Books published by publisher Persnickety Press

"A charming science read-aloud...ideal for storytime."―School Library JournalDo starfish sign autographs? Do seahorses wear saddles? Do lampreys get plugged in? Get silly with sea creatures in Do Jellyfish Like Peanut Butter?, the underwater follow-up to the award-winning insect book, Do Doodlebugs Doodle? This laugh-out-loud look at marine life will have kids eager to learn more about what lies beneath the ocean waves!

Beauty and the Beak is a nonfiction picture book about Beauty, the wild bald eagle that made world news when she was illegally shot, rescued, and received a pioneering, 3D-printed prosthetic beak. Beauty and the Beak follows Beauty close up from the moment she uses her baby beak to emerge from her egg, through her hunt when she uses her powerful adult beak to feed herself, to the day her beak is shot off, leaving her helpless. This brave and uplifting story continues through her rescue, into the months of engineering her 3D-printed prosthetic beak and intense hours of her beak surgery, to the moment she takes the first drink of water by herself with her new beak. Beauty and the Beak captures the spirit and courage of this amazing bird and America’s national symbol―whose species was nearly wiped out by human activity, only to be restored and thriving because of environmental conservation and human compassion. This book will resonate with those who have their own stories of other animals endangered or in need, and humans, from young children to military veterans, in need of prosthetic limbs, who are being given new lives with state-of-the-art devices. The book includes expanded information about bald eagles as a top predator species, their near extinction in most of the U.S., their successful reintroduction back into the wild, and efforts to conserve this critical raptor species today.

Beauty and the Beak is a nonfiction picture book about Beauty, the wild bald eagle that made world news when she was illegally shot, rescued, and received a pioneering, 3D-printed prosthetic beak. Beauty and the Beak follows Beauty close up from the moment she uses her baby beak to emerge from her egg, through her hunt when she uses her powerful adult beak to feed herself, to the day her beak is shot off leaving her helpless. This brave and uplifting story continues through her rescue, into the months of engineering her 3D-printed prosthetic beak and intense hours of her beak surgery, to the moment she takes the first drink of water by herself with her new beak. Beauty and the Beak captures the spirit and courage of this amazing bird and America’s national symbol―whose species was nearly wiped out by human activity, only to be restored and thriving because of environmental conservation and human compassion. This book will resonate with those who have their own stories of other animals endangered or in need, and humans, from young children to military veterans, in need of prosthetic limbs, who are being given new lives with state-of-the-art devices. The book includes expanded information about bald eagles as a top predator species, their near extinction in most of the U.S., their successful reintroduction back into the wild, and efforts to conserve this critical raptor species today.

Giracula...so fun to say aloud, it’s almost worth purchasing the book for the title alone...a loveable cartoon creature...appealing to fans of giraffes, vampires, or protagonists with a sweet tooth. ―School Library Journal Grab your fangs and go batty with Giracula, a long-necked vampire with a love of dessert. Just in time for the spookiest season comes the story of how an unexpected bite led to a string of bakery crimes. Hide your pies, tarts, and cakes because this vampire has a taste for treats! Halloween just got a little bit sweeter.

Leaves are falling, a cold wind is blowing, geese are heading south. Clearly, winter is coming. It’s time for black bears to do what they always do this time of year―hibernate. Kids will get a kick out of this romp of a tale about a black bear cub that finds every excuse imaginable to avoid the inevitable go-to-bed moment. Will Mama Bear finally win? Or will Baby Bear come up with the ultimate reason to skip going to sleep?

Does A Fiddler Crab Fiddle? No! But fiddler crabs sure do some amazing things!Starting with silly questions like the title, and moving on through increasingly-unlikely questions such as "do fiddler crabs ride a skateboard?" and "do fiddler crabs eat pizza?" children discover what fiddler crabs do. They don't need a skateboard―they can move sideways so shore birds can't catch them. They may not enjoy pizza, but they gobble up saltmarsh muck.Using this question-and-answer format engages children immediately, and discovering just what fiddler crabs actually do satisfies their curiosity. This is the best kind of nonfiction―engaging, fun, and filled with the kinds of details that kids love.Co-authored by award-winning writer Corinne Demas and her science-savvy daughter, Artemis Roehrig, and illustrated by John Sandford, Does A Fiddler Crab Fiddle? will have everyone claw clapping loudly for fiddler crabs!Does A Fiddler Crab Fiddle? is an outstanding nonfiction picture book for children ages 4-8.

