Girl Friday Books

“Outstanding photography! This book is a valuable contribution to the public’s understanding of our remarkable ‘near relatives.’” —Robert Bateman, wildlife painter and environmental icon

“Just Like Us is an entertaining and informative read that illustrates how one ordinary person can be a catalyst for positive change.” —Jane Goodall, primatologist and bestselling author

"Just Like Us will be a classic and is a must read. The book adds much to what we can learn about ourselves. A beautifully written adventure with great apes, with some of the most difficult and stunning photographs of the great apes ever made." —Thomas Mangelsen, award-winning nature and wildlife photographer and conservationist

A stirring account of hope and survival for the planet's endangered great ape species.

For most of his life, veterinarian Rick Quinn ignored a deep longing to meaningfully protect the endangered animals that fascinated him. Then one day, he read two magazine clippings about the great apes and knew it was time to set aside excuses and find the means to help. Armed with his camera and an insatiable curiosity, Dr. Quinn set off for the front lines of great ape conservation.

Just Like Us is a gorgeous tribute to our not-too-distant relatives as well as the courageous people who are risking their lives to protect them.

In this remarkable memoir, we follow Dr. Quinn’s seven-year journey across seven African countries and Indonesia, where he photographed each great ape species in its natural habitat. Using inspiring stories juxtaposed with stunning photographs, he illuminates the threats to great ape survival as well as the complexity of saving them. The result delivers an empathetic sense that these magnificent beings really are—strikingly so—just like us.

IPPY Awards Gold Medal Winner in the memoir category

Colorado Independent Book Publishers Association (CIPA) Gold Medal Winner in the memoir category

National Indie Excellence Awards finalist in the new non-fiction category

A deeply personal memoir about finding family and belonging from White House staffer Robin F. Schepper. 

Growing up torn between her single Pan Am–stewardess mom and brothel-owning grandmother in 1960s New York City, Robin F. Schepper never imagined that she’d one day have an office in the East Wing of the White House. Her childhood in a German American neighborhood on the Upper East Side was peppered with half-truths, from the family secrets surrounding her grandmother’s immigration to deceptions about her biological father. 

In a world of self-absorbed adults, Robin largely raised herself: she secured a scholarship to a prestigious private school and worked several jobs as a teenager to pay her own living expenses before finally escaping to California for college. Street-smart and undeniably driven, once in the professional world Robin quickly ascended in the male-dominated political sphere, traveling the globe while being subjected to sexual harassment and assaults that echoed obstacles her mother and grandmother had faced. Through it all, Robin searched for her biological father. She felt that if she could understand why he abandoned her, she could free herself from secrets, lies, and shame. 

Robin eventually rose to work for the First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama and, in the meantime, created her own family by adopting two sons from Kazakhstan. Intimate and captivating, Finding My Way follows an ambitious woman who reached the highest pinnacles of a political career while simultaneously fulfilling her own quest to heal from family trauma and discover her true identity. 

2022 INDIES Winner

Gold, Career (Adult Nonfiction)

Becky Margiotta’s Impact with Integrity: Repair the World Without Breaking Yourself is a call to action, but also an invitation to reclaim your agency and mobilize your creativity in order to enact meaningful, efficient, and effective social change. With authenticity, grit, and grace, Margiotta lays out a proven step-by-step framework for doing the inner work that is necessary for advancing social change. Examining yourself is key to supercharging your power to make the world a better place. In this essential guide, she weaves joy and well-being into the work of sustainable and transformational leadership. 

Not just for nonprofit leaders, social workers, activists, educators, and health professionals, Impact with Integrity is for all of us inspired to do good and make effective change in the world.

WINNER OF 29 BOOK AWARDS including the Writer’s Digest Grand Prize and the Rubery Book Award Book of the Year.

True stories of glamour, drama, and tragedy told through five generations of a Shanghai family, from the last days of imperial rule to the Cultural Revolution.

A high position bestowed by China’s empress dowager grants power and wealth to the Sun family. For Isabel, growing up in glamorous 1930s and ’40s Shanghai, it is a life of utmost privilege. But while her scholar father and fashionable mother shelter her from civil war and Japanese occupation, they cannot shield the family forever.

When Mao comes to power, eighteen-year-old Isabel journeys to Hong Kong, not realizing that she will make it her home—and that she will never see her father again. She returns to Shanghai fifty years later with her daughter, Claire, to confront their family’s past—one they discover is filled with love and betrayal, kidnappers and concubines, glittering palaces and underworld crime bosses.

