Wonder Walkers

Micha Archer wrote and illustrated Ezra Jack Keats Award winner Daniel Finds a Poem and its companion, Daniel's Good Day, and has also illustrated several picture books, including Girl Running (by Annette Bay Pimentel). Micha works in oil and collage on paper she creates with homemade stamps and layered tissue paper. She came from a long line of artists and teachers and taught for many years in a kindergarten. Raising two kids and teaching are where she cultivated her love for picture books and realized their importance as teaching tools. Micha lives in western Massachusetts in the house she and her husband built, surrounded by gardens and forests to roam in.

* “Language that is spare and economic yet profound and beautifully poetic. Only wonderstruck children, confronting nature’s gorgeous mysteries, could express themselves so intimately, creatively, and originally. Youngsters reading/hearing this book on laps or in groups, and grown-ups, too, will be charmed, enlightened, and moved by these breathless queries. . . . At the book’s conclusion, children may want space to discuss, dictate, write, and/or illustrate their own questions/ideas about nature. Luminous ink-and-collage illustrations are lush and vivid, perfectly suiting the text. . . . Excellent for enriching vocabulary, developing creative thinking, and enhancing a love of nature.”—Kirkus Reviews, starred review* “Some of the queries understand the Earth as one great, living, breathing creature. . . . Sumptuous artwork employs collaged textured and patterned paper to represent rich expanses of sea and sky alongside the individual petals of black-eyed Susans. Asking good questions is at the heart of discovery, and Archer’s young wonder walkers show readers how it’s done.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review“Archer’s collage illustrations, using tissue paper and patterned papers, burst forth with vibrant colors, beguiling textures, and boundless energy. The double-page spreads employ little white space (there’s too much of the outdoors to revel in) yet are never too busy; Archer knows just where to direct viewers’ eyes. A sense of movement propels the narrative: clouds float; fog blankets the river; ocean waves lap against the shore; and the wind swirls around the children’s faces. Beautifully rendered—and wonderful in every way.”—Horn Book"An imaginative adventure. . . . Author Micha Archer captivates young readers with detailed collage and oil paint illustrations of a variety of settings, from mountains to the beach to a field. As the children explore the outdoors on their nature walk they ask each other questions like 'Is a river the Earth's veins?' and 'Is the Sun the world's light bulb?' Their questions serve to bring new perspectives and a deeper sense of the world around them. This title will make a welcome addition to nature themed storytimes and will spark discussion among readers." —School Library Connection