Mike Scrabble Too

Mike&ScrabbleToo explores the growing relationship between a Dog and her Human through the medium of interpretive dance, illustrated giggles and pithy one-liners. It's better than Mike&Scrabble, because Dogs make Humans better people.

In 2016, much to his and the rest of the world’s surprise, Donald Trump was elected President of the United States of America. This is the story, told in pictures so that he can read it himself, of how he got there, and what when Mr Trump went to Washington. All of Mr Trump’s friends, and bad hombres, feature in the book – from Mr Putin and Mrs Clinton (is she locked up, yet?) to Mr Bannon and Mr Obama (#NotAmerican). The illustrations for the book are in stunning 3D (well, they're in 3D), and their cuteness belies the cutting humour they portray. The author, Michael Mayor, does not envisage it ending well … Political satire in 3D graphic novel form.

An after-work walk to clear her mind was what Mallory Kerrigan intended, but spotting Caitlyn Gooding on the river trail interrupts her plans. At work she had watched as a distraught Caitlyn signed over the deed of her house to her ex-husband. Caitlyn's finances are none of Mallory's business, but she strikes up a conversation anyway. Their long conversation begins a friendship and their compatibility leads the newly divorced Mallory to propose that Caitlyn and her two sons move in with Mallory and her daughter to share expenses. It seems an ideal arrangement--except to Zoe, who is no happier about sharing her house than she is about her parents' divorce. But life is full of surprises ... including a friendship that deepens into far more.

Don't Be Like Mike is a comedic collection of short stories that may make you think twice before you choose to imitate Mike. Or that will at least help you learn how to deal with your Mike.

Holidays are about surviving the gaps between one meal and another.' For one long hot summer in Devon, three families are sharing one very big house in the country. The Herreras: made up of two tired parents, three grumbling children and one promiscuous dog; the Littles: he's loaded (despite two divorces and five kids), she's gorgeous, but maybe the equation for a truly happy marriage is a bit more complicated than that; and the Browns, who seem oddly jumpy around people, but especially each other. By the pool, new friendships blossom; at the Aga door, resentments begin to simmer. Secret crushes are formed and secret cigarettes cadged by the teens, as the adults loosen their inhibitions with litres of white wine and start to get perhaps a little too honest . . . Mother hen to all, Evie Herreras has a life-changing announcement to make, one that could rock the foundations of her family. But will someone else beat her to it?

When Rainie McClaws learns of her daughter Madisons losing her leg in a freak shooting accident, she mutters disgustedly, Half-black and now only one leg? She doesnt stand a fin chance, does she? The year is 1995, and Madison is barely eleven years old. In between her latest waitressing job and/or running from her latest loser boyfriend, Rainie frequently brings her children back to the little farm belonging to her mother in Blue, Colorado. And it is at Blue that Madison finds respite and validation of her self-worth. Gramma Moona hippie, herbal-medicine concoctor, and well-known egg decoratorbecomes Madisons savior throughout her turbulent life. Madison proves through determination and courageand pure spunkthat she will make that chance happen for herself. She learns to embrace her dual ethnicity as she survives her disability and racial mistreatment and bullying. She overcomes her transient, wretchedly dysfunctional life with her mother. Along the way, she falls in love with Lucas Grant, former CNN correspondent and subsequent spy-thriller author. And eventually, despite her many challenges, Madison discovers her own destiny.

This delectable collection of stories is full of interesting facts and anecdotes about coffee's history and culture, how a bean goes from field to cup, and the many varieties available.