New Books Publishing Today
History isn’t just something that lives in textbooks, it’s in the streets we walk, the buildings we pass, and the stories we’ve inherited from those who came before us. Today, we're proud to announce a new set of titles, each one offering a vivid, detailed, and often surprising look into the local past.
From long-forgotten landmarks and unsolved mysteries to the everyday lives that shaped our towns and cities, these books shine a light on the people and moments that define our communities.
You won't want to miss out on what we're publishing today!
by Peter McCandless
In 1775, the people of Charleston were on the verge of eight years of revolution and war. They were bitterly divided. For Charlestonians, the War for Independence was a civil war, as some favored independence and some were Loyalists. Many on both sides contributed greatly to the war effort. They were famous and obscure, rich and poor, women and men, Black and white. Contrary to popular opinion, people on both sides appealed to patriotism and fought for liberty. For the enslaved majority, the war represented an opportunity to gain their freedom—by siding with the British. In telling the stories of a spectrum of participants, Peter McCandless recovers a history at odds with public memory, encrusted with layers of forgetfulness and myths.
Notable Women of Alabama by Joe Cuhaj
Women in Alabama have made an outsized contribution to both the state and the nation. Before Rosa Parks, fifteen-year old Claudette Colvin challenged segregation laws on a bus in Montgomery. Georgia Gilmore used her cooking skills to empower and support protestors during the Montgomery Bus Boycott in 1955. Singer “Big Mama” Thornton became the bridge between rock ‘n roll and the blues. After being crowned Miss America in 1951, the “Basque Spitfire” Yolande Betbeze took a defiant stand for women, forcing changes in the pageant industry. Author Joe Cuhaj profiles the unique journeys, challenges and triumphs of these and many more women who have helped shape the cultural and social landscape of not only Alabama but the world as well.
Mosquito II - Southern Vampires by Marita Woywod Crandle
The supernatural world of the French Quarter quickly sucked Jake Campbell in and just as quickly spit him out. Now running from vampires and former lovers, Jake finds himself in Texas, where he discovers he’s not just a magnet for mayhem—he’s also a beacon for vampires, no matter what state he’s in. Jake teams up with two unusual vampire hunters against his better judgment, and the three head back to New Orleans to put an end to the Casket Girls, who Jake believes are still held captive in the convent attic. While it may seem like Jake has things under control, he soon finds out he should never underestimate vampires and scorned women...
Brewing in Jacksonville by Andrew R. Nicholas
The brewing industry in Jacksonville began to take shape in the early 1900s with the Jax Brewing Company, which was founded in 1913 and brewed the Jax Beer brand. The New Orleans–based Jackson Brewing Company, which also had a Jax Beer brand, acquired the full rights to sell Jax Beer in the southeastern United States, leading to the Jax Brewing Company closing by 1960. Then the establishment of an Anheuser-Busch plant in Jacksonville in the 1960s drove the local brewing industry out of business due to the increase of more popular brands like Budweiser. Anheuser-Busch continued to fill the void that local breweries left until the advent of the microbrewery industry, which began to take shape in the 1990s with River City Brewing Company. In the 2010s, the brewing industry grew substantially in Jacksonville. By 2024, there were more than 20 breweries and still growing. Brewing in Jacksonville chronicles the history of the local brewing industry from its early days to how breweries gradually gave the Bold City its reputation as a top beer city.
San Jose Prohibition by Ted Ramos
In 1919, the Eighteenth Amendment passed, prohibiting the production, importation, transportation, and sale of alcoholic beverages. In San Jose, alcohol had already been banned in the city two years prior, and it was only sold and consumed in a few selected city-licensed restaurants. This gave San Jose’s residents a two-year head start on the alcohol underground economy, as many stills were in full production in the valley and many speakeasies were already open for business when the countrywide Prohibition began. San Jose Prohibition showcases a variety of unseen images and stories from the family members of San Jose’s known bootleggers as well as from the city, county, and state archives.
