Books published by publisher Flashlight Press

Writers' League of Texas Teddy Children's Book Award 2007 winner, short works2008 Storytelling World Resource Award winnerAs her Grandpa naps on the sofa, Lizzie minds the family antique store. When the extravagantly rich Mrs. Bradley Larchmont III enters the shop and begins a buying spree, she refuses to leave without bargaining for an unexpected item . . . Lizzie’s Grandpa! As the stakes rise, Lizzie imagines all of the fabulous things she could buy with the money she is offered. But what fun would a sailboat, an ice cream parlor, or an amusement park be without Grandpa? Readers will enjoy the clever play between gray tones and vivid color that illustrates Lizzie’s growing conflict. This farcical storyline, coupled with vibrant paintings, ultimately stresses the importance of family and friendship over material possessions and selfish, money-driven desires.

This story relates the painful and embarrassing aftermath of name-calling and bullying from the perspective of the bully. J. J. Jax has been tormenting an overweight boy named Patrick, calling him Pig-Pen and Porky, to the point that Patrick is now afraid to go to school. Learning of his son's behavior, J. J.'s father lectures him to stop bullying Patrick. When that approach fails, Mr. Jax tries another tack and shares an experience he had as a youthful bully and the consequences he recently faced as a result of his actions. Touched by his father's words, J.J. reaches out to Patrick in a school arm-wrestling contest and experiences the "alley oops" moment of empowerment and self-esteem that comes from doing the right thing. Snappy dialogue highlights the harmful, lasting effects of bullying and the importance of finding common ground toward conflict resolution. Believable contemporary illustrations bring the story to life with expressive body language.

This book is specially designed in Amazon's fixed-layout KF8 format with region magnification. Double-tap on an area of text to zoom and read. From carefully aimed pouts and shifting blame to the threat of an all-out tantrum, this laugh-out-loud story for kids and adults focuses on the clever antics, advantage-taking, limit-testing, and childhood shenanigans of three-year-old Emmy. When Emmy spills juice and her dad’s pants get “orange-hosed,” she takes refuge behind Mom’s knee. Expecting a reprimand, Emmy is surprised when Mom tells Dad, “Now, sweetheart, you should let it be. After all . . . she’s only three.” Once Emmy discovers that she’s too young to be punished, she constantly wrangles her way out of trouble by proclaiming, “I’m only three!” and pulls a handy weapon from her arsenal of manipulative maneuvers. With hilarious, rhyming text and energetic ink and watercolor illustrations that capture Emmy’s expressions, from angelic to livid, readers discover that Emmy can’t get away with her outrageous behavior forever and that her actions do eventually have consequences.

This book is specially designed in Amazon's fixed-layout KF8 format with region magnification. Double-tap on an area of text to zoom and read. "What does Dudley do all day while we're away?" Sam wonders. Mom explains that Dudley does ordinary dog things: he eats, naps, guards the house, and plays. But in Sam's mind, Dudley's day at home is anything but ordinary. Delightful digital paintings depict the human activities Sam imagines Dudley is doing – which don't quite match Mom's explanations. Dudley's Day at Home is a funny, fetching picture book that uses minimal text and maximal visual storytelling to share a day in a dog's life.

This book is specially designed in Amazon's fixed-layout KF8 format with region magnification. Double-tap on an area of text to zoom and read. Narrated by a cat-loving little girl, this story is a hysterical romp through a family's pet adoption dilemma. Poor Dad does not like cats, and he voices his opposition to the steady stream of stray cats that always seem to wind up on his doorstep—thanks to a cat-loving Mom who wants to save every stray she finds. In an effort to win Dad over, the little girl hides a tiny stray kitten in her hood and convinces Dad to just give it one small squeeze. Dad manages, with trepidation, to stick out his pinkie and pet the creature. But now that five cats have taken over his favorite chair, he becomes desperate and makes a visit to the pound. Dad returns happily with a big, fat puppy—everyone gets something that they want. With hilarious ink and watercolor illustrations, this picture book demonstrates the resourcefulness, love, and compromises of a pet-loving family.

Darcy has plans. She and her friend are going to play dress up, do each other's hair, and polish their nails. Daddy has plans, too. He's going to read the paper, mow the lawn, and fix the fence. When Darcy's friend cancels and she's sure her day is ruined, Daddy suggests that they tackle their to-do lists together with a Darcy-Daddy Day. Daddy dons a tutu, and Darcy gives him a fancy hair do. They groom the lawn with Her Majesty's Mowing Service and face off in a Daddy-directed sock battle. But will Darcy want to hammer? Will Daddy do nails? Stepping outside their comfort zones, Darcy and Daddy opt to be open-minded and even a bit daring. As Daddy says, "Sometimes things you've never done end up being fun!" With a gung-ho attitude, Darcy masters the hammer, and Daddy goes for it with the nails.

