Quick Look
- From the creators of highly-acclaimed The House of Lost and Found, named a USBBY Best International Book 2019
- An imaginative tale full of wonder, hope and sibling love
- Spectacular, and surreal, illustrations offer an echo of Alice in Wonderland
- 'A wonderfully uplifting book.' – Juno on The House of Lost and Found
An intriguing, beautiful tale of wonder and sibling love with echoes of Alice in Wonderland, from the creators of highly-acclaimed The House of Lost and Found.
Description
Grace's brother has disappeared and she misses him, and his music, terribly. One day, she finds herself falling, falling... and wakes up in a strange land where she is as tiny as a bug. Exploring this amazing world, filled with incredible creatures, Grace feels happier than she has done for a long time.
But then she is captured by an evil crab and forced to dive for pearls. Beneath the water Grace hears a familiar tune: could it be her brother? And if so, how can they escape this dreamlike land?
This intriguing, beautiful tale of wonder and sibling love has echoes of Alice in Wonderland in its surreal, atmospheric setting. Martin Widmark's vivid story is brought to life for young children through spectacularly imaginative illustrations by Emilia Dziubak. Martin and Emilia are also the creators of The House of Lost and Found, named a USBBY Best International Book 2019.
Reviews
'This riveting bedtime story follows Grace into an alternate world where she must escape the menacing claws of a giant crab that forces lost children to gather pearls from snapping clam shells. Hauntingly wild, captivating artwork depicts Grace's surreal journey as she rallies a group of ragtag children to lead them home again. Because of this instant classic, imaginations will soar; whether it's bedtime, daytime, or any time else, a bit of fantasy is in order.'
-- Foreword Reviews
'Surreal adventures are brought to life in Dziubak's stunning, colored pencil illustrations. With dark backgrounds showcasing bright botanical and floral details, the intriguing scenes have a classically romantic appearance. Densely written paragraphs relay Grace's reunion with her missing sibling, and a triumphant escape from the clutches of their captor.'
-- School Library Journal
'An imaginatively illustrated fantasy with a dreamlike feel... Dziubak's romantic colored pencil illustrations place doll-like images of children and creatures against dramatic, moody backdrops of flowers and waterside foliage. Grace is a resourceful hero, and her fanciful, The Water-Babies–esque story packs a lot of adventure into the picture book format.'
-- Publishers Weekly
'This is a magical story combined with beautiful pencil illustrations -- a real treat! [...] The drawings are in muted colors and are complete works of art --Dziubak raises the bar on how children's books should be illustrated with incredible talent using simple tools. 5/5.'
-- Youth Services Book Review
'[A] beautifully illustrated, imaginative story.'
-- Kirkus Reviews
'A delightful story... With gorgeous illustrations, and full of emotions, danger, humour and fantastical characters, this is a great book to read aloud.'
-- Juno
'With themes of sibling love, friendship and teamwork, there are some great messages when reading with kids and some poignant moments you’ll find for yourself too.'
-- Small Folk
Praise for The House of Lost and Found:
'Widmark's melancholy story about loneliness gains atmosphere and, ultimately, lift from Dziubak's beautiful illustrations, hand-drawn using colored pencils. Children will pore over the details and delight as Niles banishes murky darkness with light.'
-- Kirkus Reviews
'A beautifully scripted, illustrated, and uplifting picture book.'
-- Midwest Book Review
'In this complex and mature tale of reawakening, pages boast dark, richly detailed illustrations aglow with deftly conjured light.'
-- Booklist Online
'The illustrations are dreamy, reminding me of Rembrandt, each one a work of art… Perfect.'
-- Youth Services Book Review
'This is a wonderfully uplifting book about coming to terms with grief and loss, and the power of nature.'
-- Juno Magazine
'Like all good fairy tales this story tells of triumph of good over bad, and how through persistence you can overcome your troubles. The illustrations are stunning and really bring the story to life. This is a great story for children who enjoy a slightly longer picture book.'
-- Kaleidoscope Magazine
Author
Martin Widmark is the bestselling Swedish children's author of over 100 books. His titles consistently top Sweden's bestseller lists and have been translated into more than thirty-five languages. Before becoming a full-time author, Martin worked as a middle-school teacher and a Swedish language teacher for immigrants, and now uses his experiences to promote reading and literacy for young people. He is the author of The House of Lost and Found (Floris Books).
Emilia Dziubak is an award-winning artist from Poland. She is a graduate of the Academy of Fine Arts in Poznan and has illustrated numerous children's picture books that have been translated into many languages. She is the illustrator of USBBY- listed The House of Lost and Found, as well as Little Pearl and Dreams of Near and Far, also co-created with Martin Widmark.
