Under the Umbrella

The weather has never been worse. The man with the stormy heart is soaked and he’s going to be late! His mood is as black as the sky. Outside a nearby patisserie, a little boy stands under the shelter of its awning, gazing at the beautiful treats on display. When the wind snatches the man’s umbrella and drops it at the child’s feet, can this hasty curmudgeon slow down long enough for an unlikely friendship to blossom?

Ossiri and the Bala Mengro

A Traveller girl creates her own musical instrument from a willow branch and lots of recycled objects. She plays it enthusiastically, but it sounds terrible! Ignoring warnings not to awaken the ogre in the hills, Ossiri goes there to practice playing her instrument.

Lighter Than Air

Behold the story of Sophie Blanchard, an extraordinary woman who is largely forgotten despite her claim to being the very first female pilot in history. In eighteenth-century France, “balloonomania” has fiercely gripped the nation . . . but all of the pioneering aeronauts are men.

The Whopper

This humorous, quirky story is about a little boy who tells a lie, only to be followed around by his guilt in the form of the Whopper, a hungry and persistent monster. As Percy’s guilt grows, so does the Whopper, until finally the Whopper EATS Percy! Percy at last realizes that he must tell the truth in order to keep the Whopper from growing any bigger.

Raymond

Raymond the dog is just your regular family pet until, one day, he has a thought: couldn’t he just sit at the table? Isn’t that what families do together? Soon Raymond begins to leave all his canine ways behind, and so do all the other dogs in town. Dogs go to the movies; dogs go out for coffee; and Raymond lands a high-powered journalism job at DOGUE magazine. But is Raymond’s new gig all work and no play? He doesn’t even have time for family dinner! Maybe, just maybe, Raymond misses the dog’s life.