Mascot Blog

Another Tuesday, another Release Day! Interested in mastering the early stages of parenting or reading about one woman’s journey emigrating to the US from Israel? What about a picture book helping children with OCD? We have it all! Jump into our new August reads below. 

Children’s Books

A Duck from Oregon Tries to Fly!



By The Duck

Sometimes ducks fly. Sometimes ducks don’t. This Duck from Oregon recounts the thrilling tale of the day he attempted to take to the skies. A story of triumph in the face of adversity, this tale is inspiring to all ages.




Amoya’s Accent



By Dahlia Richards

Moving to a new country can be hard, and Amoya is finding that out firsthand! Not only is the cold in Chicago chilling her to the bone, but her new classmates are also making fun of the way she talks. Amoya stands up for herself, but will that be enough to fix the situation? Amoya’s Accent takes a look at why people sound different from each other and explores the power of a sharing circle.




Celebrate Diversity



By Dawn Marie Thompson

The people in our schools, churches, and neighborhoods may not be similar to us.

We all may have different colored hair, different colored eyes, and a different colored skin. We may like a variety of music, sports, or games. Our families may be from different countries, but we can learn from one another, all while celebrating our differences and showing kindness to one another.




Delilah…And The Right Hat to Wear



By Louie DeLima

Delilah is a free spirit and an amazing artist.

The Blue Hat Ladies just know Delilah would be a perfect fit for their club, but when she shows up to their meetings, they are all completely shocked and surprised!

In one Hat Lady meeting after another, Delilah shows how you can be part of a group and still be your true and authentic self.




Granny’s on the Run!



By Sarah Saunders

Granny’s on the Run! is the first book in the Look Who’s on the Run! series. While her grandchildren are fast asleep, lively Granny is off and running to conquer the most unique (and entertaining!) to-do list this side of town! Follow along with your own active grandmother as Granny feeds the ducks, fixes cuckoo clocks, and tackles her long list of chores.




Keeping Christmas Magic



By Anna and Gunnar Counselman

Shhhh, don’t tell! This is the secret, true story of Santa Claus.




Las Aventuras de Veggieman Libro 1: Lucha de Alimentos



By Karla Farach

Al entrar en una nueva escuela, Niko no se imagina que se encontrará al centro de una batalla épica entre las fuerzas del bien y del mal. El bien de los alimentos buenos y nutritivos y el mal de la comida chatarra.

Todo es un caos hasta que Niko consigue ayuda de Veggieman, un superhéroe fabuloso. Con su fantástico ejército de frutas y vegetales, ayuda a salvar la escuela y a la totalidad de sus estudiantes. Pero su logro más importante es mostrarles que cada quien tiene su propio superpoder—uno que todas las personas tenemos y podemos usar.




Let’s Go Birding! A Family-Friendly Guide to Forty-Six Birds



By Leslie Bains

There are 1,271 species of birds in the United States. The bald eagle is only found in the United States and is our national bird. It would be impossible to discuss all of them here, so I have divided this book into four sections— the Backyard, the Shore, the Pond, and the Woodland birds—to highlight some of the most common. Herein, learn about their environment, their habits, and enjoy a beautiful illustration of each of the forty-six birds to help you identify them. I also included two short stories that Ozzie the Osprey and Harry the Hawk told me.




Lettuce



By Gail Boe

Let us love US! Lettuce is an optimistic little head of lettuce who is trying to share his message with the world: Let us love US! We all have our own interests that make us unique, and that is what makes life exciting! Lettuce cheers on his friends for being themselves, and in the process, wears himself thin. Follow along as everyone comes together to support Lettuce, reminding us all to truly love us!




Life…According to Z



By mothasistah

What happens when your daughter introduces herself to you as your son? And he’s only seven years old? You scream. You cry. You blame. You wonder why. And then you realize—it ain’t about you. Life . . . According to Z is a “truth-tell” series revealing the painfully honest path of a maturing boy—in the wrong body— who fights a personal battle against an often non-accepting public. The first in the series, this book explores Z’s early life leading up to his coming out as transgender. Z is not just a transgender male. He is also a child who has the same hope ALL children do: to be accepted.




Listen Up, Buttercup!



By Kiera Ezell

Ebba the bear loves being out in the forest. She adores her silly friend, Daisy, who calls her Buttercup. The two enjoy many adventures together, but Ebba must be extra careful because Ranger Granger is out to capture her. This ranger is determined to have Ebba in his new zoo.

Come along on this adventure as Ebba works hard to show Ranger Granger that a gentle bear deserves to be out roaming the woods with the other animals because that is where she belongs.




Llamaste



By Keri Powers

Will there be sharks at the beach? What might happen tomorrow? What if it’s dark there?! Liam Llama has lots of worries—big and small—that send his head into a spin and bring knots to his stomach! Find out how Liam Llama’s mom helps him calm those worries. Follow along as he finds new, more helpful ways of thinking so he can feel calm and confident to face the day.




My First Boy Teacher



By Jacob Pinotkowski

After finishing an exciting year in Mrs. Taylor’s class, Charlie was enjoying her summer vacation. Or at least she was until the new school year started to arrive. What was the next year going to bring, or should we say, who?




My Little Monster: A Story About OCD



By Marin Canaday

A bossy little monster fights for control—will it win?

As the monster gains attention, it grows bigger, and bigger, and bigger still. But with the help of a doctor’s encouraging words, a young girl is empowered to face her OCD monster head on, which makes all the

difference in bringing it back down to size.

My Little Monster is a helpful tool for readers of all ages who are struggling with their own little OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) monster, or know someone who is.




