Michelle Markel

Meet Randolph Caldecott, the artist who revolutionized picture book illustration and for whom the prestigious Caldecott medal is named! From acclaimed picture book creators Michelle Markel and Barbara McClintock comes a lively, humorous, and energetically informative biography that celebrates the spirit of storytelling in art. Quick! If you don't move fast, you're going to miss him - there he goes - Randolph Caldecott, future famous illustrator. His sketchbook is full of hurly burly: wild weather, frisky animals, and people so sprightly they can barely hold onto the pages. But in the 1850s, there are no children's books like that. Not yet. Many books are published, but their pictures look stiff, full of pretty poses and cluttered scenery. No one has imagined how much fun an illustrated book could be - because the future hero of children's book illustration is still just a lad. Join Michelle Markel and Barbara McClintock for a riotous adventure through the seminal history of children's books - their art, their joy, and the man who changed them for good. [Tomfoolery noun: silliness, shenanigans, buffoonery, skylarking, or pranks]

From Michelle Markel, the award-winning author of Brave Girl, and acclaimed illustrator Alejandro Mesa comes a spirited and inspiring picture book biography of First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt.Before she became First Lady, Eleanor Roosevelt was a girl trying to find her voice.As a young orphan, she was shy and made to feel like a failure. But every night, Eleanor would read her father's letters, full of love and belief in her, and she used his words to help her face her fears.She took them to school across the sea, where she excelled at her studies and helped other girls with theirs. And back to New York, where she volunteered in immigrant communities.Using her voice to help others gave her courage. Eleanor began speaking out in bigger ways.When her husband, Franklin, became president, she worked with--and learned from--leaders of marginalized groups, using her standing to fight for workers, women, and people of color. Every victory, big and small, drove Eleanor to do more.Unshakable Eleanor is the powerful story of First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt's journey to use her voice through helping others find their own.

Inspired by the classic Tiffany’s primer on manners for teens and featuring a familiar cast of characters, Terrific Table Manners is a modern take on table etiquette that follows the course of a proper dinner-party meal. Young readers will learn essential amenities such as sending the invite and RSVP, the use for all of those different forks, how to politely sip soup and engage in delightful (not dreadful) conversation, when to graciously dismiss yourself, and writing thank-you notes. Sharing a meal has never been this exciting and funny.

"The career of artist Henri Rousseau gets a wonderfully child-friendly treatment in a book that captures both his personality and the essence of his pictures." - Booklist (STARRED REVIEW)"Strikes just the right tone...jaunty, confiding, and affectionate." - Publishers Weekly (STARRED REVIEW)A whimsical, inspiring picture book biography of the legendary 19th-century artist Henri Rousseau.Henri Rousseau wants to be an artist. Not a single person has ever told him he is talented. He's a toll collector. He's forty years old. But he buys some canvas, paint, and brushes, and starts painting anyway.Vivid text from award-winning author Michelle Markel (Tomfoolery), coupled with fanciful, inspired art from illustrator Amanda Hall (How the Sea Came to Be), paint a portrait of a man who dreams, creates, and perseveres, despite harsh criticism, leading to an unlikely and brilliant success with paintings hanging in the world's most important museums. Includes author's and illustrator's notes.A Junior Library Guild selection.

A gorgeously illustrated picture book biography about the fascinating life of surrealist artist Leonora Carrington, from Michelle Markel and Amanda Hall, the acclaimed team behind The Fantastic Jungles of Henri Rousseau.Ever since she was a little girl, Leonora Carrington loved to draw on walls, in books, on paper—and she loved the fantastic tales her grandmother told that took her to worlds that shimmered beyond this one, where legends became real.Leonora’s parents wanted her to become a proper English lady, but there was only one thing she wanted, even if it was unsuitable: to be an artist. In London, she discovered a group of artists called surrealists, who were stunning the world with their mysterious creations. This was the kind of art she had to make. This was the kind of person she had to be.From life in Paris creating art alongside Max Ernst, to Mexico where she met Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo, Leonora’s life became intertwined with powerful events and people that shaped the twentieth century.Out of This World is the powerful, stunningly told story of Leonora Carrington, a girl who made art out of her imagination and created some of the most enigmatic and startling works of the last eighty years.

