Florence Minor is an animal lover of the highest order, but how could she not be, having grown up in a family of animal lovers. From childhood on, dogs, cats, birds, and turtles have always shared her home.

Her books with her husband Wendell – If You Were a Penguin, If You Were a Panda Bear, How To Be a Bigger Bunny – all feature animals of various species, and she loves sharing that connection with children. Her new book, Smitten with Kittens, pays homage to all the entertaining felines, past and present, who have brought so much love, joy and laughter to her life.

Visit Florence at minorart.com and on Facebook and Instagram.

FEATURED BOOK 2023

Get smitten with kittens in this rhyming picture book perfect for read-alouds. There’s so much to love about kittens–from their cute little mews to their unstoppable mischief-making! Turn to the back of the book for fascinating facts. Perfect for kitty loving kiddos everywhere!

“The cuddle factor is high as the animals’ smudgy heads peek around the edges of the book’s opening pages…. A final close-up of one fuzzy feline ‘all curled up in a cozy lap’ is practically pettable.” —Publishers Weekly

AWARDS:

Pennsylvania One Book Every Young Child selection, Bank Street College of Education’s Best Children’s Books of the Year, and with Wendell: New England Independent Booksellers Association (NEIBA) President’s Award for lifetime achievement in arts and letters; Honoree of the Boston Public Library’s 27th annual Literary Light, which recognizes outstanding writers from the Northeast for their inspiring work.

3 Fun Facts

1. I just discovered that swimming with dogs is almost as much fun as swimming with dolphins!
2. I feed the chipmunks around my house on a teeny-tiny picnic table that a friend made for me.
3. I’ve always been a cloud watcher and love it when I see a cloud that looks like an animal.

Wendell Minor began his career as a book cover designer, creating iconic covers for noted authors David McCullough and Pat Conroy among many others. His transition to children’s book illustrator and author of over 60 award winning books continues to be very rewarding.

As a nature lover and history buff, Wendell loves sharing those interests with children through the books he has authored or co-authored with Jean Craighead George, Tony Johnston, Robert Burleigh, Charlotte Zolotow, Margaret Wise Brown, Buzz Aldrin, Mary Higgins Clark, and last but not least, his wife Florence.

His work has been exhibited in various museums and galleries throughout the country.

Visit Wendell at www.minorart.com and on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

FEATURED BOOK 2023

CROWBAR: The Smartest Bird in the World

A young boy finds a baby crow, abandoned, cold, and hungry. He takes him home, hoping to nurse him back to health. His grandpa disapproves — he thinks that crows are pests and thieves! The boy knows that the crow he names Crowbar is capable of learning more than how to eat, caw, and fly. But can he prove it?

“Minor’s art, done in graphite and gouache and enhanced digitally, offers realistic, meticulous snapshots of the crow and family, forming a tender interspecies familial portrait. Back matter includes more about crows, with a list of additional resources.” —Publishers Weekly

AWARDS:

The Cook Prize, Bank Street College of Education’s Best Children’s Books of the Year, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library selection, Pennsylvania One Book Every Young Child selection, ALA Notable Book, John Burroughs List of Nature Books for Young Readers, Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young Children, Outstanding Science Trade Books, the 2018-2019 Artist Laureate of the Norman Rockwell Museum, New England Independent Booksellers Association (NEIBA) President’s Award for lifetime achievement in arts and letters; Honoree of the Boston Public Library’s 27th annual Literary Light (with Florence Minor) which recognizes outstanding writers from the Northeast for their inspiring work.

3 Fun Facts

1. I like green bananas
2. I love crows.
3. I love dolphins