A little pig does her best to create a special day for her mother.

February 29th is a date that comes into existence just once every four years. It is also the birthday of Thaïs—author Anne-Dauphine Julliand’s darling daughter—who died of a genetic disease. Thaïs lived just shy of her fourth birthday. She had a short life but good one. As this special day is about to reappear on her calendar for the first time since her daughter passed away, Anne-Dauphine struggles with how to mark this momentous occasion. She wants to live fully on this special day: Thais would have been eight years old. Vivid memories of life with her daughter begin to blend with the present—every gesture, every word evokes a buried memory, arouses laughter or tears. Yet as the date of her daughter's birthday approaches, she knows she must not lose sight of the family who needs her now: her sons Gaspard and Arthur, and Azylis, her other daughter who is also sick. Anne-Dauphine's message remains simple, true, and strong: we all need to be loved and we all need to be happy despite our ordeals. This is both lesson in happiness and a wonderful love story—A Special Day is an honest, inspirational tale that has touched the hundreds of thousands of lives. It will leave the reader breathless with its beauty. Skyhorse Publishing, along with our Arcade, Good Books, Sports Publishing, and Yucca imprints, is proud to publish a broad range of biographies, autobiographies, and memoirs. Our list includes biographies on well-known historical figures like Benjamin Franklin, Nelson Mandela, and Alexander Graham Bell, as well as villains from history, such as Heinrich Himmler, John Wayne Gacy, and O. J. Simpson. We have also published survivor stories of World War II, memoirs about overcoming adversity, first-hand tales of adventure, and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.

The Hot Mom's Handbook is the official guide to the "Hot Mom" movement and the ultimate resource for any mom who refuses to check her sense of style and sexuality at the white picket fence! This handbook tosses all those "mom" stereotypes right out the minivan window and reveals the eight secrets guaranteed to transform every mom into a Hot Mom! And just who is a Hot Mom? A Hot Mom is confident and empowered. A Hot Mom is a woman who meets the needs of her family but refuses to lose herself in the madness of motherhood. A Hot Mom is a woman of any age who knows how to take care of herself and has a whole lot of fun along the way! With insights from Jessica Denay's personal journey, this handbook holds lighthearted advice, stories, and quotes from unique and inspirational Hot Moms from all walks of life. Celebrity Hot Mom contributors include: Lauren Holly, Kelly Preston, Holly Robinson Peete, Kathie Lee Gifford, Carnie Wilson, Meredith Brooks and many more! "The Hot Mom's Handbook should be required reading for moms worldwide! Filled with empowerment, compassion, empathy and inspiration, Denay really does prove that blondes--oops, I mean MOMS--really do have more fun!" --Julie Watson Smith, Founder of Mommy Hullabaloo, Author of Mommyhood Diaries: Living the Chaos One Day at a Time There's a Hot mom inside each of us and it's possible to find 'her' with The Hot Mom's Handbook. Kudos to Jessica Denay for standing up against society's beliefs of motherhood and encouraging moms to realize that their lives did not end when they became a mother. Denay's writing inspires all mothers to be proud of the one title that can never be taken away." --Victoria Pericon (a.k.a. Savvy Mommy), Family Lifestyle "The Hot Mom's Handbook uplifts our maternal spirits, raises us above burned dinners and household chores to our higher selves, the people we've always been but have forgotten amidst the dirty laundry and mile-long list of commitments. It's all about moms and how we can live more powerful lives." --Christine Louise Hohlbaum, American author of Diary of a Mother and SAHM I Am: Tales of a Stay-at Home Mom in Europe "Inside every mother there's a Hot Mom just waiting to break free. The Hot Mom's Handbook is the perfect guide to unleash the sizzlin' babe within. So ditch the sweats, embrace your stretch marks, and be proud of who you are, a smokin' hot momma!" --Kathryn S. Mahoney, Author of Cracked at Birth: One Madcap Mom's Thoughts on Motherhood, Marriage and Burnt Meatloaf

Gabbys Special Day is a story about a loving little girl who lives out special day in her life. She learns how much she is loved and how much the Holy Spirit is always with her. Her mommy, grandma and grandpa provide learning experiences and gentle guidance that allow Gabby to have this most special day and they provide that wonderful hope there will be many more days like the one she had just experienced.

As a lifelong storyteller and mom resource, Lori Koch realized her own experiences of raising three girls could easily be used as a learning opportunity for other parents. Just as adults read children stories to help them learn, Lori's motto has always been that adults learn best through stories. Her debut book is an effective teaching memoir that allows parents to gain insight into parenting through relatable stories. Lori bares the reality of her family life with three girls as uniquely opposite as three can be. Included throughout A Mommy's Road are helpful pop-out tips, and each chapter ends with Lori reflecting on her own rearview mirror. During these reflections, parents have the opportunity to see how Lori's insight can be applied to their own road of parenting.

Incorporate writing instruction in your classroom as an essential element of literacy development while implementing best practices. Simplify the planning of writing instruction and become familiar with the Common Core State Standards of Writing.

