How I Met...

For fans of Oliver Jeffers, this stunningly illustrated, whimsical picture book is about finding your own voice and learning how to connect with others through storytelling. A quiet child in a boisterous family, Emma Wen dreams of a world that is peaceful and silent. When she reads about the blue whale - with a heart so big her father could stand in it - she has an idea. She fashions a boat out of household objects and sails from her bedroom into the mouth of a whale, where she settles in happily. Emma has finally found her peace and quiet. That is until another child, Owen Tang, arrives inside the whale and is loud, noisy and "everything she is running away from". Emma and Owen's unlikely friendship blossoms inside the microcosm of the whale in a beautifully told story of friendship and finding your own voice in a world that is "filled with too much of everything, everywhere." With lush, irresistible illustrations and its balance of sensitivity and adventure, Xin Li's author/illustrat

A Maryland Blue Crab Award honoree"An informative and accessible child's-eye view of STEM careers" —Kirkus ReviewsFor any child who loves making art! This I Can Read story, blending narrative with nonfiction, introduces many different kinds of working artists to the young reader.Papa takes me to an art show and I get to meet a painter and a sculptor. Then we go to Papa’s workspace. He’s a hand-lettering artist. He takes me to meet the other artists in the building and I get to see how they work. Maybe I will be an artist when I grow up!Over the course of an exciting day with Papa, our young narrator interacts with a potter, a photographer, an animator, a graphic designer, an illustrator, a cartoon artist, and even a muralist! Art and artists are everywhere. There are loads of ways to make art—and making art doesn’t just have to be a hobby. I Want to Be an Artist is a vibrant addition to the I Can Read series that introduces young readers to important community helpers. Includes a gloss