Jolly Fish Press

Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from Jolly Fish Press, Publisher, 2297 Waters Drive, Mendota Heights, MN.

01/13/2025

"A great way to teach children about shapes!" —Children's Literature

MATH ALL AROUND is available now!

In Math All Around, narrative-driven stories introduce foundational math concepts to young readers in creative ways. Each title combines an interesting story with an important math concept from the Common Core curriculum, while simple language helps build readers’ confidence in reading.

https://northstareditions.com/jolly-fish-press/math-all-around/

01/10/2025

“A riveting novel with crucial themes, RACING THE CLOUDS lays bare the communal effects of drug addiction as a girl seeks generational healing.” —Foreword Reviews

RACING THE CLOUDS by Sydney Dunlap releases February 18! 🧡

Synopsis:

If thirteen-year-old Sage had done one thing differently that day last November, everything would be fine. Only she didn’t, so she and her dad had to leave Philadelphia for a new life in middle-of-nowhere Virginia. Her dad has never actually said he blames her for what happened, but how could he not?

Sage is determined to push it all out of her mind, but then, just before summer vacation, she hears from the grandparents she’s never met. They want her to visit, and she realizes this could be her chance to mend the rift that’s kept everybody apart.

When she meets Grandmother Marion, though, Sage is sure her trip is headed for disaster. Except she wasn’t counting on making a new friend or rescuing a sweet stray dog. With them by her side, maybe she can find the courage to face what she’s been avoiding all along.

From the award-winning author of IT HAPPENED ON SATURDAY comes a heartfelt and empowering story that explores the complexity of family relationships, the value of forgiveness, and how to find your way forward in a tough situation with resilience and hope.

https://northstareditions.com/jolly-fish-press/racing-the-clouds/

01/08/2025

MAGGIE SPARKS is available now! 💫⁠
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Step into the magical world of Maggie Sparks: the mischievous little witch who turns every day into an adventure. Join Maggie as she learns how to tackle school, make friends, and, most confusing of all, understand her emotions—when she’s not facing dragons and meeting aliens, that is!⁠

https://northstareditions.com/jolly-fish-press/maggie-sparks/

01/06/2025

Now available: WALKING ON EGGSHELLS by Jennifer Phillips! 🥚
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Characterized by exciting, fast-paced plots and themes that are relevant for high school students, Horizon’s Hi-Lo books are both engaging and easy to read. Short chapters, simple sentence structures, and an accessible format make these books perfect for teen reluctant readers. Horizon books are written at a 2nd- to 3rd-grade reading level with an interest level of ages 14 and up.⁠
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WALKING ON EGGSHELLS synopsis:⁠

After a first episode of psychosis lands him a stay in a psychiatric hospital, all sixteen-year-old Kai Lum wants to do is reclaim his life. But now that he’s back home, everything is different. He has medications to take, his dad is always hovering, and everyone at school keeps staring at him. Kai’s determined not to let any of that distract him from proving he can make it as a chef, though. He has his culinary arts program to focus on, and he won’t let his diagnosis change his plans.

But finding his new normal is harder than Kai expects. His medications have side effects that he doesn’t know how to control. His dad pushes him to accept more clinical help, even though Kai’s not sure he wants—or needs—it. And Kai’s best friends are ghosting him. On top of all of that, Kai isn’t sure if the voices he’s hearing are real or in his head.

