-Children's Book Author-MICHELLE CUEVAS
the BOOKS
Guess what! I'm going to be a movie from Fox Animation!
The Care and Feeding of a
Pet Black Hole
"A pet black hole can be your light in the darkest dark..."
Caring for a black hole is rather complicated. Eleven-year-old Stella Rodriguez has to learn the hard way, when a black hole follows her home from NASA one day, and seems to want to live in her house as a pet. The black hole swallows everything it touches, which is rather frustrating but also turns out to be a convenient way to get rid of those items that Stella doesn't want around. Especially the ones that remind her of her dad, who died recently and left a cosmically vast space in her heart.
But the black hole ends up accidentally swallowing something too precious to lose. Now Stella herself must go deep inside to embark on an epic, interstellar adventure. After all, her whole world is at stake.
Who knew having a pet black hole could cause so much trouble?
SMOOT: A Rebellious Shadow
"A brave shadow finds a more colorful life in this joyous picture book by the acclaimed author of The Uncorker of Ocean Bottles and illustrator of Sidewalk Flowers."
Smoot the shadow has been living a yawn-filled life for years. His boy never laughs and never leaps, so Smoot never does either . . . until the day he pops free, and decides to hit the road in search of the life he dreams about. And as he enjoys his first colorful day—singing, dancing, and playing—other shadows watch him, and they become brave, too. The frog's shadow takes the shape of a prince, the dragonfly's shadow that of a dragon. Even the rock's shadow gets in on the excitement. But what will become of the timid beings their shadows have left behind? Will they finally be inspired to find their own daring?
Praise for The Uncorker
“Cuevas’s prose is laden with gems . . . gorgeous sentences as precious as the messages themselves . . . ”—The New York Times Book Review
“Michelle Cuevas has reworked a historical curiosity—an official job, in Elizabethan England, of opening bottles that might contain naval secrets—into a contemporary tale of longing and consolation.”—The Wall Street Journal
* "Readers will find both consolation and encouragement on every visit to this emotionally resonant, evocative story."—Kirkus, starred review
* "Stead's characters exude an endearing vulnerability and quirky charm. . . . A perfect pairing of text and art. Share this quiet story with your wishers and dreamers."—School Library Journal, starred review
* "Caldecott Medalist Stead's ethereal spreads give the characters distinctive, captivating personalities. . . . The underlying message about learning to see the worth of every person is a treasure."—Publishers Weekly, starred review
The Uncorker of Ocean Bottles
A NATIONAL BESTSELLER!
A message in a bottle holds the promise of surprise and wonder, as told in this enthralling picture book written by Michelle Cuevas and illustrated by Caldecott Medalist Erin E. Stead
The Uncorker of Ocean Bottles, who lives alone atop a hill, has a job of the utmost importance. It is his task to open any bottles found at sea and make sure that the messages are delivered. He loves his job, though he has always wished that, someday, one of the letters would be addressed to him. One day he opens a party invitation—but there’s no name attached. As he devotes himself to the mystery of the intended recipient, he ends up finding something even more special: the possibility of new friends.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY STARRED REVIEW
SLJ STARRED REVIEW
KIRKUS STARRED REVIEW
INDIE NEXT LIST, INDIEBOUND
TIME MAGAZINE TOP TEN BOOK OF THE YEAR
Confessions of an Imaginary Friend:
A Memoir by Jacques Papier
Dial/Penguin Books For Young Readers
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The whimsical "autobiography" of an imaginary friend who doesn't know he's imaginary—perfect for fans of The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane and Toy Story
Jacques Papier has the sneaking suspicion that everyone except his sister Fleur hates him. Teachers ignore him when his hand is raised in class, he is never chosen for sports teams, and his parents often need to be reminded to set a place for him at the dinner table. But he is shocked when he finally learns the truth: He is Fleur's imaginary friend! When he convinces Fleur to set him free, he begins a surprising, touching, and always funny quest to find himself—to figure out who Jacques Papier truly is, and where he belongs.
Readers will fall in love with Jacques's sweet, quirky voice as he gives them a look at life from an incredible new perspective.
INDIE NEXT LIST, INDIEBOUND
TIME MAGAZINE TOP TEN BOOK OF THE YEAR
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY STARRED REVIEW
Beyond The Laughing Sky
Dial/Penguin Books For Young Readers
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"This is an impossibly lovely tale—but then, as Nashville, the soaring heart of this exquisite novel, learns, nothing is impossible when you follow your dreams. BEYOND THE LAUGHING SKY is a triumph."—Katherine Applegate, Newbery Award-winning author of The One and Only Ivan
Ten-year-old Nashville doesn’t feel like he belongs with his family, in his town, or even in this world. He was hatched from an egg his father found on the sidewalk and has grown into something not quite boy and not quite bird. Despite the support of his loving parents and his adoring sister, Junebug, Nashville wishes more than anything that he could join his fellow birds up in the sky. After all, what's the point of being part bird if you can't even touch the clouds?
With an ear for language and a gift for storytelling, Michelle Cuevas will remind fans of Stuart Little andWhere the Mountain Meets the Moon that anything is possible. Even flying.
AMAZON 'BEST OF THE MONTH' OCTOBER 2014
The Masterwork of A Painting Elephant
Farrar, Straus & Giroux
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Ever since he was an infant, Pigeon Jones has lived on the back of an artistically gifted white elephant named Birch. Birch is a loving father, but that doesn’t stop Pigeon from wondering about the human parents who abandoned him. Birch has dreams, too—of being a well-known artist, and of finding the acrobat he fell in love with while they performed together in a circus years ago.
And so, on Pigeon’s tenth birthday, their search for fame and lost loves begins. Pigeon and Birch paint their way across the world, dodging an evil circus ringleader, freeing zoo animals, and befriending singing hoboes along the way. But when they reach the end of their journey, Birch must master the most difficult art of all: letting go and allowing his beloved Pigeon to stand on his own two feet.
