Showing 1–100 of 107 results
When Mayor Doug Wilder Ruled Richmond: Strong-Arm Politics in Virginia’s Capital City
$19.95 – $35.95
written by Linwood Norman
Our nation’s first elected Black governor, L. Douglas Wilder, returned to public service in 2005 as the first popularly elected mayor of Richmond, Virginia in nearly sixty years. Despite his landslide election, voters may have had little idea what they were getting themselves into, as many were ill-prepared for Wilder’s strong style of leadership. He had remarkable success in reducing crime, cutting government spending, and boosting economic vitality, but Wilder’s relationship with City Council and the School Board—and the disagreements that ensued from both sides—tarnished his record as mayor. Author and former press secretary to the mayor, Linwood Norman, skillfully recounts the turmoil of Richmond’s transition to the “strong mayor” model of local government during what was a memorable chapter in Richmond’s rich political history that is still deliberated today, more than fifteen years after Wilder’s charismatic tenure concluded.
Save the Trees
$15.95 – $26.95
written by Leslie Eva Tayloe
illustrated by Lintang Pandu Pratiwi
Ronnie loves trees. So when strange vines appear all over town, strangling the trees and making them fall over, he jumps into action right away! But Ronnie’s just one kid, and even with friends and family helping to pick, pull, and pluck the vines, they just grow faster every day!
If he really wants to save the trees, Ronnie will have to get the whole town to help out . . . before it’s too late!
Why Can’t I Just Be Me?: Remove the Masks that Hide You from the World and from Yourself
$17.95 – $28.95
written by Melissa Dawn
illustrated by Liz Lee
Let me ask you. . . . Do you feel like you can drop your masks, speak your truth, and bring your whole self forward with the people around you? Your family, colleagues, partner, friends?
After coaching thousands of people over the past decade, I can confidently say that it is the rare exception for someone to feel truly at ease as themselves—no masks, no personas, no self-protective habits—with everyone around them.
There is always an element of holding back, which drives feelings of isolation and disconnection.
In bringing this book forward, I want to help you identify what is getting in your way, guide you to break the patterns that hold you back, and get you to where you feel at ease dropping the isolating masks you’ve cultivated over the years.
Are you ready to start taking full ownership of yourself and your story? To take the courageous step to reconnect with your whole self, shadow and all?
Why Can’t I Just Be Me? is a guidebook—complete with worksheets, exercises, coaching tips and practical strategies—that will take you on a powerful journey within, illuminating what needs to shift and how to shift it, and giving you the tools to start living your life as the YOU that you are meant to be.
It's time to remove the masks that hide you from the world and yourself!
Collette in Third Grade
$15.95 – $26.95
written by Collette Divitto
illustrated by Lintang Pandu Pratiwi
Entrepreneur and activist Collette Divitto follows up her debut children’s book, Collette in Kindergarten, with the heartwarming second installment, Collette in Third Grade.
With a new year comes new challenges. Collette, a young girl with Down syndrome, must navigate balancing her busy schedule and a difficult curriculum, all while feeling different from her classmates. Join Collette during her third-grade year, and meet the special person who helps her along the way.
The War of Independence Way
$16.95
written by Brian Pinaire
illustrated by Tom Burchell
The War of Independence Way opens with the Reds (the British redcoats), bullies from Crown Township, blasting Massachusetts Avenue boys with paintballs (the Boston Massacre) on the orders of their leader, Georgie King (King George III), the richest kid around and the worst eighth grader in history. Members of Down with Crown, a “secret society,” get revenge by dumping lemonade over Georgie’s head rather than pay “taxes” on their profits. Which works out well . . . except that it starts a war that Independence Way seems to have no chance of winning.
Because the neighborhood needs her, GW (George Washington) reluctantly leads the Independence Warriors. But despite early victories, such as crossing Delaware Creek to humiliate Georgie in his own school, the Warriors, already under-resourced, become completely overwhelmed. GW hatches a plan that is either fantastically brilliant or incredibly stupid: attacking the Reds inside the Taco Bell at York Road and Town Boulevard, while also gathering “sensitive” information on them to make them give up.
Eventually, Georgie surrenders (sort of), but without something to be against, the kids wonder what it is they are for. Will Independence Way remain thirteen separate blocks, or can the neighborhood become “united streets”?
Pollyanna Gay
$12.99 – $23.95
written by Jer Long
August Applegate is sixteen years old, and he’s known he’s gay for eleven of them. But in 1963, life in a small Appalachian hamlet doesn’t offer many opportunities to learn what that truly means.
That is, not until August spends one magical—if tumultuous—summer at Buck’s County Theatre Camp. There, he steps behind the curtains that shield the gay world from view and enters a bewildering universe of heated flings, dramatic breakups, and unspoken rules that leave his head spinning. Or perhaps that’s just his bunkmates: Pete, beautiful, charismatic, and secretive; and Farley Fairfield, chaos incarnate, who seems to hate August no matter what he does.
Thus begins a journey of many years, as August leaves camp and returns home to his loving, dysfunctional family; completes high school; attends college; survives life (once again) as Farley’s roommate; and finally sets out to build a life on his own terms. Navigating the uproar of the 1970s and into the next decade, August witnesses the defiant joy of the gay rights movement and the creeping dread of the AIDS crisis. Yet even amid the waning of old friendships, the withering of old loves, and the unspoken traumas that hold his family in their codependent orbits, the one thing August can’t get rid of is his tender, trusting “Pollyanna” heart.
But August’s stubborn optimism is more than just a chic set of rose-colored glasses. In fact, it might be the only pillar to which his loved ones can cling amid the relentless tides of fate. . . .
Like the Sea and the Sky: A Mysterious Mollusk and Its Magical Blue Ink
$14.95 – $25.95
written by Jordan Namerow
illustrated by Michelle Simpson
Seven-year-old Zinni loves learning about the world—especially the ocean and the wondrous creatures that live there!
Of all the world’s fascinating sea creatures, her favorites are mollusks, like squids and sea snails. When Zinni’s mommy, a rabbi, tells her the story of a mysterious ancient mollusk whose vivid blue ink is sacred to the Jewish people, Zinni is determined to find it . . . even if the only place she can search is in her dreams.
The Big Buna Bash (Amharic Edition)
$15.95
written by Sara Arnold
illustrated by Roberta Malasomma
When Almaz makes a mistake in school, she’s really embarrassed! Other kids tease her because they don’t understand her Ethiopian culture. How can she use her family’s traditions to make friends? She needs to host a BIG BUNA BASH!
Six Revolutionary WOW Factor Women
$8.99 – $13.95
written by Heidi Hartwiger
WHAT EXACTLY IS THE WOW FACTOR?
It’s a special quality tucked down deep inside you, which comes out when a problem needs solving. It might come from love, courage, or perseverance. Whatever inspires it, it is the part of you that says, “Watch Out World! I can deal with this.”
In this book, you will meet six strong, determined, independent women of America’s Revolutionary period—among them an extraordinary schoolteacher; an enslaved woman who went to court and won her freedom; a clever mother who took on six Redcoats on her own; an Oneida maiden who braved a blizzard to save Washington’s troops at Valley Forge; a sixteen-year-old girl trapped in a fort under siege; and even a president’s wife, hauling important documents from the burning White House—all of whom found their WOW factors within a few years of each other!
Who knows? As you explore their stories, you might just discover your own WOW factor!
Mamta’s Lovely Mustache
$15.95 – $26.95
written by Puja Suri
illustrated by Michelle Simpson
Mamta is so excited for her first day of grade three! But when her classmates start to whisper and laugh in the line for recess, Mamta wonders if she’ll ever fit in. With some help from her Ma, Mamta learns to celebrate who she is in a confident and sparkling way. As Mamta encourages her classmates to shine bright and share their differences, she gains self-confidence and makes a new and unexpected friend.
Grandma’s Window
$2.99 – $22.95
written by Janet Halfmann
illustrated by Christy Tortland
Every day on the bus to school, new student Mateo stares out the window, wishing he had a friend to talk to . . . until one morning, when he spots something surprising in an apartment window—an older woman is smiling and waving to the bus!
For the next few weeks, Mateo and his classmates wave to the nice lady they lovingly nickname “Grandma,” and she always waves back. But one day, Grandma is missing from her window, and she’s not there the next day, either. Mateo and his classmates must work together to find Grandma and make sure she’s safe and happy.
Grandma’s Window is a story of friendship and kindness that shows us that, no matter how young or old you are, the best way to bring joy into your life is to give it to others.
Opening Closed Doors: The Story of Josie C. Murray
$14.95 – $25.95
written by Linda Sittig with Linda Jackson King
illustrated by Whitney Truitt
Not long ago, public libraries in Virginia were not so public. It would take the courage of a young African-American woman, Josie C. Murray, to challenge that.