Kai’s life begins to spin out of control as he struggles to know who he can trust. With his health and dreams on the line, he has to decide whether he’s willing to accept help in order to manage his newly diagnosed mental illness.

https://northstareditions.com/jolly-fish-press/horizon-set-2/

01/02/2025

Now available: MY NAME IS BRAVE⁠
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Brave does not mean fearless. Brave means doing what you know you must do even though you may be frightened to do it. My Name is Brave places a spotlight on the ordinary individuals who became extraordinary by being brave and making a difference where others wouldn’t.⁠
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LGBTQIA+ and THE ENVIRONMENT are out now!

https://northstareditions.com/little-blue-house/maple-bay/my-name-is-brave/

12/23/2024

RAIN, RAIN by Josh Banday is featured on the home page of NetGalley this week! 💚

Check out this fun upcoming picture book and request your copy! https://www.netgalley.com/catalog/book/462133

12/20/2024

“Descriptions of Sage’s guilt over the events surrounding her mother’s absence, as well as the teen’s love for dogs and stellar ping-pong skills, coalesce into a fully fleshed-out character. Her struggles in learning how to cope with current and past events and accept help make for a satisfying emotional journey by Dunlap.” —Publishers Weekly

RACING THE CLOUDS releases February 18!

Synopsis:

If thirteen-year-old Sage had done one thing differently that day last November, everything would be fine. Only she didn’t, so she and her dad had to leave Philadelphia for a new life in middle-of-nowhere Virginia. Her dad has never actually said he blames her for what happened, but how could he not?

Sage is determined to push it all out of her mind, but then, just before summer vacation, she hears from the grandparents she’s never met. They want her to visit, and she realizes this could be her chance to mend the rift that’s kept everybody apart.

When she meets Grandmother Marion, though, Sage is sure her trip is headed for disaster. Except she wasn’t counting on making a new friend or rescuing a sweet stray dog. With them by her side, maybe she can find the courage to face what she’s been avoiding all along.

From the award-winning author of It Happened on Saturday comes a heartfelt and empowering story that explores the complexity of family relationships, the value of forgiveness, and how to find your way forward in a tough situation with resilience and hope.

https://northstareditions.com/jolly-fish-press/racing-the-clouds/

12/18/2024

Coming soon: MY NAME IS BRAVE 🌟

Brave does not mean fearless. Brave means doing what you know you must do even though you may be frightened to do it. My NAME IS BRAVE places a spotlight on the ordinary individuals who became extraordinary by being brave and making a difference where others wouldn’t.

LGBTQIA+ and THE ENVIRONMENT release on January 1, 2025! Both books are available to request for early review on NetGalley and Edelweiss+. 🌈

LGBTQIA+: https://www.netgalley.com/catalog/book/533333

THE ENVIRONMENT: https://www.netgalley.com/catalog/book/533366

https://northstareditions.com/little-blue-house/maple-bay/my-name-is-brave/

12/16/2024

If you're looking for the perfect book to curl up with, we've got you. RACING THE CLOUDS and JOEY THE GOOD are available for early review on NetGalley and Edelweiss+! Go request your copy! 📚️✨️

RACING THE CLOUDS: https://www.netgalley.com/catalog/book/465855

JOEY THE GOOD: https://www.netgalley.com/catalog/book/495712

12/12/2024

"This would be a great companion to empower children to learn about the resilience of our own bodies and assure them that those painful scrapes will get better with a little love and care." —Midwest Book Review

HOW WE HEAL, a new picture book written by Adam Schmitt, MD, MS and illustrated by Michelle Simpson, is available now!

When Charlie takes a tumble off her bike and scrapes her knee, her sister Alex reassures Charlie that she’ll be okay. Alex tells Charlie all the ways her skin works hard to heal itself. Charlie learns how blood begins to clot right away to stop bleeding, how the body removes damaged skin cells and makes new ones, and how soap and water keep germs away to prevent an infection.

