Out Of My Shell

An inspiring and timely story of friendship, courage, and the magic that can happen when we stand up for what's right. Normally, Olivia spends all year looking forward to her family's summer vacation in Florida. But not this year. Not when her parents have recently separated, and her father has to stay behind in Colorado. Olivia doesn't know what she'll do all summer without him. They've always been a pair, and she's never felt the same bond with her mother or younger sister. So Olivia plans to spend the summer laying low, and trying to ignore the hurt gnawing at her heart. But when she learns that the local sea turtle population is in serious risk of dying off because of her neighbor's poorly designed house, she knows she has to do something. She can't just watch the beautiful creatures suffer. Yet her chances of helping the turtles are slim, and she can't handle any more heartbreak. Will Olivia turn her back on her favorite animal to avoid the pain? Or will she find the courage to stand up for the turtles, and maybe heal herself in the process?

One thing about a new day--you really never know where it will go, even if you know where it starts. Marcel the Shell with Shoes On is walking on the blanket when he is unexpectedly launched high into the air. Tumbling through space, the bird's-eye view offers our small friend not only a glimpse of the important things in life--his beloved Nana who sleeps in a fancy French bread, a stinky shoe, and a monstrous baby--but also a much bigger picture. Sometimes the most wonderful discoveries are the ones we least expect.

This new series of picture books provide a great introduction to discussing emotions for preschoolers. Each book in this series is perfect for talking about emotions, boosting self-esteem, and reinforcing good behavior for preschoolers. This vibrant set with illustrated animals is designed for sharing in a classroom, or at home, with key discussion words that pop in bold type.

We all need encouragement to "come out of our shell." Our shell may be an addiction; it may be anger from past experiences. First thing you need to know is that you are not alone. We have things we battle mentally, physically, and spiritually that can deter us from where we should be in life and in Christ. Living a life where we dwell on the past or even current hurts will keep us stagnant. No one wants to be angry, frustrated, disgusted, sad...just plain miserable. But sometimes when those feelings come, we think we can't do anything about it, or we don't know where to start to get to the deliverance we need. No matter what we have done or what has been done to us, we can rest in Jesus. Matthew 11:28-30 says, "Come unto me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." God wants his children to be happy and at peace. All we need to do is want that as well. Then we can take the first step to cracking the shell that has been keeping us confined in bondage. Your journey can start today! As you read this book, allow each poem to minister, encourage, and strengthen you to break through that shell so you can get to your deliverance and ultimate spiritual wholeness.

View our feature on Jenny Slate and Dean Fleischer-Camp’s Marcel the Shell With Shoes On. Millions of people have fallen in love with Marcel. Now the tiny shell with shoes and a big heart is transitioning from online sensation to classic picture book character, and readers can learn more about this adorable creature and his wonderfully peculiar world. From wearing a lentil as a hat to hang-gliding on a Dorito, Marcel is able to find magic in the everyday. He may be small, but he knows he has a lot of good qualities. He may not be able to lift anything by himself, but when he needs help, he calls upon his family. He may never be able own a real dog . . . but he has a pretty awesome imagination.

"In a riveting debut novel that reads like Prep meets Gone Girl, a young woman is determined to create the perfect life--husband, home, and career--until a violent incident from her past threatens to unravel everything and expose her most shocking secret of all. Twenty-eight-year-old New Yorker Ani FaNelli seems to have it all: she's a rising star at The Women's Magazine, impossibly fit, perfectly groomed, and about to marry Luke Harrison, a handsome blueblood. But behind that veneer of perfection lies a vulnerability that Ani holds close and buries deep--a very violent and public trauma from her past that has left her constantly trying to reinvent herself. And only she knows how far she would go to keep her secrets safe. When a documentary producer invites Ani to tell her side of the chilling incident that took place when she was a teenager at the prestigious Bradley School, she hopes it will be an opportunity for public vindication. Armed with the trappings of success--expensive clothes, high-powered byline, a massive engagement ring--she is determined to silence the whispers of suspicion and blame from her past, and prove once and for all how far she's come since Bradley. She'll even let them film her lavish wedding on Nantucket, the final step in her transformation. But perfection doesn't come without cost. As the wedding and filming converge, Ani's meticulously crafted facade begins to buckle and crack--until an explosive revelation offers her a final chance at redemption, even as it rocks her picture-perfect world. Equal parts glitz and darkness, and with a singular voice and twisting plot, Luckiest Girl Alive reads like Sex & the City--if Carrie Bradshaw had a closet full of skeletons instead of shoes. In Ani FaNelli, Jessica Knoll has created a complex and vulnerable heroine who you'll be rooting for to the very last page"--

- HE WAS SUPPOSED TO NEVER LEAVE PRISON. AND THEN HE WAS IN MY BEDROOM. - Dayton is always on time to work, always organized, always ready to do overtime. The perfect receptionist-waiter-cleaner. Employee of the month. But Dayton has a secret side to him. A kinky, filthy side full of dark and dangerous fantasies that should never see the light of day. He explores his taste for submission in one way only. For three years, he's been writing letters about it to Max. Convicted to life in prison for the murder of three men and unlikely to ever be free, Max is the safest outlet for Dayton's frustrated fantasies. Only that he does leave prison. He finds Dayton. And he won't settle for anything less than what he was promised in the letters. Too bad Dayton is nowhere near ready to indulge Max. Or himself for that matter. Themes: ex-con, sexual fantasy, role-play, bondage, dirty talk, bullying, hotel setting Genre: M/M contemporary erotic romance Length: ~62,000 words (standalone novel) WARNING: Adult content that might be considered taboo. Explicit content, strong language. Reader discretion advised.

Overcoming Shyness is an easy-to-read, practical guide for breaking out of your shell and really living a life free of social anxiety. It's divided into two sections. The first section on mindset explores lifestyle changes, new ways of thinking, and using imagination for you instead of against you to expand your identity and know your true self. Journaling and psychological counseling are recommended as well as finding mentors and an online community, such as the author's. The second section on back pocket tips provides several tools and techniques, such as smiling, the ABCs of body language, the 3-foot rule, the 4 magic words to initiate a conversation and the key to maintaining it, active listening, and the secret sauce, that are guaranteed to get you out of your cramped shell and into the exciting world of social Interaction. The author writes from experience with compassion, wit, and insight so that you feel like you're having a heart-to-heart conversation with an understanding friend.