Biomedical sciences professor Lisa Cuchara fell head-over-heels in love with frogs the first time she and her photographer husband Tom were invited to photograph a red-eyed tree frog. Before long, the couple was clearing out their space in their home for terrariums full of well-loved amphibians! As it turned out, Lisa’s uncanny ability to put frogs at ease set the couple on a new creative path: producing whimsical frog portraits. Through patience, care—and plenty of snacks!—they have been able to achieve incredible images while keeping their animal friends totally content. In fact, some of their frogs now know that they will fed after being taken out of their terrarium—so they sign to Lisa and Tom or smush their faces up to the glass, wanting to be photographed! Whether sitting quietly on a flower or humorously interacting with a carefully selected prop, these frogs are sure to bring a smile to the face of any animal lover.

More tales of family fun and run-ins with nature at the cottage. In the sequel to Cottage Daze, James Ross is back with more tales from the family cottage. Organized by nature’s changing seasons and containing sections covering nature, family, activity, and the cottage, Ross combines wry humour with a genuine love for adventure and respect for the natural world — although the local wild animal population can try his patience. Ross’s anecdotes are full of good spirits and sound advice, whether he is describing a visit from his daughter’s special friend ("The Boyfriend Cometh"), the tricky practices of boating ("Dressing Up for Kayaking"), or encounters with wildlife both big and small ("The Frog Whisperer"). This book is the perfect companion to the time-honoured tradition of wilderness family getaways.

A mature and confident woman is surprised to feel erased when her husband forgets her. As present-day events trigger her own memories, she begins to tell him things he used to know and recovers a complex past she thought had been left behind. Remembering how she became the intrepid woman he loved, her courage and determination resurfaces as she faces the catastrophe of his illness. While a heartbreaking journey through dementia, Catching Rain, by author Sandi Paris, also offers an extraordinary story of life generously sprinkled with humor and mayhem. Written from a female perspective, these narratives will resonate deeply with many women. However, humans of all ages, genders, preferences, races, and abilities will also recognize themselves. Catching Rain delivers a profoundly urgent call-to-action when describing experiences with long-term and end-of-life care. It is a must read for medical professionals, social workers, clergy, caregivers, and curious people everywhere. Paris makes us want to do beautiful, hard things.

A precocious young girl is determined to prove herself as an explorer in the first novel in the whimsical Polar Bear Explorers’ Club series. Stella Starflake Pearl knows, without a doubt, that she was born to be an adventurer. It’s too bad girls are forbidden from becoming explorers. But Stella’s father has never been one to play by the rules. Leaving behind her pet polar bear, Gruff, and beloved unicorn, Magic, Stella and Felix set off on an expedition to the snowy Icelands. There, Stella plans to prove herself as a junior explorer, worthy of membership in the Polar Bear Explorers’ Club. So when Stella and three other junior explorers are separated from the rest of their expedition, she has the perfect opportunity. Can they explore the frozen wilderness and live to tell the tale? The first in Alex Bell’s imaginative new series, The Polar Bear Explorers’ Club is a fun and daring adventure filled with magic, outlaws, and fantastic faraway lands.

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • In this moving, poignant novel by the bestselling author of Birds of America—and a master of American fiction—we share a grown woman’s bittersweet nostalgia for the wildness of her youth. "An enchanting novel." —The New York Times The summer Berie was fifteen, she and her best friend Sils had jobs at Storyland in upstate New York where Berie sold tickets to see the beautiful Sils portray Cinderella in a strapless evening gown. They spent their breaks smoking, joking, and gossiping. After work they followed their own reckless rules, teasing the fun out of small town life, sleeping in the family station wagon, and drinking borrowed liquor from old mayonnaise jars. But no matter how wild, they always managed to escape any real danger—until the adoring Berie sees that Sils really does need her help—and then everything changes.

Awaken your connection to Mother Earth as you journey through these peaceful encounters with the birds, the wind, and the trees. This collection of stories, poems, and meditations touches your soul and refreshes your spirit with its gentle wisdom and simple beauty. Evocative meditations will help you deepen your own connection to the Earth and will open your heart to the glorious world we are blessed to live in. Written by a shamanic healer and teacher who is deeply in touch with nature, Walk Gently Upon the Earth will awaken you to the living, vibrant beauty of this precious planet.