Mies van Hout

Perhaps Scaredy Sam is braver than he thinks? Scaredy Sam is scared of absolutely everything, from wearing his favourite flowery dungarees in public to the ghost he thinks lives under his bed. Sam makes an appointment with the Magic Tree to become less cowardly, but first he must travel through the woods, where all the wild creatures live. Step by step, Sam becomes less afraid. He politely and boldly confronts a dragon, a giant spider and a gnarled witch. By the time Sam reaches the Magic Tree, he’s no longer afraid. Scaredy Sam has become Brave Sam. A quietly inspirational story to help children realise they are braver than they think. Atmospheric and cheerful illustrations with a distinctive painterly style help create a world of magical adventure and self - discovery.

"Van Hout expertly conveys the emotional peaks and valleys of each friendship; the monster's eyes and expressions speak volumes."-- Publishers Weekly *Starred Review*Back in print at last Award-winning author-illustrator Mies Van Hout celebrates the fun (and sometimes bumpy) stages of friendship as monster friends play, fight, and reconcile.Set against Mies van Hout's iconic black backgrounds and utilizing the same vibrant pastel style of the internationally bestselling Happy, each spread of Friends shows a pair of childlike monsters portraying a single verb, from play to tease to fight, reconcile, and cuddle. Originally published in 2013, this critically acclaimed picture book is both a beautiful art book and a valuable tool for social-emotional learning. Carefully crafted "monster" characters express an emotional depth that is visually stunning and relatable to children and adults alike. This new, high-value edition of Friends features extra-heavy pages that, like the truest friendship, will stand the test of time and repeated readings."Like the earlier Happy, this conveys emotional heft and arresting images in an appealing, child-size package."-- Kirkus Reviews

Back in print at last Award-winning author-illustrator Mies Van Hout celebrates the joys and challenges of parenthood as vibrant birds grow their families.Set against Mies van Hout's iconic black backgrounds and utilizing the same vibrant chalk style of the internationally bestselling Happy, each spread of Surprise shows vivid birds portraying the emotions of parenthood, from "marveling" to "teasing" to "listening."This lively book is perfect for both new and experienced parents alike, as they will resonate with the emotional and ephemeral journey of parenthood. This new, high-value edition of Surprise features extra-heavy pages that, like the love parents have for their children, will stand the test of time and repeated readings. Award-winning author-illustrator Mies van Hout brings humor and charm to the exhilarating adventure of parenthood. Her distinctive paintings are cheerful and bold, and her work has been published in more than twenty countries."Extraordinary colors and single words describe the journey of bird parents and children....While certainly a work that will appeal to parents, it will also delight children with the profusion of color and the single words illustrated with so much energy and imagination."--Kirkus *Starred Review*"Surprise, which has humor as well as sweetness, should appeal to children and perhaps especially to their mothers, whether they are still 'longing'] for a new hatchling or at last letting go."--New York Times

"Mies van Hout's Happy is a tour de force of underwater awesomeness and emotion, showcasing what an artist can do with a few pastels, black paper and something fundamental to express."--New York Times Book ReviewWho could have guessed that dazzlingly colored fish swimming in an ink-black sea would help hundreds of thousands of people around the world learn to recognize and name their emotions? In 2012, Mies van Hout's Happy swept the scene as both a stunning art piece and a social-emotional learning book like no other. On each of its spreads swims a single fish, each scale and fin suffused with an emotion that the facing page names in similarly expressive letters: curious, nervous, loving, content...Readers of all ages can benefit from expanding their emotional vocabulary. Use Happy during a story time full of energetic face-making, or emote with your whole bodies for a drama exercise. Share it one-on-one to help someone name what they're feeling, or inspire budding artists to see what they can do with chalk pastels and black paper. Or simply page through the art and lose yourself in Mies van Hout's ocean of extraordinary fish. Whatever makes you...happy."It's a delightful amuse-bouche of a book, and an aquatic introduction to everyday emotions. Ages 2- up " --Publishers Weekly

"Van Hout expertly conveys the emotional peaks and valleys of each friendship; the monster's eyes and expressions speak volumes." -- Publishers Weekly, *Starred Review* Award-winning author-illustrator Mies Van Hout celebrates the fun (and sometimes bumpy) stages of friendship as monster friends play, fight, and reconcile. Set against Mies van Hout's iconic black backgrounds and utilizing the same vibrant pastel style of the internationally bestselling Happy, each spread of Friends shows a pair of childlike monsters portraying a single verb, from play to tease to fight, reconcile, and cuddle. This critically acclaimed picture book is both a beautiful art book and a valuable tool for social-emotional learning. Carefully crafted "monster" characters express an emotional depth that is visually stunning and relatable to children and adults alike. This new, high-value edition of Friends features extra-heavy pages that, like the truest friendship, will stand the test of time and repeated readings. "Like the earlier Happy, this conveys emotional heft and arresting images in an appealing, child-size package." -- Kirkus Reviews

