Praise Song for My Children celebrates twenty-one years of poetry by one of the most significant African poets of this century. Patricia Jabbeh Wesley guides us through the complex and intertwined highs and lows of motherhood and all the roles that it encompasses: parent, woman, wife, sister, friend. Her work is deeply personal, drawing from her own life and surroundings to convey grief, the bleakness of war, humor, deep devotion, and the hope of possibility. These poems lend an international voice to the tales of motherhood, as Wesley speaks both to the African and to the Western experience of motherhood, particularly black motherhood. She pulls from African motifs and proverbs, utilizing the poetics of both the West and Africa to enrich her striking emotional range. Leading us to the depths of mourning and the heights of tender love, she responds to American police brutality, writing "To be a black woman is to be a woman, / ready to mourn," and remembers a dear friend who is at once "mother and wife and friend and pillar / and warrior woman all in one." Wesley writes poetry that moves with her through life, land, and love, seeing with eyes that have witnessed both national and personal tragedy and redemption. Born in Tugbakeh, Liberia and raised in Monrovia, Wesley emigrated to the United States in 1991 to escape the Liberian civil war. In this moving collection, she invites us to join her as she buries loved ones, explores long-distance connection through social media, and sings bittersweet praises of the women around her, of mothers, and of Africa.

Songs of Joy and Praise from Catholic Book Publishing contains twelve familiar songs, including "Rise and Shine," "This Little Light of Mine," "Now Thank We All Our God," "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands," "Amazing Grace," and "When the Saints Go Marching In." Playing one of the songs in Songs of Joy and Praise on the electric piano is easy: simply push the key that matches the color and number of the note above each word. Intended for children age 3 and up and enhanced by delightful illustrations, Songs of Joy and Praise from Catholic Book Publishing will provide hours of fun.

Marriage has been good to Aggie. After a few years and a baby under her belt, she's ready to take on anything--including adding child number ten to the home! Blessings aren't always easy, and Aggie is about to discover that in a whole new way! So, Aunt Aggie has to "knuckle down" and "ante up" to keep from losing ALL her marbles. When Aggie and crew return home after a month away, all she wants is to settle in and get back into a regular routine. She has just eight weeks until the baby comes, and enough plans to keep her busy for eighteen. But when new and unwelcome surprises greet them upon arrival, her plans are derailed once more. The children are growing up and the struggle is real. Local girls are on the prowl, and potential boyfriends abound. Little Ronnie has decided who rules the roost, and it's not his parents! Cari and Lorna appear to be in the middle of a role reversal, and even Ellie is making questionable choices. Tina and William can't stop fighting, much to the dismay of everyone. Add in the stress of getting ready for Thanksgiving and Christmas, and it all threatens to break her. Luke wonders what happened to his wife. Aggie wonders what happened to her life. Faith, family, and a frenetic life collide in his last book of the Aggie Series.