Books published by publisher Purple Toad Publishing

Do you want to be a guiding light and source of encouragement in your family, church, and community? If so, then you must know what true love is. In this classic devotional by Henry Drummond, he explains what he calls The Spectrum of Love, found in 1 Corinthians 13. He analyzes each word that Paul uses to define love and applies it to daily life. Not only that, but he also explains why love is the "greatest" of the triad Paul mentions, i.e., faith, hope, and love (1 Corinthians 13:13). This book is a delightful description of love that will help every Christian understand how they can grow in it and have better relationships because of a stronger love for others. What else does this book offer?It teaches how time and will-power will not change us, but Christ can. You will discover the only one thing that is greater than happiness in this world.Mr. Drummond explains what Paul means by "childish things" in verse eleven.He also writes about how David Livingstone, a missionary to Africa, influenced them without speaking their native language.Also, you will find out what is the great secret of personal influence. If you have a desire to grow in your love for others, then Mr. Drummond's book is a must for you because he eloquently expounds upon 1 Corinthians 13, carefully explains the true meaning of love, and thoughtfully applies it to daily life. Learn to love like Christ, starting today!

What do candles, broccoli stalks, and dolls have in common? They were all tools the painter Thomas Gainsborough used! Gainsborough painted quickly and with pizzazz. Some of his brushes were as long as his arm. He used more blue than any other artist at the time. Gainsborough painted dozens of people, but he preferred to paint places outside. Even when he wasn't outdoors, he studied how light casts shadows. He noticed the light on folds of fabric and in fields of cows. Then he used his brush to capture the light for others to enjoy--for centuries to come.

Can four teens solve a puzzling whodunit that captivates their small town and baffles the police, all while starting high school?Besides years of close friendship and their shared confidence in each other, just what do a spunky smart tomboy, clever billionaire athlete, gossipy in-the-know cheerleader and technological genius have in common? When a string of burglaries threaten their coastal town, Maddie, Cornelious, Carly and Pilot embark on a mission to stop the crime spree and put things right.Unfortunately, solving crimes aren’t as easy as they seem on TV. The further they investigate, the more they find themselves constantly side-stepping tweedle-dee and tweedle-dum-like policemen, outsmarting local bully JB and his gang of misfits, and dealing with Cornelious’ billionaire father and Governor---who has disapproved of his son’s choice of friends for years. In addition to these obstacles, the foursome must also adapt to their evolving friendship with each other and their peers. But with upperclassmen, teachers, and teammates vying for their attention, the amateur sleuths must work even harder to root out the red-herrings from the true thief, before it’s too late.Asbury High and the Thief’s Gamble is the first book in young adult mystery series, that fans of good, old-fashioned mysteries will love. Amazon Reviews:“If you're looking for a read that'll keep you guessing, make you laugh out loud and serve as a reminder to the 'good ole days,' this is the book for you. Channick delivers a wonderful perspective on life as a teen, with some exciting twists that make the book a must read. She makes readers feel like part of the team and I personally found the details to be wildly refreshing and totally relate-able. Add this to your summer reading list!”“This was a fun and quick read with clever descriptive writing and a plot that keeps you guessing! As the book delved into the lives of the core four characters, Maddie, Cornelius, Pilot and Carly, you learn about their own individual struggles in the divided town of Asbury and begin to really care about these characters. Asbury High melded the best of comedy and mystery together! I’m excited to see what comes next!”

Chancery is counting on her older sister Melina to help her find the right path. The fate of the world rests on the outcome of that guidance. But not everyone wants the entire world to survive. As usual, the key to the future lies in the mistakes of the past. In a world where perfection is mandatory…Melina’s parents do not get along, not even a little bit. All Melina wants is to make her parents proud, to make them smile. But what brings joy to one causes the other to scowl. There’s only one thing they both agree upon—Melina must win in single combat at the Centennial Games. A single flaw renders you useless.Melodics requires complete understanding of your opponent. Melina has no trouble analyzing and comprehending the motivations of others, which makes her a force to be reckoned with. But as the end draws near, as success dangles just out of her grasp, she discovers she may not know herself as well as she thought. And the thing she has refused to accept might be the very cause of her downfall.