From a young age, Josie felt the supreme injustice of the Jim Crow South—ordering ice cream inside a restaurant and continuing her education beyond the seventh grade were opportunities denied to Josie during her childhood. Josie was surrounded by closed doors, barred from opportunities available to white people. But in 1957, when she was denied the ability to check out a book from the Purcellville Library because of the color of her skin, Josie took action. With the help of her husband, Sam Murray, a lawyer, and even President Dwight D. Eisenhower, Josie built a case and became the catalyst for all public buildings in Virginia to desegregate.
Two Faces of the Moon: A Small Island Memoir
$7.99 – $16.95
by Carolyn McGrath
Each summer Carolyn McGrath leaves her home and husband to live alone in her log cabin on a small island in Canada. Her only companions are two dogs, abundant wildlife, and the ghost of her father, who died and left the island to her when she was seventeen. During the summer of 2001, she challenges her husband’s claim that her need for solitude renders her strange, recounting stories of many women who have immersed themselves in isolation in order to explore the natural world. McGrath senses that she’s one person while alone on her island, and quite another out in the world. Her island self remains separate from the one who visits her dying mother in a nursing home. While she had always adored her father, taking from him her love for the lake and for the people who’ve made their lives there, she struggles to reconcile those feelings with the way he entered into this wilderness to kill the wild creatures with whom she shares her island home. This leads her to a humbling discovery.
Love and Other Illusions
$16.00
by Mariah Robinson
Enter the world of Jillian Barrister and those who orbit around her-Clay, David, Norma and Dr. Allison-players in a riveting drama of love and loss, happiness and anguish, innocence and guilt. It is Dr. Allison's task to study and understand his patients through the process of analysis, and Jillian is no exception-or is she? The more deeply he probes, the closer he comes to unearthing the childhood tragedy that has isolated her from herself and others, and could topple the precarious defenses of her internal world-a fragile but guarded state of consciousness in which the past is always just beneath the surface.
Twinings: Poems at Eighty
$6.99 – $14.95
by Julie Fritz
This gathering of poems from Julie Fritz’s lifetime of attention will give readers a chance to travel back in their own memories too, bringing with them the probing questions and insights she has generously shared in this heartfelt collection about a life well-lived.
Spirit of the Forest
$15.95
by Kate Kempton
12-year-old Coby is navigating a complicated world.
It’s summer in 1980s Texas, and Coby heads to work with his dad, B.B., a logger. At the logging site, Coby is thrust headlong into a fight for the forest and its spirit, for his family, and for his own dignity. Coby finds his courage tested beyond his wildest expectations, in an adventure through the heart of the dark and ancient woods, through a hurricane, and through his emergence as a young Black man in a color-charged world. Coby finds his strength, and his voice, with the help of the haunting bear-man, a sweet little skunk named Orphus, and the magic of an open heart.
The Woods of Wicomico (1st Ed.)
$2.99 – $15.95
written by Nuala C. Galbari
illustrated by Buttons Boggs
During the hot, lazy days of summer, life in the woods of Wicomico is peaceful. Mukki the muskrat makes herbal teas, Cornelius the crow fruitlessly tries to take a midday nap, and young Timothy Trumble the tortoise marvels at the world around him. But when humans plan to build a new development in their woodland, the community of animals springs into action to save their homes.
Join a host of loveable characters as they work together to stop the destruction of the Wicomico woodland and preserve their way of life. Travel with them on the Chesapeake Bay, where they meet new friends and find a bright world outside the Wicomico woods. After an ample share of excitement, they learn that small animals can make a difference and discover that plenty of wisdom can be found right at home.
Songs, vocabulary, and fun facts about the history and wildlife of the Chesapeake Bay, make The Woods of Wicomico a delightful educational experience for the whole family. This imaginative, richly illustrated, story invites us all to discover, enjoy, and preserve the natural world around us.
Strangers in Jerusalem
$4.99 – $23.95
by Kerry Olitzky and Inas Younis
After many years, Leila is back in her birthplace, Jerusalem, and she’s on a mission. Before she left for the Holy Land, Leila promised that she’d say a healing prayer for her best friend back home, even though Leila is Muslim and has never prayed in a Christian church. While making her way through the crooked streets in the Old City of Jerusalem, Leila meets Asma and Rachel, two girls also trying to find holy sites of religions that are different from their own. Together, they’ll discover that Jerusalem is perhaps the most special and welcoming place in the world.
The Big Buna Bash (Hebrew Edition)
$13.95
written by Sara Arnold
illustrated by Roberta Malasomma
When Almaz makes a mistake in school, she’s really embarrassed! Other kids tease her because they don’t understand her Ethiopian culture. How can she use her family’s traditions to make friends? She needs to host a BIG BUNA BASH!
Before You Were You
$13.95 – $23.95
by David and Jonathan Shmidt Chapman
How do you make a baby, even when you don't have all the necessary ingredients? What does it take for two daddies to grow a family? Before You Were You is the story of how some babies are brought into the world-with the help of an inspiring, creative community of friends, family, doctors, and no small measure of love.
The Phoenix of Upperville
$9.99 – $23.95
by Bradford Moore
When Senator J.A. Burnside is found dead in his penthouse, the police rule it a suicide. However, Detective Arch Williams isn’t convinced, so decides to dig deeper. Meanwhile, Tradd Mashburn, a young attorney, comes across a seemingly run-of-the-mill historic preservation lawsuit coupled with an amicus brief so passionately written that he must meet its author. Burnside’s death and the lawsuit point to a conspiracy so grand and secretive it appears impossible to unravel. Tradd’s and Arch’s respective investigations bring them together unexpectedly, taking them across Virginia and deep into its culture. Together, they grapple with the reverberations of Southern history that linger in our modern times and attempt to uncover the truth behind Burnside’s death and the apparently benign lawsuit.
Normal
$7.99 – $17.95
by Dave Kerpen and Lindsay Brockington
Life for four middle schoolers in New York City can be tough. David’s dad has bipolar disorder. Alexa’s new stepmother will never be able to fill her mom’s shoes. Tiffany’s dad acts like he’d rather be at the bar than at home with his family. And Albert’s got a family secret he can’t even tell his best friend.
All these four strangers want is to be normal, but it seems like they’re cursed to be outcasts no matter how hard they try. That is until they hear about a special school on New York City’s Upper East Side that’s meant for kids who stand out.
Thanks to a lot of hard work, their new school, a magical teacher, and each other, these four misfits soon find that being different makes them something much better than normal. . . . It makes them friends.
Simone LaFray and the Red Wolves of London
$7.99 – $32.95
by S. P. O'Farrell
After her triumph at the Chocolatiers’ Ball, Simone LaFray wants to fade into the shadows and avoid her newfound popularity—but it is not to be. Duty calls when a fellow junior spy goes missing from the posh Claymoore School in London, and Simone jumps at the assignment. Going undercover, she soon finds herself embroiled in a complicated game involving dark forces, the enigmatic OmniKey, and an unruly royal. First looks can be deceiving, but could a certain redheaded thief be pulling the strings?
In this second book of the Simone LaFray Mysteries, Simone navigates school rivalries, oversees the opening of a new LaFray’s Patisserie, and finds herself questioning her loyalties as she prowls under the moonlight with the notorious Red Wolves. And to top it all off, the most popular boy in school can’t stop staring at her. The life of the world’s most promising young spy is about to get messy.
Bone Necklace
$4.99 – $28.95
written by Julia Sullivan
In the summer of 1877, the bedraggled remains of the Nez Perce tribe took on the U.S. Army and, despite being badly outnumbered and outgunned, emerged victorious. Inspired by true events, Bone Necklace captures the intensity, violence, and unexpected conclusion of America’s final “Indian War,” told from the perspectives of a Nez Perce warrior, an Idaho militiaman, and an English painter who gets caught up in the violence. Combining heart-thumping action with an unforgettable cast, the novel centers on the relationship between two fighters, who are both enemies and allies in this war.
Bone Necklace is a tale of survival in which the Nez Perce not only overcome staggering odds but also win the grudging respect of a war-weary nation. While deeply rooted in American history, this remarkable story continues to resonate, illuminating modern debates around institutional racism, journalistic bias, and the call for courage in times of moral crisis.
Brothers and Strangers: A German-Iraqi Memoir
$8.99 – $19.95
written by Junis Sultan
Born in Mosul, Iraq, to a wealthy intercultural family, Junis Sultan’s happy, privileged childhood is abruptly cut short by the start of the Gulf War in 1991. With their home destroyed, Junis’s family flees to Germany, settling in a small conservative town near Frankfurt. As his family struggles to adapt to their new circumstances, Junis finds himself increasingly torn between two worlds—fighting to carve out an identity for himself between his family’s expectations and a culture that demands his assimilation. After the 9/11 terror attacks, Junis begins to keep a diary, in which he reflects on questions of family, friendship, religion, and politics. These deep insights gradually expand beyond cultural borders, as Junis begins to explore the universal human needs for bonding and freedom.
Brothers and Strangers is a unique, heartfelt memoir of endurance, forgiveness, and self-actualization, offering a timely message about the importance of acting with openness and love in a global reality.
