The First and Last King of Haiti: The Rise and Fall of Henry Christophe

Marlene L. Daut

The essential biography of the controversial rebel, traitor, and only king of Haiti. Henry Christophe is one of the most richly complex figures in the history of the Americas, and was, in his time, popular and famous the world over: in The First and Last King of Haiti, a brilliant, award-winning Yale scholar unravels the still controversial enigma that he was.

Slave, revolutionary, traitor, king, and suicide, Henry Christophe was, in his time, popular and famous the world over. Born in 1767 to an enslaved mother on the Caribbean island of Grenada, Christophe first fought to overthrow the British in North America, before helping his fellow enslaved Africans in Saint-Domingue, as Haiti was then called, to gain their freedom from France. Yet in an incredible twist of fate, Christophe ended up fighting with Napoleon’s forces against the very enslaved men and women he had once fought alongside. Later, reuniting with those he had betrayed, he offered to lead them and made himself their king. But it all came to a sudden and tragic end when Christophe—after nine years of his rule as King Henry I—shot himself in the heart, some say with a silver bullet.

Why did Christophe turn his back on Toussaint Louverture and the very revolution with which his name is so indelibly associated? How did it come to pass that Christophe found himself accused of participating in the plot to assassinate Haiti’s first ruler, Dessalines? What caused Haiti to eventually split into two countries, one ruled by Christophe in the north, who made himself king, the other led by President Pétion in the south?

The First and Last King of Haiti is a riveting story of not only geopolitical clashes on a grand scale but also of friendship and loyalty, treachery and betrayal, heroism and strife in an era of revolutionary upheaval.

Where Are the Women?: The Girl Scouts’ Campaign for the First Statue of Women in Central Park

Janice Hechter

Aaron Derr

The Manatees are finally having fun this baseball season under new captain Luis. Embracing teamwork, they welcome troubled players Ty and Savannah, hoping to give them a second chance after they were kicked off a former team. Can the Manatees learn to accept the newcomers? Can they teach Ty and Savannah to be good teammates? And can they all work together to beat the best team in the league, the Dragons? Baseball Buddies stories explore the power of working together, accepting differences to build a team, and the lasting friendships that form when given a chance.

 Laura Wiltse Prior

 Emma is eager to see her friends Lily and Amelia when third grade begins. But her friends’ interests have changed: Lily became a ballerina, Amelia lost interest in science. And, as third grade unfolds even more differences among them are revealed. Speaks to an insecurity of most readers.

Oleg Veretskiy

 Brace yourself. You are about to dive into the fantastical tale of a precocious girl named Lisa. As she embarks on a quest to save her mother using an enchanted music box that she must learn how to fix, Lisa braves heart-pounding encounters with fantastical creatures. While on the run from malevolent forces that wish to take her down in order to steal her supernatural powers, she unlocks secrets in ancient wisdom, and forges her own identity. Throughout her adventures, Lisa takes charge of her own coming-of-age and in the process, becomes the heroine of her own journey. Readers daring enough to follow Lisa will become intimately acquainted with the strange beasts of the worlds of the Wandering Mists — the air- and earth-bound Dolphins, the petrifying Riven, the quarrelsome Inside-Out Man, the sinister Acrid, the wild and wondrous Gardener, and even the enchanting Craftsman who is able to fix anything. Welcome to the Worlds of the Wandering Mists!

Elizabeth Gauffreau

FOR OVER 100 YEARS, NO ONE WANTED TO BE SENT TO THE SHELDON POOR FARM. BY 1968, NO ONE WANTED TO LEAVE.

Amid the social turmoil of 1968, the last poor farm in Vermont is slated for closure. By the end of the year, the twelve destitute residents remaining will be dispatched to whatever institutions will take them, their personal stories lost forever. Told with compassion and humor, The Weight of Snow and Regret tells the poignant story of what it means to care for others in a rapidly changing world.

“I AM JAYVYN” is a compelling work of historical fiction positioned to remind readers of the reality of the transatlantic slave trade and the key role the enslaved played in the development of America.

Cir. 1710: On a beautiful morning full of hope and promise, twelve-year-old Javyn’s world is suddenly shattered when English slavers raid his peaceful village. His father is killed, he is separated from his mother and little sister, and his home is left in flames. In a whirlwind of change, Jayvyn survives the horrors of the middle passage alone, landing in Barbados, where he endures two years of ‘seasoning’ on a sugar plantation. His adolescent development progresses under the tutelage of Andrew, a fellow enslaved African, in desperate circumstances he could never have imagined.

