Jan Brett remembers her inspiration for Mossy:  “One summer morning, my husband, Joe and I were dangling our feet from our dock on Goose Lake.  I was watching some water weeds on the bottom, thinking they looked just like a giant turtle.  Suddenly, they swam up toward us.  It was a turtle, a huge snapping one, with an underwater ‘garden’ on its shell.”

For Mossy, I chose an eastern box turtle because I wanted my turtle to live on land and grow a gorgeous garden on her carapace.  I named her friend Scoot because a turtle's shell is made up of plates called 'scutes'," pronounced the same way.  Scoot has never seen a turtle as beautiful as Mossy.   But as Mossy walks toward him, her amazing garden swaying back and forth on her shell, someone picks her up and puts her in a basket.

Dr. Carolina has found the perfect exhibit for her museum.  She and her niece, Tory, take Mossy there, and a large glass-enclosed case becomes Mossy's new home.  How she misses sitting on her rock by the waterfall.  But most of all, she misses Scoot.   As more and more visitors come to admire Mossy, Tory realizes that Mossy is sad.  She is sure that Mossy wants to go home.

How Mossy goes back to Scoot and how Dr. Carolina finds a way to keep the spirit of Mossy alive in the museum makes for a most satisfying and surprising ending.  Jan Brett fans will pore over the colorful paintings, the lush borders displaying flowers, ferns, butterflies and bird, and the museum scenes filled with visitors in stylish Edwardian dress.  Mossy and Scott are sure to become favorite characters for all ages in this unique story of love, loyalty and home.

For another loco adventure, it's Skippyjon Jones: In the Doghouse!  In his room for a time-out, Skippyjon Jones lets his imagination take him to a shack where his Chihuahua friends are yipping and yapping and hiding out from the bad Bobble-ito, who has taken over their doghouse. How El Skippito chills the Chihuahuas and banishes the Bobble-ito will make more amigos for this endearing and irresistible rascal, who made his first appearance in the favorite Skippyjon Jones.

For the child who loves to read or any child-at-heart, you are bidding on an autographed Poster of Mossy from acclaimed children's book author and illustrator, Jan Brett and a hardback copy of Skippyjon Jones: In the Doghouse autographed by author Judy Schachner.  A Bonus CD is included with Skippyjon Jones:  In the Doghouse.