Of Memories and Mirages
by Abu B. Rafique $7.99 – $30.95
written by Abu B. Rafique
Although both time and origin separate them, this story is of lives that fate and circumstance have tied to Pakistan. Aasiya slips away from watchful eyes to meet her lover at a teashop in the same city her grandparents, Suraiya and Iqbal, once moved to after meeting amid the bloodshed of the Partition. The owner of the teashop, Salim, also finds himself refuge from Afghanistan’s war in the heat of Karachi. Meanwhile, a family nearby deals with the consequences of their son eagerly leaving the city and bearing firsthand witness to the horrors of the seemingly holy war.
My Family Tree Has Roots
$4.99 – $22.95
written by Tina Mowrey
illustrated by Vineet Siddhartha
When Jasmyn’s teacher assigns a family tree project to the class, Jasmyn can’t help but feel uneasy. She loves her family, but she’s not sure how everyone fits together. Jasmyn is especially unsure about where to place her birth parents. To complete her project, Jasmyn must look at her tree in a different way.
IKIGAI: Life’s Purpose
$4.99 – $23.95
written by Chiemi Souen
illustrated by Flor Kaneshiro
Inspired by a true story, a young boy overcomes self-doubt to realize his dream of sharing the traditional Okinawan art of uta-sanshin with the world.
The Adventures of Fuzzy and Buzzy
by Josh Brandstadter $4.99 – $22.95
written by Josh Brandstadter
illustrated by Soraya Bartolome
A hungry bear named Fuzzy and a hardworking bee named Buzzy form an unlikely bond to right a wrong! Working together, the new friends learn that everyone, no matter how big or small, can make a difference in their local ecosystem. This is the first of Fuzzy and Buzzy’s adventures aimed at teaching children and their parents about the responsibility we all share to protect the world we live in.
A Rebellious Woman
by Claire J. Griffin $9.99 – $34.95
by Claire J. Griffin
A Rebellious Woman is based on the life story of Belle Boyd (1844-1900), whose coming of age coincided with the opening shots of the Civil War. Debutante, teenaged spy, seductress, actress, divorcee, cross-dresser, and self-promoter, she carried a pistol and wasn’t afraid to use it. In a century when a woman was meant to be nothing more than a well-behaved wife and mother, Belle Boyd stands out as a scandalous woman of history defying all the rules.
It’s My Time to Fly: The Story of Caterpillar Number Five
by Julie Conner $12.95 – $22.95
written by Julie Conner
illustrated by Emily Row
Five baby caterpillars grow and grow. They hang upside down, tuck themselves into cozy chrysalises, and wake as beautiful butterflies. But Caterpillar Number Five is just a little behind the rest. When will it be his time to fly?
The Clothesline Code: The Story of Civil War Spies Lucy Ann and Dabney Walker
$4.99 – $22.95
written by Janet Halfmann and illustrated by Trisha Mason
Lucy Ann and Dabney Walker didn’t have to risk their lives to spy for the Union army. The couple had already risked everything to escape slavery themselves.
But in early 1863, in the midst of the Civil War, the couple was determined to help defeat slavery for everyone—no matter the risk. Together, they created a secret code disguised as laundry on a clothesline. Their plan was incredibly dangerous: it required Lucy Ann to sneak into Confederate territory to steal military secrets, while Dabney took the vital information she gathered to the Union army.
This true story of sacrifice and bravery shows us that when we have courage and compassion for the world around us, even the simplest items can become powerful tools for change.
A Photographic Journey through the James River Park System
by Bill Draper $41.00
by Bill Draper
This special collection is a testament to photographer Bill Draper’s appreciation of Richmond’s most distinctive urban oasis, the James River Park System. These diverse views of the Park and the Richmond skyline were captured on and off the beaten path in all four seasons, from vantage points that are not always seen by the everyday Park visitor.
As these photos reveal, Bill’s appreciation for the Park’s beauty is a year-round passion. He can be found taking photos from sunup to sundown on both the hottest days of summer and the iciest days of winter. Bill says the secret to his success lies in covering between four and ten miles at a time, sometimes taking seventy-five to one hundred photos a day, hoping for a winning shot.
Along with nature lovers and Richmond devotees, we invite you to celebrate the unmatched beauty of one of the most beloved river park systems in the nation.
Royalties and the author’s net proceeds from sales of the book will be donated to the Friends of the James River Park, allowing them to continue to conserve, protect, and enhance Richmond’s 600-acre paradise.
Purchase this Special Limited Signed Edition from Friends of the James River Park!
Bubble Duck and Bubble Duck Does Hockey (2nd Ed.)
by Teresa Pistole $2.99 – $13.95
written by Teresa Pistole
illustrated by Alex Pistole
Meet Bubble Duck! Join Bubble Duck on his first adventure as he learns not to litter, plays ice hockey, and makes new friends!
Back Home
by Shaista Fatehali $4.99 – $22.95
written by Shaista Fatehali
illustrated by Michelle Simpson
Today is Asha’s first day of school in her new country. Everything seems so different. She can’t even understand what the teacher is saying! But with a little help from her classmates, Asha soon learns that things in her new school might not be so different from back home after all.
Collette in Kindergarten
by Collette Divitto $4.99 – $22.95
written by Collette Divitto
illustrated by Katie Mazeika
When Collette, a young girl with Down syndrome, begins her first year of school, her bubbly personality helps her make friends right away. Soon, Collette notices these new friends are not inviting her to playdates—but it’s not because they don’t want to invite her. Collette comes up with a great idea to show her classmates’ parents a new way of thinking.
Based on the real-life experiences of entrepreneur and activist Collette Divitto, Collette in Kindergarten shows us how important it is to practice acceptance throughout our lives, just as children do so freely every day.
Toby Wears a Tutu
by Lori Starling $4.99 – $22.95
written by Lori Starling
illustrated by Anita DuFalla
It's the first day of school, and Toby is dressed in their best and ready to make new friends! But first, Toby’s new classmates want to know: Is Toby a boy or a girl? Toby isn’t sure how to answer. Toby likes to wear basketball shorts and tutus. Toby plays ninjas and dances ballet. Finally, after a little thought and some encouragement from Mom, Toby has a declaration to make: they can eat, wear, do, or be anything they want! Toby isn’t a boy or a girl—Toby is just Toby!
Safe
by Elspeth Roake $7.99 – $16.95
by Elspeth Roake
Elspeth Roake lives in the competitive world of showing horses, aspiring to perfect technique in the ring against a backdrop of long hours, hard work, and frequent travel. On the surface, she is poised and goal-oriented. Only her boss, Leslie, is witness to her depression.
Leslie never shies away from Elspeth’s dark moods or tendency to self-harm, and eventually her strength and compassion inspire Elspeth to explore the shadows of childhood trauma which lurk at the back of her mind. But memories slip away even as she reaches for them, and behind closed doors Elspeth’s mental state continues to deteriorate. Over the course of two harrowing years, Elspeth sets increasingly radical goals for herself, determined not to let her illness get the better of her. Yet despite outward success, no ribbon or medal can help her outpace her depression. Finally, at a horse show far from home, Elspeth’s battle descends into a matter of life and death, and not even Leslie can help her. Finding herself trapped and sobbing into the sticky floor of a psychiatric ward, she realizes that something has to change.
Safe is a memoir of brutal and intense honesty, exploring the depths of despair, determination, and self-discovery, and the vital bonds—both human and animal—that make life possible.
Seasons for Stones
by Nikki Bergstresser $4.99 – $22.95
written by Nikki Bergstresser
illustrated by Kelly O'Neill
Tilly has not seen Mrs. Miller outside lately, tending to her garden or feeding the birds. What can she do when her neighbor is feeling down? Sometimes, small acts of kindness can make all the difference.
Once Upon a Fable
by Mariah Robinson $4.99 – $25.95
by Mariah Robinson
Once Upon a Fable is a lively collection of seven compelling and comforting tales with 20/20 vision. There’s a solid marriage verging on the rocks; an abandoned baby raven and a family of field mice; a precocious little boy, his strong-willed nanny, and his amazing best friend; an unyielding politician’s moments of reckoning; a bridge whiz millionaire who chooses his partner; a mantis of distinction and a beyond-the-coop hen who cross paths, and last, an exotic Hollywood-bound duck of color who gets her wish. Mariah Robinson has drawn a collection of fast-paced, age old dramas of memorable life events, enduring love, envy, animosity, infidelity with a twist, and a host of bittersweet tosses and turns--all set in fanciful plots. This unforgettable cast of characters is sure to capture your heart and set it spinning.
The Woods of Wicomico (2nd Ed.)
by Nuala Galbari $9.99 – $30.95
written by Nuala Galbari
illustrated by Button Boggs & Taylor Atkins
During the hot, lazy days of summer, life in the woods of Wicomico is peaceful. Mukki the muskrat makes herbal teas, Cornelius the crow fruitlessly tries to take a midday nap, and young Timothy Trumble the tortoise marvels at the world around him. But when humans plan to build a new development in their woodland, the community of animals springs into action to save their homes.
