Mascot Blog

Running in this extreme test of strength will push Becca to the max. From frigid landscapes to sweltering desert sands, Becca must face the elements and run quicker and harder than ever before. Will she become the first American woman to finish all seven marathons? Join Becca on this amazing, almost unbelievable journey that demonstrates to all readers just how much they can do with commitment and perseverance.

This title will be released on June 23, 2020.


By Becky Carlyle

What’s happening to me?
Should we go to the doctor, Mommy?

I’m not sure if I’m sick or well.
I’m a baby, so it’s hard to tell!


By Phil Mills Jr. 

Spending her summer on the western ranch of her grandparents was a new and thrilling chance for ten-year-old Mary Andrews. Used to living in the city, Mary discovers that being around horses and cattle every day was a vastly new experience. Having to do routine farm chores like gathering eggs and keeping track of her dog Princess was also a revelation. She found it difficult to just make her bed and keep her clothes picked up, let alone caring for an entire menagerie!

But Mary’s life takes a major turn when she is given her first horse. Mary, having never ridden before, finds that there is a lot she still needs to learn. Luckily, Bandit, the ranch cow dog, is there to help her. Bandit may be retired, but he still loves herding foul and trying to contain the ranch cats. Mary will soon find that having a horse is extremely different from having a dog, as horse ownership comes with important responsibilities that she will soon discover along with her new friend, Bandit the cow dog.

By Allie Lang Rolling

When choosing between fitting in and being 100% herself, Demi the Donut always chooses to be confidently unique. She challenges others to reject the status quo, and encourages those around her to dance in the chocolate syrup drizzles of life, pile on the whipped topping, and throw rainbow sprinkles around like confetti. In Demi the Different Donut, readers are dared to stand out and be themselves – because how boring would life be if we were all the same? 


By Rob Angel

Game Changer is the story of how a twenty-three-year-old waiter from Seattle had the outrageous dream of beating industry giants Milton Bradley and Mattel at their own game. With no experience, Rob Angel used his guts, drive, and intuition to create one of the most beloved board games of all time: Pictionary. Rob did it his way. He produced the first 1,000 games by hand in his tiny one- bedroom apartment, disrupted the market by selling to nontraditional retail outlets, and did countless demonstrations at the bottom of the escalator at Nordstrom—a store with no game department. Anything to succeed.

Getting there wasn’t easy; Rob had to navigate his way through production mishaps, cash flow troubles, and countless copycats trying to scratch their way past Pictionary. Still, within three years, Pictionary became the bestselling board game in North America, and shortly after, the world. When Mattel acquired Pictionary in 2001, a staggering 38,000,000 games had been sold in 60 countries.

In Game Changer, Rob shares the remarkable inside story of taking Pictionary from simple idea to iconic global brand by breaking rules and breaking records, never giving up or giving in, and working harder when most would walk away all while having the time of his life. Candid and compelling, Game Changer is as much a captivating memoir as it is a blueprint to personal and professional success.

By Tracie Main

Hailey Unicorn knows she is special, but being special isn’t always easy! When she meets an unlikely friend, she realizes that her special gift doesn’t only help her stand out–it helps everyone embrace their special gifts. A must-have for every parent or teacher. This book helps kids of all ages to accept and love themselves as they are, so they can do amazing things! Follow this fairytale adventure and chant along: “I am special, one-of-a-kind, and born to shine!”


By Bill Kiley

Hope, a white-tailed deer, and her spotted fawn, Freckles, are facing hunger and danger in their forest. Hope decides that they must leave their home and go in search of a better place where they will be safe. When they arrive at a new forest, Hope and Freckles face unexpected challenges that will force them apart. Will they be reunited?

After you have read the story of Hope and Freckles, continue to explore the stories of people all over the world who have to leave their homes because of danger or hunger. Let the tale of Hope and Freckles begin to teach you about the millions of people who face the same difficulties that this mother deer and her little boy face as refugees.


By Matthew E. Bass

In Mommy’s Tummy is a rhyming, simple story told from the perspective of expecting parents. Meant to be read to a young audience, it takes the reader through the phases of pregnancy. From the excited moment of discovery, through the extensive plans of clothes and nurseries, to sonogram pictures, debating over names, and the hopeful anticipation of birth, it is meant to help a young child process how they entered their parents’ lives before they came into the world. It is also meant to help young siblings understand what goes on before their baby sibling arrives. Artist Ashley Bittner brings this world to life with stunning, vibrant, expressive illustrations. The combination of short text and luscious art helps children conceptualize their parents preparing for birth, while evoking the heart and love with which we anticipate the newest additions to our homes.


