New Releases by Lita Judge

Inspired by the famous Unicorn Tapestries, acclaimed author-illustrator Lita Judge weaves together a beautiful picture book about a servant girl searching for a real unicorn—and with it, the promise of friendship. Long ago and far away, a girl named Beatrix wakes each day to her chores in the castle. She serves the meals and scrubs the floors. And when no one is looking, she gazes at the tapestry of the unicorn in a garden. The unicorn is the most beautiful thing she’s ever seen, but it’s only made from thread. Beatrix knows if she could find the real unicorn, she would never feel lonely again, so late one evening, she gathers what she needs for a long journey and slips out into the night…

This poignant yet reassuring picture book follows a family and the van that provides them with safety, warmth, and togetherness amidst economic and housing insecurity An old blue van may not look like much, but it holds everything this family needs—shelter, a place to sleep, and each other. They can cook outdoors and sleep under the stars, but sometimes living in Old Blue makes our narrator feel like she’s from everywhere and nowhere all at once. When those feelings start to take over, Mama reminds her of the love inside Old Blue’s walls. Inspired by her childhood experience with economic and housing insecurity, acclaimed creator Lita Judge tells the gentle and ultimately hopeful story of a family who hopes for a forever home—but until that day comes, Old Blue will look after them. Back matter includes a personal author’s note and more information for kids about housing insecurity.

An energetic squirrel isn’t ready to give up on winter fun and go to bed in this cozy picture book about animal friends who spend an unforgettable night romping in the snow! The snowstorm is over. The stars are out. But one little squirrel is not in bed. He’s having far too much fun building snow animals and gliding and skating on glittering ice with his friends Squirrel, Owl, Fox, and Bear…until drowsy eyes and sleepy yawns begin to slow the animals’ steps. Could it finally be time for Squirrel to turn in for the night?

In this snowy day picture book, a kindhearted but overeager duckling tries to be helpful by sharing Wuddles the sheep’s wool to make sure all their animal friends stay warm—but will there be enough for Wuddles? Snow is coming, and the barnyard animals are preparing for the cold. Duckling has an excellent idea! Fleecy Wuddles the sheep has plenty of wool to keep everyone nice and toasty. Surely Wuddles doesn’t mind sharing? Soon there’s a goat in legwarmers, piglets in onesies, and more! But will this outpouring of generosity leave Wuddles himself out in the cold? Not to worry—Duckling has one final, absolutely heartwarming idea!

This illustrated history of dogs, from award-winning author-illustrator Lita Judge, explores how humans’ partnership with dogs changed our lives and theirs Of all the animals on the planet, dogs have the widest range of roles in our daily lives. They’re protectors, helpers, lifesavers—but most of all, they’re family. And they’ve taken a fascinating journey to get to this point. Long ago, early wolves evolved from fierce predators into trusted partners. They became dogs! While we know dogs to be lovable and full of personality, they have also historically improved our lives in many practical ways, like guarding livestock to help humans form the first settlements, cleaning out infectious wounds, and finding food. Covering over 50,000 years of history, from cave-dwelling to the present day, Dogs chronicles fascinating scientific details and the history of how dogs learned to live cooperatively alongside humans. In this beautifully illustrated and thoroughly researched book, award-winning author and illustrator Lita Judge explores how our lives are intertwined with dogs’—and that’s what makes them our best friends.

A trio of animal pals discover the beauty in making new friends in this tender and adorable picture book from Lita Judge, the beloved author-illustrator of Red Sled and Flight School. Mouse, Elephant, and Giraffe have so much in common. They like the same games. They eat the same snacks. They don’t need anyone else! Or do they? When the group takes a chance on opening up, they discover that meeting someone new and seeing things from a new perspective can be truly wonderful.

Beloved author-illustrator Lita Judge reminds readers that even the biggest and bravest were once small...and even the smallest can become anything they choose to be. There is strength in even the smallest things. Just as a bird grows within her egg, and a cub becomes a brave big bear, you too will grow. Patience, little one. And remember… even the smallest will grow. This beautiful and comforting book reassures children that the world is not too big but rather a place where there is room for everyone—and time enough to grow.

With lush illustrations, poems, and accessible scientific information, The Wisdom of Trees by Lita Judge is a fascinating exploration of the hidden communities trees create to strengthen themselves and others. We clean the air and seed the clouds, we drench the thirsty land with rain. We are like wizards. The story of a tree is a story of community, communication, and cooperation. Although trees may seem like silent, independent organisms, they form a network buzzing with life: they talk, share food, raise their young, and offer protection. Trees thrive on diversity, learn from their ancestors, and give back to their communities. Trees not only sustain life on our planet—they can also teach us important lessons about patience, survival, and teamwork. A New York Public Library Best Book of 2021 A New York Public Library Top Ten Book for Kids Green Earth Book Award Longlist An ALA SustainRT Top 10 Sustainability-Themed Children’s Books 2022

In the tradition of Where the Wild Things Are, beloved author-illustrator Lita Judge brings us a soaring story about the power of imagination. On a day when you feel like no one is listening, and you wish you could just disappear, shut your eyes and listen. Do you hear it? That isn’t your heart. That is the sound of your very own wings beating within. Acclaimed author-illustrator Lita Judge takes readers on a wonder-filled exploration of a child’s imagination, thoughtfully weaving in a gentle suggestion of how to explore that bountiful inner world and let it help them shine with courage in the real one.

