Books published by publisher Brown Bear Books

Three children whirl back in time through an enchanted potter’s wheel into the reality of evacuation in 1940s Britain . . . Whirl of the Wheel pulls feisty Connie, her brother Charlie-Mouse, and school pest Malcolm into dangers on the homefront and towards a military operations secret that will save their home. The children hit trouble when Malcolm fails to return to the present day. This fast-moving adventure will keep you guessing . . .

What if your nemesis challenged you on your home turf? A sense of community. Quaint surroundings. Deadly rivalries. Welcome to Whispering Pines. As the weather turns crisp, Jayne O’Shea and the other villagers prepare for the last big tourist draw of the season: the autumn equinox festival. It’s a time to enjoy a bounty of food, the company of others, and the ever-popular cooking competition. Events in the baking division, however, turn from friendly to fatal when one of the contestants, a beloved nationally known chef, is found dead in the woods. As all eyes turn to one of the villagers as the killer, Jayne knows that what’s seen on the surface isn’t always the truth, especially in Whispering Pines, and digs deep to clear the name of one of their own.What Readers Are Saying“I can clearly see the thatched roof houses, their wood and stucco exteriors. It reminds me of Shakespeare's house in London."“I've read them all and just want to go back.”“I wish Whispering Pines was a real place”“If you enjoy honest, rather raw characters seeking direction, and the consequences of past mistakes, you'll enjoy this series as much as I have.”“My mind is still in Whispering Pines. I can clearly see the thatched roof houses, their wood and stucco exteriors. It reminds me of Shakespeare's house in London." “I really enjoy how the characters continue to evolve in this series and the new eccentrics fit right in!”“I totally fell in love with both the village and the story.”“I would gladly plan my next trip to Whispering Pines.”Whispering Pines Mystery SeriesFamily Secrets, book 1Kept Secrets, book 2Original Secrets, book 3Hidden Secrets, book 4Rival Secrets, book 5Veiled Secrets, book 6Silent Secrets, book 7Merciful Secrets, book 8

What if your nemesis challenged you on your home turf? A sense of community. Quaint surroundings. Deadly rivalries. Welcome to Whispering Pines. As the weather turns crisp, Jayne O'Shea and the other villagers prepare for the last big tourist draw of the season: the autumn equinox festival. It's a time to enjoy a bounty of food, the company of others, and the ever-popular cooking competition. Events in the baking division, however, turn from friendly to fatal when one of the contestants, a beloved nationally known chef, is found dead in the woods. As all eyes turn to one of the villagers as the killer, Jayne knows that what's seen on the surface isn't always the truth, especially in Whispering Pines, and digs deep to clear the name of one of their own.

Tucked next to a pristine lake, the part-Medieval Europe, part-Renaissance Faire hamlet of Whispering Pines, Wisconsin, is a utopia...except for the recent murders. One month after arriving in the Northwoods, former detective Jayne O'Shea has settled comfortably into small-town life and is making good progress with her task of getting her grandparents' house ready for sale. Then, the shocking death of one of the carnies rocks the community, and the villagers look to Jayne for help, placing her in an impossible middle ground of not wanting to get involved and needing to ensure justice is served. When a second carney turns up dead and the newly hired sheriff - more concerned with ticketing tourists than catching the killer - dismisses the death as an accident, Jayne has no choice but to step in. Can she uncover the truth before the murderer strikes again?

In this Mom's Choice Gold Award-winning guide to proper manners for kids, Nancy Dorrier provides easy rules for parents to teach and children to follow. She includes tips such as listening when spoken to, speaking clearly, being polite and welcoming when meeting new people, and being on time. This book helps kids understand that being polite and having proper manners is important for everyone, and that there is much more to it than please and thank you! With fun illustrations and relatable examples, Dorrier makes it easy-peasy for all children to follow along and learn on the way.

Have you ever looked out of your window and wondered what all of that chirping was about? Where those vibrant colors were coming from? What kind of bird was visiting your porch, your tree, or your feeder and serenading you with his song? These are the questions Kermit Cummings addresses in A Backyard Birding Adventure: What’s in Your Yard? This friendly little book employs clever, yet educational, rhymes, stunning photographs, and whimsical illustrations to awaken your child’s interest in the avian world. Written by a veteran birder, the focus is on easy-to-see, readily available bird species, so that parents and children alike will feel encouraged to create backyard adventures of their very own! Now, A Backyard Birding Adventure is even more exciting and educational! Download a FREE app for your smartphone to HEAR a typical call or song made by each bird featured!Instructions come with the book.

