Catalyst Press

Hi!! I'm Epi Dermis, but my friends just call me Skin!

Raise your hands if you sweat, tan, itch, have hair, or have freckles!  

I've been feeling pretty sensitive lately because everybody has something to say about me. But people don't always tell the truth.

My color doesn't make me fast, strong, smart, or scary. I just want to shout, "It's just skin, silly!" 

"[A]n irresistibly brilliant, pitch-perfect page-turner that should be a must-read in every Pre-K and Elementary School in our country." — Henry Louis Gates Jr

An illustrated children's book on the evolution of skin color, based on a collective 40+ years of peer-reviewed research from expert anthropologist Dr. Nina Jablonski and historian Dr. Holly Y. McGee, with a special foreword from celebrated literary critic and historian Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr.

Meet Epi Dermis, your kid's quirky, clever guide to the origin of skin color! Using simple science and interactive activities, Epi takes readers on an adventure through human history to find out why skin is the hardest working organ in the body business. Whether it’s how migration and climate changed our skin's need for melanin, to why sweat is your body’s secret superpower, Epi’s got all the facts—and uses them to challenge false narratives about race and give kids the information they need to do the same.

The epic game begins!

That night, as agreed, the two children ask the moon: “Please let our snowpals play soccer.” Then each child adds a secret wish upon the stars: “I wish that my snowpal wins the soccer match!” 

After the storm and after the children build snowmen comes a whimsical tale. In the light of moon and stars, the snowpals come to life to play an epic game of soccer. A story of joy and the delight of play for all children. A primer in sportsmanship in English and French, this analogue book, illustrated with stitch and seam, harkens back to an era before the uniformity of computer generated illustrations.

Introducing Bait, the little toad with a big personality. 

Bait the toad loves the camera, and the camera certainly loves him! From his river-bed roots to TikTok stardom, Bait has never found a pose he couldn’t slay, or a hat he couldn’t style.  

In this side-splitting photo book, Bait is ready to prove that there’s more to amphibians than meets the eye. Whether it’s striking confident poses in the garden, sporting sassy homemade hats, or hanging out with his furry friends, this tiny toad has a lot to teach us all about being comfortable in our own skin.

Brighten up your day or make a loved one laugh with Bait and his pals, the perfect gift for any age.

From Author Jane Kurtz, winner of the School Library Journal Best Of The Year and numerous other awards. 

In verse, Oh Give Me a Home relates the story of a girl’s inside-out view of America as she journeys from Ethiopia, searches for friends and belonging.

Kirkus Starred Review 

Booklist Starred Review

Selected as a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Book. 

In elementary school, Jane knows that Maji, Ethiopia, cool and green, perched on a mountainside of waterfalls and monkeys, is the perfect place to live. Or it would be perfect if she had a pet or a best friend.

Jane is full of ideas that include schemes for an animal to play with. A real pet, not the dik dik that dies, the monkey that tries to bite her fingers, nor the elusive cat that lives in the shed and has just absconded with her litter of kittens. But her plans are derailed as Jane learns she is to move back to America with her family.

America and Africa collide as Jane tries to answer the simple question, “Where am I from?” Entering grade school in suburban America for the first time, will she find a best friend a continent away from her real life in Africa? Or is America–where she meets her relatives for laughter and frolicking and big holiday meals–her real home? 

You know when I sit
You know when I stand
You know every move I make

God knows everything about you.
God delights in you and watches over you for good.

This powerful, poetic retelling of David’s beloved Psalm 139 encourages kids and adults alike in their spiritual journeys with an all-powerful, all-perceptive God.

The magical Council of Aunties are the only ones who can decide if Max and Meera can adopt a baby of their very own. 

To prove they can become parents, Max and Meera must complete three challenges–collect enough joy, love, and hope for the Aunties. Each task seems overwhelming, but a child is waiting, and they are determined to be ready, too.

Everyday Magic is inspired by the adoption process, and recreates it in this fairytale, about what it means to build a family. 

Dark clouds roll in as thunder rumbles through the streets of a small town. Two children team up with town locals in a rhythmic race against the rain, rushing to make it home before the downpour begins. But when they’re just a moment too slow, the storm catches up—snapping the stoplight and leaving everyone stranded in the heart of town. In a surprising twist, an unexpected hero swoops in, guiding traffic safely through the chaos with the grace of a conductor leading a community concerto!

