Eric A. Kimmel – författare

How did famous New Orleans jazz trumpet player Louis Armstrong get his first horn?  Seven-year-old Louis Armstrong was too poor to buy a real instrument. He didn’t even go to school. To help his mother pay the rent, every day he rode a junk wagon through the streets of New Orleans, playing a tin horn and collecting stuff people didn’t want. Then one day, the junk wagon passed a pawn shop with a gleaming brass trumpet in the window. . . . With messages about hard work, persistence, hope, tolerance, cooperation, trust, and friendship, A Horn for Louis is perfect for aspiring young musicians and nonfiction fans alike! History Stepping Stones now feature updated content that emphasizes Common Core and today’s renewed interest in nonfiction. Perfect for home, school, and library bookshelves!

“While three little tamales cool off on a windowsill, a tortilla rolls by. “You’ll be eaten. You’d better run!” he tells them. And so the tamales jump out the window. The first runs to the prairie and builds a house of sagebrush. The second runs to a cornfield and builds a house of cornstalks. The third runs to the desert and builds a house of cactus. Then who should come along but Señor Lobo, the Big Bad Wolf, who plans to blow their houses down. Valeria Docampo’s oil-and-pencil illustrations add zest and humor to this rollicking southwestern version of a popular tale.

The Spanish edition of our Mexican-flavored Stone Soup story, Cactus Soup.When a group of hungry soldiers ride into San Miguel, the townspeople don’t want to share their food. They hide their tortillas, tamales, beans, and flour and put on torn clothes to look poor. But the Capitán is not fooled. He asks for a cactus thorn to make some cactus soup, and before long he has tricked the townspeople into giving him salt and chilies, vegetables, and a chicken as well! Whimsical watercolors by Phil Huling add to the humor in this southwestern twist on the classic Stone Soup tale.

Rose Zar was 19 years old when the Nazis invaded her native Poland. Her father urged her to save herself by hiding "in the mouth of the wolf"—or within the enemy itself. She managed to obtain false papers, secretly changing her identity and surviving the Holocaust as maid and nanny for a Nazi SS colonel.

Little Britches saddles her pony and heads out for the rodeo. She hopes to win first prize in the calf-roping contest. Along the way, she meets seven cunning rattlesnakes. One by one, they threaten to eat her up! But Little Britches is smart. She knows how to bargain with those rattlesnakes and come out on top! Endearing graphite, watercolor, and digital illustrations by Vincent Nguyen bring this southwestern romp to an outlandish finish.

Rosalia is in debt to the strange little snake man after he teaches her how to make tortillas so light they float in the air! Can she outsmart the trickster and keep her freedom?"Kimmel retells 'Rumpelstiltskin' with a Southwestern bent. This tale stands on its own while paying homage to the original and includes Spanish words throughout the text. Colored-pencil drawings by first-time illustrator Camarca invoke the traditional Southwestern landscape and dress and complement the story well. . . An enjoyable play on an old favorite that will be a sound addition to most picture book collections."—School Library Journal"From renowned children's book author Eric A. Kimmel comes this delightful re-imagining of the classic Rumplestiltskin folktale with a Southwestern setting and Spanish vocabulary. Of special note are the delightful illustrations of Erin Camarca that perfectly support this original adaptation to a vintage fairy tale. Thoroughly 'kid friendly' in tone and presentation, Rattlestiltskin is an especially recommended picture book for children ages 4 to 8 and will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to family, preschool, elementary school, and community library collections."—Children's BookwatchFrom renowned children's book author Eric A. Kimmel comes this delightful reimagining of the classic Rumplestiltskin with a Southwestern setting and Spanish vocabulary, now available in paperback.

A sassy tortilla, so light she jumps off the griddle, leads an elaborate game of chase through the desert while taunting a passel of critters—two horned toads, three donkeys, four jackrabbits, five rattlesnakes, and six buckaroos. But has she met her match in Señor Coyote?

From award-winning author Eric A. Kimmel with gorgeous, brightly patterned illustrations from artist Mara Penny, Hank and Gertie brings a modern twist to the classic Hansel and Gretel folktale combined with the high-adventure landscape of the Oregon Trail.While taking a break from their journey out west, Hank and Gertie lose their way back to their covered wagon and stumble upon the most glorious house made of candy. Little do they know there’s a dangerous witch lurking nearby, and she’s got her eye on the two hungry and vulnerable children.

Oregon Spirit Book Award Honoree, Oregon Council of Teachers of English (OCTE).A picture book highlighting scenic rides through some of Oregon's most beautiful sites, I Want a Real Bike in Oregon is the perfect book for the young cyclist who is ready for a new bike.From award-winning author Eric A. Kimmel with whimsical art by Josh Cleland, the book includes illustrations of popular bikes, including the tandem bike, the road bike, the folding bike, and more, plus tips on how to choose your first real two-wheeler.

Told through soft, gorgeous color illustrations, Why Worry is a gentle story of two friends swept into the unpredictable wilderness and how, despite feeling anxiety and worries, they find peace and calmness together.Once upon a time there were two good friends, Cricket and Grasshopper. Cricket always worried. Grasshopper never did.Cricket and Grasshopper go on a high-flying, wild adventure and encounter a large crow, a hungry fish, powerful winds, and more. But while Grasshopper is having the time of her life, Cricket can’t help but worry if they’ll be safe, where they’re going, and how they’ll return home. Though the two have differing perspectives, Grasshopper and Cricket find support in each other through acceptance and patience. Originally published in 1979, Why Worry? is a soothing tale that teaches understanding and empathy of people who experience anxiety, and how to support and alleviate those worries.

The Wise Men of Chelm stories are retold for a new generation by award-winning author Eric Kimmel. An appealing chapter book format and humorous, edgy illustration combine with a timeless old country setting and a modern gender balance to appeal to today’s young readers.

A sassy tortilla, so light she jumps off the griddle, leads an elaborate game of chase through the desert while taunting a passel of critters—two horned toads, three donkeys, four jackrabbits, five rattlesnakes, and six buckaroos. But has she met her match in Señor Coyote?