Join a host of loveable characters as they work together to stop the destruction of the Wicomico woodland and preserve their way of life. Travel with them on the Chesapeake Bay, where they meet new friends and find a bright world outside the Wicomico woods. After an ample share of excitement, they learn that small animals can make a difference and discover that plenty of wisdom can be found right at home.
Songs, vocabulary, and fun facts about the history and wildlife of the Chesapeake Bay make The Woods of Wicomico a delightful educational experience for the whole family. This imaginative, richly illustrated story invites us all to discover, enjoy and preserve the natural world around us.
Birds at the Post Office
by Richard Zuras $4.99 – $12.95
by Richard Zuras
These poems illuminate a life of family—a life of love and loss: jobs worked, kids born and raised, love’s passions and ebbs, failures and successes, the big moments and the small, the dreams and the nightmares.
The Big Buna Bash
by Sara Arnold $2.99 – $22.95
written by Sara Arnold
illustrated by Roberta Malasomma
When Almaz makes a mistake in school, she’s really embarrassed! Other kids tease her because they don’t understand her Ethiopian culture. How can she use her family’s traditions to make friends? She needs to host a BIG BUNA BASH!
A Tree For A Year
by Ellen Dutton $2.99 – $22.95
written by Ellen Dutton
illustrated by Emily Hurst Pritchett
The forest is a beautiful place, full of many different animals, tall trees, and a crystal-clear river. But when Man appears, he cuts down trees and scatters litter on the ground. Soon, the animals and their home threatened and decide they must come up with a plan to change Man’s ways. How can the animals show Man the true beauty and importance of their home? To understand the forest, Man must become a part of it. With Mother Nature’s help, Man is transformed in ways he never thought possible. But will a change in Man’s ways take root?
Half on Tuesdays
by Amy E. Whitman $2.99 – $16.95
by Amy E. Whitman
A soldier skilled in silent warfare has invaded my mother's body. He has marched his way up the spiral staircase, leading him to the top of her head. This is where he has set up camp. Slowly and faithfully, he has built a prison around her brain . . . Alzheimer's is an enemy of mine. And it is destroying my world!
At first, Summer doesn’t want to use the journal her mother gave her for her birthday. Soon she realizes that boyfriend issues, girl drama, and school worries can be worked through by writing them down. When Summer’s mom is diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s, the journal becomes Summer’s loyal confidant and trusted adviser. Pouring her heart into her cherished gift as her world falls apart around her, perhaps Summer will find a new way to connect with the mother she loves so much.
Super Socks
by Connie Bowman $2.99 – $22.95
written by Connie Bowman
illustrated by Kelly O'Neill
Molly’s little sister, Katie, was born with Down syndrome, but that’s never stopped her from doing anything! She helps with chores, makes new friends, and every morning without fail, she helps Molly pick out the wackiest, mis-matchiest socks she can find to wear to school.
Join Molly and Katie on a journey of kindness, acceptance, and finding the courage to be different, no matter what!
Sister Cities: A Story of Friendship Between Virginia and Mali
by Ana Edwards and Robin Poulton $4.99 – $19.95
by Ana Edwards and Robin Poulton
Most early African Virginians came from the lands of the medieval Empire of Mali, founded by the original Lion King. Since the first Africans arrived in 1619, Virginia’s history has been linked to Africa and to Mali. Virginia's culture is filled with West African music, food, and other influences—including slavery and colonial domination. Both cities have a victims’ cemetery.
Lifeline 65: How Small Connections and Big Enthusiasm Can Change Education
by Ryan Stein and Jennifer Costa Berdux $4.99 – $28.95
by Ryan T. Stein and Jennifer Costa Berdux
After fifteen years as an award-winning educator, Ryan Stein knows this: when you make the school experience about fostering genuine human connection, students don’t just succeed—they thrive.
In this part-guidebook, part-memoir, Ryan shares the best ideas and stories from his groundbreaking educational philosophy with anyone seeking to make a positive difference in a student’s life. Lifeline 65 is as joyful as it is useful, packed full of wit, humor, and heart. Try even one strategy and you’ll find your students more engaged, confident, and eager to excel, from elementary school to college and beyond. All you have to do is begin.
Everybody Can Dance!
by Kara Navolio $2.99 – $21.95
written by Kara Navolio
illustrated by Ruth-Mary Smith
The music starts. You feel the beat.
You clap your hands and tap your feet.
Everybody twist and twirl!
Everybody can dance!
This colorful picture book uses rhyme and rhythm to celebrate the joy of dancing, teaching kids that no matter your culture, physical ability, or style, everybody can dance!
Simone LaFray and the Chocolatiers’ Ball
by SP O’Farrell $6.99 – $25.95
by S.P. O'Farrell
Simone leads a double life.
As a covert agent, she walks in the footprints of her spy mother, darting between the shadows. If she’s not sleuthing, she’s icing eclairs and dusting pastries in her father’s patisserie.
When a notorious thief returns to Paris, the patisserie is threatened, and Simone questions everything. She and her father must participate in the exclusive Chocolatiers’ Ball to redeem themselves and catch the thief. Simone’s concealed life is crumbling, the shop hangs in the balance . . . and now she needs a ball gown!
Life in a French patisserie may not be as sweet as she thought.
The Precariousness of Done
by Tony Houck $5.99 – $15.95
by Tony Houck
Meet Ethan, a bright yet painfully shy former exchange student to Spain. He has returned to Las Rozas during the town’s annual fiestas—complete with carnival, bullfights, street vendors, and pickpockets. Ethan’s “Spanish family” welcomes him into their home despite having their own problems, and he becomes inextricably involved in the personal affairs of two sisters, for better or for worse.
Next meet Thomas, another American living in Spain, whose obsessive-compulsive disorder wreaks havoc on his daily life and keeps him from connecting with his family, and even worse, being with the woman he adores.
Full of Spanish zest, layers of love, and the nuances of mental disorders, this smart and sexy book is sure to evoke joy and sorrow. Find out how these men’s lives mysteriously intertwine in this wonderful novel about culture, family, and the precariousness of “done.”
B for Baxter
by Ted Simonin $13.95 – $21.95
written and illustrated by Ted Simonin
Baxter the dog is full of surprises—you never know what fun gadget he’s going to pull out next! When his bird buddies, Marcus and Fiona, begin their annual journey to their Family Tree, Baxter must find a way to fly with his feathery friends! Follow Baxter, Marcus, and Fiona across the United States as they find new twists on old traditions and learn what it really means to be a family.
Uncle George and Me
by Bill Sizemore $4.99 – $26.95
by Bill Sizemore
In Uncle George and Me, author Bill Sizemore tells the story of his slave-owning Virginia ancestors, their slaves, and those slaves’ descendants—a story that lay buried by a century of denial and historical amnesia. Its threads run through the Civil War, Reconstruction, Jim Crow, the Great Migration, the struggle for civil rights, and the crippling legacy of slavery that still plagues the nation today. In microcosm, it is the story of Virginia and the South. In telling it, Sizemore hopes to advance an essential, if painful, national conversation about race.
Dinosaurs in the Cornfield: Lessons Unearthed on My Grandfather’s Farm
by William B. Hardison, Jr. $19.95 – $28.95
written by William B. Hardison, Jr.
illustrated by Candice Smith
Grandpa says it best. He always does:
“Knowin’ where you came from makes you part of somethin’ larger’n yerself—and from yer beginnin’, you were meant t’ be larger’n yerself.”
For young Billy, summer means saying goodbye to city life and traveling seven hundred miles to visit his grandparents on their Tennessee farm. It means long, humid days of snapping beans, milking cows, hunting for fossils in rocky fields, and trips into town for ice-cream sodas and comic books at the five-and-dime. It means muggy nights spent on the front porch with family, the boys gathered around the big Philco radio, listening to The Lone Ranger over the low hum of crickets. But most of all, summer means time spent in the long shadow of Grandpa, a massive Welchman, keenly observant, frugal of words and actions, but rich in experience and country wisdom. On this remote patch of farmland, Grandpa’s word is law.
Now, William Hardison looks back on those summer days with nostalgic fondness and his own hard-earned wisdom. In doing so, he rediscovers deeper lessons hidden within the adventures he so often took for granted as an energetic child. And along the way, he invites you to ponder:
When you look back on your childhood, what long-forgotten treasures might you unearth?
Coming Around
by Richard Rose $15.00
by Richard Rose
While researching family history for his semibiographical opera Monte and Pinky, Richmond-based poet and songwriter Richard Rose came face to face with the fact of his ancestors' involvement in the local slave trade. As a social and environmental activist, Rose became determined to explore and come to terms with the many consequences of the injustices in which his family took part.
A story in verse, Coming Around is the companion piece to Monte and Pinky, following the life and descendants of a slave named Simon Abouette and of the Ouillechaud family, who purchase him to work on their sugar plantation in the early 1800s. Interspersed with heartbreaking lyric pieces based on historical anecdotes from across the South, Coming Around is the culmination of one man's effort to heal the hurts of the past through humility, understanding, and acceptance.