Beat the Rain is a colorful and whimsical children’s read-aloud book that captures the vibrant culture and charm of daily life through rhythm, repetition, and onomatopoeia. 

Ganador del Premio Honorífico Skipping Stones 2024

"¡Hola! Soy Epi Dermis, pero mis amigos me llaman ¡Piel!

¡Levanten la mano si sudan, se broncean, tienen comezón, tienen pelo o tienen pecas!

Últimamente me he sentido un poco sensible porque todos tienen algo que decir sobre mí. Pero la gente no siempre dice la verdad.

Mi color no me hace rápido, fuerte, inteligente ni aterrador. Solo quiero gritar: "¡Es solo piel, oye!"

"[Un] libro irresistible, brillante y perfectamente bien escrito que debe ser lectura obligatoria en todos los jardines infantiles y escuelas primarias de nuestro país." — Henry Louis Gates Jr

Un libro infantil ilustrado sobre la evolución del color de la piel, basado en más de 40 años de investigación por la experta antropóloga Dra. Nina Jablonski y la historiadora Dra. Holly Y. McGee, con un prólogo especial del celebrado crítico literario e historiador Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr.

Conoce a Epi Dermis, ¡la guía peculiar e inteligente de tu hijo sobre el origen del color de la piel! Usando ciencia simple y actividades interactivas, Epi lleva a los lectores en una aventura a través de la historia humana para descubrir por qué la piel es el órgano que más trabaja en el cuerpo. Ya sea cómo la migración y el clima cambiaron la necesidad de melanina en nuestra piel, o por qué el sudor es el súper poder secreto de tu cuerpo, ¡Epi tiene toda la información! Y la usa para desafiar falsas narrativas sobre raza y dar a los niños los datos que necesitan para hacer lo mismo.

The last installment of the top selling Fiery Spiral Trilogy.

In a dystopian future Cape Town, Teenager Ebba Den Eeden is desperate to restore ecological and social harmony to an Earth torn apart by the warring Gods Theia and her brother Prospiroh.To end the divine conflict, Ebba must guard and return the necklace of four amulets to Theia. Forced to search the utopian planet of Celestia, which is populated by people who died on Earth, Ebba is guided by a magical map and Lucas Poladion- who died in Cape Town saving Ebba's life-, and their annoyance at one another laced with complications... and maybe something deeper.

As Ebba crosses time and landscapes, the God Prospiroh stalks her and will do anything to get his hands on the necklace.The further Ebba journeys, the more difficult the choices she faces become. She searches for strength, guided by spiritual encounters with her female ancestors, all the while grappling with the burden of her hunt and the betrayal of Micah, her ex-boyfriend.

The Fiery Spiral combines mysticism, magic, and time travel in a tale of impossible decisions and the great sacrifices that can come with destiny. A mythical dystopian fantasy that plays out on the shore of South Africa, for lovers of Akata Witch and Children of Blood and Bone.

The giant couldn’t believe it. He had found the perfect Olive. So round, so shiny, so black—he must show all of his friends! So starts the journey of The Giant as he runs to share his happiness with everyone and the sorrow and joy that grows from his jubilation. 

Leo Daly, the son of iconic South African illustrator and writer Niki Daly, re-imagines the universal tale of loss, grief, and the joy of new beginnings. A simple but empathetic story borne from the pain and loss of a miscarriage, this big-hearted, humorous story of a tall Giant in love with a little Olive examines our loves, passions, and the destruction of loss. A breath of fresh air that unflinchingly tackles our greatest fear. 

Like Where the Wild Things Are or Frog and Toad, A Lost Button, The Giant and the Olive tackles our fears and triumphs with humor and grace. A tale for any age from the kindergartner to the octogenarian.

Can your tail help you fly? asks the bird. 

Can your tail help you swim? asks the beaver. 

Can your tail swat bugs away? asks the bison.

It turns out the bear’s tail does none of these things... and no matter how many creatures and critters he meets, he still doesn’t know why he's got one. But does that mean Bear shouldn’t love his tail?

Join Bear on his journey to learn all the reasons why some animals have tails—and that you never really need a reason to love your own body.

