The Aardvark Venus

Collection of poetry by Rochelle Owens. Introduction by Susan Smith Nash.

A gorgeous new package for Paula Danziger’s backlist with an introduction from Ann Martin! What could be better? Rosie and Phoebe have been best friends since they met on the Divorce Express, shuttling between their parents on weekends. Now Rosie’s mom and Phoebe’s dad have fallen in love, and they’re all mov­ing in together. Rosie has always dreamed of having a “real” family, but having Phoebe as a sister and having Phoebe as a best friend are two very different things. And having an extra parent around isn’t easy for anyone to get used to. It seemed like the perfect set­up, but can their friendship sur­vive in the same house? Paula Danziger’s novels are hilarious, genuine, and full of dynamic female characters that have won the hearts of her readers and turned her books into beloved classics. These playful covers full of charming details capture the spirit of Paula’s stories and will brighten up the book­shelves of her fans and a new generation of readers.

First published in 1988, this book contains entries on famous American Humorists. Humor has been present in American literature, from the beginning, and has developed characteristics that reflect the American character, both regional and national. Although American literature was, in the past, treated as inferior to British literature, there has always been a large popular audience for the genre, which this book shows. The figures with entries in this encyclopedia not only amuse in their writing, but also aim to enlighten- setting out to expose the foibles and foolishness of society and the individuals who compose it. It is the manner in which these authors try to accomplish this end that determines whether they appear in the volume. Indeed, the book will demonstrate that the best humor has at its base, a ready understanding of human nature.

The New York Times and internationally bestselling author of the “captivating, richly drawn” (Woman’s World) The Paris Library returns with a brilliant new novel based on the true story of Jessie Carson—the American librarian who changed the literary landscape of France. 1918: As the Great War rages, Jessie Carson takes a leave of absence from the New York Public Library to work for the American Committee for Devastated France. Founded by millionaire Anne Morgan, this group of international women help rebuild destroyed French communities just miles from the front. Upon arrival, Jessie strives to establish something that the French have never seen—children’s libraries. She turns ambulances into bookmobiles and trains the first French female librarians. Then she disappears. 1987: When NYPL librarian and aspiring writer Wendy Peterson stumbles across a passing reference to Jessie Carson in the archives, she becomes consumed with learning her fate. In her obsessive research, she discovers that she and the elusive librarian have more in common than their work at New York’s famed library, but she has no idea their paths will converge in surprising ways across time. Based on the extraordinary little-known history of the women who received the Croix de Guerre medal for courage under fire, Miss Morgan’s Book Brigade is a tribute to the resilience of the human spirit, the power of literature, and ultimately the courage it takes to make a change.

‘Very clever, acutely observant, funny, full of wisdom, a delight to read’ – Jackie Tidey, Writer and Editor You’re the Froth On My Soy Cappuccino takes a light-hearted outlook on the world with poems written, not to baffle you, but to entertain with musical diction and the ever-worrying ring of truth. ‘You’re the froth on my soy cappuccino; You’re the spread on my paleo toast; You’re the nose of my GM-free pinot; You’re organic, my love. You’re the most!’ Readers are likely to find themselves re-reading their favourites, memorising lines and, with easy charm, quoting them on suitable occasions. Written in a style less common today than in the past, You’re the Froth On My SoyCappuccino is a collection that is easy to read and will be enjoyed by a wide range of readers.