By Paula Warner

When Sandy is ready, she’ll learn how to fly with the Sandhill Cranes, spiraling into the sky.

Meet Sandy, a young Sandhill Crane who is embarking on her first migration, and learn about the importance of wetlands and wildlife preserves for our native migratory birds.


By Leslie Bains

The island of Nantucket, 30 miles out to sea, is full of undeveloped land that visitors and residents alike can explore. Over half of this land has been conserved, and the seven hikes in this illustrated guide were chosen to highlight historical significance, topographical beauty, or natural habitats found on the island. The hikes are between half a mile and three miles long, and each includes simple directions, a history of the hike and its landmarks, and questions about nature and the island of Nantucket.


By Andrew and Adam Peeples

While Blaze and his friend, Ashley, explore a submarine at the Science & History Museum, Blaze’s lunchbox does something unexpected. It magically transports them to the middle of the ocean! Read about their first adventure where they meet a dolphin, help an octopus, get chased by a shark, and find treasure!


By Rocky Snyder, CSCS

The traditional approach to strength and conditioning has been all about getting bigger and stronger, but at what cost? Joint pain, tendinitis, bursitis, non-contact sports injuries, and lower back pain are just a few of the potential by-products. In Return to Center, Rocky Snyder takes a refreshing approach to improving human performance without the drawbacks of pain and reduced mobility. This new methodology bases each program on the individual, their posture, and their unique gait pattern. No two people have identical lives, so why should they have identical programs?


By Lynne McGlothlen

Gunner is a special poodle. He’s what you might call “amazing,” even! Gunner can do all kinds of tricks, but his most important job is to help others when they are sick or sad. When Stella’s grandmother is sick in Hospice, Gunner is there to comfort her.


By Sarah Lanier

What began as just another fun day at the park for Wyatt and his dad quickly turns into a rescue mission for a tiny bird in need. Meet Jax, Wyatt’s new best friend and the newest member of Wyatt’s Second Chance Ranch. Will her new home help Jax start a new beginning?


By Joe and Jessie Supervielle

How do you cure colic??

The Gas Monster has attacked Togo the fox! Join Mama fox and their forest friends on a quest to discover a treatment for colic and defeat the Gas Monster in this inspiring children’s book of love and support.

By Wayne Lopes

Every week, Carlitos and his family make the journey from their farm to the local village to sell their crops. One day, Carlitos decides to do something other than sell crops: he begins designing Mexican blankets, also known as serapes. Parting with the traditions of his family’s lineage, Carlitos must figure out how to follow his heart while also upholding the values of his community.

As word of the serapes makes its way around the village, will his family allow Carlitos to continue to make his unique blankets? Or, will Carlitos have to give up his passion in order to commit to his duties?

By Brandon Allen

Have you ever felt lonely and completely alone in the world? The boy in this story feels the same way. The boy wanders into a forest and shouts his feelings of loneliness to the sky. To the boy’s surprise, the sky responds back to him. Find out how the sky helps the boy feel a little less alone.  


By Mark Hsu

Imagine your plane is going down. Prayer is useless. Fiery death awaits.

Now imagine your children. The hours spent feeding, giggling, teaching, changing diapers, soothing tantrums, gazing into eyes…all will fade from their memories until you’re just a name. What are the stories—from “unabashedly sentimental” to “exceedingly age inappropriate”—you would want to preserve? What advice would you give them, the hard-earned wisdom to prepare them for life’s challenges?

Well, Mark Hsu was never in a plane crash, but his crippling fear of being in one led to Please Open in the Event of My Death

A litigation partner in New York City, Mark remembers hearing the refrain that having kids meant “your life is over”…and how he welcomed it. He recalls the night he first met his Italian wife and decided that the Japanese-Chinese guy needed to go for broke and show off his Roman-accented Italian. He describes his lonely, peripatetic youth in Japan, Italy, and all over the East Coast as the only child of a deep-cover CIA spy. Drawing inspiration from a range of sources, including the Japanese concept of omoiyari, Charles Barkley, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Prince, and a Nike print ad, Mark offers astute advice—not saccharine or blindingly idealistic—for modern times.

Succeeding at work, navigating social waters, overcoming fear, surviving heartbreak, raising kids—this and other life advice, applicable to anyone, is in Please Open in the Event of My Death, just in case something horrible happens…which hopefully it won’t.


By Steven Shafarman

There’s a consensus today that people are divided, polarized, nearly tribal, and our government is broken, paralyzed by partisan conflicts. That has to change.

