Defined by his dogged fortitude and courage, his exploits became legend: snacking on chili dogs, dodging streetcars, crashing Saints tailgates, and even chatting with a giraffe at the zoo. But it was a New Year’s Eve firework scare and a run to Harahan that led to a turning point—and a cozy couch. Pondering his newly acquired leisure time, Scrim gave his first-person account of his adventures to trusted friend and beloved storyteller Margaret Orr. 

Now, Scrim recounts his journey from runaway rogue to local icon in his own words (with help from Margaret Orr). Scrim My Tail: As Told to Margaret Orr is a heartwarming story of survival, sass, and finding out that, sometimes, the best adventures lead you home.

To be seen and not heard was never going to happen for Barbara Worton, a.k.a. Chatterbox.

Talking, which she started doing in full sentences at fourteen months, is in her DNA. Her Italian American mother was a champion talker. Her German Dutch father had to be a listener. Her mother’s parents and ten brothers and sisters all talked at once. Music, both recorded and live, played constantly. Life was noisy, and Barbara watched and cataloged what she saw and heard—then and all through her life.

As only a true chatterbox knows how, Barbara winds and weaves through stories from her Long Island childhood to life in the present. Each of her forty-three mini-memoirs paints a portrait of what makes the everyday beautiful, giving readers a wonderfully detailed glimpse into memories like being in her grandmother’s kitchen (where making pasta sauce was almost a “military maneuver”). With wit and poignancy, she wrestles with the world’s paradoxes and recalls moments that show just how much we all have in common.

Life spills onto the page in all its noisy, glorious, and messy detail. In Barbara’s both intimate and chatty voice, her stories take us from Buster Browns and Tonette Permanents to supermarket lines, John Travolta, the Tappan Zee Bridge, and the sleepless nights of adulthood. You can see and hear the characters in these stories. Anyone who has a family will see something of themselves in this book. Anyone who loves spaghetti and meatballs will need to go out for Italian food after reading Worton’s ode to both. Each story in Chatterbox: Stories from a Noisy Life is the perfect pause, a moment to refresh and presents a mirror for readers to reflect on their own pasts, presents, and futures.

"The essays create a vivid pastiche of mid-to-late 20th century Americana. Worton effectively tells her stories in a breezy style, laced with both humor and poignancy. There's a steady confidence in her prose as she meticulously observes and comments on her own actions, the world around her, and occasional esoteric thoughts that have made a home in her brain." - Kirkus Reviews

Inspired by Shel Silverstein, Emily Morrison stretches the bounds of imagination and enchantment in this collection infused with humor, empathy, profound truths, and delightful characters. The clever interplay of Aileen Bennett’s illustrations draws the reader into the nuances of the words as they come alive in the reader’s mind.

Readers are introduced to Lila Duray—a quirky, book-loving girl with a passion for writing and whose author, Emily Morrison, has a penchant for poetry. Surrounded by an equally outrageous cast of characters, Lila Duray: A Collection of Delightfully Delectable Poems invokes whimsy in the ordinary and puts the extra in the extraordinary.

Let your imagination run wild, go on a safari, a race against time, or an adventure in outer space. Morrison stretches the bounds of imagination and enchantment in this collection infused with humor, empathy, and profound truths. 

Lila Duray is meant to be shared and often read aloud. It may even inspire young readers to write their own poetry. This book will be cherished by readers of all ages. Perfect for gifting or special occasions, this collector’s item will be treasured for years to come.

Welcome to Reptile Ridge! Population: twenty thousand lizards and one cat.

The cat, Boris, has it good. Living in Reptile Ridge, he is a menace to all lizards and they are defenseless to stop him. Only Arnold, the skinniest lizard of all, is brave enough to face the fierce feline. His plan? A muscleman matchup against Boris. His fellow lizards doubt and laugh, sure that he could never beat the cat, but Arnold is determined to prove himself against the big bully and save the town from its feline foe.

With lessons in getting back up and standing up for yourself and those around you, The Feline Foe of Reptile Ridge, the writing debut of acclaimed artist Matt Rinard, is the laugh-out-loud story of a true underdog.