general’s plot to loot precious art and treasure, but their fight is far from over.

Mari, now pregnant, returns to her hometown to aid her father, a newspaper editor secretly forging documents to save Jewish lives. Meanwhile, Manny continues the struggle, first with the resistance and then as a soldier in the U.S. Army.

Arlington is a heart-wrenching and emotional tale, yet moments of humor, hope, and resilience offer respite, further immersing readers in the lives of both soldiers and civilians caught in the crossfire. The novel paints a compellingly honest portrait of war, expertly balancing thrilling twists and turns with profound emotional depth, leaving readers on the edge of their seats until the final, hopeful moments.

At its core, Arlington is a poignant love story set against the backdrop of war. Given the current state of global politics, it also serves as a timely and cautionary tale about the enduring fight for freedom and justice.

Around the World with AA, BB, and CC

Embark on an extraordinary adventure with AA, BB, and CC, three curious aliens from a distant planet, sent to explore the wonders of Earth. As shapeshifting beings of pure energy, they traverse all seven continents, visiting captivating places and encountering fascinating creatures along the way.

CC, a mischievous free spirit, leads the trio into a series of thrilling and educational misadventures. From narrowly escaping a leopard seal in Antarctica to riding a geyser in Yellowstone, conversing with polar bears, and becoming heroes in Amsterdam, their journey is filled with excitement and surprises. CC’s antics even lead to reports of a woolly mammoth roaming the countryside and someone being ejected from a volcanic eruption!

Throughout their escapades, young readers will discover various branches of science, including geography, climate, zoology, archaeology, paleontology, and volcanology. The aliens’ ability to change form allows them to interact with the colorful and quirky animals they meet, leading to delightful and informative conversations.

Ask Annie About Microbiology

Algae and fungi and bacteria—Oh my! So, you’re telling me there is a whole other ecosystem existing all around us and we can’t even see it?

Annie, a very tiny middle-school-aged girl who has been bullied for her size, is about to find out how creatures even smaller than herself can be essential to the functions of the world we live in. This book contains scientific explanations, definitions, and links to lesson plans and coloring pages for your little scientist to learn all about microbiology—the study of microbes.

Come along with Annie to discover more about the animals living on our hands, in our fish tanks, and under our pillows that are much too small for us to see! These amazing microscopic creatures are vital to the health, function, and well-being of every other animal on the planet. Every creature, no matter how big or small, has an important purpose on Earth!

Awake in Dreams Sleeping Death Away

Awake in Dreams Sleeping Death Away is a pun on the different states of consciousness, which is open to multifactorial answers. In reality, the observations in the poems leave the readers perhaps with more questions than answers.
The three states of consciousness—awakening, sleeping, and dreaming—hint at the fine line between life and death. The entire book can be seen as a dream.

Awake in Dreams Sleeping Death Away does not try to scientifically claim any truths, but it does attempt to question what we may hold as true. It is more important to experience the poems, rather than to actualize them in an objective manner. No doubt the meaning or truth in these poems, if any can be found, will be organic and morph with each new reader.   

Ç'est La Vie

Stella Anderson is no stranger to detention, but her latest infraction leads her to a group of fellow rule-breakers at her new school in Dewberry, Texas. However, when their teacher goes missing, these five misfits, each with their own unique quirks - McClark the ‘psychic,’ Quinby the underqualified ‘social navigator,’ Mira the small-town goth, Reagan the bitter and resentful, and Sella the pig-headed friend - must band together to uncover the truth behind Ms. Weaver’s disappearance. As they navigate their newfound roles as amateur detectives, will they crack under the pressure or rise to the challenge?

Baby Bibba: The Giraffe Who Wanted to Be an Eagle

Did you ever want to be something or someone you’re not?

Have you ever wondered why you were born the way you are?

Meet a giraffe named Baby Bibba who asks her mama why she was born a giraffe and not an eagle. Go with Baby Bibba and Mama Giraffe to a wild elephant tea party where Baby Bibba decides she no longer wants to be an eagle. She’s happy being who she is: a giraffe in East Africa.