Releases

Helen Schneider’s
animal stories for children

The eight stories contained in the book “Helen Schneider’s animal stories for children” bring together three children, Amanda, Nicole and Danny, and different animals, both wild and domestic, which enter their lives.  There is a cat with a very colorful character and a very peculiar voice, which is given the wrong name.  The white cat, Frida Cato, based on the Mexican painter Frida Kahlo, is locked in a white room and, using her tail and some paint, creates her own world to keep from being afraid.  Pascal the opossum is a funny little creature who can’t see very well, is extremely curious, and gets himself into all kinds of trouble.   Two unlikely best friends, Lilli the pug and Lucy the Labrador, two dogs that couldn’t be more different, correspond to each other through emails.  Barn swallows are very persistent when they want to build a nest – and Sarah Swallow decides to build it in a very odd place.  Little Girl, a puppy separated from her family at a very young age, finds out that it is possible to create your own big family.  While mourning the loss of her cat and dog, Amanda discovers the wild creatures that live right outside her doorstep.   Sushi has a secret and all of the animals in the neighborhood are trying to figure out what is making him so afraid.The result:  a book filled with charming stories for reading and adorable illustrations to look at.  For children from four years old.

Maximilian Snail’s
wonderful rainy day

It’s raining.  Danny is sitting on the porch with his sisters.  He’s bored and angry that he cannot go to the amusement park.  Amanda poses the question, “If you could be any animal in the world, what would you want to be?”  Danny’s not sure – maybe a tiger or a monkey?  As he sees a snail crossing the road he is certain that is the one creature he would not want to be.  What a boring life!  Maximilian Snail, however, is very happy because it’s a rainy day and it is only on rainy days that he can dare cross the wide road.  Indeed, help from his friends is extremely welcome and help he gets from Buster Brown the dog, Big Black the bull, Harald the cat, Sarah the barn swallow, and finally Flitzer the snake.  And with their help Maximilian Snail feels as if he’s on a roller coaster, on top of a ferris wheel, in an airplane and on a water slide – all of the amusement park rides that Danny is missing.  No wonder Maximilian Snail loves rainy days!For little children this story is full of interesting characters and is a simple lesson in positive thinking and looking at something from another point of view.The illustrations in this book are charming.  The faces are likeable, affectionately sprinkled with detail.  The fresh, pleasant pastel colors give a lot of charm to the rain day and invite the reader to look at the book more than just once.