Three sneak peeks and a post card!
I'm so excited about my upcoming books and I want to share that excitement with you!
FROM HERE TO THERE comes out November 29, 2016 from Albert Whitman & Co. and it looks so sweet! It's a story of keeping a friendship going even when you cannot be together. Here and There become pen pals and wish they could be closer. Then one day There gets an idea that changes the distance between them. Here's an illustration from the book:
This book is special to me for many reasons, but one is because it is my first non-rhyming book. I am also thrilled it found a home because I was worried that a publisher would be reluctant to take on a book where the two main characters were words. Fortunately, it found the right home, and the perfect illustrator! They chose Christiane Engel for the art because of her exemplary skills in hand-lettering. I can't wait for you to see/read this book! You can pre-order it now. Bonus: on the publisher's website there is a printable post card (http://www.albertwhitman.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/From-Here-to-There-Postcard.pdf) you can use to have your kids write letters to friends or loved ones, or even write to the publisher. Or better yet...write to me! Sue Fliess, P.O. Box 421, Ashburn, VA 20146.
Another new book of mine that releases on February 7, 2017 is HOW TO TRAP A LEPRECHAUN, published by Sky Pony Press, illustrated by Emma Randall. I am enamored with the illustrations of the children in this book! Growing up, making leprechaun traps wasn't a 'thing'. We heard that leprechauns existed, but we mostly thought they were magical little men that chased down pots of gold at the end of rainbows around St. Patrick's Day. But when I had kids of my own, they started as early as pre-school making leprechaun traps. So of course, my children insisted on making traps at home. And a book idea was born! Here's a sneak peek:
It's such a fun topic and I think Emma did an amazing job with her playful art: colorful, swirly images, bouncy children and a delightful little leprechaun. I hope it becomes a book preschools and classrooms can use when they embark on their St. Patrick's Day activities and festivities. And there are ideas in the back for helping your class or family create its own leprechaun trap. Poof!
Last, but definitely not least, (just further out in 2017) is my new picture book called RACE!, illustrated by Edwardian Taylor, published by little bee books. It comes out July 4, 2017 and it follows the journey of one small car entering the big race with the bigger cars. It'll have you rooting for the little guy for sure! Clues are sprinkled in from start to finish, but you'll have to read the book to see the big reveal at the end. I'll give you a hint: all you need is an active imagination. :) Here's a inside look:
Needless to say, I hope everyone loves these books as much as I do. I look forward to sharing them with kids, teachers and librarians! Thanks for stopping by to take a peek!