Great news! "The Cat at Night," an illustrated children's book by the legendary Dahlov Ipcar, is now available. This long out-of-print classic, originally released in 1969, depicts, on pages that alternate between bright color and dark night scenes, the journey of a farmer's cat as it walks from the farm to the city, along a highway, and through fields, farms, and forests.

It is our third reissue of an Ipcar book, following the equally wonderful "The Little Fisherman" and "My Wonderful Christmas Tree." But it is not the last. This fall, we will release "Hardscrabble Harvest."

It really is an honor for us to both work with Dahlov and to play a role in returning her wonderful books to print. It is almost unimaginable that these books (she wrote and illustrated more than 30) have been out of print for so long. By returning them to store shelves and library racks, we believe that yet another generation of children will come to love them and recognize Dahlov's special talent.

She also remains a wonder at 91. She continues to paint every day in her studio looking out over her family farm on Georgetown Island, where she has lived for decades. Her intricate, distinctive, and fanciful artwork is known worldwide, with pieces of her art in the permanent collections of numerous renowned museums. Ipcar has also produced murals that adorn the walls of several public buildings in Maine. You can hear from Dahlov and see her in action in this video clip from the Maine Masters DVD.

It is impossible not to like Becky Rule, as nearly anyone who has seen her tell stories or read her hilarious book, "Live Free and Eat Pie: A Storyteller's Guide to New Hampshire," can attest. Now she is bringing her observations to the Internet almost daily. As she travels the length and breadth of New Hampshire visiting town halls, bookstores, churches, and whereever else anyone wants her to perform, she posts stories and pictures on her blog www.livefreeandeatpie.com. It is a great read and in it you will no doubt find something or someone very familiar.

And here's a little secret. Watch for news on a NEW Becky Rule book set for release in 2010. But keep it to yourself; it's hush-hush right now.

Our Spring 2009 catalog is now available to view or download at our website. You can also request a copy via e-mail. For spring, we decided not to print a catalog, but have created a fully updated online version. We will print a holiday catalog, but if you would prefer a PDF version instead, please let us know and we will happily oblige. Just e-mail us at booknews@islandportpress.com.

Yes, indeed, fans of Ardeana's now classic novel "Pink Chimneys," set in nineteenth century Bangor, will soon get a chance to revisit the finely drawn characters of Maude, Fanny, and Elizabeth. While Ardeana's new novel is set in the 1870s and expands on "Pink Chimneys," it focuses mainly on the life of M, the daughter of Elizabeth, who was born at the end of "Pink Chimneys." We are now editing the novel, tentatively titled "Abbott's Reach," and expect to release it in 2010. For a sneak peek, we have the opening lines right here!

Lisa Belisle had two goals as she put together the beautiful and inspiring book, Our Daily Tread.

First, the book features daily inspirational and thought-provoking quotes (presented within the framework of a perpetual calendar) that are grouped by themes such as hope, courage, opportunity, and gratitude. Lisa, who operates a medical practice in Yarmouth, believes that using the book daily and incorporating it into a regular routine will help inspire people to live with joy and make a difference in their family life, in their town, or around the globe. You can follow Lisa daily at her bountiful life blog.
   
On the other hand, the book features personal essays, photographs, and children's artwork submitted by the volunteers and supporters of Safe Passage, a Maine-based non-profit organization. Safe Passage is dedicated to helping the poorest, at-risk children of families who work in the Guatemala City garbage dump by offering programs that foster hope, good health, and education. Sales of "Our Daily Tread" benefit Safe Passage, which was founded by Hanley Denning, a Maine native who died in a car accident in January 2007 at the age of 36.

Paul Hawkin, author of "Blessed Unrest," called  the book "an homage to the extraordinary people amongst us who serve the world in new and brilliant ways. Hanley Denning represents the millions of individuals and groups who serve the future by addressing the suffering and needs of the present. This book is a daily reminder that there are no inconsequential acts, only consequential inaction."

Let's face it, the world is changing fast. Newspapers are dying or dead. There are a gazillion television channels that people may or may not be watching. And everyone's blogging. We have also joined the social media rage through two of the hottest names going, Facebook and Twitter. Just two more ways we can keep in touch with our readers. You can become a fan of our Facebook page (please do!) where you will find our blog posts, notices of author events, multi-media clips, and more. For real-time updates and news, follow us on Twitter. You can track the progress of books as they are being edited, read excerpts even before the book is printed, and much more. To join us on either, just click here for Twitter or here for Facebook. We also hope you will regularly check our blog for even more news and information.