On All Fours

Born in 1971, Gaëtan Dorémus received his degree from the School of Decorative Arts in Strasbourg, France. Once out in the world, he picked up a few other degrees while creating picture books and illustrations for the press. Dorémus has illustrated more than 25 books and has produced hundreds of editorial illustrations and cartoons. He loves bicycle riding, walking in the mountains, eating green tomatoes with cinnamon, and being a papa. Dorémus’s Bear Despair was a New York Times Best Illustrated Book of 2012. Growing up in a French–Chinese American family, Emilie Robert Wong attended school in the French national education system before studying comparative literature and neuroscience at Harvard College. She is an associate editor at Enchanted Lion, as well as the co-translator, with Karin Snelson, of You Can’t Kill Snow White (shortlisted for the Global Literature in Libraries Initiative’s Translated YA Book Prize) and At the Drop of a Cat (a Kirkus Best Book of 2023 and a NYPL Best Children’s Book of 2023).

STARRED REVIEW! ★ "A toddler bear takes a tactile journey in this translation of a French title… The compositions provide a rich aesthetic experience with gorgeous multihued backgrounds that change to reflect the mood and the little one’s body language. The scenes brim with delightful details, such as a crimson spider that reacts to each situation… Dorémus’ luscious, emotive illustrations will inspire frequent readings. The spare, repetitive narration lends itself well to memorization; be prepared for little ones to shout out their favorite lines. Youngsters will relish the ride from exploration to reunion."