Marie-Louise Gay

Houndsley loves the quiet of the first snow of winter, but Catina does not enjoy being snowed in. What about all her plans for the day? With pretending, books, games, creativity, and some time to dream, Houndsley helps Catina let go of her worries and enjoy the snowy day.

When she was small Stella saw the world through her imagination, from hearing trees talk about holding up the sky, to seeing words as ants running off a page, to racing rubber ducks in her bathtub.

After leaving his war-torn country with his family, Mustafa visits a park near his new home and finds beautiful flowers, lady bugs, fall leaves, and finally, a friend.

Charlie and his family are about to embark on another trip, to another out-of-the-way place off the beaten path. This time they are heading to an island in Croatia -- an incredibly beautiful country that lives in the shadow of war and conflict. Even for a seasoned traveler like Charlie, Croatia is a very different experience: the language is unfamiliar and half the words have no vowels, goats are a traffic-calming device, and red cliffs loom like...

Houndsley and Catina run into trouble when they decide to prove that they are the best at cooking and writing, respectively.