One of the most popular animal stories of all time, Anna Sewell's < I>Black Beauty< /I> was first published in 1877. Drawn from the original text and intended for even the youngest of horse lovers, < I>Black Beauty's Early Days in the Meadow< /I> depicts the first few months of the horse's life as a foal frolicking in the meadow. Artist Jane Monroe Donovan renders the classic story in lush oil paintings that convey a pastoral world of green fields and shady trees, while tenderly capturing the special love between mare and foal. The perfect harmony of words and pictures proves once again that the simplest messages are often the strongest. Readers will relish the sweetness of life in the meadow and the companionship of family and friends.

Illustrated by Jane Monroe Donovan

From the same team that brought you "My Momma Likes to Say" comes this delightful interpretation of maxims, idioms, proverbs, and cliche s many students remember hearing on a regular basis in the classroom. From "Do you have ants in your pants?" to "Stick together " and "Great minds think alike," readers will be intrigued by the history of these adages, told in poetry form as well as expository text, and amused by the witty illustrations, depicting these sayings as a child might imagine them.

Growing up with six sisters and one brother, there has never been a dull moment in Denise Brennan-Nelson's life. She continues to keep the pace lively as a motivational speaker, children's author, and mother. She is the author of "My Momma Likes to Say" and "Buzzy the Bumblebee," also from Sleeping Bear Press. Denise lives with her family in Howell, Michigan.

Jane Monroe Donovan's parents encouraged her to follow her heart and it led to her love of sketching and painting. In addition to "My Teacher Likes to Say," Jane also illustrated "Sunny Numbers: A Florida Counting Book" and "My Momma Likes to Say." She is currently working on a Christmas title for Sleeping Bear Press. Jane lives with her family in Pinckney, Michigan.

Illustrated by Jane Monroe Donovan

It may be Christmastime but on a small, forlorn farm the holiday season is best forgotten, along with painful memories of loved ones lost. Mother Nature has other plans, however, and a chance snowstorm brings together two unlikely hearts, one human and one beast, yet both yearning for comfort, companionship, and that most elusive gift of all, hope. This lustrous jewel of a story, quietly told and perfectly complemented by soft, evocative paintings, reminds even the most cynical of readers that the heart indeed can recover and go on.

Jane Monroe Donovan's parents encouraged her to follow her heart and it led to her love of sketching and painting. Her affection for animals is reflected in much of her subject matter. Jane makes her home in Pinckney, Michigan, with her husband Bruce and their two sons, Ryan and Joey. Other members of their family include their two dogs, Belle and Grizzly, a Siamese cat named Maylee, and their two horses, Ameera and Cherokee Rose.

In addition to "Winter's Gift," Jane has also illustrated three other titles for Sleeping Bear Press: "My Teacher Likes to Say; My Momma Likes to Say"; and "Sunny Numbers: A Florida Counting Book."