The holiday season is a busy time, with people bustling about. And it's a busy time for Edgar, a cabdriver who conveys passengers around the city. All day long Edgar drives his cab; many people going to many different places. At the end of one busy day, Edgar is so tired he climbs into the backseat of his cab to take a nap. But he discovers he is not alone. A little hamster has somehow been left behind from one of the many fares Edgar has driven. Edgar dutifully reports the hamster to the cab company's Lost and Found department, but in the meantime the little creature needs to be taken care of. Edgar brings the hamster to his apartment, making it a bed, feeding it, and even giving it a name, Chickpea. As Edgar starts his Hanukah observance, with no family nearby to share in it, the little hamster becomes more than a casual companion to the lonely man. But what happens when Chickpea's owner is found?

This rollicking and fascinating picture book biography chronicles the life of the first pioneer of children's books-John Newbery himself. While most children's books in the 18th century contained lessons and rules, John Newbery imagined them overflowing with entertaining stories, science and games. He believed that every book should be made for the reader's enjoyment. Newbery-for whom the prestigious Newbery Medal is named-became a celebrated author and publisher, changing the world ofchildren's books forever. This book about his life and legacy is as full of energy and delight as any young reader could wish.

In the spirit of Barack Obama: Son of Promise, Child of Hope and Amelia and Eleanor Go for a Ride comes an inspiring portrait of Hillary Rodham Clinton, the first female presidential nominee in United States history: a girl who fought to make a difference--and paved the way for women everywhere--from Michelle Markel and LeUyen Pham. This nonfiction picture book is an excellent choice to share during homeschooling, in particular for children ages 4 to 6. It's a fun way to learn to read and as a supplement for activity books for children.In the 1950s, it was a man's world. Girls weren't supposed to act smart, tough, or ambitious. Even though, deep inside, they may have felt that way. And then along came Hillary. Brave, brilliant, and unstoppable, she was out to change the world.They said a woman couldn't be a mother and a lawyer. Hillary was both. They said a woman shouldn't be too strong or too smart. Hillary was fearlessly herself.It didn't matter what people said--she was born to lead.With illustrations packed full of historical figures and details, this gorgeous and informative picture book biography is perfect for every budding leader. Includes a timeline, artist's note, and bibliography.

The true story of the young immigrant who led the largest strike of women workers in U.S. history. This picture book biography about the plight of immigrants in America in the early 1900s and the timeless fight for equality and justice should not be missed.When Clara arrived in America, she couldn't speak English. She didn't know that young women had to go to work, that they traded an education for long hours of labor, that she was expected to grow up fast.But that didn't stop Clara. She went to night school, spent hours studying English, and helped support her family by sewing in a shirtwaist factory.Clara never quit, and she never accepted that girls should be treated poorly and paid little. Fed up with the mistreatment of her fellow laborers, Clara led the largest walkout of women workers the country had seen.From her short time in America, Clara learned that everyone deserved a fair chance. That you had to stand together and fight for what you wanted. And, most importantly, that you could do anything you put your mind to.This picture book biography about Ukrainian immigrant Clara Lemlich tackles topics like activism and the U.S. garment industry. The art, by Caldecott Honor winner Melissa Sweet, beautifully incorporates stitching and fabric. A bibliography and an author's note on the garment industry are included.

Henri Rousseau wanted to be an artist. But he had no formal training. Instead, he taught himself to paint. He painted until the jungles and animals and distant lands in his head came alive on the space of his canvases. Henri Rousseau endured the harsh critics of his day and created the brilliant paintings that now hang in museums around the world. Michelle Markel's vivid text, complemented by the vibrant illustrations of Amanda Hall, artfully introduces young readers to the beloved painter and encourages all readers to persevere despite all odds. Watch the trailer: