"Hallelujah for a brand new day and the wondrous smell that floats my way." A poor but happy peddler lives in the attic of a bakery. Whilst he does not have much, he is content with his life. Every morning, he wakes up to the wonderful smell of freshly-baked bread and loudly exclaims his joy through the open window.

A fast, salesy read, this book sketches a provocative yet entertaining picture of peddlers, companies, customers, and the unacceptable status quo. It offers a candid account of everyday issues and dilemmas that peddlers face and discusses problems few others are willing to acknowledge, no less discuss. An irreverent and humorous look at corporate sales, it's packed with practical and simple solutions, and true stories from 20-plus years in the business.

Who, really, is the peddler in the yellow bow tie? A little old man is watering his garden when a squeak squeak squeak gets his attention. In the distance on the narrow country road, he sees a peddler driving his cart. The old man's dog, Happy, barks in welcome. The old man notices a beautiful bed on the top of the cart, and the courtly peddler, whose blue tailcoat matches his bowler, is happy to bring it down - but the old man hasn't any way to pay for it. The peddler makes a bargain: if the old man can make it squeak by the end of the day, it will be his. But the bed is so sturdy it never squeaks, unlike the door of the old man's house, his water pump, a field mouse being chased by Happy, and so on. The old man invites the peddler in for a cup of tea and a bit of conversation, giving the peddler a chance to see the extent of the old man's humble circumstances. The old man is never able to make the bed squeak, but a little kind trickery from the peddler ensures his peaceful rest. Fortino's subtle story of kindness and courtesy features plenty of read-aloud - friendly repetition and onomatopoeia. Redila's palette has the color and clarity of stained glass, and his figures are slightly exaggerated, suggesting Baum's original Oz. -- amazon.com

While in Germany with their father, who is researching the Pied Piper legend, Max, nearly thirteen, and her brother Carter, ten, are spirited away to the magical land where the stolen children of Hamelin have been hidden since the thirteenth century.

“Astonishing . . . Explores the vast underground legacy of our own desires. This is the must-read book of the year.” —Rene Denfeld, bestselling author of The Child Finder A richly imagined debut novel about a traveling salesman and the small town he changes forever If someone offered you a magic elixir that could conjure any dream you wanted . . . would you take it? Traveling salesmen like Robert Owens have passed through Evie Dawson’s town before, but none of them offered anything like what he has to sell: dreams, made to order, with satisfaction guaranteed. Soon after he arrives, the community is shocked by the disappearance of Evie’s young son. The townspeople, shaken by the Dawson family’s tragedy and captivated by Robert’s subversive magic, begin to experiment with his dreams. And Evie, devastated by grief, turns to Robert for a comfort only he can sell her. But the dream peddler’s wares awaken in his customers their most carefully buried desires, and despite all his good intentions, some of them will lead to disaster. Gorgeously told through the eyes of Evie, Robert, and a broad cast of fully realized characters, The Dream Peddler is an imaginative, moving novel of overcoming loss and reckoning with the longings we keep secret.

Maxine Rose Schur remarkably depicts the time and place so vividly that the reader becomes completely immersed in the lives of her characters. With the evocative paintings this provides amemorable and deeply moving book for Hanukkah and all year round.