Simple Pleasures: Haiku From the Place Just Right

Elizabeth Gauffreau

‘Tis the gift to be simple, ’tis the gift to be free
‘Tis the gift to come down where I ought to be . . .
~ Shaker Song attributed to Joseph Brackett

The simple pleasures of our favorite places in nature are gifts of the spirit to be shared with others. In this collection of 53 haiku, each paired with a nature photograph, poet Liz Gauffreau invites readers to come with her to some of her favorite places in Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. Some places are long-time favorites going back years; others have become favorites by virtue of inspiring poetry.

I Don’t Want to Die: A New Look at Suicide Assessment Intervention and Prevention

Tom Butero

Two concepts are at the heart of this approach.

The first is ambivalence. Anyone who is contemplating suicide, or who has actually made an attempt, is ambivalent about killing themselves. The wish to die is in conflict with the wish to live occurring at the same time.

The second concept is the temporary nature of the suicidal ideation. Like any thought or feeling, the presence and intensity of the ideation will ebb and flow and will, generally, diminish over time.

Case examples are cited, giving the reader a real-life perspective. Other related issues, such as risk factors, the role of the media and more are also discussed.

 Beautiful Jail

Janet H. Wolfe

 Set in coastal Connecticut, this modern whodunit follows Diana Wall—accused of murdering her ex-husband after his body is discovered at a local marina. As she protests her innocence from a jail cell, a fellow inmate challenges her to uncover who really killed Curt Anderson. Twists, secrets, and suspense unfold in this gripping debut.

Ghosts in my DNA: Past Lives of Boston

S.A. Beach

Ghosts in my DNA is the journey of a science teacher from Massachusetts who was compelled to unravel the reasons why she left her New England home and family behind to build a new life among people of the Caribbean. After fifty years of living and learning in this lovely tropical island, and raising a beautiful biracial family, she questions who she is. To search she takes a circuitous route through the libraries, museums, and graveyards of New England.

The journey finds a long line of paternal past lives. Beginning with the Winthrop Fleet of 1630, the story leads to interactions with the Indigenous, public punishment in colonial America, Salem Witch Trials, Revolutionary War, an early Prussian immigrant, abolitionists in 1850’s, Civil War, rise of Vaudeville, early theories in science and more.

It is a story for many families of Boston through centuries of rapid change and resilience. You may find hints of your earliest ancestors in these pages

 With a Passion: Seeing Good Ideas Through

 Anita Saville

 Great ideas can be the start of great journeys. With a Passion is a practical guide for bringing those ideas to life. Through the compelling story of Budget Buddies, an award-winning nonprofit, Anita Saville inspires readers to move their ideas forward — and shows them how. This small but mighty book combines Saville’s personal narrative of helping women gain financial independence with more than three dozen lessons for others who wish to follow their passions.

 The Moon Goddess’s Smile

Catherine Wu

“Secrets, scars, and stories – a fascinating historical novel of cultural & personal significance.” — Starred Review, Independent Book Review
“An observant and emotionally authentic novel of homecoming. ” — Kirkus Reviews

A biomedical researcher returns to China to transfer her late grandmother’s apartment to her male cousin so he can marry. However, a simple legal task to save her dwindling clan becomes a bureaucratic nightmare, and her interracial marriage in Boston begins to unravel. While she struggles to regain equilibrium between two clashing cultures, her homebound journey evolves into a midlife self-discovery.

The story portrays a resilient Chinese family that has survived a tumultuous century. Ultimately, it celebrates the human potential of reaching enlightenment during a crisis.

Sunny and the Round Things

Jennia D’Lima

Sunny is sure he’s the best at one thing – being round. Just ask his mom, who tells him that no one does it better! But then Mom starts to redecorate and brings home one perfect round thing after another. What if Mom decides one of them is her new favorite?

 Rewilding

 Lisa Gerlits

Joy, an eleven-year-old often called “Bruiser” by her dad, isn’t as tough as she appears.

With her dad gone and her mom falling into depression, the responsibility of managing the household and caring for her younger brother, Ian, falls on her small shoulders. She struggles with the reality of wearing old clothes that no longer fit and constantly dealing with Ian’s hunger. Joy lives in fear that the school counselor might contact Child Protective Services due to their situation.

Joy, 11, must care for her home and brother Ian, while fearing Child Protective Services. A baby bird and the neighbor Ezzie lead Joy to discover “rewilding” for herself and to question her Dad’s views. This contemporary middle grade novel explores gaslighting, body image, and the healing power of nature with a girl caring for her brother and dodging Child Protective Services while finding solace in secretly restoring the natural ecosystem in an eccentric neighbor’s yard.

