Courage To Sparkle

You were born creative. If you don't feel creative or your creative pursuits haven't worked out, Doreen Virtue's newest book can help. Doreen, the best-selling author of more than 100 books, card decks, and audio programs, shows you how to gain 10 forms of courage that lead to creativity, including the courage to be yourself. Each chapter features practical exercises to lead readers to discover their natural talents as writers or artists and in other creative vocations or avocations. Doreen also includes summaries of fascinating psychological studies that demonstrate how to become a successful and satisfied creative individual. Filled with practical advice, scientific research on the creative process, and real-life stories, The Courage to Be Creative is a mainstream book with an inspirational flavor.

Adventure Time meets The Good Place in this zany-yet-philosophical graphic novel buddy comedy about the unlikely friendship between Death, a grim reaper who's never had a friend, and Sparkles, The Last Unicorn, a celebrity influencer who is somehow immune to Death's touch. Being Death is no way to live. Sure, you're all-powerful, but collecting souls involves a ton of paperwork, and it's impossible to have friends when everything you touch instantly dies. Being Sparkles the Last Unicorn isn't as fun as you'd imagine, either. Maybe it seems like the whole world wants to be your bestie, but really people just want you to pose with them for selfies, or use you to help them sell stuff. Everything changes when Death and Sparkles meet and realize they might just be one another's first chance at a real friend. But before they can even enjoy the bromance, the whole world starts freaking out about this unlikely pair. Will fame or BFFdom prevail? Laugh-out-loud hilarious, gently philosophical, and full of delightfully zany exuberance, this buddy comedy turns friendship on its head—literally—and will have readers believing in the power of cupcakes for breakfast and cosmic camaraderie. HILARIOUS BUDDY COMEDY: Move over, Wayne and Garth! Move over, Beavis and Butthead! Readers will love this spin on the classic mismatched BFF dynamic featuring two of the most powerful beings around: the guy in charge of taking everyone's life, and the most magical creature still in existence on Earth. Never have two beings been less alike or more adorable. PERFECT FOR RELUCTANT READERS: With bright, vibrant illustrations, big fun fonts, expressive sound effects throughout, an irreverent spirit, and a heart full of cupcakes, this graphic novel will entice even the most skeptical of young readers. BIG THEMES: Self-awareness; empathy; bravery; commercialism; celebrity influencers; and the courage to stand up for what you believe in, even if that's the hard thing to do—all of these important themes weave throughout the book in subtle ways that will resonate with readers without feeling heavy-handed. THE FIRST ADVENTURE OF MANY: This is the first book in a planned series about the adventures of Death and Sparkles. The next book will be out in Fall 2022! LIKE LIVING IN CANDYLAND: Rob Justus's expressive, vivid art makes readers feel like they're living in Candyland. With tons to see on every page, and countless visual gags per spread, this book will delight graphic novel fans and bring new readers to the genre. Perfect for: • Reluctant readers • Parents • Fans of graphic novels • Fans of unicorns • Educators

The Little Unicorn lives in an enchanted forest powered by the magic of her inner sparkle. When she begins to doubt herself, the magic within her and her surroundings begins to disappear. She sets off on a journey to save the forest by rediscovering her sparkle, only to find it in the place she least expects. This heartwarming story helps kids realize that we all have an inner sparkle, and we all can create magic when we believe in ourselves. Themes include: Empowerment, Self-Doubt, Courage, Confidence, Friendship, Tolerance, Kindness, Inner Strength, New Experiences

“Lowe echoes the whimsy of J.K. Rowling with…charismatic characters.” —Publishers Weekly “Fans of Matilda…will be happy to meet another spunky girl.” —School Library Journal Cat Campbell is a late-blooming witch whose magical abilities have yet to be mastered in this charming coming-of-age story set in the world of The Power of Poppy Pendle. Cat Campbell has had magical powers since the day she was born, but she didn’t always know that. Cat’s mother believes magic ruins lives, and even as Cat’s passion for magic grows over the years, no one suspects she has the gift. But she has indeed inherited the coveted magic gene of her famed great-great-grandmother Mabel, a discovery she makes in a most surprising way. And when she comes across a book called The Late Bloomer’s Guide to Magic, she finds the encouragement she needs and spells that actually work. Then the town of Potts Bottom is threatened by a notoriously feared witch, and Cat has the chance to help her family and town—and to prove herself in the process. Because, as The Late Bloomer’s Guide to Magic proclaims, “believing in your magic and yourself is half the battle.”

A few years after the island of Mauritius gained independence from Great Britain, people and cultures collide and navigate life as Shakti, a little girl tries to make sense of the world and find her way. Testimonials Jackee Holder: Author, Coach, Trainer “Thank you dear one for sharing this powerful story with us. I really appreciated the way in which Shakti tells her story. I was totally engaged. The chapters were so readable. I found myself swooning as she shared her mystical experiences in the temple. Shakti has this way of going deep without saying a lot. I noticed this in her collection of autobiographical poems “I: A Woman Speaking Up”. This is a powerful testimony of overcoming life’s adversity. Shakti explores taboo subjects such as colourism with honesty and grace. This is a story of moving from turbulence to triumph. The shortness of the chapters kept me wanting to keep turning the page. Shakti’s voice encourages the reader to reclaim their lives and to frame a new empowered story.” Dr Janet Balabanovic: Counselling Psychologist “Shakti bears her soul in this intimate collection of childhood memories. Please Paint Me Caramel delivers a beautifully evocative account of a childhood of relative privilege in Mauritius, a childhood which is richly suffused with vibrant and colourful memories of religious festivals and cultural traditions. Disturbingly, this is uneasily juxtaposed alongside a powerful undercurrent of emotional abuse disguised as love and protection. Suffocating demands and expectations are justified to protect and safeguard the future of a young girl who was born “too dark”, “with bad blood” and “in the wrong month”. The crushing weight of her family’s fears is keenly felt as the little girl grapples with her perceived defects and secretly and repeatedly prays to be painted caramel to secure her place in the world as a marriageable woman in a society that dictates only one path to a good and worthwhile life. A poignant reminder of the devastating impact of parental and culturally-bound conditions of worth on individual self-acceptance.” Jane Yeadon, Author, Scotland “This is an important book written from the heart- breakingly honest viewpoint of a child bewildered and marked by tradition and her family's adherence to it. Care, compassion and humour are the colours Shakti brings to her pages. She has brought the characters, traditions, and the emotions of her Mauritian childhood brilliantly to life.

Voted the UK’s Favourite Nature Book The memoir that inspired Chris Packham's BBC documentary, Asperger’s and Me Every minute was magical, every single thing it did was fascinating and everything it didn't do was equally wondrous, and to be sat there, with a Kestrel, a real live Kestrel, my own real live Kestrel on my wrist! I felt like I'd climbed through a hole in heaven's fence. An introverted, unusual young boy, isolated by his obsessions and a loner at school, Chris Packham only felt at ease in the fields and woods around his suburban home. But when he stole a young Kestrel from its nest, he was about to embark on a friendship that would teach him what it meant to love, and that would change him forever. In his rich, lyrical and emotionally exposing memoir, Chris brings to life his childhood in the 70s, from his bedroom bursting with fox skulls, birds' eggs and sweaty jam jars, to his feral adventures. But pervading his story is the search for freedom, meaning and acceptance in a world that didn’t understand him. Beautifully wrought, this coming-of-age memoir will be unlike any you've ever read.