Mascot Blog

Fall is officially here, and so are our October releases! From touching, personal memoirs to adventurous children’s tales, our new releases are perfect for a cozy, autumn reading day. Curl up with a blanket, brew some tea, and get reading!

October Featured Title: Voices of Cancer

By Lynda Wolters

“I don’t know what to say” and “I don’t know what to do” are common responses to a life-threatening diagnosis. Voices of Cancer is here to help.

Every cancer story is different, but there is one commonality: both patients and the people supporting them often struggle to properly articulate their wants and needs through particularly challenging—and in many cases, uncharted—territory. Lynda Wolters knows firsthand: she was diagnosed with stage 4 terminal mantle cell lymphoma in August of 2016.

Voices of Cancer offers a candid look into the world of a cancer patient, informed by Lynda’s own story and conversations had with dozens of patients weighing in on their needs, wants, and dislikes as they navigate the complex world of diagnosis, treatment, and beyond. With comprehensive and accessible insight from people who’ve been there, Voices of Cancer helps educate, dispel fears, and start positive conversations about what a cancer diagnosis truly means, while shining a light on how best to support a loved one on their own terms. Click here to purchase this title. 

By Tom Nochera

Herein is our story of Joey LeGoat,
A bullied kid living on the Isle of Oat.

A mean flock of geese drive him to hide in his barn
And Joey starts to wonder why he ever was born.

If he goes outside, will he face fresh attacks?
Shall he hide inside forever? Should he fight back?

If he can reach inside and ignite his own flame
His destiny on Oat will never be the same.

Enjoy our tale of hate, forgiveness and love, And the brave goat who strove to rise above

Click here to purchase this title. 

By Dwight Harshbarger

After seizing Europe, the Nazis begin to execute the final solution by conducting a census of Jews in each of the Occupied countries that is driven by IBM technology. After the census in Holland, the Nazis murdered 75 percent of the Dutch Jews. After the census in France, 25 percent of the country’s Jews are murdered. What made France different?

At Vichy Frances National Statistical Service headquarters in Lyon, General René Carmille and his aide Miriam Dupré know spies are everywhere. They race against time to sabotage the census-based lists of Jews and mobilize the Resistance to combat the Nazi death machine. In this novel, Miriam tells the true story of General René Carmille’s leadership in saving the lives of thousands of Jews the story of A Quiet Hero. Click here to purchase this title. 

By Miguel A. Faria, JR., M.D.

Dr. Miguel Faria’s journey into politics and the public health and gun control movements began when, as editor of the Journal of the Medical Association of Georgia, he studied the problem of gun violence and discovered the gun research conducted by the medical establishment was not scientific research as claimed, but politicized, result-oriented propaganda designed to bolster the preordained conclusion that guns should be eradicated from the general population. Faria and three other experts testified before a congressional subcommittee, exposing the pseudoscience of the gun research conducted by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and proposing the elimination of funds for such research. Congress agreed and passed the Dickey Amendment, restricting CDC gun research that advocates for gun control.

By Sucheta Rawal

Beato is a curious cat that explores different countries around the world. On this trip, he sets out on an adventure to Brazil, where he plays different sports, dances at Carnival, and encounters wild animals in the Amazon rainforest. Click here to purchase this title. 

By Christoper Strain

Dragons haven’t breathed fire in centuries, except Bernard. What if he can’t control when it comes out? It starts with a sneeze, but where will it end? With the whole town at stake, will Bernard finally master his ability? Click here to purchase this title. 

By Jim Waite

Being a good friend is more than just being kind,
it means reaching out to those who others won’t find.

They may be alone, afraid, or have even lost hope.
They may look different, feel sad, or are unable to cope.

Look for all those who need a good friend,
and be that for them from now ’til the end!

Click here to purchase this title. 

By Tanya Kondolay

Click here to purchase this title. 

By Taryn Crowder

Buckets is a curious French Bulldog, and he’s determined to find out where snow comes from! One wintry day, Buckets runs away from his home in Brooklyn in hopes of finding its origin…but what happens when he gets lost along the way?

Buckets Goes on a Winter Adventure is a story of friendship and determination, and will encourage readers of all ages to explore the mysteries of the world around them. Click here to purchase this title. 

By Pascha Adamo

They say that when the cat’s away, the mice will play. But what about when the family’s away? What does Roxy do all day? Click here to purchase this title. 

