Chances are if you view the night sky or consider yourself an amateur astronomer then you will be familiar with this classic book. First published in 1983, NightWatch is the bestselling standard guide for backyard astronomers and has been updated in several new editions since publication. This September we are launching the exciting, completely overhauled and updated 5th edition of this indispensable resource which will be useful to nightwatchers through to 2035. In the new edition readers will find updates throughout, new high-quality images, a complete redesign and an entirely new chapter on Digital Astrophotography by Alan Dyer. The astronomy community, family and friends lost Terence Dickinson earlier this year. His enduring curiosity and love for the night sky has influenced countless others to embraced this wonderful pasttime.

It’s National Gymnastics Day and we are lucky to have Elfi Schlegel in the Firefly Books family of authors. Elfi Schlegel was a member of the Canadian National Team from 1976 to 1985, won two gold medals at the 1978 Commonwealth Games and in 1979 won a team gold and individual bronze medal at the Pan Am Games. Elfi won Canada's first World Cup gymnastics medal, a bronze in the vault, in 1980 (and these are just a few of her accomplishments).

For over 20 years, Elfi has run Schlegel's Gymnastics Centre in Oakville, Ontario with her sister, former gymnast Andrea Schlegel. Elfi, along with Claire Ross Dunn, used her expertise in the sport to create an excellent beginner’s guide called The Gymnastics Book (now in its third edition) to inspire and encourage budding gymnasts to learn the fundamental moves to get started.

A Guest Blog by Shelly Powers, author of Elvis Remembered: Intimate Interviews from the Elvis International Archives, With the People Who Knew Him Best.

There are so many reasons why I’ve adored ELVIS PRESLEY ever since I was a small child. 

Before I explain, let's first set aside the fact that he just so happens to be the most brilliant, charismatic, and talented entertainer that has ever lived (no bias here), which is one reason why he is still as popular as ever all these years later.

On World Letter Writing Day, which conveniently falls around the first day of school, we are featuring Lunch Box Letters: Writing Notes of Love and Encouragement to Your Children which was created by two parents, Bill Zimmerman and Carol Sperandeo, who wrote notes to their children regularly and were greatly encouraged by the results. Lunch Box Letters is an excellent method of connecting with your child. They will be affected by knowing someone took the time to write a few words for them to read during their day. For some parents, writing letters can be daunting but, luckily, this book has prompts for writing notes, as well as 100 tear out sheets to get you started.

A few words about letter writing from Bill Zimmerman & Carol Sperandeo:

Dogs are the greatest. They are our best friends, our morning alarms, excellent running buddies (well… some breeds), skilled household (dis)organizers, and all-around great companions.

On this International Dog Day we celebrate our beautiful furry friends for all the joy they bring to our lives. It’s also important to raise awareness for the dogs waiting for homes at shelters across North America. Please consider your local shelter as an opportunity to find your family’s next best friend.

And of course, we have several relevant books to recommend today including Take Me Home by Andrew Grant, which features photos of dogs that were either in a shelter or formerly from a shelter. This is a dog lover’s coffee table book.