Book Preview – Peachtree Publishing Company Inc.

About Woodpeckers: A First Guide for Budding Birders

Peachtree Publishing Company — Wed, 18 Jul 2018 19:00:27 +0000

About Woodpeckers
A Guide for Children

Have you ever noticed the sound of persistent pecking on your house or a nearby tree? About Woodpeckers written by Cathryn Sill and illustrated by John Sill gives young readers a first look at the fascinating and surprisingly diverse world of woodpeckers.

In this newest addition to the About… series, author Cathryn Sill provides information about the common characteristics of these special birds and offers details about how and why they use their beaks to drill and peck at hard surfaces. With the help of beautifully detailed illustrations from noted wildlife instructor John Sill, About Woodpeckers brings 19 different species of woodpeckers to life. An afterword, glossary, and list of resources provide more details about the woodpeckers portrayed in the illustrations. From depicting their various habitats to the kinds of materials that each type of bird likes to peck, this informative read is sure to capture the interest of all curious young minds and budding birders.

“Transports the reader directly into the lives of these amazing forest carpenters…the images are worthy of framing. A delightful read.”
—Stephen A. Shunk, author of the Peterson Reference Guide to Woodpeckers of North America

Take a peek at some of the beautifully detailed illustrations below, and don’t forget to check out the About… series page for more books in this award-winning series and the series Teacher’s Guide for ideas on how to use the information in the classroom!

Sequel to Madeline Finn and the Library Dog by Lisa Papp

Peachtree Publishers — Tue, 20 Feb 2018 21:00:00 +0000

We have very exciting news! Just this month, we’ve confirmed that Lisa Papp will be writing and illustrating a sequel to the Children’s Choice Book Award-winning Madeline Finn and the Library Dog. Madeline Finn and the Shelter Dog will be out in the Spring of 2019!

“We’re huge animal lovers at Peachtree, so—of course—we fell in love with Madeline Finn and Bonnie when we signed the first book in 2015,” said Vice President and Associate Publisher Kathy Landwehr. “And when we saw the tremendous outpouring of affection from readers, reviewers, booksellers, teachers, and librarians, we were thrilled when Lisa said she wanted to write another Madeline Finn book … this time focused on shelter animals. We’ve been chomping at the bit ever since.”

Madeline Finn and the Shelter Dog centers on budding independent reader Madeline Finn, her newly adopted puppy Star (one of Bonnie’s puppies!), and their unique quest to help animals at their local shelter. This sequel was a natural leap for Lisa Papp. After spending time with so many library dogs writing the first Madeline Finn book, she became aware that many of them are former shelter dogs. Papp is a passionate animal lover and pleased these special pups are at the heart of this installment.

Find out more about Madeline Finn and the Library Dog and hear from Lisa Papp on winning the CCBA here. Also, check out our interview with Kathy Klotz, executive director of R.E.A.D., which is the foremost organization in the country that coordinates library dog programs.

Stay tuned for more information about Madeline Finn and the Shelter Dog as it gets closer to Spring 2019. In the meantime, find Madeline Finn and the Library Dog at your local library, indie bookstore, or Barnes & Noble, and keep the fun going with these activities!

New Year, New List: Spring 2018

Peachtree Publishers — Wed, 03 Jan 2018 18:00:00 +0000

It is officially 2018! And while this year is off to a frigid start (we’re feeling the polar vortex down here in Atlanta too), this Spring 2018 season will help you shake off the shivers and give you the warm and fuzzys. We are delighted to share our Spring 2018 list, filled with nature, inventions, critters, and more. Happy New Year!

New Board Book

Simple and evocative language and charming illustrations describe a girl’s experience on a rainy day. The In the Weather board book series by author Elizabeth Spurr and illustrator Manelle Oliphant comes to a close with In the Rain.

New Picture Books

Henry can’t wait to have a bee suit of his own so he can help his Aunt Lilla with the sister bees. As he observes his aunt work with the beehives on their Lowcountry farm, he grows fascinated with her ability to communicate with the bees. When Henry learns that the bees are getting ready to look for a new place to live, can he find a way to communicate with the sister bees and convince them to stay? This stunner from Lester Laminack and Jim LaMarche will be a new favorite.

Can a very messy monster and a perky little bird with an eye for neatness find a way to be friends? Grakkle doesn’t care one bit about cleaning. “Grakk!” he complains as Kalinka “tidies up” his messes. “You’re welcome,” she responds. They simply aren’t on the same wavelength. Can an unfortunate accident help an odd couple like this see eye to eye? Julie Paschkis’s newest book is the perfect “odd couple” story.

