Unique Steiff® Story
Our Unique Steiff® Creation
The perky Pekingese with cat-eye glasses captures the heart of Madeline and Mama and finally finds a “Forever Home” in Habersham Forest.
This entitled and haughty duo create challenges for Sassafrass and Madeline at every turn.
The fashion-forward milliner mouse, Madeline, and her mama give Sassafrass the home she had always longed for, filled with love and acceptance.
Teach your kids about Pet Adoption with the highly-praised book featuring real-life Steiff® toys!
Sassafrass Jones tells the story of two plucky outsiders who find each other and the courage to peruse their dreams. This magical story transports imaginations through the make-believe Habersham Forest, the home to the perky Pekingese, with a delicate eye condition, and a lonely milliner mouse with her sights set on a fashionable future.
After two long years spent at the “Last Chance Adoption Centre” the adorable abandoned Sassafrass Jones, who sports chartreuse-framed cat-eye glasses, dreams of the day she will finally find her “forever home.” Meanwhile, all Madeline the mouse longs for a precious kitty to dress up in her latest “Haute Hats by Madeline” designs.
All the answers await inside as readers are transported into the magical world of Sassafrass Jones, featuring more than 50 full-color pages filled with beautifully detailed photographs of vintage Steiff animals and miniatures from the collection of the author, Cathleen Smith-Bresciani. The book includes an audio edition narrated by B’52’s front man, Fred Schneider.
Fred Schneider of the B-52s
Praise for Sassafrass Jones and Her Forever Home
“I simply love everything about this book: its empowering message, playful storyline, and of course, the use of Steiff® animals in its character roles. Steiff® animals have been featured in beloved children’s literature since the turn of last century and many of us have grown up under the spell of the Lonely Doll series, Lost Bear, and Polar the Titanic Bear, among many others. Sassafrass Jones and the Search for a Forever Home introduces a whole new generation of these treasured, and collectible, miniature animals from Germany.”
– Rebekah R. A. Kaufman Consultant Steiff® Archivist, Steiff® North America
“Humane Society of New York is a proud partner of Sassafrass Jones, and Cathleen Smith’s inspiring tale is a testament to her devotion to animal rescue. We are so pleased that Sassafrass Jones will instill in children of all ages the importance of giving loving animals forever homes through adoption.”
– Virginia Chipurnoi, President, Humane Society of New York
“I have rescued and trained shelter animals for over thirty years and I am delighted to see a book created for children that raise awareness about a serious issue. Through her whimsical world, Cathleen educates children about the plight of homeless animals with characters that warm the heart.”
– William Berloni, Director of Animal Behavior and Training, Humane Society of New York