Eyewitness: My Journey to the Hague
by Isak Gaši and Shaun Koos $5.99 – $29.95
written by Isak Gaši and Shaun Koos
Before April of 1992, Isak Gaši was a world-class athlete and community leader, content to live a quiet life with his wife and infant daughter in the Bosnian city of Brčko. He never could have dreamed that within just a few short years, he would come face to face with Serbian President Slobodan Milošević and others indicted for war crimes, as a lead prosecution witness at the International Criminal Trials for the Former Yugoslavia.
Eyewitness is an accessible history that joins the personal story of a man who was close to the action with the war’s broader historical and political contexts. In a world still challenged by ethnic violence and refugee response, this story of justice, forgiveness, and truth will resonate with readers for many years to come.
From Rebel Yell to Revolution: My Four Years at UVA 1966–1970
by Joel Gardner $35.95
written by Joel Gardner
In this entertaining and informative memoir, University of Virginia alum Joel Gardner delves into the four most turbulent and transformative years in the history of UVA. Arriving as a total outsider in 1966, Gardner, a born and bred New Yorker, soon found himself immersed in a sheltered world of customs and traditions that had existed virtually unchanged for decades. Yet within his tenure, this genteel Southern culture of coats, ties, and party weekends would be irrevocably disrupted, as the anti-Vietnam War and Civil Rights movements at last caught up with “The Old U.”
With a sharp eye for detail and a canny sense of historical relevance, Gardner recreates the turbulent world of UVA in the late 1960s, a microcosm of the tides of change that swept the world. In these four short years, blazers and bourbon gave way to denim and demonstrations, changing the face of Mr. Jefferson’s University and forever altering the spirit of an American institution.
Friday Adventures
by PV Jackson $15.00
by PV Jackson
It’s never too late for one last adventure!
Follow two sisters on an unforgettable journey through Richmond!
It’s been years since Kate and Grace went on their last “Friday Adventure” with Dad. They’ve since grown up and left home to lead their own lives. After their father passed away, both he and Friday Adventures became happy memories.
Then one day, Grace receives a cryptic letter from Beyond, and a gift package: an old laptop with a video message from Dad.
Spoken from beyond the grave, Dad has one last Friday Adventure for his daughters—an unusual scavenger hunt through the fascinating history of their hometown. From Maymont to Macbeth, Swannanoa to Hollywood Cemetery and beyond, Kate and Grace will follow clues and work together to solve the mysteries of Dad’s final Adventure. They’ll learn about their father; their city; and most of all, each other.
Sister Sorrow, Sister Joy
by Mariah Robinson $4.99 – $29.95
by Mariah Robinson
Ann Cabot, upscale art gallery owner, is struggling to find a pathway to lasting happiness while coping with the sorrows of relinquished love. There is George, her kind but stifling boyfriend, and Max, her intelligent but corrosive ex-husband.
Enter the Pied Piper—Maggie Lambert—Ann's newly commissioned and exquisitely gifted art conservator. Charismatic, enigmatic, and abrasively tough-minded, Maggie awakens something foreign and insistent in Ann that promises a new freedom.
Deeply wise and deftly written, Sister Sorrow, Sister Joy is about the risks of love—with all its joy, sorrow, and uncertainty.
A Call to Mind: A Story of Undiagnosed Childhood Traumatic Brain Injury
by Claire Galloway $16.95
by Claire Galloway
A few seconds. That was all the time it took for two-year-old Luke Galloway to slip away from his parents and go running toward the swing set. And only a few seconds more before the hard plastic swing struck the side of his head with enough force to send him flying. But the effects of that playground accident would stay with him—in the form of an undiagnosed traumatic brain injury—and alter the course of his life.
In A Call to Mind, Luke’s mother, Claire Galloway, recounts how a seemingly routine childhood injury—readily dismissed by professionals for sixteen years—transformed a happy, healthy child into an anxious, agitated boy, who would be haunted by “noises” only he could hear.
As knowledge of brain injury in sports and the military is on the rise, Claire adds Luke’s voice to the choir. As she lays the groundwork for physicians, educators, psychologists, family and friends to better recognize symptoms of traumatic brain injury in a practical, everyday sense, she hopes to embolden parents to fight for their children on behalf of what only they might see, increasing the odds of successful post-injury outcomes.
The Sea Hunt
by Anna Burger $20.95
written by Anna Burger and illustrated by Laura Craig
What’s the weirdest sea creature you’ve ever seen?
Did it have fins, or tentacles, or a shell?
Did it wriggle, or skitter, or stay still as a rock?
Did it sting, or cling, or hide?
Join young explorers Jack and Jenny as they hunt for strangeness in the Chesapeake Bay. Together you’ll discover just how weird, wild, and wonderful a saltwater world can be!
Honor Held Dear
by Alan Eschbach $4.99 – $28.95
by Alan Eschbach
What motivates people to follow the lead of another person—to sometimes suppress their own fears, desires, and needs and to adopt a leader’s vision as their own? It’s a question that anyone in, or who aspires to, a leadership position should ask.
In this uplifting and often humorous account, Captain Alan Eschbach, USN (Ret) reflects on his life experiences and how he used them to create his own code of leadership, behavior, and ethics. Using snapshots of his early life in the tiny village of Rawlinsville, Pennsylvania and recollections from the navy, from SEAL training to captaincy of the guided missile destroyer USS Arleigh Burke, Alan shares his insights into what can be gained by working without compensation, the pain and joy of leaving the comfort of home and community, and the value of repeatedly testing one’s physical and mental limits. Most importantly, this book is an account of how an unwavering commitment to personal honor and integrity, and an even greater devotion to serving others can lead to positive change.
Honor Held Dear: My View from the Bridge Wing is a portrait of leadership as a calling. Moreover, it’s a challenge to leaders everywhere to take stock of their leadership styles as a measure of their understanding of sacrifice and duty.
Last, it is Alan’s way of saying thank you—to the community and people who shaped and inspired him, and to everyone who granted him the great privilege and profound honor of leadership.
Coco’s Number Nightmare
by Georgie Hanlin $20.95
written by Georgie Hanlin and illustrated by Maegan Penley
Which is scarier—math, or monsters?
Coco loves almost everything about third grade—except math! Coco’s friends adore playing multiplication games, which only makes her feel worse about math. After struggling with homework and losing a game in front of her whole class, Coco feels humiliated and has a TERRIBLE nightmare! In the dream, the Multiplication Monster laughs an evil laugh and attacks her in front of her classmates when she answers a problem wrong. Find out how Coco overcomes her fear of math, gets rid of the malicious Multiplication Monster, and learns the value of a teacher who believes in her.
The Fourth Branch of Government: We the People
by Jack Trammell, PhD and Guy Terrell, MS, PMP $7.99 – $16.95
by Jack Trammell, PhD and Guy Terrell, MS, PMP
With the explosion of social media and the Internet, practically everyone in America has instant access to the news and a greater ability to follow what is happening anywhere. As a result, we are a culture and a nation that is bombarded with information. However, we are coping poorly with that assault and using an outdated framework for our governance. Many people feel disconnected from the very mechanisms and people who are supposed to represent their interests. The Fourth Branch of Government is about updating the framework of our democracy. It is a movement whose time has come, and one that the Founding Fathers envisioned. This book outlines a roadmap for how change can be facilitated, as well as a rationale for why it is absolutely necessary and urgent. The only way to update our democracy and make it relevant to the 21st century is to call for a Constitutional Convention. In that forum, we can consider changes like eliminating the Electoral College, or implementing e-voting—perhaps even changes leading to a broader and more direct participation in our governance, the Fourth Branch of Government.
What’s Under That Rock, Papa?
by Dave Bauer $19.95
written by Dave Bauer illustrated by Tia Canonico
When Serea and Kai spend a weekend at their Grammy and Papa’s home, it’s always a time of discovery and fun! Join them as they encounter the wonders of backyard nature, from the microcosm of life under rocks and compost piles, to the joy of learning why thunder sounds scary and rain clouds are black.
With Serea and Kai as their guides, children and adults will be encouraged to join in exploring their own backyards in search of those fascinating moments of discovery fostering inquiry learning and the riches of playing in nature.
Writing Our Way Out: Memoirs from Jail
by David Coogan $16.95 – $30.95
by David Coogan
Detailing the formative and transformative memories of ten men, Writing Our Way Out is the creative culmination of a writing class that began in the Richmond City Jail in Virginia, and grew into a journey to re-entry. Compiled in a narrative by their teacher, Dr. David Coogan, these stories explore the conditions, traps, and turning points on the path to imprisonment in modern America, as well as the redemptive and rehabilitative power of memoir.
Wildlife’s Greatest Connection
by Ken Conger
by Ken Conger
Throughout his life, award-winning wildlife photographer Ken Conger has visited dozens of national parks and wildlife refuges, documenting the candid behaviors of wildlife in their natural habitats. Over the course of his long career in wildlife protection and conservation, he's witnessed thousands of interactions between animals of all species—but no type of interaction has been as memorable as that which occurs between mothers and their offspring. Now, he invites you to share in the experience of these fascinating moments from behind his camera lens. Using photographic techniques perfected over his forty years in the field, Conger has brought together a compilation of stunning images celebrating the diversity of the special bond that forms between mothers and their young across the animal kingdom. This collection, which features more than 100 high-quality, full-color photos, will take you from the jungles of Indonesia to the coasts of Patagonia, from the plains of the Maasai Mara to Conger's own 'backyard' of Shenandoah National Park in Virginia.
