Easily accessible and richly illustrated, this book chronicles the secret lives of coral reef animals. Appealing to divers, snorkelers, and armchair travelers alike, it also reveals the connections between humankind and this most diverse ecosystem, as expressed in art, science and literature from ancient times to today, and forward into the future. The author surprises and delights readers with every page turn.
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Winner of a 2019 International Latino Book Award
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Nature & Environment
"Who Invented That? " books
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A gift of local history . . .
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Memoir & Local History
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To improve safety for drivers and highway workers, Dr. Elbert Dysart Botts and his team developed Botts Dots. These little round markers, laid out in rows, made it easier for drivers to stay within their lanes, especially in the dark or in rainy weather, or when sleepy or distracted. This is the story of Dr. Botts and his dots.
This memoir of the fascinating life of an outstanding public citizen and the Southern California town she helped to grow tells some of her favorite stories of her life — from her childhood in Monrovia, California in the 1930s, the daughter of a widowed mother with a third-grade education and no job experience, through her move to Del Mar with her husband and two young sons in the 1950s, and her building a real estate business, successful in every way.
"Chiquita Abbott is truly one-of-a-kind. In her 60-plus years as a real estate professional of extraordinary talent, it seems she has bought or sold nearly every building in Del Mar, California, some more than once. However, it isn’t the quantity that’s important, but the quality of service she provided and instilled in her staff. Beyond real estate, she has been the consummate volunteer of her time and resources for the betterment of the community."
— Larry Brooks, President, Del Mar Historical Society
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Building confidence for taking on a new experience …
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Hardcover edition
The fascinating story of Southern California's iconic walled estate,
La Atalaya, better known today as the "Snakewall Property."
Written in a comfortable and colorful style, Brier Miller Minor's book covers three generations of Burnetts, the well-to-do family that built a walled estate in Del Mar and migrated back and forth between this tranquil setting and the hubbub of Los Angeles for nearly half a century. La Atalaya was built in the Roaring Twenties; struggled through the Great Depression, a devastating fire and World War II; and was lost to the family with the death in 1971 of the patriarch, the author's grandfather, cement mogul Coy Burnett. Minor pieces together the puzzle of how the name "Snakewall" came to be and also brings the estate's story up to the present.
Beyond its obvious attraction for anyone with ties to Del Mar, this book will also appeal to those interested in Southern California history,or in the family dynamics of wealth, through good times and bad.
“… a cheerful and realistic book about a harmonious multicultural, multigenerational family … Although diligently unpacking boxes as they move into their new home, family members are not too busy to help in the youngest child's search for the lost cookie jar. Vibrant illustrations reflect the charm and diversity of modern Latino families.” — Mara Price, award-winning author of Grandma’s Chocolate
“… a fun upstairs, downstairs search that reveals a surprising culprit. Children will relate well to this sweet story.” — Maria de la Luz Reyes, author of How Will I Talk to Abuela? (International Latino Book Award Winner)
Our Newest: A fascinating grandma book
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Hound's Glenn stories
Memoir of a Southern California landmark …
This story of affection and kindness shared by grandmother and granddaughter will warm the hearts of children, parents and grandparents alike. It's about love — and fun, and adventure (but not so much that it couldn't be read at bedtime) and a little magic.
The perfect gift from grandmother to grandchild … or vice versa
Winner of a Bronze medal,
Military Writers Society of America
(Memoir & Biography)
Tell and Show ™ Books
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Winner of a 2018 International
Latino Book Award
Readers of all ages will get a kick out of these stories. Each book offers a sophisticated vocabulary, a well-crafted story line, great characters, and perhaps most important, humor. A sophisticated sense of humor, expressed at an early age, is often a characteristic of gifted individuals — which makes these stories great for kids in grades K–2 who are reading (or listening) at a higher grade level.
“… challenging but yet age- and content-appropriate” — Dr. Bob Seney, Emeritus / Gifted Studies
Perfect for kids 4 to 8!
