Deborah Kerbel – författare

Cheerful rhyme celebrates the varied aspects of snow from a preschooler’s perspective.First snow, surprise snow:Nature’s sparkly magic showFor small children, snow is a wonder. It sparkles and glitters. It transforms the outside world. Every kind of snow brings its own magic. It invites snow angels, skating, fort-building, and snowballs. Even blizzard days are exciting, when routines are overturned and everyone bands together to clear the snow away. For the youngest among us, winter is magical.In Snow Days, author Deborah Kerbel captures that magic with nimble couplets that celebrate every kind of winter pleasure. Illustrator Miki Sato’s fascinating textural collage art looks intimately touchable. She recreates the coziness and spectacle of the season in paper, felt, and embroidery silk, creating masterpieces that invite readers to look again and again.

With more enticing collage art and sparkling rhyme from the creators of Snow Days, a preschooler’s celebration of sunny weather and all the activities it makes possibleMorning sun, golden skiesSoftly waking sleepy eyesFor preschoolers, sunny days are full of possibility. A sunbeam on the ground is the perfect place to curl up with a furry friend, and warming weather means seeds in the garden, mud pies in the yard, adventures at the beach, and ice cream in the shade. Evening brings the silly fun of watching little shadows stretch out long, and there’s nothing so cozy as watching the sun set as a family.In Sunny Days, author Deborah Kerbel once again weaves a spell of early childhood magic with couplets as bright as a summer afternoon. Illustrator Miki Sato’s textural collage art nearly rises from the page with fascinating features made from paper, felt, and embroidery silk.

Blustery wind burns and shrieksNibbles on my nose and cheeksFor preschoolers, windy fall days mean excitement and play. Strong winds stimulate children and their surroundings, as though an invisible hand is shaking the world. Gentler breezes help plants scatter their seeds, set pinwheels in motion, and keep kite strings taut. But fiercer winds begin to sting the cheeks as they bring about a new season…In Windy Days, author Deborah Kerbel once again captures the magic of early childhood awe and wonder with rhyming couplets as light as a breath of fresh air. Illustrator Miki Sato's unique tactile collage art pops off the page through its detailed use of hand-stitching and textural materials."Kerbel’s couplets include both concrete details and more poetic abstractions. Sato's deceptively simple illustrations are almost tangible in their layers, showcasing an array of stitches, paper finishes, and fabric surfaces, and depicting an inclusive cast."—Publishers Weekly review of Snow Days

First snow, surprise snow:Nature's sparkly magic showThe award-winning celebration of preschoolers and snow is now available as a board book!For small children, snow is a wonder. It sparkles and glitters. It transforms the outside world. Every kind of snow brings its own magic. It invites snow angels, skating, fort-building, and snowballs. Even blizzard days are exciting, when routines are overturned and everyone bands together to clear the snow away. For the youngest among us, winter is magical.In Snow Days, author Deborah Kerbel captures that magic with nimble couplets that Kirkus Reviews calls "a playful celebration of wintry weather." Illustrator Miki Sato's fascinating textural collage art, called "deceptively simple" by Publishers Weekly, looks intimately touchable. She recreates the coziness and spectacle of the season in paper, felt, and embroidery silk, creating masterpieces that invite readers to look again and again.With a diverse cast of children, a closing spread of five age-appropriate STEM experiments, and a sturdy Toddler Tough board book format, Snow Days will invite repeated reads everywhere from lap time to story time to bedtime.

Sunny rain sparkling showersWater for our trees and flowersFor preschoolers, rainy weather is full of possibility. A puddle in the back yard is just waiting for a stomp in rubber rain boots. A light drizzle is perfect for a search-and-rescue mission for worms and snails. And watching a heavy rainfall makes sitting inside with a warm bowl of soup all the cozier.In Rainy Days, author Deborah Kerbel once again captures the magic of early childhood awe and wonder with rhyming couplets that celebrate every kind of rainy-day activity. Illustrator Miki Sato’s unique tactile collage art nearly rises from the page with fascinating features made from paper, felt, and embroidery silk. A final page includes enriching STEM activities inquisitive little ones. Rainy Days is the fourth book in the Weather Days collection that includes the critically-acclaimed titles Snow Days, Sunny Days, and Windy Days.