The Island of Grump, from multi-platinum songwriter Kenny Lamb, is a wonderfully illustrated lyrical tale with a strong message and a musical rhythm. The story focuses on character Gilbert, as he learns the consequences of what happens when he can't let go of his grumpiness―he finds himself a castaway from his friends, all alone on the metaphorical island of Grump!Kenny Lamb delivers a powerful lesson to children through parents, while taking readers to a sweet and simple place, somewhere between Seuss and Silverstein, where poetry and the real world collect into pools of the imagination. This unique is sure to become an instant classic!

A tiny, green sprout pushes through a snowdrift, the first sign of spring, and Mama Caribou knows it’s time to migrate. Baby Bou has other ideas―he wants to stay and play with his friends! Walking north for the summer is booooring, but without his herd, Baby Bou isn’t safe from predators. Will Mama Caribou get her son to safety, or will Baby Bou miss out on the big surprise waiting for him at the summer range? Find out in Hush Up and Migrate!

It happens every fall. The leaves from the tall trees that surround her house drift down until the teeny tiny woman's teeny tiny house is buried completely. Inside it's dark and a teeny tiny bit scary, but the resourceful woman has a plan and a few surprises up her teeny tiny sleeve.Written to be shared through read-aloud or story-telling, the type face indicates where the teller should be whispering and when suddenly s/he should shout, surprising the listeners or even causing them to jump―perfect for spooky story times at Halloween and around the campfire on summer evenings. Short enough for even young children to remember after reading or hearing the story a few times, the book encourages children to tell the tale themselves, making a family tradition.Former Disney Publishing executive, Lauren L. Wohl, tells an all-new story starring a favorite character from folklore with an autumnal chill and a special treat that brings the book to a perfect-for-Halloween ending. Children will want to return to the teeny tiny house again and again to enjoy Henry Cole's illustrations that capture the mood and the humor of the tale.Sure to be a perennial holiday favorite, like The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything, a book that makes the bestseller list every single Halloween!

Pushinka takes gold! A California Reading Association Eureka! Nonfiction Gold Award, that is. “You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed.” ― The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry In the harsh, frozen Siberian landscape, a scientist and a fox began a most unusual friendship―one that changed our understanding of human-animal relationships forever. In 1959, the world-renowned Siberian silver fox domestication experiment began, exploring the boundaries of relationships between humans and animals. Fifteen years into the experiment, lead researcher Dr. Lyudmila Trut met Pushinka, a beautiful silver fox pup who would become her near constant companion. So taken was she by Pushinka, Lyudmila decided to take the experiment a step further by moving into a small house with Pushinka, allowing for closer observation and more constant interaction between scientist and fox. As the seasons changed, so too did Pushinka, and she began to act more like a dog. Wild foxes do not play fetch, or wag their tails, or bark in defense of their friends, but Pushinka did. Soon, the two grew to know and love one another through trials in motherhood, relationship tests, and endless of games of fetch. Love, you see, changes us. Lyudmila and Pushinka’s true story is one that weaves together the scientific and the emotional, demonstrating that even in the coldest places on earth, there is warmth.

When Gilbert can’t find his smile, he looks for it in all the usual places that have given him joy in the past―his toybox, computer, even the basement and attic where all his favorite old things are stored. But today, happiness evades Gilbert. He expands his search to the outside, even visiting his favorite swimming hole, but still no luck―“Not a smile to be found.” His family notices Gilbert moping around, and what happens next takes Gilbert on a most unexpected journey―one in which he discovers from where happiness truly comes. Share this journey with your child as Gilbert discovers what it means to be part of a loving family. It’s sure to put a smile on your own child’s face!

It happens every fall. The leaves from the tall trees that surround her house drift down until the teeny tiny woman’s teeny tiny house is buried completely. Inside it’s dark and a teeny tiny bit scary, but the resourceful woman has a plan and a few surprises up her teeny tiny sleeve.Written to be shared through read-aloud or story-telling, the type face indicates where the teller should be whispering and when suddenly s/he should shout – surprising the listeners, even causing them to jump, which puts this book in the realm of jump-tales, so popular at spooky-story times like Halloween and around the campfire on summer evenings. Short enough for even young children to remember after reading or hearing the story a few times, the book encourages children themselves to tell the tale themselves, making a family tradition.Former Disney Publishing executive, Lauren L. Wohl, tells an all-new story starring a favorite character from folklore with an autumnal chill and a special treat that brings the book to a perfect-for-Halloween ending. Children will want to return to the teeny tiny house again and again to enjoy Henry Cole’s illustrations that capture the mood and the humor of the tale.Sure to be a perennial holiday favorite, like The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything," a book that makes the bestseller list every single Halloween!