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The story of how the noisiest kid in the class saved the day!
Ideal for budding artists. Read a page, make a picture, put your name on the cover to claim your fame!
Winner of two 2018 International Latino Book Awards (Story & Pictures)
Meet Tank the basset hound and three more delightfully quirky canines. Track their travels on Neighborhood Maps.
The fascinating story of life in the desert as seen through the eyes of Renaldo, a Sonoran desert tortoise. Photos, drawings and Renaldo’s clear explanations help readers of all ages and backgrounds understand desert ecology.
“I am more than 80 years old,” begins Renaldo, “and I’ve lived here all my life. I want to tell you about some of the things I’ve seen.”
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Paperback editions
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Some inventions are such a familiar part of our everyday lives that we don't stop to think about where they came from …
2019 San Diego Book Award
Finalist (Children's Nonfiction)
It’s the winter of 1937–’38. World War II is brewing. At a remote duty station on Kanaga Island, Alaska, in the middle of the Aleutian chain, eight men are engaged in a U. S. Navy mission whose aim is secret even from them. Six of the men record weather data and monitor radio communications between Japanese fishing boats. A seventh is the cook. The eighth man, the medic, Chief Pharmacist’s Mate Royse Gibson, has little to do — no one in the small contingent gets sick, no one is injured.
There will be no mail in or out for months. So Gibson keeps a diary in the form of letters to his wife and two young daughters, to be mailed if ever it’s possible, detailing his daily routine and his far more interesting spare-time activities on the island.
Then one day Gibson and the cook go seal hunting — and disappear without
a trace.
Gibson’s letters home, finally delivered to his family months later, comprise half of Kanaga Diary. The other half of this “double memoir” is his daughter Estelle’s story of the family, struggling, eventually moving on, but keeping his memory alive.
In 1995 Estelle and her husband set out for Kanaga, to investigate her father’s disappearance and to finally say goodbye.
Winner of a Mom's Choice
Gold Award
A double memoir…
Nature & Environment
“Julie Maxey-Allison's … easy style makes the telling of an intriguing story very readable."
— Larry D. Brooks, President, Del Mar Historical Society
“Anyone who has had the pleasure of visiting the perfectly restored Edelweiss house must wonder about its history.
Julie does a great job of telling … how it is inextricably linked to the unique history of Del Mar. It’s a great read!”
— Bob Gans, President, Del Mar Foundation
The same moon shines on everyone — every being — on earth, from grandmother and grandchild looking out their window to migrating Canada geese, to Australian wombats, to whales in the ocean, to a friend across town or across the world.
And Nana knows how to send messages via the moon, "to anyone, anywhere," she says. Alex pays attention, asks questions and tries out Nana's method, sending messages far and near, across the wide world and closer to home.
Sandra Jessop's watercolor illustrations make this a particularly beautiful book to share with a young child, perhaps especially a child who's missing someone. The book is a perfect bedtime read — when the story ends, Alex has been tucked in and is settled for the night.
This engaging story about a child's first season of swimming lessons is a treasure for any youngster learning to swim, and a gentle guide for parents who want to help their children learn and keep them safe in the pool. Colorful illustrations show what happens at each step as Callum's swim teacher earns his trust and draws on his natural curiosity and imagination. By the end of his first set of lessons, Callum has gone from a child who wasn't quite sure he wanted to get into the pool to a confident little boy with solid swimming and water-safety skills, looking forward to coming back for more.
An experienced and patient instructor, author Marcia Stanley has taught swimming lessons for more than 30 years. "While most people look at swimming as a recreational activity," she says, "it's also a safety measure. All children should learn how to swim." At the back of the book is a section for grown-ups, with tips for keeping children safe in and around the water.
Winner of a Mom's Choice
Gold Award
A delight for children 4 to 8 —
and their grandmothers
Follow Tank and Topo on their neighborhood search for pups to play with. The book includes
a family guide to "Dog Park Etiquette."
Tank & Friends series: Perfect for kids 4 to 8
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