Madelyn Goodnight – illustratör

"Heartfelt reflections on the importance of kinship with nature." —Kirkus Reviews

Our people believe spirit lives in everything.

Mountain, river, wind, tree.                                                                                                               

Come, take a walk with me.

What do we learn from plants when we listen to them speaking? Indigenous plantsman Nicholas Hummingbird calls on the legacy of his great-grandparents to remember how one drop of rain, one seed, one plant can renew a cycle of hope and connection—for him and for each of us.

Perfect for readers of Sy Montgomery, debut authors Nicholas Hummingbird and Julia Wasson joyfully proclaim even the youngest person can be an earth protector. With gorgeous illustrations from Rock Your Mocs artist Madelyn Goodnight, Can You Hear the Plants Speak? encourages us to engage with the natural world.

A stunning, poetic debut picture book from Pasha Westbrook about honoring one’s roots and the unbreakable bond of familial love, brought to life with enchanting illustrations by acclaimed illustrator Madelyn Goodnight.

Father braids my hair, just like his,

scented of coconut oil, the familiar tug of fingers on my scalp,

love in every twist...

As a young girl’s father lovingly yet painstakingly braids her hair, he weaves a story about the strength and resilience of their ancestors, Freedmen who walked the Trail of Tears from Mississippi to Oklahoma.

In this enchanting picture book, past and present come together in a tale about endurance, history, and love. With beautiful, sweeping illustrations by Madelyn Goodnight and debut author Pasha Westbrook's lyrical writing, Braided Roots tenderly explores the unwavering love between a father and daughter.

A lyrical informational picture book about the water cycle, based on the global bestseller One Well.

Award-winning author Rochelle Strauss’s picture book adaptation of her bestselling book One Well invites readers to notice how water is flowing all around them, in streams and rivers and oceans and even underground. The book shows that water - our most precious resource, needed by everyone and everything on Earth - is finite. Even though that water constantly circles from Earth to the sky and back down again, all the water on Earth is … well, all the water we’ll ever have. So, everyone needs to help protect it!

Part of the CitizenKid collection for younger readers, this book is an engaging primer on water, using accessible text and loads of illustrations. It includes easy-to-understand explanations of where water is found - freshwater and saltwater bodies of all types, rain and dew, ice and snow and even steam - how the water cycle works, who needs water and what it’s used for, as well as today’s global water concerns. With art by bestselling illustrator Madelyn Goodnight that colorfully captures the wonders of nature from a child’s perspective, it’s a perfect read-aloud to spark deeper discussions and inspire budding water conservationists. The content is supported by back matter that includes discussion questions as well as an author’s note and a list of resources for further learning.