To purchase this book at the sale price, please order here.
The Honeymoon Corruption
by Richard Lee Zuras-1 $15.00
by Richard Lee Zuras
It’s the early 1960s, and while the Doo-wop era is ending, racial and class prejudice is alive and thriving in the American South. In this unforgiving environment, star-crossed young lovers Althea and Guy are determined to wed—despite the objections of Althea’s disapproving and powerful father.
Undeterred, the couple elopes to the seaside resort town of Wildwood, New Jersey, with two suitcases, a veil, and no plans. Fast running out of cash, they fall in with a local duo: the free-spirited Jeannie and the fast-talking Max Castaldi, who may be able to provide just the break the young couple needs. But as Max introduces Guy to a shadier world that seethes under the boardwalk lights, both Guy and Althea—so full of optimism at first—soon learn that getting on their feet in this town may demand more than they are prepared to give.
Set against a backdrop of the glitzy, glamorous resorts of the Mid-Atlantic coast in its heyday, The Honeymoon Corruption marries hope with fear, desperation with promise, and triumph with tragedy, revealing the seedy underbelly of the East in the Kennedy era—and the true cost of a fairy-tale ending that might not be such a fairy tale after all.
Labyrinth of Terror
by Richard P. Wenzel $4.99 – $16.00
by Richard P. Wenzel
Terror reigns when a string of post-op infections erupts in the sanitized halls of King’s College Hospital in London. A trio of experts—Microbiology Professor Chris Rose, Jake Evans, an American infectious disease specialist, and Elizabeth Foster, a senior agent with M15—soon realize that the offending organism is a weapon in a worldwide terrorist plot. The terrorists turn their focus on an upcoming medical-legal conference, hoping to infect hundreds and subsequently ravage the global community, as well as those very doctors who might be able to find a cure.
Author and physician Richard Wenzel takes us on a riveting, winding journey through Europe and the Middle East, unravels the science of infections, and opens a revealing window on the complex politics of medicine.
A Love Letter: My Y Story, My Cancer Journey
by Michael Roberts $15.95
written by Michael Roberts
The frightening grip of cancer uncovers strengths and weaknesses within the human spirit. For Ethan Clarke, a very personal battle with the disease reveals hidden demons that had been stifling his sexual identity and his connections with others. These demons had kept him from enjoying health and happiness and from accepting the healing powers of change.
Ethan, however, had some formidable allies to face down these foes: Ethan’s close friend, Sophie, the camaraderie found at the local YMCA, the LIVESTRONG program, the idea of one day finding love, and the human will to survive. When Ethan is persuaded to mail a letter to a fellow survivor, a sporting hero from the past, and faces the possibility of meeting this hero, he realizes he must find the strength to fight the disease and the strength to embrace hope and self-confidence.
A Love Letter describes one man’s fight against cancer, the many levels of support and community found in the YMCA, and the power of friendship.
Remembering for Both of Us: A Child Learns about Alzheimer’s
by Charlotte Wood $12.95 – $18.95
written by Charlotte Wood
Tasha loves her grandfather, and she knows that PaPa loves her. But lately, PaPa has begun to forget things. He’s often confused and upset. Sometimes, he doesn’t even recognize his own family. How can Tasha’s grandmother help her see that while PaPa is changing, his love for Tasha has not?
Remembering for Both of Us is a touching story of a child’s first glimpse of Alzheimer’s and a reminder that ties of the heart transcend age and illness.
Making Manna
by Eric Lotke $5.99 – $16.00
by Eric Lotke
Libby Thompson is just fourteen years old when she flees her abusive home with her newborn son, Angel. Now they must build a life for themselves on hard work and low wages, dealing with police who are sometimes helpful—but not always—and a drug dealer who is full of surprises. As Angel gets older, he begins asking questions about his family, and Libby’s tenuous peace threatens to crumble. Can a son without a father and a young woman without a past make something beautiful out of a lifetime of secrets? Making Manna explores the depths of betrayal, and the human capacity to love, forgive, and flourish in the face of heartbreaking odds.
A Better Man: True American Heroes Speak to Young Men and Women on Love, Power, Pride, and What It Really Means to Be a Man (2nd Ed.)
by Kelly Johnson $25.95
edited by Kelly H. Johnson
The journey from adolescence to adulthood is a momentous time in every person’s life. Never has this transition been more challenging than it is today. In addition to the perennial trials of peer pressure, hormones and popularity, young men and women must now grapple with a media-saturated culture that places enormous emphasis on physical appeal, material wealth and celebrity status. And, thanks to the growing number and reach of social media platforms, the cultural noise is only getting louder, making it exponentially more difficult to find reliable answers to life’s largest and most meaningful questions.
Stepping in to help fill this void, A Better Man features first-person narratives from some of the most respected and engaging men in America today. With sincerity, humor and directness, they share their experience and advice on courage, service, anger, respect, and a host of other topics. Their stories speak to our common humanity and so have the power to impact young men and women alike, inspiring them to imagine larger possibilities as they seek to define adulthood for themselves. For example . . .
Civil rights icon Andrew Young talks about what happened at the Lorraine Motel in the moments before Dr. King was shot . . . and what he learned from that event.
NBA Hall of Fame Basketball player Dominique Wilkins explains why it’s important to treat others with respect, do what you know is right and stand up for yourself.
Four-star Admiral Leighton Smith talks about learning the lesson of responsibility (and avoiding the life of a pig farmer!).
An open letter from one generation to the next, A Better Man offers young people some much-needed light on the journey to becoming who they were meant to be—showing all of us another way. A better way.
The Private War of William Styron
by Mary Wakefield Buxton $28.95
by Mary Wakefield Buxton
Returning to his childhood home in Virginia for the funeral of his stepmother, Elizabeth Buxton Styron, acclaimed writer William Styron finds himself plunged into boyhood reminiscence. He is “Billy” again, fourteen and heartbroken, with a mother recently passed from cancer and a grieving father who has fallen in love with the head nurse at the local hospital. The impending marriage terrifies Billy, who finds his new stepmother’s strict worldview stifling to his creativity, his joy, and his hopes for the future.
Driven by Elizabeth’s desire for him to become a doctor, Billy is sent to Christchurch boarding school, where he finds himself drawn more to writing than to sport, or anything else deemed appropriate for a man of good Southern breeding. Desperate to build a life on his own terms, the young Styron turns to fantasy and alcohol. He emerges a painfully burdened man, hounded by “the black dog” of depression from which he would never fully escape, and gifted with a foundation of moral sense that would inspire all of his later writing.
This is the story of the war Billy fought against the cruelty of circumstance, for the prize of his own soul and future—before he became Pulitzer Prize-winning author William Styron, gaining international recognition for his novel Sophie’s Choice.
Married into the family at a young age, Mary Wakefield Buxton, “the Ohio bride,” writes of her mentor and cousin’s coming of age with a sympathetic spirit but an objective eye, deftly revealing the complicated psyche of a man tormented by demons of and outside of his own making, and the beauty of the Tidewater region that birthed him.
Coyote Summer
by Margo Solod $15.00
by Margo Solod
For thirteen-year-old Jessie Silva, life on Bayberry Island is at its best in the summertime. That’s when the seasonal renters return to spend their vacations on the island, bringing with them Jessie’s best friend, Amanda. This year, though, change has come to Bayberry. For one thing, there’s a new girl among the summer visitors—a snotty New Yorker named Susan—and she’s driving a wedge between Jessie and Amanda. For another, there are rumors of coyotes roaming the tiny island, and the locals are talking about taking up arms to stop the animals from spreading.
Jessie knows the rumors are true. She’s seen the coyotes, and she knows they have a den and four little pups. She’s been visiting the den in secret, watching the pups play and letting them come close to her. The coyotes have been the only bright spot in her long, lonesome summer. But can she save her new friends from the islanders who want to see them gone at any cost?
My Dance with Grace: Reflections on Death and Life
by Weldon Bradshaw $8.99 – $15.00
by Weldon Bradshaw
Late in 2009, Weldon Bradshaw was diagnosed with primary sclerosing cholangitis, an incurable, autoimmune liver condition. Over the next two and a half years, as the disease progressed slowly and his liver and health deteriorated, his prognosis grew bleak. By November of 2012, his doctor informed him that if he didn’t receive a transplant, he’d be dead within the week.
Through it all, Weldon remained steadfast to the promise he’d made his family at the outset of his illness: he would be there to dance at his granddaughter’s wedding.
A high school cross country coach and lifelong athlete, Weldon was accustomed to tests of endurance, spirit, and drive. But nothing could have prepared him for this—the race of his life. It would be a race against time and chance and hopelessness in the face of devastating odds. It would be a race for a miracle.
