Best Selling Books by Henry Cole

The dramatic, humorous and candid memoir of one of the most recognisable names in motorcycling. Henry Cole's passion for motorbikes began when, at the age of eight, he was first introduced to a "man cave": His great-uncle Redbeard's corrugated iron shed was "stuffed to the gills with old motorbikes" which Henry helped rebuild and ride. Since then, Henry's life can be charted through the bikes and journeys he has been on, from a stifling public-school education, via many years battling addiction, to the big-sky iconic routes Henry has ridden for over twenty series as presenter of numerous TV shows. This book reminds millions of motorcyclists why their bike gives them the freedom to be exactly who they want to be. When you ride a motorbike you become part of a worldwide community of kindred spirits, those of us who will not be pacified by driving a car, but instead live for adventure, escape and the sheer thrill of the throttle.

'Riding Route 66' follows Henry Cole as he travels along Route 66, on a journey of self-discovery. Route 66, or the 'Mother Road', is one of the most famous roads in the USA. Crossing the width of the country, it is an immensely challenging road to travel. Henry has ridden it four times. This book is about the freedom that only the road and a motorcycle can give you, and the importance of embracing the highs and lows of life equally.

A Civil War–era girl's courage is tested in this haunting, wordless story. When a farm girl discovers a runaway slave hiding in the barn, she is at once startled and frightened. But the stranger's fearful eyes weigh upon her conscience, and she must make a difficult choice. Will she have the courage to help him? Unspoken gifts of humanity unite the girl and the runaway as they each face a journey: one following the North Star, the other following her heart. Henry Cole's unusual and original rendering of the Underground Railroad speaks directly to our deepest sense of compassion. Praise for Unspoken A New York Times Best Illustrated Book "Designed to present youngsters with a moral choice . . . the author, a former teacher, clearly intended Unspoken to be a challenging book, its somber sepia tone drawings establish a mood of foreboding." — The New York Times Book Review "Moving and emotionally charged." — Kirkus Reviews, starred review "Gorgeously rendered in soft dark pencils, this wordless book is reminiscent of the naturalistic pencil artistry of Maurice Sendak and Brian Selznick." — School Library Journal, starred review "Cole's . . . beautifully detailed pencil drawings on cream-colored paper deftly visualize a family's ruggedly simple lifestyle on a Civil War–era homestead, while facing stark, ethical choices . . . Cole conjures significant tension and emotional heft . . . in this powerful tale of quiet camaraderie and courage." — Publishers Weekly, starred review

A heart-tugging story about an abandoned dog who is looking for a forever home -- and a boy who finds him! ★ “An exquisitely rendered, touching story of companionship and belonging." – Kirkus Reviews, starred review ★ "This sweet and touching story will prove a worthy addition to any collection." -- School Library Journal, starred review There is a dog that no one wants. Abandoned and afraid, he must use his wits to survive the city's streets. Sadly, no one comes for him. Meanwhile, not far away, there is a boy who wants a dog more than anything in the world. But his room is a mess. He needs to help more around the house. And his parents tell him he must learn to be more responsible. Little does the boy know, there is a dog nearby longing for a forever home and someone to love him. And that dog has his eye on our boy! Henry Cole masterfully weaves together two tender storylines that result in a hearttugging wordless picture book that celebrates love, kindness, and compassion for animals.

A homing pigeon teams up with a parrot and their human owners to investigate an animal crime spree in this action-packed, illustrated detective story from Henry Cole. Homing pigeon Homer and realizes something is afoul when he witnesses four-legged criminals stealing valuables from both animal and human members of his community. Having learned how to read, Homer models himself on his favorite newspaper comic detective, Dick Tracy—he's on the case! With the help of new friend Lulu, a parrot who can speak, Homer tries to figure out how to communicate with humans about the threat in their midst. Can Homer and Lulu solve the case and capture the perpetrators? New York Times-best-selling author-illustrator Henry Cole offers a middle grade mystery that will keep readers guessing.

Find a place to sit and watch and listen ... on the beach or in the woods or in a salt marsh. What can you see and hear?

The littlest evergreen lived a quiet life on a peaceful hillside. Then one December evening, everything changed. . . . Henry Cole’s The Littlest Evergreen sends a beautiful and timely message about nurturing life.

"Building on a rhyme that will be familiar to many children, author-illustrator Cole creates an enticing guide to creating a garden. 'This is the garden that Jack planted...' The final illustration presents a satisfied-looking boy surrounded by a lush, bird-filled flower garden....A concluding page of gardening suggestions serves as a springboard to books with more specific guidelines."--Horn Book.

