"When Becket and her twin brother, Nicholas, adopt new pets from the local shelter, Becket's dream dog turns out to be a super-shy scaredy-pooch, and Nicholas's cat is more outgoing and attention-seeking than he was expecting"--

New dog, no tricks! Becket Branch has one birthday wish—a dog! Dogs are outgoing and friendly, and they live life loud, just like Becket. Becket’s twin, Nicholas, wants a pet more like him—a peaceful, quiet indoor cat. When their parents take them to the shelter to choose a dog and a cat, it should be Becket’s biggest BEAUTIFUL ALERT ever. But Becket’s dream dog, Dibs, turns out to be a super-shy scaredy-pooch. Meanwhile, Nicholas’s kitty, Given, loves being the center of attention and greeting visitors to Blackberry Farm. Can Becket and Nicholas learn how to love Dibs and Given as they are—even if they aren’t exactly the pets the twins dreamed of? With black-and-white drawings throughout by award-winning illustrator LeUyen Pham (Real Friends), this second volume of the Blackberry Farm series offers a gentle message about embracing new friends who may not match preconceived expectations.

Everything is changing for Becket Branch. From subways to sidewalks to safety rules, Becket is a city kid born and raised. Now the Branch family is trading urban bustle for big green fields and moving to Gran’s farm, where Becket has to make sense of new routines from feeding animals to baling hay. And as much as Becket loves to yell “Beautiful Alert!” there’s a lot about the countryside that is just plain odd. But Becket is ready to put her own spin on the simple life. Whether selling her mouth-puckering lemonade, feeding hostile hens, or trying to make a best friend of her new neighbor Frieda Franca, Becket is determined to use her city smarts to get a grip on farm living. Laugh and learn with Becket as she mucks through the messy, exuberant human experience of change she didn’t ask for, in a story that sparkles with quirky characters and lasting connections.

Introducing the Oodlethunks, a hilarious chapter book series starring a prehistoric girl and her wacky Stone Age family. Oona has found a very special egg. Oh, how she loves her baby! She'll do anything to protect this egg until it hatches. Then she can find out what's inside, even though it might just gobble her up! But Oona's precious bundle of eggy joy may never see the light of day. It seems everyone wants Oona's egg. Her little brother, Thunk, that smelly kid, Bruce Brute, and a bunch of others in her West Wog world all want a piece of Oona's treasure. Oona the protector, Oona the curious, Oona the mighty will do whatever it takes to safeguard her darling. No one will get their grimy, Cro-Magnony hands on her egg. Because, more than anything, Oona wants something of her very own to care for.National Book Award finalist Adele Griffin pairs with artist Mike Wu to deliver a cast of lovable, primitive family and friends in West Wog. The stories pop with adventure, original language, and an unstoppable protagonist who is as adorable as the egg she's working so hard to protect.

Get set for another West Woggle adventure, starring Oona, her wacky Stone Age family and some unforgettable pets! Who says kids are the only ones who can have fun during the summer? Oona Oodlethunk and her brother Bonk are ready to change all that. When they hatch a plan to create a "Collected Animals Meeting Place," Camp Woggle is born! But hold onto your sunhat, this isn't your typical "boondoggle-lanyard" camp. And none of the campers arrive with bug repellent or sunscreen. This happy "All Pets Allowed" place is strictly for prehistoric pets. Dinosaurs, fruitafossors, lemurs, turtles, and even pet rocks are welcome, as long as they stick to Camp Woggle's rules:1. No Chewing or Biting (Unless It's Your Food)2. Be Kind and Thoughtful 3. Older Pets Get First Turn4. No Dangerous Predators Allowed5. When Nature Calls, Wash Your Paws This wacky West Woggle adventure stars some pretty impressive critters and lots of action-packed Stone-Age facts!

Get set for another West Woggle adventure, starring Oona, and introducing her just-hatched cutie -- Stacy Steg Oodlethunk! Now that Oona's dino-baby has hatched from its egg, things have gotten even wackier! Stacy the enormous stegosaurus, can't wait to explore her new world. And Oona can't wait to show her off. But not everyone's ready for this big bundle of joy whose having the time of her life romping and chomping through West Woggle. With Bonk, Bruce Brute, Erma, and even the mean witch, Old Brouhaha, on the case, this loveable babe finds her right place in the hearts of these Stone-Age folks who come to depend on this Stacy Steg to save them from some prehistoric perils.

For over four decades, John Coykendall’s passion has been preserving the farm heritage of a small community in rural southeastern Louisiana. A Tennessee native and longtime master gardener at Blackberry Farm, Coykendall has become a celebrity in a growing movement that places a premium on farm-to-table cuisine with locally sourced, organic, and heirloom foods and flavors. While his work takes him around the world searching for seeds and the cultural knowledge of how to grow them, what inspires him most is his annual pilgrimage to Louisiana. Drawn to the Washington Parish area as a college student, Coykendall forged long-lasting friendships with local farmers and gardeners. Over the decades, he has recorded oral histories, recipes, tall tales, agricultural knowledge, and wisdom from generations past in more than eighty illustrated and handwritten journals. At the same time, he has unearthed and safeguarded rare varieties of food crops once grown in the area, then handed them back to the community. In Preserving Our Roots: My Journey to Save Seeds and Stories, Coykendall shares a wealth of materials collected in his journals, ensuring they are passed on to future generations. Organized by season, the book offers a narrative chronicle of Coykendall’s visits to Washington Parish since 1973. He highlights staple crops, agricultural practices, and favorite recipes from the families and friends who have hosted him. Accompanied by a rich selection of drawings, journal pages, and photographs—along with over forty recipes—Preserving Our Roots chronicles Coykendall’s passion for recording foods and narratives that capture the rhythms of daily life on farms, in kitchens, and across generations.