By Jill McGlaughlin

DD was a sad and lonely little pup living all alone, deep in the

Mississippi countryside. That is, until the day she met a little girl and her grandmother walking down the road. She trotted after them, and soon met a family she thought wanted to call her their own…but after some time, DD’s new family left her behind. Even though she was lonely once again, DD never gave up hope that, one day, a miracle would occur and her family would come back for her.

This is a story of love, hope, and the unshakable bond between a dog and her true family! Click here to purchase this title. 

By Courtney Montepara

Eli the elephant was new at the zoo,
Who was caught telling stories that were not true.

Eli just wanted friends, but now he had none,
So he promised to start being honest with everyone.

Will Eli be able to tell the truth each and every day?
Join him on his journey to hear what he has to say.

Click here to purchase this title. 

By Kristi Sabbides

Rick Sabbides had gone to the emergency room for stomach pain when he was ultimately diagnosed with inoperable Stage IV cancer. In this collection of journal entries, Kristi Sabbides catalogs her father’s three-year, three-month battle with cancer and shares how his steadfast faith enabled him to touch many lives, even in the face of fear.With admirable strength and immeasurable love, Kristi celebrates her father’s life and documents his gracious legacy. Click here to purchase this title. 

By Sylvia Baffour

No matter how old you are, where you come from or what you do for a living, the desire to have satisfying and meaningful relationships is one we all share. Relationships are key to everything we do, and the bonds and connections we make with others is what gives us the greatest sense of meaning, happiness, and fulfillment. Nothing interferes more with your ability to enjoy rewarding relationships than an inability to understand your own emotions and manage their impact on you and those around you. Emotional intelligence, the currency of the 21st century, is the essential skill set that separates those who fail in their personal and professional relationships from those who succeed. Click here to purchase this title. 

By Bradley Weldon

When you stumble across a troll, remember that trolls can be grumpy and their business is none of your booger eatin’ business.

Maybe being kind will soften their tone. And, maybe it won’t!

Click here to purchase this title. 

By Taylor Potter and Marjori Krebs

Take a tour of UNM with Lobo Louie and Lobo Lucy! Introducing children to the idea of going to college helps them picture themselves continuing their education throughout their lives. Literacy is the key to all learning. Read to your child every day! Click here to purchase this 

By Anthony L. Manna

While Loukas is playing his flute at the seawall one day, he befriends a mysterious talking, dancing snake that rewards him with fortune and favor. Some years later, tempted by greed and pride, Loukas loses all his riches and his family. He must now set off on a treacherous journey through a frightening forest filled with suspense and strange creatures to find Destiny, her son Ilion, the Sun, and her daughter Luna, the Moon. These celestial guardians will surely allow him to reverse his misfortune, restore his honor, and win back all that he loves and treasures, won’t they?

A reimagined Greek folktale, Loukas and the Game of Chance is illuminated with dramatic and evocative pen and ink drawings that provide an ideal backdrop for the dark intrigue that fills this haunting story of human struggle, courage, and resilience. Click here to purchase this title. 

By Kelli Jaecks

WELCOME TO YOUR ADVENTURE OF SELF-DISCOVERY

Martinis & Menopause: Strategies, Science, and Sips that Empower Women to Beat the Hormone Groan encouraged women everywhere to conquer fear with facts and live their best life. This companion workbook was written to continue the conversation on the journey through menopause. It can be a guide and a resource to use for yourself, and to share with others along your path. Most of all, it is designed for you to continue to empower and inform yourself about menopause.

For some of you, what gets written on the pages in this workbook will be for your eyes only. For others, this workbook can help inspire conversation and help make a long airplane ride not so long! However you choose to use this resource, we hope that you find the questions and exercises fun and you find yourself more inspired to “feel better and live better!” Click here to purchase this title. 

By Elizabeth Peña

Matthew is a grumpy baby walrus. But even a grumpy baby walrus can have fun with the help of a few good friends! Click here to purchase this title. 

By Andrea Lardner

“You can’t treat them badly just because they’re girls,” Taj said. “Your mom is a girl. How would you feel if someone treated her cruelly just because of that reason?”

Follow along as Taj learns to stand up to bullying using empathy as a tool.  Click here to purchase this title. 