“Both timely and terrifying.” —Gregory Macguire, New York Times–bestselling author of Wicked Pairing free verse with over three hundred pages of black-and-white watercolor illustrations, Mary’s Monster is a unique and stunning biography of Mary Shelley, the pregnant teenage runaway who became one of the greatest authors of all time. Legend is correct that Mary Shelley began penning Frankenstein in answer to a dare to write a ghost story. What most people don''t know, however, is that the seeds of her novel had been planted long before that night. By age nineteen, she had been disowned by her family, was living in scandal with a married man, and had lost her baby daughter just days after her birth. Mary poured her grief, pain, and passion into the powerful book still revered two hundred years later, and in Mary''s Monster, author/illustrator Lita Judge has poured her own passion into a gorgeous book that pays tribute to the life of this incredible author. A 2019 NCSS-CBC Notable Social Studies Trade Book A 2019 Amelia Bloomer Project Book This title has Common Core connections.

A young owl experiences the magic of a first snowfall—the quiet wintery wonder, the pristine beauty, and snowballs!—in this follow-up to the adorable Hoot and Peep It’s Peep’s first winter, and it’s going to snow very, very soon. Peep has so many questions for her older brother Hoot: Does snow drop, polppety splop, like the rain''s song? Does it scrinkle scrattle like falling leaves? But Hoot can''t remember snow very well. The one thing he knows for sure is that it is worth waiting for. But Peep doesn''t have his patience, and as she flies around the gorgeous Paris skies, she tries her best to make up her own snow song. But once those first snowflakes start to fall, Peep realizes just how wise her older brother really is for waiting...and just who she wants to cuddle up to when the snow starts to really sing. With all the wonder and the joy of a first snow day, and perfect for fans of The Quiet Book and Little Owl''s Night, this tender follow-up to Hoot and Peep is certainly worth waiting for, too.

A young owl experiences the magic of a first snowfall--the quiet wintery wonder, the pristine beauty, and snowballs!--in this follow-up to the adorable Hoot and Peep It''s Peep''s first winter, and it''s going to snow very, very soon. Peep has so many questions for her older brother Hoot: Does snow drop, polppety splop, like the rain''s song? Does it scrinkle scrattle like falling leaves? But Hoot can''t remember snow very well. The one thing he knows for sure is that it is worth waiting for. But Peep doesn''t have his patience, and as she flies around the gorgeous Paris skies, she tries her best to make up her own snow song. But once those first snowflakes start to fall, Peep realizes just how wise her older brother really is for waiting...and just who she wants to cuddle up to when the snow starts to really sing. With all the wonder and the joy of a first snow day, and perfect for fans of The Quiet Book and Little Owl''s Night, this tender follow-up to Hoot and Peep is certainly worth waiting for, too.

"A picture book about a parrot named Beatrix, who is very awake, very excited to see her friends, and has a very hard time using her ''inside voice''."--

What do grizzly bear cubs eat? Where do baby raccoons sleep? And how does a baby otter learn to swim? Every baby mammal, from a tiny harvest mouse "pinky" to a fierce lion cub, needs food, shelter, love, and a family. Filled with illustrations of some of the most adorable babies in the kingdom, this awww-inspiring book looks at the traits that all baby mammals share and proves that, even though they''re born in the wild, they''re not so very different from us, after all!

A persevering penguin is determined to fly in this adorably inspiring Classic Board Book from the creator of Red Hat and Red Sled. Although little Penguin has the soul of an eagle, his body wasn’t built to soar. But Penguin has an irrepressible spirit, and he adamantly follows his dreams to flip, flap, fly! Even if he needs a little help with the technical parts, this penguin is ready to live on the wind.

A series of exuberant read-aloud sound effects perfectly capture the whimsy and joy of a springtime frolic in this companion to Red Sled. In this almost wordless springtime picture book, an adorable crew of baby animals borrows a familiar-looking red hat (last seen on the head of Red Sled’s unsuspecting protagonist) and embarks on a joy-filled escapade—until all that is left is a long piece of red string! Their playful romp is gorgeously depicted in bold watercolor and complemented by humorous expressions and pitch-perfect sound effects. With a timeless tone and classic characters, Red Hat promises to be an instant favorite.

A gorgeously illustrated tribute to birds of all kinds and the fantastic, funny, fascinating things that they do. Birds have lots of ways of communicating: They sing and talk, dance and drum, cuddle and fight. But what does all of the bird talk mean? Filled with gorgeous illustrations, this fascinating picture book takes a look at the secret life of birds in a child-friendly format that is sure to appeal to readers of all ages - whether they''re die-hard bird-watchers or just curious about the creatures in their own backyards.

Find out what happens when a cast of unlikely woodland friends discover a well-loved sled outside a cozy cabin in this whimsical wintertime Classic Board Book! In this almost wordless story, a host of woodland creatures take a child’s sled for a nighttime joy ride. Their whimsical ride is gorgeously depicted in bold watercolor, complemented by humorous expressions and pitch-perfect sound effects. With a timeless tone and classic characters, Red Sled is a wintertime favorite for parents and little ones alike.

Through easy to read text, this book shows readers how baby dinosaurs grew up to be giants.