A Boy, a Mouse, and a Spider--The Story of E. B. White
Barbara Herkert
Illustrated by Lauren Castillo
Synopsis
A lyrical biography of E. B. White, beloved author of Charlotte's Web and Stuart Little, written by Barbara Herkert and illustrated by Caldecott honoree Lauren Castillo.
When young Elwyn White lay in bed as a sickly child, a bold house mouse befriended him. When the time came for kindergarten, an anxious Elwyn longed for the farm, where animal friends awaited him...
Details
Reviews
An Ezra Jack Keats Award Nominee
A Junior Library Guild Selection
A CCBC Master List Selection
A Kansas Reading Circle Master List Selection
"Herkert's elegant prose and Castillo's stunning brown ink-and-watercolor illustrations team up for a magnificent model of what a picture book can be. . . A stunner—radiant even."--Kirkus Reviews, starred review
"A subtle narrative structured like verse . . . Castillo uses brown ink, soft watercolors, and digital manipulation to create sturdy, nostalgic scenes of city and country to accompany the development of White’s writing and family life. Rich and rewarding."--Publishers Weekly, starred review
"Herkert’s poetry is a delight to the senses . . . Castillo’s friendly ink-and-watercolor illustrations also contribute to the sense of cheerful pleasantness. A winsome picture book biography."--School Library Journal
"This book has the feel of poetry . . . an important glimpse into how inspiration can pop up anywhere."--Booklist
"The short ragged-right lines beam with love for his writing and the joys of attentiveness to the world. . . Line and watercolor art with some additional textural and digital touches has an unassuming robustness well suited to its subject."--The Bulletin
"A gentle reverie on a beloved writer, ideally suited for children first encountering his children’s books as read-alouds."--The Horn Book