By Nikki DeBartolo and Benjamin Heldfond

From weeknight dinners and homework sessions with their son to Christmas card photos and vacations, Nikki DeBartolo and Benjamin Heldfond have created a tight-knit, enviable family. They work and play well together, from the smallest daily tasks to the biggest life events—and it only took a divorce to get them there. Though their marriage has been over for nearly a decade, they still share a happy life with each other and their son Asher, along with their new amazing spouses and children.

Ben and Nikki had hoped their wedding would start their happily ever after—but seven years, one child, and countless financial and familial entanglements later, their I do-s had turned into We can’t-s. Armed with their fierce love for their son and a desire to give him the best, they realized they needed to find an alternative to the seemingly inevitable toxic divorce that loomed over their lives.

Refusing to participate in the standard litigious legal divorce process, they devised a new strategy and worked to confront their hurt feelings and fragile egos head-on. Committed to putting Asher’s needs first in every decision, they helped each other heal and build a future. Their happily blended family today is a testament to their commitment to a few core principles and their incredible son—during the divorce and beyond.

In this stunning book, Ben and Nikki elaborate on the difficulties of their divorce experience, their individual pains and triumphs, and their unique approach to relationships and blended families. Their story is sure to inspire others to pursue something few believe possible…a happy divorce. Click here to purchase this title. 

By Howard Eisenberg

Rachel and her brother Randy didn’t know when they built a Super Dreidel for Hanukkah that it would fly them thousands of years back in time and into the middle of a war. They didn’t know it would help the Maccabees win it. But then Super Dreidel crashed, and suddenly there was something else they didn’t know: how in the world they could ever get home to Mom, Dad, and their dog Spot.

A Write-Your-Own-Ending Book! With a Write-Your-Own-Ending book, you can be your very own author! Each book comes with blank pages perfect for you to write out how YOU’D end it. Click here to purchase this title. 

By Elizabeth Martinez Cornetta, Ph.D.

Haven’t we all worried about what others think and how we can fit in? The Argyle Crocodile is a charming, rhyming story sure to delight children and adults alike! The Argyle Crocodile will make you feel good about yourself and inspire you to help others feel good about themselves. Click here to purchase this title. 

By Kelly Jean Lietaert

What exactly are your pets doing all day? I’m a cat named Ron, and I’d like to take you through a day in my life! I’ll be sharing all kinds of inside details about being a cat, such as the best ways to sneak outside, the importance of looking extra cute to get treats, and how to find the softest blanket for my fourth nap of the day. My humans are the best, and I love to write about all the fun we have together. So grab your favorite cat (or dog, they’re pretty cool, too) and start reading! Click here to purchase this title. 

By Ann Davison Sattler

What feeling shirt are you wearing today?

Christi is frustrated with her younger brother, Jack, because he wants to borrow some magnetic tiles from her castle that she built oh-so-tall. Follow along as she learns how to work through her feelings to reach a solution! The Feeling Shirt is at once an engaging story and helpful tool that shows children and adults alike how to actively identify and name their feelings, take time to consider each one, and figure out how to work through emotions in a positive, tangible, hands-on way. It also helps start conversations about emotional boundaries and proportional responses to challenges. Click here to purchase this title. 

By Isy Abraham-Raveson

Oh no! Elephant is looking for a friend to play with, but can’t seem to find one who wants to play the way Elephant wants to. What will Elephant do?

In this book for all ages, follow Elephant and Meerkat as they learn about power dynamics, recognizing nonverbal cues, setting and respecting boundaries, and that consent yesterday does not guarantee it today. Click here to purchase this title. 

By Joe Bunting

Everything you thought you knew about the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears is WRONG. Come along the exciting journey and experience what really happened. Deep in the enchanted green forest, you will find the truth, the REAL victim of this tale…
Click here to purchase this title. 

By Jerome Jones

Abby and Tommy are back for another adventure to promote healthy living and fun for kids of all ages. Today, they are having a debate about what the best part of P.E. class is. Will Abby and Tommy agree, or are there too many fun P.E. activities to decide? Click here to purchase this title. 

By Keri Powers-Pye

What do you do when an annoying gaggle of geese is messing with your inner peace?

The Zen Hen heads to her rest nest for some mindful quiet time! What will she find when she tunes in to listen to her amazing body?
Click here to purchase this title.