CHILDREN'S BOOKS

It is 1944 and nine-year-old Clare will finally be able to help with the potato harvest—up until now, she was only able to earn the "penny a hundred" her father paid her to pick potato bugs off the plants. But this year, with so many local men off fighting the war, German POWs are brought in to help with the harvest. Clare's not sure what to expect from the strangers, but it soon becomes clear that these men are not so different from young American soldiers—they are relieved to be out of the fighting, but sad to be so far from home. For Christmas, Clare is determined to recreate at least one familiar tradition for Peter, a POW who has befriended her. Their gifts for one another strengthen the bonds of their friendship and help both the POWs and Clare's family enjoy a memorable Christmas Eve. Even amid the hardships of war, they find much to give each other. Includes two recipes to try yourself! Color illustrations throughout. Hardcover. 31 pgs.

Welcome to Brown Cow Farm, an old Maine farm where the animals seem to appear faster than they can be counted. In her inimitable style, Dahlov Ipcar has created this charming counting book. Entering the big brown barn on a snowy day, children and parents alike can count aloud the animals they find there, from a big shiny brown horse to nine brown hens with zigzag combs. When springtime comes, watch out; that's when all the baby animals are born and we discover one of the unique features of this book: Unlike most counting books, which end at ten or twenty, Brown Cow Farm allows readers to count all the way to one hundred. Paperback: 42 pages

A mother gives her little boy a handmade quilt, but it's more than just a quilt. It's a whole world where fantastical animals run, hide, swim, and frolic in a calico jungle. The boy enters this wild landscape and travels through it. He spies calico birds pecking at fruits, sees calico elephants giving each other shower baths, discovers spotted horses, striped lions, and calico fish shining like jewels.

As he nears the far side of the quilt, the animals he encounters are curled up asleep. The boy grows sleepy, too. His eyes close and he dreams that he is "walking through the calico jungle, under the flowering trees, where all the strange and wonderful animals lived."

This marvelous book by renowned artist and illustrator Dahlov Ipcar will spark every child's imagination, inspire them to question what is real, and invite them to explore a world full of color and possibility. 42 Pages

Do you know why the transit fare card in Boston is called the CharlieCard? Young readers will find out, and should bring an extra nickel along, when they hop aboard the “T” to follow Charlie through the streets of Boston in 1949. The full-page magical illustrations of Caitlin Marquis will take readers on a ride above and below the streets of Boston as they were in Charlie's time, zooming past familiar landmarks―many still standing, some long gone―wondering all the while, will Charlie ever return? Julia M. O’Brien-Merrill sets the story straight using original historical documents and the original M.T.A. song lyrics of the mayoral campaign song, written by Bess Lomax Hawes and Jackie Steiner, for her father Walter A. O'Brien, Jr. A timeline at the end of the book has juicy tidbits of Boston’s history surrounding this time-honored folk song, made famous by the Kingston Trio, and will inform and enthrall readers young and old. Color illustrations throughout. Hardcover. 24 pgs.

One of the most respected sports writers of her time, Cornelia "Fly Rod" Crosby used her abilities as an angler, hunter, and writer to share, conserve, and promote the abundant beauty of the Maine woods for women as well as men. From her early days as a sickly yet feisty little girl, through her lifelong struggle with illness, this story explores and illuminates Cornelia's persistence and strength. Colorful illustrations throughout. Paperback. 35 pgs.

In a career spanning more than three-quarters of a century, Maine artist Dahlov Ipcar has written and illustrated more than thirty children's and young adult books, starting with The Little Fisherman (written by Margaret Wise Brown) in 1945 and including The Cat at Night, One Horse Farm, Hardscrabble Harvest, The Calico Jungle, and My Wonderful Christmas Tree. Her unique and distinctively modern style helped change the role of artwork in children's literature. She was born in 1917 in Vermont and raised in New York City. Her parents, the famed sculptor William Zorach and artist Marguerite Zorach, bought a farm on Georgetown Island in 1923, where Ipcar first summered and later moved with her husband Adolph in 1937. She still lives on the farm and continues to paint almost every day. In 2010, she released her first new book in more than twenty years. Board book 20 pages

The epic tale by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow of the deportation of the Acadians from Nova Scotia. Condensed and retold here with colorful illustrations throughout. Hardcover.32 pgs.

How fast can a puffin fly? What is the only domestic cat native to North America? In "Fishing for Numbers," Mainers and visitors alike will enjoy learning about the fascinating history of the state. Author Cynthia Furlong Reynolds' playful rhymes and illustrator Jeannie Brett's lively artwork will keep readers of all ages "fishing" for more! Hardcover.

Also available for purchase: a puffin plush toy.

In this touching and beautifully illustrated story, Allen Say shares his grandfather's journey from Japan to America and back again. He warmly conveys both his and his grandfather's love for the two countries and their strong constant desire to be in both places at once. Paperback. 32 pg.