The Case of the Nasty Notes: A Ben & Blue Mystery

Ellen Melissa Cohen

When someone begins leaving unsigned notes in Cooper’s locker, Ben and Blue begin sniffing out the bully only to discover more secrets than they could have imagined, including family secrets and clues to their classmates’ bizarre behavior. This is a story of empowerment, self-esteem and self-acceptance; including internal conflicts most children will be able to relate to and recognize. Book 2 in the Ben & Blue Mysteries series.

Word Suites

Mary Maxwell

Although originating as text to accompany selections from J.S. Bach’s Suites for Solo Cello, the book version of Mary Maxwell’s WORD SUITES builds upon the live performances’ premise that poetry and musical composition are sister arts.

The movements of Bach’s cello suites in particular may be seen as a form of “musical thinking.” Most importantly, in an age of AI-produced works, WORD SUITES affirms the belief that the source for authentic forms of patterned sound and movement will always be an actual person.

In lyrical yet experimental format, the six sections that comprise WORD SUITES read as a long poem suggesting the learnèd and intellectually challenging qualities of its musical inspiration.

 What We Give Away

 Paulette Stout

For as long as Leslie can remember, food has been the enemy. Something to be mastered, not enjoyed—or so her mother says. And Risto’s unapologetic appetite for life is everything Leslie has spent years trying to forget.

With a booming restaurant and a skyrocketing reputation, Chef Risto has everything he’s ever wanted. Except Leslie. She lost interest in him long ago—but still manages to haunt his dreams every night. So when she turns up to fill in for Dot, days become unbearable too.

Amidst the rich aromas of Puerto Rican cuisine, Risto and Leslie must balance the pressures of love and ambition. But a well-fed woman is a revolutionary force, and some appetites can no longer be ignored…

Steamy, emotional, and deeply resonant. Winner of 7 book awards.

 Grabtown

Sarah P. Blanchard

When twins Cassie and Ana return to their childhood home in rural Connecticut to grieve their mother’s death, they find an old manuscript written by their mom’s longtime friend. It’s a murder mystery, with their mother a key character. Is it fiction, or confession?
The manuscript reveals abuse winding back through their family and town. Cassie, a frustrated writer stuck in an isolating marriage, sees opportunity. Ana, fearful of what they’ll learn, wants it destroyed.
When Cassie’s mercurial husband insists she stop digging and an old detective asks new questions, they realize someone desperately wants the secrets to stay buried.
“Blanchard’s novel is a masterfully constructed work, balancing the story within the story with excellent pacing…. A dark, satisfying thriller perfect for readers who love family drama and scandalous secrets.”—Kirkus Reviews
“Beautiful, bold, and utterly unforgettable.” —Seattle Book Reviews

 Look Mom, I Can Fly: Notes from the Wide Skies of Grieving My Only Child

 Luna Jaffe

When Luna Jaffe’s only child, Hunter, died suddenly at 21, her world unraveled. Out of the wreckage, she began to create: mandalas of flowers laid on his grave, watercolors stained with grief, poems and letters that became both anchor and wing.

Look Mom, I Can Fly is the luminous record of that first year of mourning. Part memoir, part art book, and wholly a love letter, it captures the raw, unfiltered textures of grief—rage, tenderness, disbelief, and the surprising beauty that surfaces even in devastation.

With fierce honesty and lyrical grace, Jaffe refuses to soften or simplify grief’s impact. Instead, she shows how art, ritual, and community became her path through the unholdable. This book is for mothers who have lost children, for those moving through sorrow of any kind, and for communities learning how to hold one another in the aftermath of unspeakable loss.

 Both Sides of the Pond, My Family’s War: 1933-1946

 Barbara Kent Lawrence

In January of 1939 when Barbara Greene, a beautiful and successful young British actress, met Joe Kennedy Jr., son of the American Ambassador, she could not have expected that their relationship would lead to her emigrating to America sponsored by Ambassador and Mrs. Kennedy. Nor could her brother, Kent, have foreseen his bitter retreat from Dunkirk when he left England in January 1940 to fight in France, or his subsequent service in Cornwall, North Africa, Sicily, and Burma. Their stories portray the war on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean, and on the home and battle fronts.

“Lawrence has given us an intimate, harrowing, and vivid portrait of two young people engulfed by a world war. Want to know what it is like to have your world turned upside? Read this book and be shocked, thrilled and moved. From heady and improbable love affairs amidst the falling bombs to the gritty deprivations of daily life, it’s all here in a timeless well-told tale.” Evan Thomas, NYT bestselling author.

 Classical Composers: Frederic Chopin

 Joanne Mattern

 The term “classical music” refers most often to the period from mid-18th to the 19th and early 20th Centuries. Composers from different periods such as Johann Sebastian Bach, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Clara Schumann, Johannes Brahms, and many others, are all considered classical composers. This new and well-researched and accessible series looks at a selection of composers who have had lasting impact on Classical music, opera, and symphony today. A truly inspirational biography series for young readers.

