Australian writer and filmmaker Sally Squires uses her wickedly irreverent sense of humour to lighten the burden of cooking. She trekked all over the planet, looked in every nook and cranny, interviewed every strange creature and friend to gather together an eclectic collection of saucy, witty and terrific tasting recipes. Try some or try some on your friends and family. Above all enjoy them.

Troy (5) and Sabia (3) are playing happily on the hot, dusty desert floor in the north west of Australia in 1967 when their world is shattered by two faceless visitors. Thirty years later Sabia is a successful lawyer in Australia facing a battle with leukaemia while, half a world away in America, her brother Troy sits isolated in a prison cell - accused of murder. Death row stares him in the face.

Mermaids Are Cool by Sally Squires promotes the theme of taking care of the world's oceans. From the tiniest of sea creatures - Tinaletta the sea butterfly - to one of the giants of the ocean - Whatchamacallit White Whale and her baby Whippersnapper Whale through to dragon fish, sea angels, sea cucumbers, sand dollars and crusty crabs called Calamungus, young readers are delighted with tales of the adventures and misadventures of our ocean creatures.

"Angels with Attitude" will change your mind about angels. They are not boring entities floating about on clouds playing golden harps. They have lives too. And attitudes. From Botticelli's Angel Bellissima to the Angel Who Lost His Wings, Angels With Attitude will intrigue you and entice you into a world of magic.

Lucy Mouse is a mouse ballerina. She has a desperate desire to be the first mouse ballerina to dance at Covent Garden where the Queen goes to watch Dame Margot Fonteyn. Her obsession is complete. She is helped in her journey by her two cat friends Mr Sassafras and Ginger Tom. Finally she realizes her dream and the three friends are invited to Australia where Lucy will perform for all the Australian animals around the country.

Women and their many and varied roles in society are often overlooked. These stories spotlight women as the main protagonists of the action. From the instant connection of Molly (60) and the speechless Ruby (3) to the 92-year old freedom fighter Zanthus, the stories explore the courage that women bring to their everyday lives and to the lives and well-being of their families and colleagues. From the desert landscape of Australia to the drawing rooms of London and the swamps of Louisiana, the women of this book make their mark and carry out their every day challenges with strong hearts fearlessly.

Finalist in the 2010 Faulkner-Wisdom Competition By 1821 Napoleon was alone and ailing on his reduced empire of St Helena. Nicholas Girod, mayor of New Orleans had never met the Emperor but he, like many others, had strong feelings for Napoleon and his plight. Together with the pirate Jean Lafitte he formed a plot to rescue Napoleon and install him in an apartment above his own house in New Orleans. He was truly committed to the rescue of Napoleon as he had two ships fitted out and had his house enlarged to provide an apartment fit for an Emperor. The plot failed. Not for any lack on the part of the would-be rescuers but because of Napoleon's untimely death on May 5, 1821. Today there are many reminders of Napoleon in New Orleans including the house which bears his name, a hotel dedicated to his memory, Napoleon Avenue in the beautiful Garden District and the presence of Napoleon's death mask in the New Orleans Museum. Seated in the cool, dark interior of the Napoleon House one hot and steamy day in late September 1993 I began to imagine what would have happened if Napoleon hadn't died and if the mayor had been successful in rescuing Napoleon and bringing him to live out his last days in New Orleans. The story plays out an imaginary scenario of Napoleon's arrival at the Napoleon House, his interaction with two imaginary historical characters - Fidel Castro (the ghost of the future), Genghis Khan (the ghost of the past) - and a waitress called Josephine who is the grand-daughter of the infamous voodoo queen Marie Laveau.

"The seasoned creator of the hot "Washington Post" diet column elegantly coaxes us through an eight-week balanced program for sustainable healthy weight loss that everyone can follow. Climb on board." - Mehmet C. Oz, M.D., coauthor of the "New York Times" bestseller "You: The Owner's Manual" As recent studies have shown, you can lose about the same amount of weight on any of the most popular diets out there. The problem is keeping it off. In "Secrets of the Lean Plate Club," you will learn how to pick the best weight loss program, tailored to your own personal needs.
Join the millions of people who have shed pounds and kept them off with Sally Squires' unique, 'non-diet' approach that will help you:
*Develop an eight-week customized, personal weight loss program
*Eat smart and move more
*Rediscover the joy of eating well with delicious recipes and healthy meals from famous chefs
*Learn how to develop healthier habits and keep your weight under control
Sally's tools for choosing the best foods, habits, and activities can help you achieve a healthy weight and make your results stick once and for all! "Secrets of the Lean Plate Club" is the first and only step you'll need to keep the weight off and to live a leaner life.
"A must-read for anyone who is serious about dropping the extra pounds."
- Karen Miller-Kovach, M.S., R.D., chief scientific officer, Weight Watchers International Inc. Sally Squires has a master's degree in nutrition from Columbia University and is an award-winning, nationally syndicated columnist with The Washington Post. Her column, The Lean Plate Club, is featured every Tuesday in HEALTH and at WashingtonPost.com. She lives in Washington, D.C.