Mies van Hout – författare

Renowned illustrator Mies van Hout delivers a funny and affectionate picture book that celebrates fathers and the value of play.

Bestselling author-illustrator Mies van Hout employs vivid creatures in a jewel-tone natural setting to explore the longing we all feel at times to be like somebody else. What child has not daydreamed about having wings like a butterfly? But secretly, the flashy butterfly yearns for a stick insect’s privacy. And the stick insect wants to swim like a whirligig beetle.One after the other, the denizens of bestselling author-illustrator Mies van Hout's vibrant garden landscape wish to be like somebody else. From the glowing firefly to the capable spider to the adorable ladybugs, each one brings something to be admired. And when the dragonfly wishes to be like a child who can run, play, laugh, and build, a world of possibilities opens up.A gentle but effective story for social emotional learning, If Only... allows children to reach their own conclusions and acknowledge that while it's common to compare ourselves to others, it's best to remember and celebrate what we ourselves can do.

“Who is my Daddy?” asks a prickly baby animal. Is it the porcupine? The dust bunny? Could it be the cactus? No! It’s the father hedgehog, of course, cuddling his baby to sleep. With This is My Daddy!, acclaimed illustrator Mies van Hout gives young readers and their parents a fun and often funny challenge: correctly choose a baby animal’s father from among four candidates, rendered in striking portraits. The vibrant cast includes busy beavers, prickly porcupines, frolicking frogs, and more. A clever twist on babies-and-parents books, This is My Daddy! will mesmerize little ones with the details of its vivid artwork. Then, just when the complacent reader has the pattern all figured out, story time wraps up with a side-splitting surprise.

“A visual delight, this picture book offers openings for conversation about wishes, predictions, and one’s own enviable strengths.”—School Library Journal **Starred Review**What child has not daydreamed about having wings like a butterfly? But secretly, the flashy butterfly yearns for a stick insect’s privacy. And the stick insect wants to swim like a whirligig beetle.One after the other, the denizens of bestselling author-illustrator Mies van Hout’s vibrant garden landscape wish to be like somebody else. From the glowing firefly to the capable spider to the adorable ladybugs, each one brings something to be admired. And when the dragonfly wishes to be like a child who can run, play, laugh, and build, a world of possibilities opens up.A gentle but effective story for social emotional learning, If Only allows children to reach their own conclusions and acknowledge that while it’s common to compare ourselves to others, it’s best to remember and celebrate what we ourselves can do.“The imaginative narrative guides viewers through a series of richly colorful, dynamic collages, each showcasing a creature and its particularly enviable ability, characteristic, or situation….Originally published in the Netherlands, this radiant picture book has international appeal.”—Booklist **Starred Review**

A monstrously funny book about the ups and downs of being friends