Awards & Praises
Lendroth’s text seamlessly captures a child’s love of something that they are slowly outgrowing without resorting to sentiment or nostalgia. “Piper loved her purple sweater. She loved it even before she could pronounce the word purple.” Some kids have a blankie or binkie, but Piper has Purpa, and for so long that she outgrows it. Her family members suggest new uses for Purpa, but Piper says no until the day she gets a new stuffed animal, a koala, and as he is given the sweater, he is also given Purpa’s name. Feng’s illustrations effortlessly depict all the characters’ various emotions (including the dog and koala) with skill and humor. The family’s adorable Yorkie is in nearly every scene, adding to the story’s light humor. A delightful story of growing up, but not giving up on the thing you love. –School Library Journal
In this cozy reimagining of a Sherlock Holmes mystery, two owls—Whoodini and his colleague, Cahoots—soar around the farm hunting for clues when a mysterious bird crashes into a tree. The illustrations are a delight, the paintings intriguing to both art aficionados—the lighting is breathtaking—and children as Whoodini and Cahoots don their signature deerstalker and bowler to uncover the truth and bring answers to their anxious fellow creatures. –Foreword Reviews, Starred Review
The rhyming is perfect and consistent, filled with colorful words that hold a lot of emphasis for reading aloud. –Youth Services Book Review
Gold Medal Winner of 2021 IPPY Awards
Selected for the annual Best Children’s Books In China list 2020.
“A playful fantasy.” –The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
“A wonderful read for adults and children alike, as it is a journey of discovery.” –Children’s Books Ireland
“The Vanishing Lake explores the timeless mysteries and magic of nature.” –Fiona Woodcock, Author & Illustrator
Gold Medal Winner of 2021 Indie Book Awards
“Have the art table and smocks ready.” –Kirkus Reviews
“A humorous celebration of imagination and creativity.” –Midwest Book Review
“It will inspire a generation of artists to let loose and have fun with their creations.” –Jenna Rideout
“A lovely portrait of how interconnected everything is.” –Booklist
“Zhang illustrates a detailed, whimsical watercolor world with much to pore over.” –Publishers Weekly
“Imaginative rumination on the true meaning of farm to table.” –Kirkus Reviews
“Playful rhymes and brilliant illustrations camouflage a search for identity. Strategic formatting—a rhymed riddle on each recto page followed by an answer on the next verso—encourages readers to guess what familiar animal Chameleon will turn into next. Young readers will also enjoy the challenge of searching the illustrations to find Chameleon’s transformations, especially when they turn into a very realistic monkey and a tiny shark. Colorful, humorous illustrations befitting a questing chameleon make this a good read-aloud.” –Kirkus Reviews
Cheerily delivers the lesson that it’s best to be yourself.” –Kirkus Reviews
“Busy, crowded, vibrant—like a party.” –Kirkus Reviews
“Sundry animals with a common goal squabble, shriek, and work it out.” –Kirkus Reviews
“Fill-in-the-blank spaces invite readers to offer their own hypotheses, and occasional seek-and-find prompts encourage further reader involvement . . . Visual and bathroom humor is tucked everywhere in Phillips’s jam-packed digital illustrations . . . The homemade effect lends the story a down-to-earth vibe that emphasizes how much fun it is to be over-the-top silly in the name of science.” –Publishers Weekly
A combination of humorous detective story, fun fill-in-the-blanks, and laugh-out-loud details, When I’m Not Looking is especially recommended for family picture book collections. –Midwest Book Review