Written by a dermatologist and a father of young children, HOW WE HEAL is a comforting story that will help kids feel less afraid and more empowered by learning about the resilience of their own amazing skin and how to care for their everyday cuts and scrapes.

https://northstareditions.com/north-star-kids/how-we-heal/

12/09/2024

“Complex emotional themes are handled with a gentle touch in this realistic story of resilience.” —Kirkus Reviews

Reviews are coming in for RACING THE CLOUDS by Sydney Dunlap! This middle grade contemporary releases February 18, 2025. 🧡

Synopsis:

Blaming herself for the accident leading to her mother’s opioid addiction, thirteen-year-old Sage hopes to fix what’s gone wrong by visiting her estranged grandparents, where she learns about the complexity of family relationships, the value of forgiveness, and how to find her way forward with resilience and hope.

https://northstareditions.com/jolly-fish-press/racing-the-clouds/

12/04/2024

We are glad to share that THE SONGBIRD AND THE RAMBUTAN TREE by Lucille Abendanon is one of School Library Journal's Best Books of 2024! 📚️❤️

https://www.slj.com/story/best-middle-grade-2024-slj-best-books

Batavia, Dutch East Indies, 1942.

Emmy has the voice of an angel but hasn’t sung a note since a family tragedy. With war looming, her father plans to ship her off to a singing school in England for safety. But all Emmy wants to do is stay in Batavia with her best friend, Bakti, even if it means putting up with her snooty classmate, Violet. Then the Japanese army invades—and as war erupts in the Dutch East Indies, Emmy’s world falls apart.

When her own actions sabotage her chance to evacuate the island, Emmy is captured and confined in the Tjideng prisoner-of-war camp with other women and children. Separated from her family and friends, and silenced by her grief, Emmy will need all her strength to survive the war, find her voice, and reclaim her freedom.

12/02/2024

The new chapter book series, MAGGIE SPARKS, is now available to request for early review on NetGalley and Edelweiss+! Be sure to request your copies. 💫

Step into the magical world of Maggie Sparks: the mischievous little witch who turns every day into an adventure. Join Maggie as she learns how to tackle school, make friends, and, most confusing of all, understand her emotions—when she’s not facing dragons and meeting aliens, that is!

Available January 1, 2025!

https://northstareditions.com/jolly-fish-press/maggie-sparks/

11/29/2024

Books make the best gifts! 🎁 Use the code GIFTOFREADING on northstareditions.com and get 50% off your entire order, including outstanding middle grade fiction from Jolly Fish Press. 📚️❤️⁠
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Sale ends December 16!

11/27/2024

Now available: BRAVE BIRD AT WOUNDED KNEE by Rachel Bithell

This award-winning installment in the I AM AMERICA series would make a great gift for a historical fiction lover! 🌟

It’s 1973, and in Denver, Colorado, Patsy Antoine doesn’t usually give much thought to her relatives living on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. After all, her classmates don’t even know she’s part Lakota. Then she learns the tiny town of Wounded Knee has been occupied. Now Patsy’s relatives are stuck amid the conflict between American Indian Movement activists and Oglala Lakota tribe members on the one side, and federal marshals and FBI agents on the other. When Patsy visits her relatives on Pine Ridge, she learns more about her heritage and the clashing perspectives on the Wounded Knee occupation. As she connects with her roots, Patsy must grapple with the complexities of the conflict and of being biracial.

It’s the storytellers that preserve a nation’s history. But what happens when some stories are silenced? The I Am America series features fictional stories based on important historical events about people whose voices have been excluded, lost, or forgotten over time.

https://northstareditions.com/jolly-fish-press/i-am-america-set-5/

11/18/2024

✨️ Goodreads giveaway! ✨️

You have a chance to win a copy of the brand new picture book, IN THE WINTER by Lauren Kukla! ❄️

https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/400280-in-the-winter

IN THE WINTER invites readers to embrace the season’s beauty while awaiting warmer days. With soft, cozy illustrations capturing the essence of winter, this book is the perfect companion for bedtime and cherished family moments.

11/17/2024

Happy National Hiking Day! ⛰️ Today is a great opportunity to check out JOEY THE GOOD by Erin Fry—now available to request for early review!

Synopsis:

Twelve-year-old sweat-averse Joey is psyched for his summer of relaxation and perfecting his butt-shaped indentation on the couch. Sure, he wishes that his best friend, Xander, wasn’t always busy with his new cross-country team, but Joey is certain that Xander will still have plenty of time for the things they love: watching Italian soccer, making homemade pasta with Joey’s Nonna, and debating the merits of their favorite superheroes.

