Author/illustrators have a really big job. They need to write the story AND they need to create the beautiful art. One of my favorite author/illustrators has a new book in the pipeline and I’m honored to celebrate with a COVER REVEAL.

READY! SET! GO!

WOW! What an engaging cover! It definitely sparks my curiosity…I want to open the book and see what the girl is looking at.

Here’s a little bit about the book:
CHLOE’S NATURE JOURNAL
Publisher: Creston Books
Pub date: Oct. 3rd 2023

When her teacher assigns the class to start a nature journal, noting the animals they find in their yards, Chloe wishes she’ll discover the most.

But once she’s in her yard with her journal and markers, she can’t find any animals to sketch. Will she end up finding the fewest, not the most? With a bit of patience and lots of close looking, Chloe realizes all kinds of creatures make a home in her yard. Chloe asks a lot of questions about what she sees, noting her discoveries, finding some answers, and learning some new skills from the creatures she observes. Without realizing it, Chloe is following the scientific method. And so a young scientist is made!

Chloe’s Nature Journal will surely inspire young readers to start their own nature journals and discover the small eco-systems at their doorstep.

And here’s a little bit about the creation process from author/illustrator Miri.

I’ve always wanted to write a book in a diary style, where the main character tells their story in their own words. I also love nature and animals, so writing a girl’s nature journal was the perfect project for me to write.

It was so much fun writing CHLOE’S NATURE JOURNAL like a 9-year-old. I got to write about a scientific subject while using words like “Boom!” and “teeny-weeny”.

But a bigger challenge waited for me when I started illustrating the book. My skillful drawing hand was actually a problem in this case! My lines were too smooth, and my coloring too detailed and sophisticated to look like something a 9-year-old would draw.

I had to un-learn what I know and simply let go, allow my hand to go a little wild and even make small mistakes. Then I had an idea – instead of using my professional, high quality colored pencils, I went to a dollar store and bought a simple colored pencils pack, the kind that children use in school. Coloring my illustrations with these pencils sent me back to my own childhood and helped me draw a bit more like a child.

That is fascinating, Miri! Thank you for sharing with us.
And now, dear friends, here is some information for you to use if you’d like to have a copy of this beautiful book as soon as it launches in the fall.

Preorder the book: 
Lerner Books (including a free teacher’s guide to download!) https://lernerbooks.com/shop/show/22951

Amazon

And here’s a little bit about Miri:
Miri Leshem-Pelly is an author-illustrator of 16 picture books. Her previous book, Penny and the Plain Piece of Paper (Philomel/Penguin Random House) was translated to Korean, and her book Scribble & Author (Kane Miller/EDC Publishing) was translated to 8 languages. Miri does more than 100 school visits per year. She is an SCBWI RAE (Regional Advisor Emerita) after serving more than ten years as a regional advisor of SCBWI in Israel.

Miri is represented by literary agent Anna Olswanger.

Connect with Miri:
Website: http://mirileshembooks.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/miri_leshem_pelly/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mirileshem

We’re at the end of May, dear friends! Do you have plans for the summer? Of course, if you live in NZ or Australia, you are getting ready for the winter. But here in New Hampshire, I’m packing up the snow boots and taking out the bathing suit. How about you?