Simon and the Worry Watch
by Susan M. Brown $13.95
written by Susan M. Brown
illustrated by Tara Friel Swinford
Simon is excited about his first day of preschool, but he is also a little bit worried! All day long, Simon worries. He worries that he might not have a friend. He worries that he might not find the bathroom on time. Most of all, he worries that he will miss his mom. Luckily, Simon’s mother has a plan to make the worries go away . . .
Written by a mother and longtime classroom educator, Simon and the Worry Watch is a fun story for kids and a helpful tool for parents, caregivers, and teachers of young children venturing out into the world for the first time.
The Bastard Year
by Richard Lee Zuras $9.99 – $15.00
by Richard Lee Zuras
“It was exactly one year ago today,” my father said, “that the hostages were taken.”
He looked at me as if he wanted me to say something. I figured he was probably wrong about it being a year to the day, but I wasn’t about to tell him that.
“A year is a long time,” he said. “A lot can happen in a year.”
In the company of classic coming-of-age works, Richard Zuras’s debut novel tells the story of a boy’s final year of childhood and a family’s near disintegration. When Zain’s father is fired from the CIA in March of 1980, it creates a tremor that threatens to upend the family’s precarious balance. Zain’s awakening to a world riddled with cracks and his adolescent attempts to mend them are the stuff from which young men, and great stories, are made.
Danger on My Doorstep: The Anita Flora Powitzer Story
by Linda Schubert $3.99 – $13.95
by Linda Schubert
Berlin had been safe for Anita Powitzer for as long as she could remember. But when Hitler came to power, everything changed. Now policemen harmed instead of helped, and Anita couldn’t even talk to her best friend. Flung from her secure childhood into a fearful world, she and her family had to find a way to flee Berlin before it was too late. It was risky, and Anita had to be separated from her loved ones, but this was the only way out. Alone in a country with a language she didn’t understand, staying with people she had never met, Anita had to wait and hope her parents could join her. Would she and her family be safe?
A journey fraught with danger from Germany to Great Britain, and finally to America, this is the true story of one Jewish family’s escape from Nazi Berlin.
A Perfect Madness
by Frank H. Marsh $15.95
written by Frank H. Marsh
It is the autumn of 1938 when Julia Kaufmann meets Erich Schmidt while studying medicine at the German University in Prague. With Hitler’s army soon to invade the city and the terror of World War II looming, it is the worst of times for a Jew and a German to fall in love. As the excitement of the eugenics movement gives way to outright genocide, and the fear sweeping across Europe grows into madness, Julia and Erich find themselves forced to travel two very different paths—ones which will determine the fate of their love and, ultimately, the fate of their souls.
A Perfect Madness takes us on a journey back to a dark time when the fight for survival often eclipsed the fight for the truth. Beautifully and provocatively written, it examines the crippling effects of fear on the human mind, asking painful questions of moral choice we cannot afford to leave unanswered.
Slow Dying: The Bosnian War Prison Camp at Visoko Diary and Testimonies
by Milenko S. Milanovic $15.95
by Milenko S. Milanovic
Following the Bosnian War and his immigration to the U.S., Serbian refugee Milenko Milanovic would awaken from horrifying dreams—vestiges of his eight-month imprisonment in the Bosnian war camp at Visoko. For years, Milenko’s memories remained suppressed, but his experiences lived on in the loose-leaf diary he had kept hidden in the lining of his jacket. After his release, he compiled these notes into the book that would become Slow Dying, a harrowing volume that details his capture and subsequent internment—the starvation, beatings and death. This fourth edition presents his diary in English for the first time, accompanied by contributions from his fellow prisoners and Milenko’s own reflections on his imprisonment and life as a refugee. It offers a poignant and compelling story of personal survival during one of the most brutal conflicts in recent history.
Richmond’s Unhealed History
by Ben Campbell $5.99 – $30.95
written by Ben Campbell
In a detailed look at the history of Richmond, Benjamin Campbell examines the contradictions and crises that have formed the city over more than four centuries. Campbell argues that the community of metropolitan Richmond is engaged in a decisive spiritual battle in the coming decade. He believes the city, more than any in the nation, has the potential for an unprecedented and historic achievement. Its citizens can redeem and fulfill the ideals of their ancestors, proving to the world that race and class can be conquered by the deliberate and prayerful intention of honest and dedicated citizens.
Living Happily Ever After—Separately
by Lise Stryker Stoessel $15.95 – $25.95
by Lise Stryker Stoessel
If your marriage isn't working and you're contemplating divorce, there might be a gentler, less expensive way to reclaim your life and happiness--and renew your relationship. After twenty-three years of struggle, Lise Stoessel and her husband, Emil, knew they were fighting a losing battle. Thus began the experiment that would save and revitalize their marriage: living separately. In this inspiring little book, Lise guides you down her own path to marital and personal peace and offers practical advice on making the decision and taking the first steps. You'll witness the remarkable transformation of her marriage and discover how separate spaces may help you and your spouse: avoid the trauma and expense of divorce; have a home and a home-life that suit you; grow as individuals and realize your ideals; let go of resentment; appreciate the good in one another; rekindle the romance; turn time together into quality time; learn to date each other again; and be the partner (and person) you want to be!
A Rose for Raymonde
by Wade H. Foy
by Wade H. Foy
“Here, then, I offer the account of a pair of life streams that merged: my own and that of Miss Raymonde van Laar, the beautiful and courageous lady I married, and who is my great true love.”
So begins A Rose for Raymonde, the true story of a young Swiss nurse who immigrated to the United States and found love with a U.S. Navy Reserve officer in 1950s New York. Complete with photographs and personal letters, this book chronicles their lives before their paths crossed and after. When they met, Wade was an Annapolis and North Carolina State College graduate preparing for active duty in the Navy Reserve; Raymonde had grown up in Switzerland and France and endured the fear and privations of German occupation during World War II. The two fell in love, married and built a life together, riding out the 20th century in pursuit of their own version of the American dream.
Written by Raymonde’s husband of fifty-five years, A Rose for Raymonde is a tribute, a history and a love story of the sweetest, simplest kind. It’s a heartening reminder that true love is out there and that, once found, it can last a lifetime and longer.
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When Soldiers Cried: A True Story About Vietnam
by David Shea
by David Shea
By the summer of 1967, the nation’s Selective Service System was fueling the largest military build-up since World War II. Hundreds of thousands of young men, many too young to legally drink and vote, were inducted to wage an ill-fated war in Vietnam. Written as a narrative history, this story is a lasting tribute to those who answered the call and paid the ultimate sacrifice [in the face of improbable odds.]
Based on actual events, this book provides a unique, behind-the-scenes account of [the draft and how the Vietnam War was actually conducted and fought. Although many of the scenes are shockingly vivid and the language is often raw, they have been included to describe] the real conditions the young draftees had to endure. Woven throughout the pages of this book are the tragedies of loss and the instinctive drive to survive and rebuild.
Sadly, many of the men depicted in this book are among the over fifty-eight thousand fallen soldiers whose names are engraved on the hallowed, granite panels of the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, D.C. Countless more were wounded or suffered from [haunting,] psychological problems, withdrawal, depression and suicide. In many ways, the sacrifices paid by their families were even greater.
To respect the privacy of the surviving families, many of the names in this book have been changed in order to protect their true identities.
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A Live Controversy: Autism and a Family’s Determination
by Joseph and Roxana Hartmann
by Joesph and Roxana Hartmann
In A Live Controversy, Roxana and Joseph Hartmann tell the inspiring true story of their five year legal battle against the public school system over whether their autistic son Mark would be better educated in a regular-education classroom or in a special education program. The Hartmann's belief that the school system was not educating their son in full compliance with the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) led to their landmark case against the Loudoun Country school board. Not solely the story of a court case, A Live Controversy is also a moving, deeply personal tale of a child growing up with autism and his parents attempts to support him in spite of the hardships they face.
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Early American Garden Bouquets
by Julia Smith Berrall $17.95
by Julia Smith Berrell
In this expertly compiled and visually captivating history, Julia Smith Berrall traces the ever-changing relationship between Americans and their gardens from the 17th century through the Victorian era. Stroll down her garden path to traverse the distance between the utilitarian plots of the early colonial settlers and the elaborate banquet-hall centerpieces of the late 19th century. Learn which flowers and foliage were available, and how they were painstakingly obtained, arranged and displayed. Drawing from portraits, still-lifes and the written accounts of early American garden writers and visitors from abroad, Berrall has assembled an indispensable guide to the accurate re-creation of early domestic spaces and a rich history for anyone seeking insight into our most delicate roots. This is more than a story of gardens and the blossoms they yielded; it is an exploration of American taste, culture, pleasure and ingenuity that illustrates our long love affair with our most ephemeral possessions.