Sophie Goes to Basketball Camp



By Sarah Fischer Pointer

Now that her first season of wheelchair basketball is over, Sophie’s ready for summer! She’s a little nervous as she heads to basketball camp for the first time, but seeing her teammates and getting to play basketball again makes her feel much better. Sophie works hard at camp to learn about new styles of defense and even gets a specialized basketball wheelchair to help her go faster. This will be Sophie’s best summer yet!

You can do anything you put your mind to!




Sparkle Our World



By Lori Glenn

Looking for ways to help your child develop good character? Meet Sparkle and Spike! Sparkle helps your child learn about treating others with kindness and respect, while Spike punches, kicks, and loses his friends quick!

In this lyrical story, Sparkle teaches children about sharing, helping others, using good manners, being a great friend, and sharing God’s love. By seeing how Sparkle and Spike interact with others, kids can learn how to navigate life situations in a positive way.

At the end of the book, you and your child will also be able to brainstorm ways to spread your sparkles at home, in the classroom, and throughout your community. A Sparkle and Spike curriculum is also being developed for teachers to use in the classroom to assist with character instruction. Your child will be ready to “sparkle our world” with kindness and love after meeting Sparkle and Spike!




Sparky’s Electrifying Tale



By Janelle London and Matthew Metz

Tina and Rory would like to go green,
but it’s hard when their family car burns gasoline.
Their new hamster Sparky’s a little bizarre.
Just wait ’til you see what he does with the car!

What can two children and a hamster do about climate change and air pollution? Tina and Rory follow gasoline’s trail from the age of the dinosaurs to the family car and beyond, their journey illuminated by the vivid imagination of their new pet hamster, Sparky. Just when Rory has had it with gasoline, Sparky magically finds a solution.




The Triumphant Tails of Rescue Dogs: Punk’s Plight



By Hope A. Walter

This is not just another book about a dog! Meet Punk, an eight-year-old petite English Bulldog. Her life appears great right now, but it wasn’t always that way. Join Punk as she recounts her story of neglect, her rescue and recovery, and her journey of learning to trust and heal again. Punk’s Plight is meant to help educators, psychologists, social workers, counselors, and allies of children teach children about the difficult topic of neglect. Punk teaches that neglect may change you forever, but it does not have to stop you from living your best life.




Too Much for Chumsley



By Nicole Cortright

Chumsley’s motto seems to be, “Go big, or go home.” This little dinosaur always takes things too far, and it completely ruins his fun. Will Chumsley ever find out that you can have too much of a good thing? This tale of moderation illustrates the need to show restraint, even with our favorite things.




UCF Knight in Training



By Jana Piragic

A child sets out on a quest to become a UCF Knight. While pursuing his dream, he gains the confidence and strength of a Knight. On his journey, he will explore the UCF campus high and low, with his proud parents encouraging him along the way to never give up.




You Are You



By Cassidy Burke

Pennelope the giraffe usually loves going to school and playing at recess. But when her classmates make fun of her laugh one day, she cannot stop thinking about their mean words. It will take the kindness of a friend to show her how special she truly is and that it does not matter what others say, as long as she knows she is not alone.

Tackling complex issues in an ethically confused world, You Are You provides adults the platform and tools they need to ask kids tough questions about mental health. The more we talk about suicide, the less power it has.

Fiction

The Dino Diaries

Nonfiction

Sand and Steel: A Memoir of Longing and Finding Home



By Dorit Sasson

What’s it like to be lost between two worlds, only to find a home in neither? In this new memoir, Israeli-American author Dorit Sasson draws on the narrative she began in her award-winning debut Accidental Soldier: A Memoir of Service and Sacrifice in the Israel Defense Forces, detailing her journey to understanding what it means to exist between two different worlds.

When Sasson, a native New Yorker, returns to her kibbutz in Israel following the second Israeli-Lebanese war, she is confronted with the shocking reality of a country altered by an economic depression and social change. Faced with an uncertain economic future, Sasson convinces her husband to leave the country and kibbutz that have turned their backs on them and emigrate to the United States in search of a brighter future. In order to welcome the American dream of professional freedom that awaits her, she must leave the land she loved and fought for as an Israel Defense Forces soldier. But when she arrives, she finds herself more torn between two worlds than ever, changed by her time away from the United States and out of place in a country that is not all she remembered it to be. 




Weekend Conversations: Real Talk by a Real Dad



By Danny Mazzeo

“Parenting is easy!” said no parent ever. But what do parents say? Weekend Conversations reveals the untold and unfiltered truths of early stage parenting with tips, tricks, and a memoir of a new dad’s chaotic journey.




Why Not Me?



By Todd M. Simmons

WHY NOT ME? IS THE STORY OF TODD SIMMONS.

Growing up, he faced a number of challenges related to race, education, economics, and even family dynamics. Todd narrowly escaped the pitfalls of a life that swallowed up many others in similar circumstances.

But one day, Todd bumped into a military recruiter who changed his life. He graduated high school and joined the United States Air Force, where his life began filling with new opportunities. He continued to face professional and personal challenges as he moved through the ranks. Racism from fellow airmen, a terrorist incident, and petty competition worked against him from the outside. Depression and the emotional fallout from a troubled upbringing worked against him from within.

Through it all, he persevered and did everything he could to improve himself. He embraced the importance of education and mental health, which have become cornerstones of the message he wants to share with others—one of hope, perseverance, and self-empowerment. There were people along the way who opened doors and inspired him, and he has remained dedicated to paying that help forward to others who might need it now. Why Not Me? is an autobiographical account infused with reflection, one that will inspire you to overcome your challenges and be the best possible version of yourself.