Anna Bron – illustratör

It's a rainy day, and Lila is bored. Then she gets an idea: she can build a monster friend!

She uses bits and pieces she's collected, like bolts and hinges and coils and—eureka!—with a bolt of lightning, he comes to life. Soon Lila and Monster are bouncing on the bed, making sticky slime and munching on cereal straight from the box.

But when Monster accidentally makes a big mess, Dad comes running, and he can't help but be alarmed. Lila realizes it might be time to send Monster packing. Still, there couldn't be any harm in leaving her window open a crack. And perhaps she could save some of her sandwich...just in case a friend drops by.

Praise for Laurie Elmquist:

★ "Dreamy artwork and verse reassure readers who are headed to bed...Enchanting, engaging, and restful." —Publishers Weekly, starred review for Beach Baby

★ “While the spare text is developmentally perfect for children, the illustrations elevate this offering with entrancing collages in a vivid palette. A first purchase for all libraries.”—School Library Journal, starred review for City Baby

Mardy and Olaus Murie fell in love in--and with--Alaska. Then set out on an adventure across the Arctic for Olaus's work as a biologist, encountering the beauty and danger of the wilds along the way. They learned from Indigenous communities to appreciate the interconnectedness of all living creatures and understood that the way humans were moving in on wild land was threatening the natural world. So they shifted the focus of their work to conservation, fighting to protect the land and animals--and lobbying for the creation of what finally became the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, nine thousand square miles of protected land!

Mardy and Olaus's story of passion and hard work will inspire all readers to fan their spark of purpose into flame. Backmatter includes additional information on Mardy and Olaus, their legacy, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and more.