CHILDREN’S PUBLISHING Daisy and Josephine is a charming story from SIMON AND SCHUSTER, written by Melissa Gilbert and illustrated by Julia Kuo, that describes the love all kids find in their furry friends. Everyone has a favorite person, and Daisy’s is her dad. When the two of them are on the road for his work, Daisy sometimes feels lonely. She is very shy and wishes she had a friend. So Daddy gets Daisy a surprise: a funny-looking puppy named Josephine. They make quite a pair—Daisy with her overbite and Josephine with her underbite. Will Daisy’s rambunctious new friend help bring her out of her shell? This charming story of an unlikely friendship, based on actress and author Gilbert’s own childhood and her own French bull dog named Josephine, is one that everyone can relate to.
Henny, published by SIMON AND SCHUSTER, is written and illustrated by Elizabeth Rose Stanton. Henny doesn’t look like any other chicken she knows—instead of wings, she has arms! Sometimes Henny likes being different. She enjoys the way her arms flutter like ribbons when she runs. But other times, she just can’t do things the same way as the other chickens. In this heartwarming story, Henny comes to realize that doing things the same as everyone else is overrated. The story is sweetly told and illustrated with fresh, expressive artwork that celebrates the individual in everyone.
The Luca Lashes series from LUCA LASHES LLC turns fearful firsts into educational adventures. Written and illustrated by Nicole Fonovich, Damir Fonovich, and Camille Turnbull, Luca Lashes is a multilingual eBook and app series that makes first experiences, from dentist and doctor visits to swimming lessons, a more positive experience for kids and parents. The main character of the book, Luca, is a boy who has magic eyelashes that give him special powers and make him brave. The seventh book in the series, Luca Lashes and his Trip to the Nursing Home, features Luca as he visits his greatgrandmother, plays some games, and has a wonderful time. This story is a great resource for parents and grandparents to introduce the concept of nursing homes. At the end of each story, a parental section provides suggestions for making the designated first experience more comfortable. Each story incorporates lively cadence and rhyming, and is available in English, Spanish, Chinese, French, and Italian to meet diverse language needs, as well as to introduce new languages to children.
SPECIALTY TOYS & GIFTS
S32
FEBRUARY 2014