Izzy Gizmo’s inventions are marvelous, magnificent—and they often malfunction. But when she finds a crow with a broken wing, she just has to help! Izzy tries again and again to build him a new pair of wings, but nothing is working. Can Izzy overcome her failures? or will her crow friend never fly again? This feisty tale of determination, ingenuity, and friendship is sure to capture the imaginations of aspiring young inventors.

Abraham Lincoln was known for his sense of humor. But early in his adult life, it nearly got him into trouble. He had to use his imagination to save his career—and maybe even his life. When he became frustrated with the actions of a political rival Jame Shields, he came up with a plan the was silly, clever, and a great big mistake! Lincoln, his future wife, and a friend of hers wrote a pseudonymous series of letters to the newspaper editor, complaining about Shields. But when Shields took offense, he challenged Lincoln to a duel. Donna Janell Bowman’s fun historical read aloud offers a refreshing perspective of a historical icon and how the lessons he learned made him a better man.

The son of an enslaved blacksmith learns that his father is using the rhythm of his hammering to communicate with travelers on the Underground Railroad. When Pa falls ill, it is up to the young boy to help others along the journey—and also lead his family’s escape. Blacksmith’s Song is a powerful story of rhythm and craft in nineteenth-century America with beautiful oil paintings.

Now in Spanish! This fictionalized first-person biography, written in verse by Young People’s Poet Laureate Margarita Engle (and translated by Teresa Mlawer and Georgina Lázaro), follows the early year of the child who grows up to pen Don Quixote, the first modern novel of the Western world. Miguel’s Brave Knight is also one of 2017’s best books!

Newly revised and featuring extended back matter! Fish make our world a better place. But sometimes people do things that make it hard for them to live and grow. Expository nonfiction powerhouse author Melissa Stewart shares the ways human actions can affect fish and describes ways people can help protect them and their nature habitats.

New Illustrated Chapter Book

It’s the fourth book for the King & Kayla series! Join this detective duo as they investigate a new mystery. Kayla just lost a tooth—but now it’s missing. Where did it go? There’s plenty of detective work and laughs to be had with King and Kayla as they solve the mystery.

New Middle Grade

Have fun on this poetic tour through the leaf litter layer and dig into the fascinating facts about the tiny critters who live there. Nineteen poems in a variety of verse forms with accompanying science notes take readers on a decomposer safari through the “brown food web,” from bacteria through tardigrades and on to rove beetle predators with other busy recyclers in-between.

The newest addition to sports writer Fred Bowen’s Sports Story series. Troy is overjoyed when he makes it onto an elite travel team with the help of his lucky charm, a piece of blue sea glass he found near his grandmother’s beach house before she died. As he does well on the team, he accumulates more superstitious rituals. But when he loses his lucky charm, his performance begins to slip. What can he do to get his mojo back? Back matter for Lucky Enough includes the “Real Story” about well-known players like Wade “Chicken Man” Boggs, who were notoriously superstitious.

New Young Adult

Sophia, a former child prodigy and seventeen-year-old math genius is getting anxious about her future. She doesn’t have time for silly games, and especially doesn’t have the patience to deal with the mysterious playing cards and coins that keep turning up inside her belongings. But Joshua, a cheerfully unambitious teen and amateur magician, has admired Sophia for as long as he can remember. He just needs to muster up the courage to finally tell her how he feels. But he has no idea just how off his timing really is… This newest novel from Melissa Keil is a heartwarming tale of unconventional romance, perfect timing, and finding your own magic.

Check out our full Spring 2018 catalog here, and stay tuned for giveaways, interviews, and more!

Spring 2015 Preview of Titles

Peachtree Publishers — Thu, 15 Jan 2015 21:36:00 +0000

President & Publisher, Margaret Quinlin, hosted a little Afternoon Tea/ Preview at to share our exciting Spring 2015 Frontlist. Original artwork was on display, our editors spoke about select titles in a Round Robin format, and special guest illustrator Thomas Gonzalez shared his storyboarding process for future release Toad Weather with guests.

For those of you who could not make the trip to Atlanta and who won’t be making the trip to Chicago for ALA Midwinter, check out all the highlights from Peachtree Friend, Elizabeth O. Dulemba!