New Releases by Kristen Balouch

Move the characters and words around in this interactive book that's also a standalone playhouse! It's a story! It's a house! Four paper-over-board panels unfold to create a standalone playhouse, complete with two sheets of reusable stickers of adorable characters and a variety of words, allowing children to create stories of their very own.

In Sew Cute! Let's Sew aTiny Farm, learn how to hand sew more than 20 small farm-themed projects, including a cute sheep, a cow, a pig, ducks, and horses, as well as a barn, tractor, and tools. With the books in the Sew Cute! series, you can learn to create easy sewing projects without a sewing machine. Each book focuses on a specific theme and demonstrates how to create cute, compact, and usable projects, starting with Let's Sew a Tiny Farm, which celebrates life on the farm, from animals to tools. In addition to the sweet projects, Sew Cute! Let's Sew a Tiny Farm features an introduction to the featured fiber mediums, as well as chapters on tools and materials, sewing techniques, and image-making, such as batik, dye, and block print. Author Kristen Balouch--an experienced illustrator, fabric designer, and children's book author--believes in taking a mindful, soulful approach to sewing so that you enjoy the process while making beautiful art. Her whimsical art style is shown through gorgeous imagery and adorable projects for sewers of all ages and skill levels to try. This book includes a plethora of helpful tips and techniques for those with little to no experience in working with fiber arts. Turn off the screens and unwind as you sew a variety of adorable, giftable projects--without the use of a sewing machine!

The real-life story of a family who planted 1,000,000 trees—yes, it’s true!—to fight deforestation in British Columbia. When Kristen Balouch was 10 years old, her parents made a surprising announcement: their whole family was going on a trip to plant trees! Kristen, her sisters, and her mom and dad—and their pet, Wonder Dog!—flew from their California home to a logging site in British Columbia. There, they joined a crew working to replant the trees that had been cut down. In One Million Trees, Kristen reflects on the forty days they spent living in a tent, covered in mud and bug bites, working hard every day to plant a new forest. Young readers will learn a little French, practice some math skills, and learn all about how to plant a tree the right way! The kid-friendly, engaging text is paired with bold illustrations, full of fun details and bright colors. The story ends with a modern-day look at what Kristen's family helped accomplish: a stand of huge trees growing on what used to be an empty, muddy patch of bare stumps. An author's note shares more information on deforestation, sustainable logging practices, and the irreplaceable environmental benefit of old growth forests. . . . Plus, the amazing things even a small group of people can do when they work together. A fun story with an important environmental message, One Million Trees is bound to inspire kids to get their hands dirty to make our planet healthy! A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection

A sweet ode to dreams of all kinds. If you are the squirrel, I am the tree. If you are the traveler, I am the sea. If you are the writer, I am the nook. If you are the reader, I am the book. In simple poetic language, a child is reassured that no matter what or where they are, they will never be alone.

In this vibrantly illustrated picture book, one loud little girl is on the hunt for a friend. She searches the jungle high and low, but her BIG voice scares all the animals away! One by one, an elephant, a snake, and a croc quickly retreat from the girl’s booming vocals, until at last she finds the perfect playmate—whose “roar” is even louder than her own!

Animals demonstrate various emotions as they plan a party for their friend. On board pages.

A boy in Brooklyn receives a package from Iran. When he opens up the mysterious bottle that lies within, a great wind transports him over the oceans and mountains, straight into the arms of his grandfather. Despite being separated by politics and geography, the boy and his Baba Bazorg can share an extraordinary gift, the bond of their love.