Books published by publisher Dial

Damon & Blue Just us two Cruising up the avenue. With his night-and-day shades and a frame like a "heavyweight boxing machine," it might seem like this guy would be someone to steer clear of....But that's not the way it is. Blue is the best friend a kid could ever have. Blue, who lost one boy to the streets-and is determined that this time will be different. And Damon, whose laugh reminds him of that child, and who, even though he's the "man of the house," knows there's room for a guy like Blue in his life. To shoot hoops with, bounce thoughts off of, to share a laugh and a hot dog with all the works. And to know that at the end of the day there's someone standing steadfast in his corner. Someone true...like Blue. Drawing on those friendships that have inspired her own extraordinary life, Nikki Grimes creates a poetically realistic tale of that joyous, complicated bond that draws us, one to another. To this Jerome Lagarrigue, in a truly wondrous picture book debut, adds powerful and sensitive paintings that capture the rich moods and atmospheres of the story's Harlem setting.

In the vein of Eloise and Marley, here's an adorable tale of two well-intentioned rule breakers who show each other how friends deserve to be treated Bella knows her family's rules by heart, but she much prefers her own: Candy for breakfast, no hair-washing, and no such thing as bedtime. And then . . . Bella the wild child gets a new pet! At first, Bella and Puppy are the very best of friends. But when it turns out that Puppy doesn't like the family rules either (including the rule not to gnaw off Bella's teddy bear's arm), well...it's time for a little puppy training. And Bella might just learn a thing or two herself!