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Books published by publisher purple pie press

  • Colors of the Wind: The Story of Blind Artist and Champion Runner George Mendoza

    J.L. Powers, George Mendoza, Hayley Morgan-Sanders

    Hardcover (Purple House Press, Sept. 1, 2014)
    George was one of those kids. You know, the kind that never stays still. And then one day, the doctor said he was going blind. Did that slow George down? Not for a single second. In fact, he was so fast, he went on to break a world record for blind runners. And now he is breaking more barriers because ironically, George Mendoza, blind painter, paints what he sees. George Mendoza started going blind at age 15 from a degenerative eye disease. It wasn't the sudden onset of blindness that many people experience. George lost his central vision and started seeing things that weren't there--eyes floating in the air, extraordinary colors, objects multiplied and reflected back. George describes this condition as having "kaleidoscope eyes." He triumphed over his blindness by setting the world record in the mile for blind runners, and later competing in both the 1980 and 1984 Olympics for the Disabled. Now a full-time artist, Mendoza's collection of paintings, also titled Colors of the Wind, is a National Smithsonian Affiliates traveling exhibit.
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  • My Blue Boat

    Chris L. Demarest, Chris L, Demarest

    Hardcover (Purple House Press, Dec. 1, 2014)
    A child journeys from her bathtub on an imaginary ocean voyage. Her blue boat sails across the bathtub, into the harbor, between the whales, under the moon and the stars until it manages to find its way home. A simple tale and light-filled watercolors together create the voyage of every child's dream. Back now for a 20th Anniversary Encore!
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  • Alvin Fernald, Superweasel

    Clifford B. Hicks, Bill Sokol

    language (Purple House Press, March 1, 2012)
    Alvin Fernald, possessor of the Magnificent Brain, faces his toughest challenge yet. When his class is assigned a pollution-fighting project, he is determined to dream up the most original scheme. As usual, he comes up with a stupendously wacky idea.Donning a costume made from an old potato sack, his long underwear, and a grinning Halloween mask, Alvin transforms himself into Superweasel, caped crusader against all the vile polluters of this planet!He is aided in his hilarious escapades by his best pal Shoie and his tag-along sister, the Pest. At first all goes well. Striking at night, Superweasel battles to a standstill the chemical company that is secretly polluting the river and publicly embarrasses its owner. Next he devises a daring scheme to smother an air-polluting factory with its own smoke. Superweasel is proclaimed the greatest hero in Riverton's history,But Alvin's success is short lived. Suddenly an impostor appears on the scene, determined to convert Superweasel into the town's number-one enemy.Thanks to the craziest community action plan ever devised, Alvin outwits the impostor, cleans up Riverton, and vanishes into the night. Fans of Alvin Fernald, possessor of the Magnificent Brain, are in for another zany adventure!
  • The Space Child's Mother Goose

    Frederick Winsor, Marian Parry

    Paperback (Purple House Press, May 1, 2010)
    Only a few years ago (1950s) we walked on solid earth. Today we whirl through space. Space is big. It is not cozy. But with these verses and drawings... cheerfulness breaks in. Suddenly, science seems merry. And space begins, with the rhyme on page 1, to feel a little more like home. A witty collection of 1950's space age poetry accompanied by clever black and white line drawings by Marian Parry.
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  • Yoshi's Yucca

    Julie Krantz

    language (purple pie press, May 17, 2018)
    Award-winning author Julie Krantz's newest release is, arguably, one of her best. Set on the west coast and illustrated with colorful, iconic landmarks, Ms. Krantz takes us on a journey from the quaint coastal town of Half Moon Bay to northern California's biggest metropolis. Join Yoshi as he travels from his mother's cozy nursery to the wilds and wonders of San Francisco. Ten years old, he's delivering his grandfather's unique birthday gift--a yucca plant raised especially for him on Happy Hat Flower Farm. See what happens when Yoshi's trip is complicated by Grandpa Hatakayama's boisterous young neighbor, Holly Tamura, a happy-go-lucky tomboy who drives Yoshi out of his comfort zone by challenging him to a (fateful) game of hide-n-seek in his grandfather's beloved garden. A heartwarming story with a timeless message, Yoshi's Yucca will appeal to children as well as adult readers.
  • The Diamond in the Window

    Jane Langton, Gregory Maguire, Erik Blegvad

    Paperback (Purple House Press, Feb. 28, 2020)
    Foreword by Gregory Maguire. The Halls' house stood out like an exotic plant amidst all the neat, square houses in Concord. It had porches, domes and towers and a tiny window in the attic whose raised center pane shone out like a brilliant diamond. There had been jewels once in the house, the gift of an Indian prince to two children, Ned and Nora. The prince had devised ingenious games so that the hidden jewels could be found. And then, suddenly, mysteriously the children and then Prince Krishna disappeared... Years later, Eleanor and Eddy, niece and nephew of the lost children, set out to look for the jewels in order to save their home from being repossessed. They follow the clues of Prince Krishna's strange treasure hunt, a game harmless and exciting at first, but becoming increasingly filled with peril. The town of Concord, with its strong literary and philosophical heritage, is the background for Langton's fantasy. Erik Blegvad s illustrations completely capture its atmosphere.
  • Tip vs. Oliver: Basketball Madness Strikes Again!

    jg Krantz

    language (purple pie press, Feb. 2, 2019)
    Tip vs. Oliver: Basketball Madness Strikes Again! reprises the rivalry between Tip and Oliver, the legendary duo from Tip & Oliver: BFFs. Still best buds, that doesn't stop them from having different opinions--especially when it comes to basketball. See what happens when Tip and Oliver hit the boards in this year's American Canine Championship--Oliver in his royal blues, Tip sporting his signature whites (with baby blue trim).Will their friendship survive the final tournament? Or will this year's tourney be a game-changer that goes far beyond the basketball court?
  • The Flying Hockey Stick

    Jolly Roger Bradfield

    Hardcover (Purple House Press, Feb. 1, 2007)
    Barnaby Jones, the hero of this tale, had an exceptional imagination, and he had no doubt that, with the proper design, he could build a craft that would lift him into the sky. Not for a moment did he doubt that a series of electric cords would provide the proper thrust for his vehicle or that a common fan could pull it high into the air, over tall buildings and across vast oceans. Surely such faith and determination will assure that his name will be forever linked with those other pioneers of flight history, Orville and Wilbur Wright, Charles Lindberg and Neil Armstrong.
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  • The Surprise Doll, 60th Anniversary Edition

    Morrell Gipson, Steffie Lerch

    Hardcover (Purple House Press, Sept. 1, 2009)
    For sixty years children have been captivated by this classic story of Mary and her dolls. Mary's father was a sea captain who took long trips across the ocean, bringing back a doll from each journey. Soon Mary had six dolls and wished for a seventh one to become her Sunday doll. But Mary's father said six dolls were enough for any girl, so she set off to visit the Dollmaker and, oh, was she in for a surprise!
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  • Miss Twiggley's Tree

    Dorothea Warren Fox

    eBook (Purple House Press, March 19, 2015)
    Why did Miss Twiggley live in a tree? Why did she send her dog, Puss, out to do the shopping? Why did she always run away and hide when people came to visit? And it was rumored that Miss Twiggley had even more peculiar habits...Old Miss TwiggleyWas friendly with bears."They shed on the sofa," she said,"But who cares?"And was it true, as the mayor's wife had heard, that she actually slept in her hat? "Simply disgraceful!" they said. But when a hurricane hits the town and the water rises, everyone is grateful to Miss Twiggley and her tree. Even better, Miss Twiggley herself learns a very important lesson, with a warm and happy ending.
  • Lost in Space: One Lone Astronaut One Lost Space Traveler Two Ships Passing in the Night

    Dylan Keefer

    language (Purple Press, Nov. 14, 2016)
    A riveting drama featuring two quirky female leads. Not your normal space adventure featuring a science fiction drama like that of "Dr. Who" meeting a political space opera like "Star Wars."Trapped in a world far from home, Nivea, an experienced astronaut, fears a break from reality nearing. Her desperate attempts to communicate with the outside world go unnoticed until a fleeting encounter with an ominous voice in the ether gives her hope. But when she discovers what's behind the facade, her opportunity to return home is jeopardized.Meg doesn't know how long she's been gone, but she knows enough to understand her days are numbered. With her fiancé turned malicious captor conspiring to prevent her from returning home, she'll have to employ every skill in her arsenal to resist, but when she discovers that she may not be his only target, her solo battle becomes a fight for ultimate survival.Will Nivea and Meg be any match for Master Jiom and his brethren of alien foot soldiers?
  • Bees 'n Me: Poems for Summer

    Julie Krantz

    language (purple pie press, May 17, 2018)
    The newest collection of children's poetry by award-winning author, Julie Krantz, debuts on Kindle in the soft, splashy colors of a summer sunset--yellows, pinks, reds and green. Join Ms. Krantz as she explores this hot and muggy season with a delightful set of rhyming poems about summer, sunshine, birds and beaches. Children as well as adults will enjoy not only Ms. Krantz's sweet and sensitive lyrics, but the whimsical and enchanting illustrations that accompany them.