This book is specially designed in Amazon's fixed-layout KF8 format with region magnification. Double-tap on an area of text to zoom and read. Lucky for Sophie and Chloe, Grandma Tillie knows how to royally entertain her grandchildren. To their delight, whenever Grandma Tillie babysits, she seems to disappear, only to be replaced by a parade of lovable characters. There's Tillie Vanilly with the bright pink hair, star of The Tillie Vanilly Show, who loves to tell jokes and dance the conga; Chef Silly Tillie with the lampshade hat who offers up a dinner of Worm Chili with Glue Gravy; and Madame Frilly Tillie with the sparkly eyeglasses and towel turban, the world's most creative bath-bubble stylist. Sophie and Chloe wonder who will appear to tuck them into bed: Hiker Hilly Tillie, Explorer Chilly Tillie, or Zoo-lady Gorilly Tillie? To their surprise, it’s the best character of all—just plain Grandma Tillie.

When the coolest kid in the class drops by David's house after school, David is worried about how popular, zany Ruben Plotnick will react upon meeting unpredictable Grandma Rosie. Will he make fun of her to his classmates? Will he imitate her whispery voice? What will he do if Grandma Rosie suddenly wants to dance? To his surprise, and relief, David learns that although Ruben may be a joker, he has an instant rapport with Grandma Rosie and accepts her odd behavior. In fact, when Grandma Rosie calls out, "Nate, let's waltz!" Ruben gallantly and proudly dances around the kitchen with her. This heartwarming story of senility and school-age embarrassment reveals the importance of looking beneath the surface to really get to know someone. By accepting Grandma with all of her quirks, Ruben shows that he has a warm heart and can be a true friend.

Even before Dad tucks him in, Samuel McKay has devised a plan to find out what really goes on in his house after bedtime—he waits until Dad has shut the light before tiptoeing out of his room with his trusted furry accomplice, Petey Bear, determined to find the truth. Sam imagines fish swimming in the bathroom pipes, a thousand toy trains in the basement, a zoo in the guest room, and a rocket in Dad's parking place. Each wildly imagined activity is highlighted on the wall by Pete's flashlight beam as the daring pair quietly and carefully creep through the house. They persist, finally reaching the den and the moment of truth. Sam's parents, of course, are simply relaxing; Dad does the crossword, and Mom is reading. Disappointed, Sam and Petey trudge back up to bed. This romping, rhyming adventure will prove once and for all that kids aren't missing out on anything special after bedtime. Or are they? In the final wordless image, Mom and Dad are eating pink ice cream and cake at a private little party, perhaps celebrating that they've won the bedtime battle—at least until tomorrow night.

“Hey, Pirate. What are you doing in my sandbox?” “I'm not a pirate. I'm the captain of a ship.” What is Captain doing in Dragon's sandbox? He is moping. Because he’s lost his ship. “Oh, no! I'll help you find it! Come on!” “Where are we going?” “To my cave! I know I have a map somewhere.”Armed with a (toy watch) compass, a (paper-towel tube) telescope, and a (hand-drawn) map, Dragon and Captain set off on a great adventure. Dragon is a boy in pajamas and a dragon robe. Captain is a boy with a three-sided hat. But as the boys' imaginations take over, we see them as they see themselves and the backyard as the boys see it: a dark forest, a craggy cliff, and the immense sea. Illustrated like a comic book, this book is a fantasy-filled graphic novel for the picture book set. Young readers will be enchanted with—and parents will appreciate—the creative backyard play, in which the boys use the simplest found items and the backyard features to create an elaborate adventure. Can Dragon and Captain find the lost ship before lunch?

When the coolest kid in the class drops by David's house after school, David is worried about how popular, zany Ruben Plotnick will react upon meeting unpredictable Grandma Rosie. Will he make fun of her to his classmates? Will he imitate her whispery voice? What will he do if Grandma Rosie suddenly wants to dance? To his surprise, and relief, David learns that although Ruben may be a joker, he has an instant rapport with Grandma Rosie and accepts her odd behavior. In fact, when Grandma Rosie calls out, "Nate, let's waltz!" Ruben gallantly and proudly dances around the kitchen with her. This heartwarming story of senility and school-age embarrassment reveals the importance of looking beneath the surface to really get to know someone. By accepting Grandma with all of her quirks, Ruben shows that he has a warm heart and can be a true friend.

One Snooty cat. Two adorable sidekicks. Three perfect-for-all-ages adventures.Princess the Cat rules her neighborhood with a firm paw. Despite the inconvenience of her thoughtless humans, Princess lives the royal life.But ruling the neighborhood is never easy. Even for a cat.Predators attack. Villains threaten. Tyrants lie in wait.What chance does a housecat have against such foes?As she saves not only her neighborhood but also humanity along the way, Princess the Cat and her friends’ antics will make you laugh. She doesn’t really expect us humans to praise her as we should, but she does know that you and your children will love her hilarious adventures.While you read, she’s (barely) content to sleep in her favorite sunbeam until the next adventure calls.When you buy this one-volume omnibus box set, you get these three books:Princess the Cat Versus Snarl the Coyote (Book #1).Princess the Cat Saves the Farm (Book #2).Princess the Cat Defeats the Emperor (Book #3).Buy Princess the Cat: The First Trilogy, Books 1-3 and get the first three chapter books in the series - all in one volume. You will instantly discover why fans of all ages love Princess the Cat.