Size is relative, but everything is worth seeing in this concept book from the illustrator of And Tango Makes Three—now available as a Classic Board Book. Beginning with a beautiful close-up of a “big” ladybug, this adorable board book artfully depicts the concept of scale as it zooms out from the bug, to a flower, to a cow, all the way to an expansive spread of sky. Then author Henry Cole masterfully zooms back in from that sky, to a tree, to a house, to a window, all the way to the end where an adorable dog is taking a “little” nap. Young readers will love the lush illustrations of the animals, objects, and scenery of a farm, and they’ll delight in seeing how something “big” can suddenly seem “little” with every turn of a page!

An evocative wordless picture book that is a loving tribute to mindful living on our precious planet. * "Beautifully effective." -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review* "Deeply profound... compelling... emotionally resonant." -- School Library Journal, starred review* "Elevating the life of an ephemeral object to the time scale of love across generations." -- Publishers Weekly, starred review From a tall tree growing in the forest--to the checkout counter at the grocery store--one little bag finds its way into the hands of a young boy on the eve of his first day of school. And so begins an incredible journey of one little bag that is usedand reusedand reused again. In a three-generation family, the bag is transporter of objects and keeper of memories. And when Grandfather comes to the end of his life, the family finds a meaningful new way for the battered, but much-loved little bag to continue its journey in the circle of life.

In this wordless picture book, a cat named Spot ventures out an open window and through a city on a journey, while his owner tries to find him.

"With stunning line art and a limited color palette, this simple text follows a family of beavers as they do what beavers do best: build! Two beavers find a stream, build a dam, and raise a family in their new lodge. When the dam is threatened by storms, the beavers work hard to rebuild it. Building is what beavers do best"--

Have you ever sat quietly near a stream, or in a meadow or a wood, and just looked and listened? Well, now is your chance-come walk with Henry Cole in this delightful follow-up to Jack's Garden. Vibrant, die-cut flaps fold out, inviting young viewers to observe the many forms of wildlife and plants found on land and in the water. Turn the pages for an interactive and fun exploration into nature. You'll be surprised by how much you see!

In Henry Cole's beautifully illustrated sequel to Brambleheart, reminiscent of Brian Jacques's Redwall and Avi's Poppy series, Twig's fantastical adventures continue as he and his animal friends set sail to reunite Char with his dragon family. Twig never thought he would leave the Hill again. But now Twig and his friends Basil and Lily find themselves on a dangerous journey downriver to bring Char home. Unsure of where they are going, or how far they will travel from home, the crew will have to work together and find their sea legs if they want to stay afloat. Will they survive the catastrophes nature throws their way and find Char's mysterious island home?

Caroline lives on Meadowview Street. But where's the meadow? Where's the view? There's nothing growing in her front yard except grass. Then she spots a flower and a butterfly and a bird and Caroline realizes that with her help, maybe Meadowview Street can have a meadow after all.

From beloved author-illustrator Henry Cole comes the stunning follow-up to Spot, the Cat. In this beautiful wordless picture book, Spot the cat finds a dog named Dot who’s off on her own adventure through the city! In Henry Cole’s vivid wordless picture book Spot, the Cat, readers joined Spot on a journey through a city that began with him following a bird outside his window. This time, a dog named Dot draws Spot from his window. As we follow Spot and Dot on their wordless journey, we quickly realize that it’s Dot the dog who is missing this time, and Spot is trying to get her back home. We follow these two on a different journey through the city as they weave in and out of a bakery, a library, a busy park, and more. And with a surprise twist at the end, we realize that “home” for both cat and dog was never very far away. With detailed black-and-white illustrations, readers will love following Spot and Dot on their adventure and cheering for the sweet reunion at the end.

Bestselling illustrator Henry Cole puts animals in sweet and humorous situations to demonstrate the importance of being kind! In this funny picture book, bestselling illustrator Henry Cole shows kids different ways to be kind with his hysterical cartoon animal characters. Each page features a different way to be a good person, like using proper manners, telling someone they are special, or sharing a treat! The text is accompanied by two or three related vignettes of different animals giving examples of ways to be good. And in one illustration out of each set, one animal (like a cat peering into a fishbowl!) may not be doing the best job of being kind! The animal characters and simple text will help readers learn the importance of kindness in a fun way with lots of kid appeal. Our animal friends will show youExactly how it is doneMake sure to look closelyKindness can be very FUN!