Detailed, accurate illustrations of 43 homes representing a wide range of styles and periods. Includes the Wadsworth-Longfellow house as well as the Mark Twain House, House of the Seven Gables, Emily Dickinson House, Nathan Hale Homestead, Winslow Homer Cottage, Robert Frost Place, The Breakers, many more. Informative captions describe each dwelling. Educational and entertaining resource.48 Pgs Paperback

Goodnight Moon creator Margaret Wise Brown's The Important Book is a deceptively simple exercise--taking familiar things like an apple, spoon, or shoe, and finding the most basic association with those things. The most important thing about an apple? It is round. A spoon? You eat with it. A shoe? You put your foot in it. But why, according to Brown, is the most important thing about grass "that it is green," while the most important thing about an apple is "that it is round"? Why is "that it is white" the most important thing about snow and a daisy? Whether or not you'd distill these things in the same way that the author does, Brown makes us think about the essence of everyday entities in new ways. The illustrations, by Caldecott Medal winner Leonard Weisgard (The Little Island), perform the same function--capturing the spoonness of spoons, the roundness of an apple, the motion of wind. Paperback 24 pages

"Matthias is the youngest son in a family of 12 children who live with their parents on Tibbetts Island, Maine, in the days before the 'rusticators' built fancy homes on its shores. When he is old enought to leave home, Matthias sails around the world, but always knows where his heart lies. A cherishable glimpse of a bygone time."-Publishers Weekly paper, 1988, 32 pages

Temporarily out of stock

When his grandfather asks Kunu to help him with some basket making tasks, Kunu comes to understand that it is the tradition of his family for one generation to help the next. He also learns that it might take several tries before he gets it right. Can he be patient enough to try again and again? His grandfather shows him the way and at last Kunu's first basket is something to celebrate. Color illustrations throughout. Hardcover. 32 pgs.

The Little Fisherman brought together two exceptionally talented women, Dahlov Ipcar and Margaret Wise Brown, who would emerge in postwar America as artistic and literary giants. This delightful and charming book now stands as a milestone in children's literature that has been cherished by generations past, and will be by generations to come. Hardcover 32 Pages

Virginia Lee Burton won the Caldecott Medal in 1943 for her memorable picture book The Little House, a poignant story of a cute country cottage that becomes engulfed by the city that grows up around it. The house has an expressive face of windows and doors, and even the feelings of a person, so she’s sad when she’s surrounded by the dirty, noisy city’s hustle and bustle: “She missed the field of daisies / and the apple trees dancing in the moonlight.” Fortunately, there’s a happy ending, as the house is taken back to the country where she belongs. A classic!

New for 2004, Longfellow:A Coloring Book offers 13 illustrations of favorite Longfellow poems with corresponding verses. Illustrations by Michael R. Gerard, Jr.

Margaret Chase Smith was the first woman to run for president on a major party ticket. this biography highlights key moments in her personal and political life. From Smith's humble beginnings to her foray into Congress to her historic decision to run for president, readers will be inspired by the feisty, independent woman who embodied the qualities upon which this country was founded. A series of thematically organized time lines accompanies the text, providing context for the life of this extraordinary woman. 32 Pgs Paperback

A lush and lively book based on the traditional holiday carol. Readers of all ages will delight in learning about the hardworking people who treasure and share Maine's rich gifts, from shrimpers and bakers to clam diggers and knitters. Winner of the Spark Award. Full color illustrations throughout. Hardcover. 34 pgs.

This colorfully illustrated board book will take babies and toddlers on a delightful discovery of New England as they count the treasures of this unique region. Maine author and illustrator. Printed in Mexico. 20 pgs.

Today is a special day for Sal...she gets to go to Bucks Harbor with her father! But when she wakes up she discovers she has a LOOSE TOOTH! This is the start of a big day for Sal! Paperback. 64 pgs.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's immortal poem about this famous revolutionary is now movingly portrayed by Ted Rand, "a master of atmosphere and moonlight" (School Library Journal). paperback, 1990.

Presented in picture book format, this unfocused collection of poems and extracts from this 19th-century poet gathers up a few chestnuts, but also (unintentionally and unjustly) suggests ample reason to avoid the rest of his oeuvre. Preceded by a dense introduction, the more accessible selections``The Arrow and the Song,'' the ever-charming ``Children's Hour,'' and the wonderfully lurid ``Wreck of The Hesperus''are scattered gems among such deadening material as ``Woods In Winter'' (``with solemn feet I tread the hill,/That overbrows the lonely vale''), ``A Psalm Of Life,'' and ``Hymn To The Night'' (``Peace! Peace! Orestes-like I breathe this prayer!''). In addition, ``Evangeline'' is represented by a mere six lines, and even ``Paul Revere's Ride'' is incomplete. Painting in a realistic style, Wallace shows more facility depicting landscapes than people. Even though Longfellow's famous poems are readily available elsewhere, few readersafter plowing through this uninspired handfulwill feel an urge to read more. Paperback. 48 pages

Elwyn Brooks White loved words. As a child, he chased them through dictionary pages and crafted them into poems. When he was a young man, words led him to writing jobs at big-city newspapers and The New Yorker. In this stunning first-ever fully illustrated biography of the legendary author E. B. White, Melissa Sweet uses White's letters, photos, and manuscripts-as well as her original collaged art-to convey the true story of one of the most beloved authors of all time. Color illustrations throughout. Hardcover. 162 pgs.

If walls could talk, what would they say? Perhaps they would tell us who built them and why. Maybe they could even tell us about people s lives today or about how our ancestors lived thousands of years ago. In this book walls really do talk, and oh, the stories they tell. This new edition combines the beloved children's books Talking Walls and Talking Walls: The Stories Continue. Together, those titles sold more than 170,000 copies. This new edition, thoroughly revised by the author, makes the text more accessible to young readers and English Language Learners and produces a book that is ideal for reading aloud. The back matter includes a world map that helps readers locate the many walls described, as well as additional information about the walls, the places, and the people. Hardcover 64 pages

Out on the islands that poke their rocky shores above the waters of Penobscot Bay, you can watch the time of the world go by, from minute to minute, hour to hour, from day to day...So begins McCloskey's classic storyof one summer on a Maine island. paper, 1957, 63 pages