In this conversational, thought-provoking, carefully researched book, Steven Shafarman invites us, unique individuals, to think about what we want for ourselves, our families, and our communities. And he presents a viable plan to unite us, We the People, for real progress toward solving our problems and achieving the country we deserve.

The key is basic income, also called universal basic income or UBI, Citizen Dividends, guaranteed income, negative income tax, or Freedom Dividend. Shafarman is a leading proponent, and has been talking and writing about it since the mid 1980s. Our Future shows us that basic income is more than money. With any amount, version, or variation, everyone will have monthly reminders that we – each of us, all of us – are equal citizens, with a direct personal stake in working together to make our government trustworthy, effective, and accountable.

Liberals support it as a solid floor beneath the tattered social safety net. Conservatives promote it as way to cut other programs. It’s imperative, many say, because people are struggling and jobs are disappearing. Thomas Jefferson and Thomas Paine proposed related ideas, as did Abraham Lincoln and Martin

Luther King Jr. The House of Representatives passed a similar plan in 1970 with a bipartisan vote of two-to-one, but the Senate blocked it. Alaskans have a small basic income, the Permanent Fund Dividend, since 1982, and researchers have verified the benefits. (Appendix 1 is a comprehensive history of related ideas, proposals, advocates, and efforts, and is crafted to be an enduring resource for academics and activists.)

We, individuals and our country, have been trapped for decades in the dysfunctional politics of left versus right, liberals versus conservatives, Democrats versus Republicans. Our Future presents a powerful alternative: We the People versus special interests and the status quo. We can end hunger, homelessness, and extreme poverty. We can succeed at reforming healthcare, immigration, education, etc., and can slow then stop global warming. We can have a government of, by, and for the people, with liberty and justice for all. We just have to start with basic income. Here’s the plan, with strategies and tactics. This is Our Future.

This title will be released on June 16, 2020.

By Louie Gravance

In Service is a Superpower: Lessons Learned in Magic Kingdom, Louie Gravance uses his signature combination of humor and personal experience to narrate his journey through the realm of customer service. Part memoir, part self-help manual for businesses big and small, Gravance interweaves his tales of life at Disney theme parks with practical guidance gleaned during the course of a thirty-year career in the service and entertainment industries.

Gravance teaches us that the importance of delivering the finest service experiences possible is not just crucial for the livelihood of a company—it also leads to developing a culture of respect and responsibility that is so coveted in the corporate world today. Throughout the book, Gravance crafts an intriguing tale that demonstrates how working at Disney theme parks changed the way he viewed customer service, and elucidates the transformational effects it can have on those who provide it. 

Service is a Superpower is a personal history and guidebook of best industry practices, offering a unique spin on a tale as old as time, all presented in the tone and style that only Gravance can deliver. From entertainer to training designer for the Disney University in Orlando, Florida, he shares the stories and lessons that inform his central philosophy: great service serves the server first!

By Ed D’Agostino

Have you ever felt discriminated against? 

You Belong Now chronicles the life of Todd, a man who experiences discrimination due to a disability. When a trip to the hospital with his wife leads him to encounter Gavin, a gay youth, the two realize the way discrimination affects their very different lives in similar ways.

 A call to arms for inclusivity and open-mindedness, You Belong Now challenges readers to question assumptions, embrace who they are, and live in more accepting, loving ways. 

By P.S. Dickson

Join Baggy and his family as they travel and camp in New Mexico, stopping at National Parks and Monuments along the way. Families can plan their next trip to White Sands and Oliver Lee State Park with Baggy’s helpful traveling tips and resources, and readers of all ages can experience the journey through Baggy’s eyes before they go!

By Nijaah Howard

Raising John’s Boy is a raw, honest approach to how the author raised her son. The hope is that you take away practical tools to alleviate any concerns of successfully raising your boy into a good man, while aiming to change the stereotype that places limits on both of you.

A woman can only do but so much as she hears the silence of the loud dismissive cries from a young man raised without his father. Can you imagine how much easier it would be on the mother and the son if we STOP SAYING that “Women cannot raise boys into productive men” or “Only a Man can raise a Man”? What message are we sending young men who are growing up in a single parent household when they hear that? 

It sounds like our mothers and boys are trying to fight a losing battle. This could be the very negative seed planted that is telling them both that they are not enough (and they will never be enough), which contributes to low self-esteem and an inability to perform at their greatest potential. 

I can only imagine what the world would look like if more mother and son teams actually believed they were ENOUGH! Raising John’s Boy confronts these issues – and more – in this personal, essential book.