Frederic Chopin (1810–1849), a Polish-French composer and pianist of the Romantic era. Renowned for his emotive and expressive piano compositions, such as the Nocturnes and the Revolutionary Étude. Chopin’s innovative approach to melody and musical form left an indelible mark, making him an influential figure in 19th-century classical music. Colorful illustrations plus photographs of meaningful sites and settings connect readers to important points in Chopin’s history.

Classical Composers: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

 Joanne Mattern

 Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791), an Austrian composer, prodigy, and prolific musical genius of the Classical era. Known for his timeless operas, symphonies, and chamber music, including “The Magic Flute” and “Don Giovanni.” Mozart’s unparalleled talent and versatility left an enduring impact on Western classical music. Colorful illustrations plus photographs of meaningful sites and settings connect readers to important points in Mozart’s history. A timeline and B Sharp sidebars add details to the composer’s life story. One of 8 titles in the Classical Composers series.

 Last Call: Memoirs and Essays

Philip Newman Lawton

Philip Newman Lawton holds a PhD degree (docteur) in philosophy from the French-speaking section of the Catholic University of Louvain and an MBA degree from Northeastern University.

Formerly an investment professional at major insurance companies and international banks, he now reads and writes in rural Virginia. Last Call is published by The Montréal Review. Its first part is creative nonfiction: a selection of memoir pieces about the author’s youth, education, career, and retirement, along with his lifelong struggle for mental health. The second part contains highly readable essays on modern thinkers and writers, including Descartes, Rousseau, Bergson, John Henry Newman, Edith Stein, Samuel Beckett, Marguerite Yourcenar, and the twentieth-century Czech philosopher Jan Patočka. Most of these narratives and commentaries originally appeared in little magazines and literary journals. Collectively, they display the workings of an engagingly cultured mind.

Consejos Escolares Para Padres Hispanos: Cómo ayudar a sus hijos a tener éxito en la escuela primaria en los Estados Unidos

Teresa S. Navas

Do you want your children to succeed in elementary school? Do you want to help your children have a better future?

If yes, School Tips for Hispanic Parents is written for you!

With this simple guide, you can follow the steps of the Garcia family and their three children, Maya, Carlos and Olivia. Through their experiences, you will learn how to help your children prosper.

Some of the topics included in this book are:

Homework
Discipline
Bullying and cyberbullying
Physical health and mental health
Technology and its effect on children

Teresa S. Navas has packed this resource with illustrations, links to Spanish videos and websites, in addition to a glossary of terms used by school districts. Also, she offers many useful tips to support your children’s learning during the school day and at home.

With these brief tips from Mrs. Navas…Improve your children’s life…And change their future!

Enemy At The Helm

Mark Dickson

AMAZON BESTSELLER
PENCRAFT BEST BOOK AWARD Winter 2026

The United States is in crisis.

All the major US ports have been rendered inoperable by the simultaneous sinking of large vessels in their choke points, thus halting the bulk of global trade. At first, the president thinks he has been given a gift. He always thought the United States got the raw end of the deal in international trade because of the spineless behavior of his predecessors. But with the resulting shortages of everything, he soon realizes that people in extreme situations behave irrationally, and he struggles to stay afloat himself.

Tom Jensen, a young hippie devoted more to surfing than to working, is improbably caught in the middle, drawn to fight back against the unseen forces driving the global disaster. Joining his FBI agent uncle and others working to uncover the terrorist plot, he gets an international adventure he never saw coming.

Local Honey

Shawn P McCarthy

Jim Yarrow, a wounded World War II vet, sees his luck change when he finds work as a police officer. He now thrives in his beloved hometown on the Merrimack River. Content with his job, his long-term friendships, and his wife and kids, he never expected the girl he loved in high school to reappear in his life.

Becky Bivens fled Riverbend, Massachusetts, in 1941, after her mother’s crimes were exposed. She’s lived a hardscrabble life ever since, and those struggles now help her understand her mother’s troubling choices.

In 1951, Becky returns, intent on building a simple produce stand on the land where she once lived. She intends to raise bees, sell honey, and restore her shattered life, while also helping other displaced women.

Riverbend, like many small towns, is entering a period of great economic expansion, while still recovering from a war that wreaked death and havoc on soldiers and families. But, the town’s growth comes with strict social rules and tough class divisions.

Journey through the C

Kerry Postale

This book is about my cancer journey of Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. It talks about how I found out about the diagnosis and the ups and downs and what I learned from this journey. I am hoping that others can relate to my story and I hope I can be a sense of support for others