Broken Wings: What’s Wrong With Her?
by Stephanie Fortune $15.00
by Stephanie Fortune
Broken Wings: What’s Wrong With Her? is the inspirational story of Christina Fortune, who was born with and died from complications of cerebral palsy. In her brief twenty-four years, she lived as the gentle angel her devoted mother believed her to be. Bound to a wheelchair and with no ability to speak, Christina may have been fully dependent on the assistance of others, yet she lived as a brilliant example of goodness. Her lesson to us is in the gift of her ability to inspire compassion and her demonstrated courage against illness and pain. Broken Wings not only celebrates Christina’s journey, but provides tips, insight, and recipes for those who work with and care for cerebral palsy patients.
The Story of a Star
by Ginny U. Banister
written by Ginny U. Banister
illustrated by Carla Anne Schaaf
The Story of a Star is a simple tale of how a lonely, misfit star finds his true and divine calling. This beautiful story also teaches an important lesson to both the young and old. Although we may feel different and apart from others, we are never alone, and we all have a special purpose in life. Like the star, one of our greatest challenges is to discover that purpose so we can bless others and ourselves.
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Last Night in Managua
by James Pendleton $16.95
by James Pendleton
Two men meet for the first time deep in a Nicaraguan jungle, one an American pilot and businessman, the other a gravely wounded Guatemalan pastor whose wife has been murdered by Somoza’s henchmen. Remarkable events have brought them both to this dangerous time and place. Neither is political, and certainly neither intended to get swept up in a revolution.
Ron Hartley, divorced, at loose ends, has taken a job representing a U.S. bank in Managua. Once there, what seems perfectly harmless and aboveboard—meetings with wealthy Nicaraguan businessmen, a date with an attractive attaché at the American embassy, a reunion with his former partner’s beautiful widow—all turn out to have shocking, life-changing consequences.
Neck Tales: Stories from Virginia’s Northern Neck
by Thea Marshall $16.00 – $26.95
by Thea Marshall
Join National Public Radio commentator Thea Marshall for an historic and contemporary journey through Virginia’s Northern Neck. First broadcast by Ms. Marshall on NPR, these stories paint a vivid portrait of this part of Virginia that’s a world apart—from the region’s wine, watermen and Chantey singers, to its poets, patriots, kings, and citizens.
The Great River Disclosure
by Larry Holcombe $16.95
by Larry Holcombe
The elegant Great River Resort along the tranquil banks of the Great Wicomico River has a closely guarded secret. The beautiful resort sits atop a highly classified government facility known only to the President of the United States, a few high-level government and military leaders, and resort owner Bill Russell. Ted Carter, former Navy SEAL and now resort CEO, his fiancée Ruth Bennett and owner Russell find themselves in the cross hairs of a deadly confrontation between the White House and leaders of the military industrial complex. These men of great wealth and power will use whatever means necessary to stop the president from disclosing this sixty-year-old black project, a top secret program that, if revealed, will forever change the lives of every man, woman and child on the planet.
Goshen Revisited
by Jack and Judy Witt
by Jack and Judy Witt
In this second book on Goshen Pass, Jack and Judy Witt combine forces again to revel in their love of each other and this land along Virginia’s Maury River. They capture and share some part of their joy and inspiration while climbing and exploring the Pass through personal essays and poetry. Full-color images of Judy’s watercolor paintings and Jack’s bronze sculpture transport the reader to their favorite haunts by the waterside, playing on light and fantasy, color and texture. Goshen comes alive in these pages, eager to speak to the reader through these two artists.
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Sunset Sonata
by Robert Johnson $15.95
by Robert Johnson
Robert Johnson’s voice resonates like a wise old teacher sharing his simple, worldly wisdom. He speaks about the natural world, the preciousness of life, and about innocence, but also about injustice, loss, human frailties, and the menace of terrorism, withholding nothing.
Like Johnson’s poetry, Virginia’s Northern Neck and the rivers that run through it are abundant with a primitive, yet refined beauty, and being there inspires quiet comfort. More than any other state of mind, this contentedness defines Sunset Sonata.
In spite of global threats, cynicism, loss, and the uncertainty and brevity of life, one can find nourishment and be restored by the words of poets like Robert Johnson who can find beauty and hope in the world.
Nightman
by James Pendleton and Jerome Johnson $15.00
by James Pendleton and Jerome Johnson
“Call me the night man. That’s what I am mostly. Course, I work some in the daytime, too, cleaning houses for my special customers—nice folks who live in a pretty part of town. But mainly I work at night..."
“I’ve got keys to more offices and homes in this town than I can count. People come to work in the morning and find their offices all shiny—windows cleaned, trash cans emptied, ... rugs vacuumed, and, oh yes, the occasional wrapper from a hurriedly opened condom scooped up neatly from underneath a desk. Like magic. I guess it makes people feel like no matter what they do, there’s always somebody to make things right by morning.”
Such is the life of janitor Braxton Bragg, a black man in the modern capital of the Confederacy, and great grandson of a white Confederate general. Despite the apparent dullness of his job, what he faces behind locked doors ranges from the embarrassing to the life-threatening. Braxton’s dark, sometimes humorous commentary exposes the seamy underbelly of this Southern city—as well as the secret sins of the elite–– and takes us through ten days and nights of mystery, danger and surprise.
“...You never know what you’re gonna find....”
Soldier Pigs: When Soldiers Are Guinea Pigs
by Gordon Swanson
by Gordon Swanson
During the 1950s, one special army quartermaster group was assigned the difficult but essential task of testing potential army materials—tests that often required putting soldiers at risk, challenging them at the top of their physical endurance, under the worst possible conditions. Like guinea pigs, these randomly chosen soldiers were forced to participate in dangerous testing programs, so that others could benefit.
This is the true but untold story of one of those soldiers, author Gordon Swanson. Soldier Pigs describes many of Swanson’s tasks—from equipment and machinery tests in the extreme heat of Death Valley, to the frigid cold near the Arctic Circle, and his many other experiences as part of this unique military unit.
The author was subjected to surprising ordeals as a guinea pig, and almost killed several times; still, he believes that the work of these men may have saved the lives of many others in the military. His graphic descriptions give the reader the utmost respect for the valuable work of these soldiers.
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A Moose’s History of North America
by Walter S. Griggs and Frances Pitchford Griggs $15.00
by Walter S. Griggs and Frances Pitchford Griggs
When humans wrote the history of North America, they arrogantly and fraudulently gave themselves the credit for its development while completely ignoring the contributions of the North American moose. To correct this unfortunate, if not deliberate, oversight, this groundbreaking book documents the contributions of the magnificent, majestic, monstrous moose to North America's history. From the role of the moose in the creation of North America to its current status as an iconic animal, Frances and Walter Griggs show how the moose influenced the growth and development of North America. After reading A Moose's History of North America, you will have a newfound respect for, and understanding of, the moose; and why North America is a better place because the moose has left its hoof prints on the eternal sands of time.
Do Spiders Need Leggins When It’s Cold Outside?
by Terri Sebastian
written by Terri Sebastian
illustrated by Button Boggs
Do Spiders Need Leggins When it’s Cold Outside? is a bedtime story book full of animals and pirates. Along with the spider that needs leggins, author Terri Sebastian introduces readers to a silly old polka dot cat, a lady moose all dressed in red, and the pirate that lives in a closet inside a shoe with his crewmate, a little brown mouse.
Terri wrote each story in this book in response to her son, Ryan’s childhood questions. “Mom, what do spiders do when it’s cold outside?” was the one that started it all. After Ryan died just before his sixteenth birthday, Terri decided to collect these stories as a way to honor him. Ryan’s memory is carried on not only by this book and these stories, but also by the five people whose lives he saved by being an organ donor.
Reading these stories not only explains how spiders keep warm or how the pirate who lives in your shoe stays busy at night, but how a legacy of giving can keep the world safe.
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Hammond’s Choice
by Bob Cohen $16.00
by Bob Cohen
In Hammond’s Choice, Ruth and Larry Hammond have been forced to relinquish custody of their son, Tommy, in order to obtain services for his serious emotional and behavioral problems. The Hammonds turn to Marty Fenton to discover what happened the night Tommy was accused of stabbing to death Kevin Landry, another resident at Possum Ridge School. As Fenton, a graduate student in psychology and part-time private investigator, delves into this case, he learns a lot about the child mental health system and becomes aware of its questionable policies and practices. He encounters skillful counselors as well as individuals whose problems rival those of the children they serve. Join sleuth Marty Fenton as he uncovers another dark secret buried in this strange place of healing and discovers unsettling truths about the mental health care system.
The Life of “P”: A Memoir of a Mother and a Nurse
by Lee Rice $15.00
by Lee Rice
The Life of “P” is the memoir of a mother and a nurse—an unsung hero from a small town in Virginia’s historic Northern Neck whose personal struggles, courage and heroic sacrifice should be remembered. With a keen sense of literary and social history, author Lee Rice paints a vivid picture of her nearly nine decades of life that witnessed dramatic global events—from two world wars, the Great Depression, space exploration, to the Iraq war and 9/11.
This story also chronicles the romantic steamboat era, memorable local historic events, a river-based traveling theater, nurses who worked tirelessly for $1.35 per hour and includes vivid descriptions of the natural beauty of the Northern Neck.
Join Lee Rice for a journey through history and a memorable life.