Join Chip the dog and Chatti the cat on their first adventure in the countryside — which soon becomes a race against the clock to help new friends in need!

Since their family left them in this strange new home, Chip the dog and Chatti the cat have been feeling stuck. So when they meet Twinkle, a sly little mouse who grants wishes, they know just what to ask for: a way out into the countryside! Soon their wish is granted, and this funny trio—joined by a traveling man named Bingo who can speak their language—is off to the great unknown.

With the help of friendly forest creatures—from deer and rabbits to woodchucks and badgers—they arrive at a farm owned by Farmer Nils. But this farm is not what it seems. Farmer Nils is missing, and the grumpy man who took his place is not looking after the farm animals. And when Chatti is taken, Chip, Twinkle and Bingo must team up with their new pals to save her and get the farm back in working order.

Chip and Chatti Save the Farm is a heartwarming story of unlikely friends, big adventures, and finding the courage to do what’s right.

A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection

A CBC Spring 2024 Showcase Selection

No matter where she goes, or how big she grows, Wanjikũ knows her name.

In the lush Kenyan countryside, a young Gikũyũ girl helps her grandmother with daily tasks. Here, as she tends to the cows, carries water, and plays in the fruit trees and sugarcane, she is called Wanjikũ.

On the busy city streets of Nairobi, where she goes to school, she is called by her English name, Catherine. But at home with Wangarĩ, the maid who cooks and cares for her, she is again Wanjikũ.

All grown up in boarding school, Catherine is the leader of her class, surrounded by friends from different cultural backgrounds. But at night, when she gathers with her fellow Gikũyũ sisters to speak her mother tongue, she is Wanjikũ once more.

Gloriously illustrated, alive with the joie de vivre of girlhood, and based on the author's own beloved childhood memories, Wanjikũ, Child of Mine is an ode to the heritage that walks alongside us, and a love song for the sisters we make on the journey.

Part of Niki Daly's Lolo series

For Lolo, every day's a new adventure. Whether it's earning gold stars at school or returning a lost ring, she's ready for anything. Follow along with Lolo as she learns lessons about sharing, being brave, and being a good friend.

In these easy-to-read stories, we meet the curious, fun-loving, adventurous Lolo, a girl living in South Africa with her mother and grandmother, Gogo. Woven with heart and humor, and illustrated with charming black-and-white drawings, these stories are perfect for the beginning reader.

In Here Comes Lolo, Lolo gets a gold star at school, longs for a cute floppy hat, finds a missing ring, and helps to rescue a dog, all with her trademark humor and quirky style.

• A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection
• The 2024 Skipping Stones Honor Awards
• A 2024 IBBY Honour List Selection
• A 2023 Charlotte Zolotow Award Honor Book
• Winner of the 2022 South African Literary Awards Children's Literature Award
• Honorable mention, 2023 Children's Africana Book Awards
• A Cooperative Children's Book Center 2023 Choices Pick  

Whether it’s jumping in puddles with Tata in the rain, greeting the neighborhood cat on the quiet back streets with Gogo, or holding hands with Mama while rushing to make the bell, walking to school with family is the best. But nothing is better than walking to school with Papa. From high above, resting on Papa’s shoulders, all of the town is in perfect view, and Papa always says “I love you” when he says goodbye. 

A sweet ode to fatherhood and the special relationships children share with each member of their family, On My Papa’s Shoulders reminds us that it’s not about where we’re going, but rather the people who walk with us along the way.

A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection

A 2023 Skipping Stones Honoree

A School Library Journal Best Book of 2022

Part of Niki Daly's Lolo series

More fun is on the way for Lolo in Fly High, Lolo, the fourth book in Niki Daly's Lolo series for beginning readers. Lolo is kind-hearted, creative, full of joy, and— whether it’s making homemade Christmas decorations from recycled plastics, or stepping in when the school play goes awry—she always knows just what to do to save the day!

In this collection of easy-to-read stories, we meet Lolo, a girl who lives in South Africa with her mother and grandmother, Gogo. Charmingly illustrated by the author, Fly High, Lolo follows Lolo as she explores her world, and the new adventures each day brings.

In Fly High, Lolo, Lolo gets an unexpected role in the school play, meets Miss Teen the Beauty Queen, goes on a beach clean-up with Mama’s new friend, and makes beautiful recycled Christmas decorations.