Lost New London by Bill Morse
On April 30, 1962, voters in the port city of New London, Connecticut, approved by a large margin a bulldozer approach to urban renewal in an area along Main Street stretching from downtown State Street to Hodges Square by Interstate 95, roughly one mile to the north. The plan required the relocation of more than two thousand people and the demolition of nearly five hundred structures, some dating back to the 1750s. Among the losses were the Neptune Building, the Victory Theater along the Parade, sea captains’ homes on and off Main Street, settlement houses, family-run businesses, the colonial homes of slave traders and the newer homes of freed slaves. New London native and old house enthusiast Bill Morse shares the images and stories from these events that changed a community forever.
Avon Connecticut's First Century by Scott R. Lewis
Avon, Connecticut, has had a long history of people who challenged conventions and persevered through tragedy. There was the clock peddler’s encounter with Abraham Lincoln, a suffragist’s political showdown with her cousin Eleanor Roosevelt and a man who betrayed his brother-in-law, Thomas Edison. Before the Heublein Tower, art patron Daniel Wadsworth built the first of three viewing towers on Avon Mountain. Following the courage of local abolitionist David Bartlett, Black Civil War soldier Leverett Holden fought for emancipation. Shocking events included one of the first murder cases in America to test the insanity defense, homicides at a house doomed for bloodshed and the horrific factory fire that shattered the lives of immigrant families. Scott Lewis reveals the stories of the visionaries and victims who shaped the town of Avon’s future.
Gaston Goes to Mardi Gras by James Rice
From the illustrator of Cajun Night Before Christmas comes this 25th anniversary edition of Gaston Goes to Mardi Gras.
What do you want to be? ABC by Rickey Pittman
Young readers will learn about the paths they might take when choosing a career in the Bayou State. A "What Would It Take to Become…” page gives young entrepreneurs practical tips for landing their dream job.
How to Catch a MoonPie by Gale Webre
It's Mardi Gras time! Jacob is determined to catch his favorite throw, a MoonPie.
He devises a brilliant plan. Surely someone would throw a MoonPie to a fireman, or a pirate, or a kid dressed in Mardi Gras colors. But time and again his plan is foiled. Can Jacob move beyond discouragement and enjoy Mardi Gras?
How to Catch a MoonPie is a fun story for everyone who has let go of a dream, only to find a better one.
It's Buggy in Mississippi by Kay Meadows
Mississippi is buzzing. From insect bites to lightning bug lights, take a closer look with this friendly board book.
It's Muggy in MIssissippi by Kay Meadows
Don’t sweat that muggy Mississippi weather. Catch a breather with a colorful board book packed with playful rhymes and helpful tips for breezing through the season.
King Cake King Adventures by Brendon Oldendorf
Parents and kids alike can relate to king cake and fun during the Mardi Gras season! Come along with the King Cake King on a tasty adventure as he finds the No. 1 dessert throughout Louisiana, from the French Quarter to down the bayou and everywhere in between!
Enchanted Night Before Christmas by Michael J. Caduto
The Sherman family does not have very much, but they take good care of one another and are generous to others, making gingerbread cookies as holiday gifts and carefully decorating them to look like friends and neighbors. Then, one Christmas Eve, after the family returns home from delivering their gifts, and everyone falls fast asleep, something magical stirs, born in a star of snow, that will change their holiday, and their lives, forever. Inspired by a real rural tradition from the foothills of the Green Mountains, Enchanted Night Before Christmas is a timeless fantasy that reminds us the most powerful gifts are the ones we give away. (Includes a scrumptious gingerbread spice cookie recipe from King Arthur Baking Company.)
Are You a Rhinoceros? by Kevin Harris
When a determined pelican named Jean-Jacques is handed a very important delivery—one baby rhinoceros—he must rely on creativity, courage, and a few unlikely friends to find his way. This heartwarming adventure celebrates perseverance, problem-solving, and the joy of helping others. With lyrical text and charming hand-drawn illustrations, Are You a Rhinoceros? is a perfect read-aloud for classrooms and cozy laps alike.
And if you are looking for your town's history, check out our zip code search tool! You can find that here.