Lavishly illustrated and meticulously researched, Remembering Shanghai follows five generations from a hardscrabble village to the bright lights of Hong Kong. By turns harrowing and heartwarming, this vivid memoir explores identity, loss and redemption against an epic backdrop.

The first in the Camille Delaney Mystery series, The Complication is a fast-paced legal and medical mystery filled with greed, murder, and intrigue.

After her friend Dallas Jackson suffers a fatal complication during routine surgery, Seattle attorney Camille Delaney is determined to find out why. Dallas was like a father to Camille, and she feels she owes it to him and his family to get answers. Knowing she could lose her partnership at her high-profile law firm for undertaking such an investigation, Camille takes a huge risk and starts her own firm, determined to bring Dallas’s killer to justice. She turns for help to her friend Trish Seaholm, a quick-witted chameleonlike private investigator with an uncanny knack for blending into any situation.

As the two dive headfirst into a dangerous investigation, they discover disturbing evidence that Dallas’s case is not an isolated incident. A shocking number of patients are dying during run-of-the-mill surgeries at small-town hospitals—at the hands of the same two surgeons. Can Camille uncover the reason for these unexplained deaths before more patients fall victim? Or will her search for answers land her in the crosshairs of a killer?

Can a mysterious power help a thirteen-year-old boy solve the disappearance that has fractured his family?

Seventh grader Charlie Winter has never stopped believing he can find his missing mom, even when his dad has given up hope. Three years after she vanished on Charlie’s birthday, his mom’s disappearance remains a mystery no one wants to talk about. No one, that is, except Charlie’s grandmother. Then, during a strange snowstorm, his grandmother is injured and Charlie learns a secret: she’s a time traveler. And so is he.

Soon Charlie embarks on a dangerous adventure with his three best friends, searching the past for a magical silver amulet he believes is the key to finding his mom. As they cross continents and centuries, rescuing animal companions along the way, Charlie and his friends discover they aren’t alone. Malcolm Mordrex, a vengeful time traveler seeking the same amulet for darker purposes, is chasing them.

With harrowing obstacles at every turn and his friends thrust into a terrible trap, Charlie must find a way to defeat Malcolm and face a choice about his own past—a choice that could mean life or death. And time is ticking down . . .

“You don’t have to impress. Just express.” —Bea

Singing and flying may seem like they would come naturally to a songbird, but Rufus is having a hard time leaving his nest and finding his voice. When a curious honeybee named Bea notices his difficulties, she offers her help. Together, the two take on the brave act of singing, one simple step at a time, and before long, Rufus has gained confidence—and a new best friend.

From the husband-and-wife musical duo and cocreators of Tiny Prime, the Rufus & Bea series helps families and friends enjoy the simple ritual of singing songs together, all while cultivating positive mental health and well-being for children. Perfect for early readers or reading (and singing!) aloud, each story features gorgeous illustrations and connects with a special song that children can enjoy listening to and singing along with.

Enjoy fresh seafood at home with these tried-and-true recipes from Seattle’s classic waterfront restaurant, the Crab Pot.

Located at Miners Landing on Pier 57, right next to the Seattle Great Wheel, the Crab Pot is a landmark restaurant specializing in the Pacific Northwest’s freshest, most delicious seafood. With The Crab Pot Cookbook, celebrate feasting the Seattle way with the most popular dishes from this iconic restaurant. This beautifully photographed cookbook features easy-to-follow recipes for everything from crab cakes, wild salmon tacos, and clam chowder to crab-stuffed mushrooms and the Seafeast—the Crab Pot’s signature dish—piled high with steamed clams, oysters, mussels, crab, head-on shrimp, and more.

Gorgeous photo-essays throughout offer a glimpse at the history and life of the pier, the region, and the seafood in the Pacific Northwest, plus firsthand views of the Crab Pot’s very own crabbing boat that capture all the joys of catching, cleaning, and preparing fresh seafood on deck. With this essential collection of recipes, perfect for seafood lovers of all stripes and for fans of Seattle’s vibrant waterfront, you can bring the magic of a meal on Puget Sound right to your table.

Eat well, lose weight, and have fun with dozens of brilliant recipes to elevate your keto lifestyle and change the way you cook.

You think you know what keto is all about? Think again. Acclaimed chef Jason Raffin redefines what constitutes “good” keto food in this stunning cookbook. The food you use to fuel your body should taste amazing and be dressed to match. With finesse and creativity, character and joy, Raffin has created a new way to think about cooking and eating keto.