A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection

A 2024 Skipping Stones Honor Award winner 

Winner of The Next Generation Indie Book Award 

From the award-winning author of Small Mercies, named a Best Middle-Grade Book of 2020 by Kirkus Reviews

When Boipelo Seku learns about a man who traded his way from a paperclip to a house, he starts a trade of his own in his small village of Cedarville, South Africa, accidentally setting in motion a string of good deeds that will change his community forever.

"I’ve decided that some people put out fires and leave the world cold and hopeless and others nurse the kindling, blow like mad and fan the flames with whatever they have at hand - so that everyone feels its warmth."

A lot of things can feel just out of reach in 12-year-old Boipelo Seku's small, impoverished village of Cedarville, South Africa. The idea of one day living in a house that's big enough for his family is just a faraway dream. But when Boi stumbles on a story about a Canadian man who traded his way from a paperclip to a house, Boi hatches his own trading plan starting with a tiny clay cow he molded from river mud. Trade by trade, Boi and his best friend Potso discover that even though Cedarville lacks so many of the things that made the paperclip trade possible, it is fuller than either of them ever imagined.

In a chain of events that turns Boi's tiny spark into a warming fire, Boi learns the power of friendship and community, and finds that something’s value isn’t in what you can trade for it, but in the good it brings to the people you love.

With a motley crew of characters, wholehearted humor, and a whole lot of hope, The Cedarville Shop and the Wheelbarrow Swap is a joyful read for lovers of The Penderwicks or classics like The Moffats.

A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection

Part of Niki Daly's Lolo series

Lolo's back for a whole new set of adventures in You're a Star, Lolo, the third book in Niki Daly's Lolo series for beginning readers. Whether it's turning her garden into a snail farm when snails eat up her precious tomato plant, or using her hair ribbons to save the day when a friend's car breaks down – there's a unique solution to every problem, and Lolo is going to find it!

These stories invite young readers into the life and adventures of fun-loving, clever, and curious Lolo, a young girl living in South Africa. Along with her mother and grandmother, Gogo, she can always find a way to make the best out of any situation— even when things don't go as planned.

In You're a Star, Lolo, join Lolo as she makes her mom an extra-special soup, goes on vacation with her Gogo, and even tracks down the scary Ghorra-Ghorra-Hoooaaah-Bwoooooo-Monster sound she keeps hearing at night!

Part of Niki Daly's Lolo series

Hooray! Hurrah! Hurray! for Lolo, the energetic, curious, and fun-loving girl at the center of Niki Daly's series of books for beginning readers. She's thoughtful, funny, and always ready for anything. Whether it's helping to babysit baby Bongi or learning all about the library, she's sure to do it with kindness and humor.

In this collection of easy-to-read stories, we meet Lolo, a girl who lives in South Africa with her mother and grandmother, Gogo. Charmingly illustrated by the author, Hooray for Lolo follows Lolo as she explores her world, and the new adventures each day brings.

In Hooray for Lolo, Lolo she gets angry with her best friend, finds a favorite library book, goes to the hospital, and helps to look after Baby Bongi.

Mercy lives in modern-day Pietermaritzburg, South Africa with her eccentric foster aunts—two elderly sisters so poor, they can only afford one lightbulb. A nasty housing developer is eying their house. And that same house suddenly starts falling apart—just as Aunt Flora starts falling apart. She’s forgetting words, names, and even how to behave in public. Mercy tries to keep her head down at school so nobody notices her. But when a classmate frames her for stealing the school’s raffle money, Mercy's teachers decide to take a closer look at her home life.

Along comes Mr. Singh, who rents the back cottage of the house on Hodson Road. When he takes Mercy to visit a statue in the middle of the city, she learns that the shy, nervous “Mohandas” he tells stories about is actually Gandhi, who spent a cold and lonely night in the waiting room of the Pietermaritzburg train station over a hundred years ago. It marked the beginning of his life’s quest for truth…and the visit to his statue marks Mercy’s realization that she needs—just like Gandhi—to stand up for herself.

Mercy needs a miracle. But to summon that miracle, she has to find her voice and tell the truth—and that truth is neither pure nor simple.