But Joey’s summer plans are upended when his perfect older cousin, Leo, comes to stay at his house for the summer. Leo is the kind of guy who runs marathons and jumps off cliffs. Hanging out with Leo is dead last on Joey’s list of Ways I’d Like to Spend a Day, partly because the two cousins have a tense history that goes back to the death of their Nonno. But now, Leo’s training to climb the highest mountain in California, and he wants Joey to do it with him. The plan is nuts—Joey usually avoids climbing stairs, so seriously, a mountain? But somehow, he’s roped into hiking with Leo anyway, which is how he accidentally learns Leo’s secret: His cousin has young-onset multiple sclerosis. So newsflash: This climb will most likely be his cousin’s final adventure, and he needs Joey’s help to do it.

With Xander spending more time with his new running friends, Joey’s mom on his back about being a good family member, and Leo’s disease slowly progressing, Joey feels the pressure building. And as the hikes get harder, Joey must confront not only his own physical limitations, but also a friendship he thought was unbreakable, his feelings for a girl who’s way out of his league, and a changing relationship with his cousin that will test his strength—and courage—in ways for which he’s not prepared.

https://www.netgalley.com/catalog/book/495712

11/15/2024

"LEMON DROP FALLS is one of those rare books that will delight and entertain young readers, even as it changes their lives." —Jennifer A. Nielsen, author of THE FALSE PRINCE

LEMON DROP FALLS by Heather Clark is available now! 🍋

Synopsis:

Mom's last words: "Keep them safe. Help them be happy."

Morgan promised, so she sacrifices soccer, free time, and friendships for her younger siblings. But when Dad's “talk therapy” campout ignites Morgan's anxiety, she makes a reckless decision to prove she can fill Mom's shoes . . . which leaves her literally fighting for survival.

https://northstareditions.com/jolly-fish-press/lemon-drop-falls/

Address

2297 Waters Drive
Mendota Heights, MN
55120

Website

http://www.jollyfishpress.com/

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Happy Monday!! Today we’re featuring JORDIE AND JOEY FELL FROM THE SKY by @judilauren, available now! This heartfelt middle-grade debut features a strong brotherly bond, a tear-jerking search for belonging, and LGBTQ+ representation 💚✨ Synopsis: Twin brothers Jordie and Joey have never met their parents. Maybe it’s because they aren’t from this planet? When another kid at school tried to force Jordie to show him the “crop circles” on his back that prove he’s an alien, it was Joey who took the kid to the ground. And when the twins got kicked out of their foster home because Joey kissed the other boy who lived there, it was Jordie who told him everything would be okay. And as long as Jordie and Joey are together, it will be. But when the principal calls their current foster mother about a fight at school, the boys know she’ll be done with them. And, from spying in their file, they also know they’re going to be separated. Determined to face the world side by side rather than without one another, Jordie and Joey set off to find their birth parents. From Arizona to Roswell to Area 51 in the Nevada desert, the twins begin a search for where they truly belong. But Jordie’s about to discover that family isn’t always about the ones who bring you into the world, but the ones who help you survive it.

Wishing all our LGBTQIA+ readers a joyful pride month!! 💓✨🏳️‍🌈 Today we’re highlighting THE ART OF RUNNING AWAY, @sabkleckner’s debut which author Lisa Bunker called “an essential addition to the growing body of middle grade novels that address LGBTQ+ family issues in nuanced and realistic ways.” 🌈

GIVEAWAY: LEMON DROP FALLS is almost here! Want to win a copy of this gripping coming-of-age story for middle grade readers? Here’s how: 1. Follow @jollyfishpress and @heatherclarkbooks 2. Like this post 3. Tag a friend in the comments! US only, open until 11:59pm PT 1/23 to win 1 of 2 copies