Kids love Kenn Nesbitt's hilarious poetry! With their rollicking rhythms, playful rhymes, and mischievous twists, kids can't stop reading these poems.The Armpit of Doom includes seventy new poems about crazy characters, funny families, peculiar pets, comical creatures, and much, much more.REVIEWSIrrepressible, unpredictable, and raucously popular children’s poet Kenn Nesbitt was spawned in the same cracked petri dish as Jack Prelutsky, to whom he is the natural heir. A title guaranteed to generate “No, wait, read this one!” responses, The Armpit of Doom is more mayhem from one of the masters.(J. Patrick Lewis, U.S. Children’s Poet Laureate, author of Please Bury Me in the Library and many other books for children)Kenn Nesbitt wrote a book of poemsA funny one I think.And though it’s colored black and whiteWatch it tickle you PINK!(Douglas Florian, author and illustrator of Comets, Stars, the Moon, and Mars: Space Poems and Paintings)Is there anything Kenn Nesbitt can't write a poem about? The Armpit of Doom features five dozen poems full of clever wordplay, impeccable rhythms and funny punch lines. To borrow from one of Kenn's titles, Please Don't Read This Poem, my advice is, "Please do read this book!"(Bob Raczka, author of Guyku: A Year of Haiku for Boys and Lemonade: And Other Poems Squeezed from a Single Word)Kenn Nesbitt's brain is the clown car of children's poetry. I don't know how they all fit in there, but they keep tumbling out, one after another, each one funnier than the one before it. (Eric Ode, poet and songwriter. Author of When You're a Pirate Dog and Other Pirate Poems)I liked ARMPIT (the book) a lot. Armpits are not my favorite body part. (Bruce Lansky, author of If Pigs Could Fly... And Other Deep Thoughts)Despite the many warnings ("Please Don't Read This Poem!") kids cannot escape the odorous allure of Nesbitt's THE ARM PIT OF DOOM! No problem. They won't want to! Instead they will find "There's only one solution. Here's what you'll have to do: Tell all your friends and family they shouldn't read it too!" (Charles Ghigna, AKA "Father Goose," author of Score! 50 Poems to Motivate and Inspire)What makes this collection most special are the contemporary details sprinkled throughout (the iPod, XBox, and Kindle, Red Bull, J.K. Rowling, scrunchies, computer woes). Kids will really love the clever nonsense in poems like "On the Thirty-Third of Januaugust" and "It's Fun to Leave the Spaces Out." Teachers, beware: theirsentencesmightlooklikethisforafewdaysafterreadingthisbook!" (Janet Wong, author of You Have to Write)Fans of Kenn Nesbitt will gobble up this new offering, which combines his infallible command of rhyme scheme with the hilarious--yet oddly contemplative--wisdom of a child pondering the world.(Joyce Sidman, author of Swirl by Swirl: Spirals in Nature)

Paul Cézanne (1839-1906) was a famous painter who lived in France. Imagine what it would have been like to know him. What was his studio like? How did he paint his masterpieces? In this story, ten-year-old Belle helps Cézanne at his home studio. She carries his supplies, so she gets to see his artwork and watch him paint. She also gets to hear his stories about being an artist. She thinks he is the best artist ever. After his art show in Paris, will anyone else think so too?

***Shortlisted for The Times/Chicken House Children's Fiction Competition 2019***By day, Sondrine Renfrew works at Cimmerian’s Curio Emporium, her aunt’s apothecary and antique shop in London, 1875. By night, she weaves fire, water, and air into both inanimate objects and living creatures. When a hooded stranger offers Sondrine a snow globe in trade for medicinal herbs, she accepts, enchanted by the castle, forest, and sea encapsulated under the glass.Her enchantment fades, however, when her deceitful aunt betroths her to one of London’s wealthiest men—a complete stranger. Determined to escape the marriage, Sondrine trades her corset for trousers and decides to run away. With one foot out the door, she falls down a veritable rabbit hole into Winterhaven, the haunting world inside the snow globe.Sondrine soon discovers her arrival in Winterhaven is no accident. There, she meets Shán, a man who broods more than the darkened sky above. Turns out Shán is not to be trusted. Not only is he the man who sold Sondrine the snow globe, he is a bounty hunter employed by the king. The beginnings of a sovereign war have been set in motion and an Immortal queen, one who uses fire as a weapon, is set on destroying Winterhaven. Because of her Elemental gifts, only Sondrine has the means to stop the queen. If Sondrine refuses the king’s request, he will behead her. If she rises to the challenge of killing the Immortal queen, her death is just as imminent. After all, an Immortal queen cannot be killed.Or can she?

Enjoy this classic tale written by the German author Franz Hoffman (1814-1882). It is about a boy and his grandfather getting trapped in their chalet for the winter. There, they must fend off hunger, wolves, and desperation. In the process, they learn what it means to truly trust God. In Tole's reproduction of this book, you get the original and classic layout with its illustrations (7 in total). The interior also includes ornamental chapter headings and endings. This is a quality book of a Christian classic that has a modern touch.

The pop music group Big Time Rush has recorded albums and given concerts around the world. Logan Henderson, James Maslow, Carlos Pena, Jr., and Kendall Schmidt also star in a top-rated TV show on Nickelodeon and have performed in concert at the White House! The members of Big Time Rush are more than funny actors and melodic singers. They treat people with respect and work with the Make-A-Wish Foundation to meet fans. How did these four young men become one of the most popular music bands in the world? What are they like behind the scenes?

Sitting Bull had a vision of a great Sioux victory, but would he live to see it? Crazy Horse had an almost mythical ability to avoid death, but would it last? These were two of the greatest chiefs of the Sioux Nation, a mighty Native American people who once ruled the plains and prairies between the Rocky Mountains and the Great Lakes. The Sioux were great warriors and buffalo hunters. They were master horsemen who roamed the country living in teepees and keeping up with buffalo herds. They fought the U. S. government to keep their land and way of life. Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse led a historic victory over General George Custer in the Battle of the Little Bighorn before they were eventually beaten and driven into reservations. The Massacre at Wounded Knee ended the Siouxís dream of returning to their old way of life, but not their desire to be free. This is their story.