Joanne Schwartz

Anna Maria''s day of helping in her grandparents'' corner grocery store is filled with activity, friendly faces and an array of dry goods and delectable treats. There is so much to do - making signs, setting out local produce, weighing purchases - but Anna Maria doesn''t mind. You see, this is no ordinary place: Nonno Domenico and Nonna Rosa''s store is where neighbors meet, share their news and make friends. Whether they are hungry, looking for a bargain, in need of a recipe or simply searching for something new to try, they can find it here in Our Corner Grocery Store. From beloved picture book author Joanne Schwartz (Town is by the Sea) and charmingly illustrated by Laura Beingessner, Our Corner Grocery Store commemorates its sixteenth anniversary of celebrating all the independent merchants who add colour and flavor to our local neighbourhoods with a brand-new cover.

A girl wakes up from a dream she can''t shake. Her head is full of clouds. When she goes outside, the things she normally doesn''t pay much attention to suddenly reveal their beauty: the plants growing in the cracks of the sidewalk, the shimmering puddles, the notes from a violin drifting in the air. She revels in this strangeness of the familiar, and eventually her dream comes back to her in all its surrealness. When she meets a friend, she feels solid and connected again, part of the world - but she doesn''t lose the gifts that this strange morning gave her: the quietly profound wonder of the everyday and the joy of being present. Joanne Schwartz''s lyrical text and Afsaneh Sanei''s gorgeous art are a dreamy pairing that will reward readers with something special in every read.

While a young boy enjoys a summer's day, his thoughts constantly return to his father, who is digging for coal deep under the sea. "An atmospheric, haunting story" - The Bookseller Stunning illustrations by Sydney Smith, the award-winning illustrator of Footpath Flowers, show the striking contrast between a sparkling seaside day and the darkness underground where the miners dig. This beautifully understated and haunting story brings a piece of mining history to life. The ever-present ocean and inevitable pattern of life in a mining town will enthral children and move adult readers, as a young boy wakes up to the sound of the sea, visits his grandfather's grave after lunch and comes home to a cosy dinner with his family, but all the while his mind strays to his father digging for coal deep down under the sea.