Mies van Hout's Happy is a tour de force of underwater awesomeness and emotion, showcasing what an artist can do with a few pastels, black paper and something fundamental to express." -- New York Times Book ReviewWho could have guessed that dazzlingly colored fish swimming in an ink-black sea would help hundreds of thousands of people around the world learn to recognize and name their emotions? In 2012, Mies van Hout's Happy swept the scene as both a stunning art piece and a social-emotional learning book like no other. On each of its spreads swims a single fish, each scale and fin suffused with an emotion that the facing page names in similarly expressive letters: curious, shocked, loving, content...Now, in this stunning edition of Happy, van Hout's luminous fish swim across extra-heavy pages that will endure through countless readings. A gorgeous dust jacket reverses to a playful poster for home, classroom, or office.Readers of all ages can benefit from expanding their emotional vocabulary. Use Happy during a story time full of energetic face-making, or emote with your whole bodies for a drama exercise. Share it one-on-one to help someone name what they're feeling, or inspire budding artists to see what they can do with chalk pastels and black paper. Or simply page through the art and lose yourself in Mies van Hout's ocean of extraordinary fish. Whatever makes you happy."It's a delightful amuse-bouche of a book, and an aquatic introduction to everyday emotions. Ages 2- up " -- Publishers Weekly ★ Starred Review

“A visual delight, this picture book offers openings for conversation about wishes, predictions, and one’s own enviable strengths.”—School Library Journal **Starred Review** What child has not daydreamed about having wings like a butterfly? But secretly, the flashy butterfly yearns for a stick insect’s privacy. And the stick insect wants to swim like a whirligig beetle. One after the other, the denizens of bestselling author-illustrator Mies van Hout’s vibrant garden landscape wish to be like somebody else. From the glowing firefly to the capable spider to the adorable ladybugs, each one brings something to be admired. And when the dragonfly wishes to be like a child who can run, play, laugh, and build, a world of possibilities opens up. A gentle but effective story for social emotional learning, If Only allows children to reach their own conclusions and acknowledge that while it’s common to compare ourselves to others, it’s best to remember and celebrate what we ourselves can do. “The imaginative narrative guides viewers through a series of richly colorful, dynamic collages, each showcasing a creature and its particularly enviable ability, characteristic, or situation….Originally published in the Netherlands, this radiant picture book has international appeal.”—Booklist **Starred Review**

“Who is my Daddy?” asks a prickly baby animal. Is it the porcupine? The dust bunny? Could it be the cactus? No! It’s the father hedgehog, of course, cuddling his baby to sleep. With This is My Daddy!, acclaimed illustrator Mies van Hout gives young readers and their parents a fun and often funny challenge: correctly choose a baby animal’s father from among four candidates, rendered in striking portraits. The vibrant cast includes busy beavers, prickly porcupines, frolicking frogs, and more. A clever twist on babies-and-parents books, This is My Daddy! will mesmerize little ones with the details of its vivid artwork. Then, just when the complacent reader has the pattern all figured out, story time wraps up with a side-splitting surprise.

Bestselling author-illustrator Mies van Hout employs vivid creatures in a jewel-tone natural setting to explore the longing we all feel at times to be like somebody else. What child has not daydreamed about having wings like a butterfly? But secretly, the flashy butterfly yearns for a stick insect’s privacy. And the stick insect wants to swim like a whirligig beetle. One after the other, the denizens of bestselling author-illustrator Mies van Hout's vibrant garden landscape wish to be like somebody else. From the glowing firefly to the capable spider to the adorable ladybugs, each one brings something to be admired. And when the dragonfly wishes to be like a child who can run, play, laugh, and build, a world of possibilities opens up. A gentle but effective story for social emotional learning, If Only... allows children to reach their own conclusions and acknowledge that while it's common to compare ourselves to others, it's best to remember and celebrate what we ourselves can do.

Edderkoppen vil gjerne være søt som marihøna. Marihøna på sin side drømmer om å være like sterk som en maur. Men mauren synes det er altfor hektisk å være omgitt av alle de andre maurene. Han lengter etter fred og ro. "Hvis jeg bare var en snegl ..." sukker han.