Filled with tips for method, technique, and presentation, this celebration of keto meals at the highest level is perfect for home cooks who are looking for something beyond the standard fare. Every imaginative recipe is designed to be easy to follow, allowing anyone to create restaurant-quality food from home—that also happens to be keto. Throughout, gorgeous photographs highlight the finished dishes as well as local farms and suppliers with whom Raffin frequently collaborates. With Keto Like a Chef, anyone can create food that excites the palate, delights the senses, and powers the body.

Cook with joy and feed the ones you love with 200+ recipes for all occasions from the creator of the wildly popular Lil’ Luna cooking blog.  

Need a hand in the kitchen? Lil’ Luna has you covered. From hearty breakfasts to festive apps to mouthwatering main courses, Lil’ Luna’s So Easy & So Yummy helps you navigate everything from meal prep and party planning to last-minute dinner solutions for your family. With more than 200 go-to, no-fail recipes—many ready in thirty minutes or less!—this innovative and approachable cookbook will revolutionize your mealtime routine. With Lil’ Luna, you can: 

• whip up showstopping breakfast treats, 
• bring the best game-day snacks with out of this world dips and bites, 
• get cozy with warming soups and stews, 
• fix tempting veggie sides and bright, flavorful salads, 
• celebrate summer with barbecue and picnic classics, 
• feel festive with irresistible holiday treats, 
• and much more! 

Featuring tips, tricks, bonus recipes, and even links to online video instructions, most of the recipes within are designed with a big family or a bunch of friends in mind. Cooking for a smaller crew? Hello leftovers! You’ll also find inspiration and support throughout with handy charts, checklists, and meal-planning guides. Whether you’re feeding your family or a whole crowd, this crave-worthy cookbook is the ultimate resource for nourishing, tried-and-true recipes that are, above all, so easy and so yummy.   

This energetic book is for kids who feel the unstoppable urge to hip-slippity hop and twirl-bouncy pop but find themselves in situations in which they can’t freely play, like sitting in a classroom or riding in a car. Children can jump into the vibrantly illustrated world of the ever-kinetic protagonist, who uses muscle-control exercises to burn off blip-fidgety jitters and calm himself down, even in restrictive settings.

By teaching simple movements and exercises using fun descriptions and instructional visuals, Gonna Move, Gotta Bounce, Have to Jumpity Jump! builds self-awareness and corrective strategies that kids with hyperactive tendencies can access anywhere, at any time. The playful tone normalizes a child’s skip-squirmy impulses and offers approachable guidance for even the most active kids. The rhyme scheme and imaginative vocabulary engage children who want to learn how to regain focus so they can have a smooth and smiling day.

From when the moon trades places with the sun until the sun trades places with the moon, daddies and daughters do everything together. A day with Daddy means cooking, learning, dancing, and playing. After all, Daddy knows that with a little imagination, a sense of fun, and a lot of love, every part of a normal day can feel special!

The best time is story time.

Reading to kids from birth to age five has bundles of benefits: It helps them develop language skills, encourages empathy and emotional development, fires up their imagination, helps them focus, and better prepares them for school, especially reading and writing. But most important, story time is quality time between your child and you.

Born to Read is a keepsake memory book of your story time together and a guide to raising a reader, all rolled into one. By reading just one book a day for the first five years of your child’s life, they can log almost two thousand books before kindergarten. Use the beautiful journal pages within to keep a list of the books you and your child read together from birth to age five. It’s a perfect way to recall particular favorites, record memories, and chronicle your child’s reading journey—and your child will look back proudly at all the books they’ve logged as they start school.

Interspersed throughout the journal pages are age-appropriate tips for raising a reader and book lists to help you expand you and your child’s reading horizons or dive deeper into particular interest areas. Special features encourage you to think about your unique reader. For example, “My Kid in Books” allows you to record specific reading milestones and passions and, as your child grows, interview them about the books they love. And in “Reading Recs” you can note recommendations from family and friends.

The perfect baby shower gift for expecting parents or an excellent birthday present for growing readers, Born to Read: My First Five Years in Books helps document the story of how your child grew from baby to bookworm, as well as the memories you created along the way.

The 90s live on in this edgy offstage glimpse of the indie musical artists that shaped a decade.

The music of the 1990s shaped more than one generation. It was the music Generation X came of age listening to and the songs millennials cut their teeth on. In Lived Through That, professional photographer and music enthusiast Mike Hipple shares intimate and unique photographic portraits of dozens of the greatest artists from the '90s. Accompanied by in-depth interviews throughout, this behind-the-scenes image-driven collection reveals details of each musician’s time in the limelight as well as where life has taken them. Their words and images are open, honest, inspiring, and personal, offering profound and humorous memories and gems of wisdom that will resonate with fans and music lovers alike.

From Nirvana’s Krist Novoselic to indie icon Tanya Donelly to Arrested Development’s Speech, the portraits and stories featured in Lived Through That cover a wide range of rock, rap, and alternative stars. Whether they were chart-toppers or underground sensations, the artists in Hipple’s epic collection tell the story and reawaken the songs of a pivotal era.

Weep. Scream. Hate. Disbelieve. Go numb.

Breathe.

This beautiful book offers a gentle and honest guide for surviving the early days of grief—shock, trauma, disbelief—and beyond. In simple, easy-to-absorb pages composed of short, poetic text and spot illustrations, readers will begin to find the path they need to move through their grief, step by step. From grieving a sudden death or a long illness, someone hard to love or impossible to live without, anyone suffering a loss will see themselves and their grief reflected in these pages.

When author Paula Becker’s son was killed in 2017, she reached for grief books to help her understand how to proceed through the enormous grief engulfing her. Most grief books are tens of thousands of words long—helpful resources, but often too overwhelming for the newly bereaved to navigate with shattered attention spans and broken hearts. With A Little Book of Self-Care for Those Who Grieve, as only someone who knows grief intimately can, Paula Becker offers grievers a touchstone, quiet snippets of care and advice that can be returned to again and again as they travel the lifelong road of grief. A planned foreword from a notable voice in the grief community as well as a resources section rounds out this essential book.

In the vein of It's OK That You're Not OK, A Little Book of Self-Care for Those Who Grieve acknowledges the brokenness, the pain, and how grief alters your reality and with great tenderness and gentle compassion, walks with readers in that new world.

"That day, I saw humanity at its best and worst. Humanity doesn’t have race, creed, or color—not when you look into the very souls of people." —Christopher Braman, Army Sgt. 1st Class (ret.)

The terrorist attacks against the United States on September 11, 2001, were intended to tear apart the fabric of our country and our democracy. Instead, this brazen act served to show the world the heart of a nation and the true meaning of “united we stand.” The heroes at the Pentagon were extraordinary civilians and soldiers who made decisions to sacrifice their own safety to render aid to complete strangers. Twenty years later, these stories serve as a reminder of what it truly means to be American.

Meticulously researched and told with respect and reverence, American Phoenix sheds light on the remarkable individuals and events of that day, revealing stories never before told. Starting from the date the builders of the Pentagon broke ground on September 11, 1941, and culminating in the national Pentagon Memorial dedication in 2008, this is a tribute to those who sacrificed everything so that others might live.

Winner of the 2021 Gold Moonbeam Award for Health Issues

"A moving and beautiful tale about a family, a loss, and the natural world that binds us all together. With exquisite tenderness, Moore reveals the persistent, transcendent power of love." —Lily King, bestselling author

A young child and a grandmother share a love of birds. Every day after school they watch the birds outside her window and draw them with colored pencils, the scent of ginger tea hanging in the air. When they find a dead goldfinch outside the window one day, the grandmother teaches her grandchild about the enduring strength of love that continues even when a body is no longer living. This lesson returns to the child in a powerful dream after the grandmother dies—a dream that becomes a healing gift for the child’s grandfather.

Gorgeously illustrated by wildlife artist and illustrator Michael Boardman, Libby Moore’s The River of Birds is a gentle story that looks honestly at grief and love. The beautiful themes and lush illustrations will bring comfort to readers of all ages. The book includes a guide put together by clinical psychologist Mary Plouffe, PhD, that provides practical resources for adults who are supporting grieving children.

When Bugsy Drake stepped onboard the yacht as Second Stew on Bravo’s Below Deck Med, she showed the world the magic of tablescaping. With the help of some unconventional centerpieces, a few artfully folded napkins, well-placed lighting, and a generous sprinkling of décor, tablescaping is the art of transforming a meal into an adventure that your guests will never forget. Bugsy’s gorgeous, over-the-top themes have captivated guests and earned her legions of devoted fans. Now she’s ready to share her passion and talent for creating unforgettable dining experiences, honed during nearly a decade working on the world’s most exclusive yachts and private islands.

Featuring step-by-step instructions for building your own enchanting events, The Art of Tablescaping is packed full of inventive ideas and design hacks, on-the-job stories and lessons learned. Get inspired by some of Bugsy’s most iconic tablescapes, from rustic outdoor gatherings to glam-as-all-get-out soirees, then follow her tips for getting your own party started.

You don’t need to have the superpowers of a Chief Stew to make a simple dinner party into a lasting memory—just your creativity, a sense of fun, and a few tips from the Queen of Theme herself.

This is a great gift!