A fatal choice, after a string of bad choices, leaves Desiree broken and dying in a ditch. With seconds left to live, a genie appears. She can live again, he says, if she agrees to serve him for fifty years. She agrees, but after more than four decades of granting other people’s wishes and never getting her own, the former hippie has developed an attitude problem. Mandy Matteo is the perfect daughter and student, never breaking a rule for fear of the repercussions. But her friends want fun, not perfection, and abandon Mandy for parties and boys. Miserable, she makes a wish. Nothing extravagant, just a whisper to the universe to be happy. Never dreaming it will come true. Then Lexi, her childhood imaginary friend, shows up in the field outside her house and life is good again. Magical wishes have conditions, though. Once started, they cannot be altered or revoked. And once Mandy is truly content with her life, Lexi must go back to wherever she came from. Turns out, Lexi likes being alive and she’s prepared to do whatever it takes to stay that way.What Readers Are Saying“Fantasy at its best!”“Not only do we get to follow along on Mandy’s adventure with Lexi, we also get to learn bits about Desiree — the wish mistress who I absolutely fell in love with.”“Desiree is this quirky, hippy chic genie. She lives in the present with her mind in the past. She marches to her own rhythm, her own way of thinking. Desiree doesn’t really fit in, but she has a uniqueness about her that defies rigidity. And she’s ever-evolving, always learning something else. It might take her moment to find the lesson, but she’ll get there. Eventually.”“Desiree even has her own back story that we slowly get to peel away as the story progresses.”“These books are wonderful. They take you into a world where you find you want to live.”The Wish Makers SeriesSticks and Stones, Book 1Break My Bones, Book 2Never Hurt Me, Book 3Had a Great Fall, Book 4Back Together Again, Book 5

Magnet Max loves experimenting with magnets. He knows all about how they work and loves using them to attract new types of things. But when he shows them to his friend Nick, the other boy is baffled. Will magnets stick to a paperclip? A refrigerator? A horse? How do they work, anyway? It must be magic! Join Max and Nick as they explore the science behind the magic. Discover which objects are attracted and why some are while others aren't. In Magnet Max, Monica Hughes uses her experience as an educator to explain scientific concepts in clear, easy-to-follow language. Catchy rhymes and the colorful illustrations of Holly Weinstein add to the fun. Watch your children's curiosity come to life as they explore the wonders of magnetism with Magnet Max!

Everyone wants a home. Will Ainsley ever get one?A best friend, a boyfriend, and a coveted spot in the talent show. Ordinary things for most teens, but uncommon pleasures for Ainsley Blue. For fifteen years, Ainsley has zigzagged across the country, moving to a new town every few months. Now, after a year at the same school, Ainsley believes her life is finally normal. Then one afternoon, she comes home to find Mum packing, and everything changes again.Heartbroken, Ainsley sends a wish into the universe. All she wants is to have a home she never has to leave and to understand why they live like drifters. Desiree, a stressed-out hippie genie, arrives to grant Ainsley’s wish but warns that the truth may not be easy to accept. Ainsley insists she can handle whatever happens, but little can prepare her for what she’s about to learn.

After nearly fifty years as an indentured genie, Desiree escaped the magical world . . . for a few weeks. Now she’s the leader of the Wish Makers and it’s been anything but a peaceful transition. The cross-country move was meant to be a fresh start for Robin Westmore. But on the first day at his new high school, Robin ends up face-to-face with the school’s biggest bully. The exact wrong place at the exact wrong moment and right back into his old role of victim. Hopeless, Robin begs for it all to stop. It’s childish, wishing on a dandelion, but he can’t take it anymore and needs a way out. Distracted by her duties, Desiree passes Robin off to a new, inexperienced genie who takes things from bad to so very much worse. What Readers Are Saying“Fantasy at its best!”“Not only do we get to follow along on Mandy’s adventure with Lexi, we also get to learn bits about Desiree — the wish mistress who I absolutely fell in love with.”“Desiree is this quirky, hippy chic genie. She lives in the present with her mind in the past. She marches to her own rhythm, her own way of thinking. Desiree doesn’t really fit in, but she has a uniqueness about her that defies rigidity. And she’s ever-evolving, always learning something else. It might take her moment to find the lesson, but she’ll get there. Eventually.”“Desiree even has her own back story that we slowly get to peel away as the story progresses.”“These books are wonderful. They take you into a world where you find you want to live.”The Wish Makers SeriesSticks and Stones, Book 1Break My Bones, Book 2Never Hurt Me, Book 3Had a Great Fall, Book 4Back Together Again, Book 5