Morning sun, golden skiesSoftly waking sleepy eyesThe critically-acclaimed celebration of summertime fun is now back in a new board book format!For preschoolers, sunny days are full of possibility. A sunbeam on the floor is the perfect place to curl up with a furry friend, and warming weather means seeds in the garden, mud pies in the yard, adventures at the beach, and ice cream in the shade. Evening brings the silly fun of watching little shadows stretch out long, and there’s nothing so cozy as watching the sun set as a family.In Sunny Days, author Deborah Kerbel once again weaves a spell of early childhood magic with couplets as bright as a summer afternoon. Illustrator Miki Sato’s textural collage art nearly rises from the page with fascinating features made from paper, felt, and embroidery silk. “These charming couplets about fun in the sun will have their appeal to lap sitters…. With its padded cover, rounded corners, and thick pages, this eye-catching yet simple look at sunshine will suit all collections that serve toddlers.”—School Library Journal **Starred Review**

Blustery wind burns and shrieks Nibbles on my nose and cheeks For preschoolers, windy fall days mean excitement and play. Strong winds stimulate children and their surroundings, as though an invisible hand is shaking the world. Gentler breezes help plants scatter their seeds, set pinwheels in motion, and keep kite strings taut. But fiercer winds begin to sting the cheeks as they bring about a new season… In Windy Days, author Deborah Kerbel once again captures the magic of early childhood awe and wonder with rhyming couplets as light as a breath of fresh air. Illustrator Miki Sato’s unique tactile collage art pops off the page through its detailed use of hand-stitching and textural materials.

Sunny rain sparkling showersWater for our trees and flowersFor preschoolers, rainy weather is full of possibility. A puddle in the back yard is just waiting for a stomp in rubber rain boots. A light drizzle is perfect for a search-and-rescue mission for worms and snails. And watching a heavy rainfall makes sitting inside with a warm bowl of soup all the cozier.In Rainy Days, author Deborah Kerbel once again captures the magic of early childhood awe and wonder with rhyming couplets that celebrate every kind of rainy-day activity. Illustrator Miki Sato’s unique tactile collage art nearly rises from the page with fascinating features made from paper, felt, and embroidery silk. A final page includes enriching STEM activities inquisitive little ones. Rainy Days is the fourth book in the Weather Days collection that includes the critically-acclaimed titles Snow Days, Sunny Days, and Windy Days. “I cannot resist a clever bit of paper cutting, no matter how hard I want to… Layered paper illustrations by Sato expertly provide the color you need in a book with such gray skies.”—School Library Journal, Fuse 8“Starting with the rain and how that can sadden kids, to finding the joy in things that kids can still (or only) do in the rain. Taking something that might make them sad and giving them ideas to have fun is always a good lesson for all of us, kids and parents. The illustrations are neat and clear, with details that enhance without distracting the reader.”—Youth Services Book Review

In the tradition of fun cumulative stories like The Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly and If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, this joyful story shows how helping someone in need can sometimes fulfill needs of our own.When Spider meets Shrew, they are both down on their luck. Spider’s web has blown away, and Shrew’s home has just been paved over. What happens when they decide to help each other out? They meet Bat, who is lonely for friends. Then they meet Possum, who can’t find his mom; Dog, who misses her puppies; and Pony, who is out of a job. Everyone has problems, but this quirky new community is ready to lend a hand in creative and surprising ways.This is a joyful story about an unlikely group of friends finding compassion and community in each other. Deborah Kerbel’s humorous, quippy dialogue is perfectly paired with Geneviève Côté’s endearing illustrations of the animal characters.Key Text Featuresillustrationsspeech bubblesCorrelates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts:CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.7With prompting and support, describe the relationship between illustrations and the story in which they appear (e.g., what moment in a story an illustration depicts).CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.3Describe characters, settings, and major events in a story, using key details.CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.4Identify words and phrases in stories or poems that suggest feelings or appeal to the senses.

Building a snowman becomes a community effort, in this wordless story about a cold winter day that snowballs into a warm neighborhood gathering.One morning, a girl wakes up to discover that it has snowed overnight. After breakfast she starts building a snowman — and soon realizes that it’s easier and more fun to do with some help!Other kids join in to help roll the balls that make up the snowman’s body. A passing teenager helps them reach to place the head. Then more neighbors come along and each contribute something unique from their packed lunches or winter ensembles: a pickle for a nose, bagel halves for the ears, lychee buttons, a shawl …The final touch comes in the form of a poppy pin placed by a veteran over the snowman’s heart. The snowman smiles as the community members pause to admire their work. And when the crowd disperses, the girl and her grandfather stay behind to share a snack and warmth with someone who needs them.Inspired by a real “community snowman” built by neighbors, author Deborah Kerbel has crafted a narrative about serendipitous connections, working together and paying it forward. These themes — and more! — are brought to life by the comic brilliance of Tine Modeweg-Hansen.Key Text Featureswordlesspanelsillustrations Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts:CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.3Describe characters, settings, and major events in a story, using key details.CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.7Use illustrations and details in a story to describe its characters, setting, or events.