"Do You Feel Isolated as a Mom?" You've heard, "No man is an island," but did you know that, "No mom is an island," either? Through twelve years of parenting, Cathy Spigarelli has learned moms need other moms, for advice, reassurance, suggestions, and camaraderie. In her book, "Life as a Mommy," moms find just such support. Every day for a year, Cathy wrote about life with her three, young children. The 365 compact entries have a girlfriend-to-girlfriend, conversational tone and can be read in minutes, without guilt. "Life as a Mommy" provides a window into the daily life of a mom, revealing her triumphs and struggles, her joy and laughter, and her dilemmas and concerns. The book gently advises, provides insights, and offers suggestions to fellow moms. You will laugh, you will cry, and you will wonder, as Cathy does, about this incredibly difficult, incredibly joyous thing called motherhood. Cathy Spigarelli didn't start out dreaming of being a mommy. Instead, she began a career as an engineer. She married and then completed a master's degree. With a brand new degree and a brand new baby, Cathy found herself at a turning point. Setting aside career ambitions, she became a full-time mommy. For twelve years, Cathy has been a stay-at-home mom. Every day for an entire year, she captured her thoughts, feelings, and concerns about daily life as a mom. She wrote while locked in the bathroom, at stoplights, and in the preschool parking lot. She lives with her husband (who wonders why he isn't mentioned in the book more often) and her three lively children (who wonder why mommy writes about them) in Indianapolis, Indiana. In this book, you will find that, as a mom, you do not walk alone. We journey through motherhood together. Won't you join me?

One of Entertainment Weekly’s Ten Best Books of the Year: “A magical novel that even cynics will close with a smile” (People). Everyone in Emlyn Springs, Nebraska, knows the story of Hope Jones, who was lost in the tornado of 1978. Her three young children found some stability in their father, a preoccupied doctor, and in their mother’s spitfire best friend—but nothing could make up for the loss of Hope. Larken, the eldest, is now an art history professor who seeks in food an answer to a less tangible hunger. Gaelan, the son, is a telegenic weatherman who devotes his life to predicting the unpredictable. And the youngest, Bonnie, is a self-proclaimed archivist who combs roadsides for clues to her mother’s legacy, and permission to move on. When they’re summoned home after their father’s sudden death, each sibling is forced to revisit the childhood event that has defined their lives. With lyricism, wisdom, and humor, this novel by the national bestselling author of Broken for You explores the consequences of protecting those we love. Sing Them Home is a magnificent tapestry of lives connected and undone by tragedy, lives poised—unbeknownst to the characters—for redemption. “Comparisons to John Irving and Tennessee Williams would not be amiss in this show-stopping debut.” —KirkusReviews, starred review “Sing Them Home constantly surprises . . . A big cast of vividly portrayed characters.” —TheBoston Globe “Fans of Ann Patchett and Haven Kimmel should dive onto the sofa one wintry weekend with Stephanie Kallos’ wonderfully transportive second novel.” —Entertainment Weekly

The story takes place in Chicago, Illinois, where the author lived with her four loved ones. She is writing this autobiography about her pains, trials, and pleasures. Her story will deeply explain what her trials and tribulations pulled her through. Living and learning from life, the author has learned to always place God first and to always love yourself and your family. She has learned that when dealing with relationships, you have to be ready to give a person a part of you; and in relationships, sometimes you may lose yourself as a person because you want to be a girlfriend, etc. So may I say this to my readers: just be careful of who you give your heart to because in the end, that person can hurt your heart; so just keep God in your life, stay strong, do the things you need to do to better your life for you and your family, always love yourself, and be blessed.

The bestselling author of Lunch in Paris takes us on another delicious journey, this time to the heart of Provence. Ten years ago, New Yorker Elizabeth Bard followed a handsome Frenchman up a spiral staircase to a love nest in the heart of Paris. Now, with a baby on the way and the world's flakiest croissant around the corner, Elizabeth is sure she's found her "forever place." But life has other plans. On a last romantic jaunt before the baby arrives, the couple take a trip to the tiny Provencal village of Céreste. A chance encounter leads them to the wartime home of a famous poet, a tale of a buried manuscript and a garden full of heirloom roses. Under the spell of the house and its unique history, in less time than it takes to flip a crepe, Elizabeth and Gwendal decide to move-lock, stock and Le Creuset-to the French countryside. When the couple and their newborn son arrive in Provence, they discover a land of blue skies, lavender fields and peaches that taste like sunshine. Seduced by the local ingredients, they begin a new adventure as culinary entrepreneurs, starting their own artisanal ice cream shop and experimenting with flavors like saffron, sheep's milk yogurt and fruity olive oil. Filled with enticing recipes for stuffed zucchini flowers, fig tart and honey and thyme ice cream, Picnic in Provence is the story of everything that happens after the happily ever after: an American learning the tricks of French motherhood, a family finding a new professional passion, and a cook's initiation into classic Provencal cuisine. With wit, humor and scoop of wild strawberry sorbet, Bard reminds us that life-in and out of the kitchen-is a rendez-vous with the unexpected.