When the Babies Came to Stay

Author: Christine McDonnell
Illustrator: Jeanette Bradley
ISBN: 978-1-9848-3545-1
Publisher: Viking
Coming Soon: March 24, 2020
(Find it at your local indie on IndieBound)
A gentle, humorous story has a significant message of love and acceptance.
The first baby arrived on the mail plane, the second two on the ferry, the fourth asleep on a pile of nets, smelling of mackerel. Who were the babies? Where did they come from? The notes left with them said "Please keep this baby safe" and "Please give my child shelter." Only the librarian can take them home, and the library is where they grow up. The whole island helps to raise them. The fisherman teaches them to cast from the pier, the ferryman shows them charts of the sea, and from the harbormaster they learn to recognize birds.
"Who are you?" other children ask. "Why don't you look alike?" The librarian gathers them in her arms. "Families don't always look alike," she says. "And where we're going is more important than where we came from."
This charming, lighthearted fairytale contains a message of acceptance that is particularly significant for our time.
 Bradley’s enchanting illustrations depict a diverse cast, including people of color among the islanders, babies, and toys, and place it in a well-realized island setting.   - Kirkus Reviews

Love, Mama

Author/illustrator: Jeanette Bradley
ISBN: 9781626729490
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Publication Date: January 2nd, 2018

Available wherever books are sold
(Find it at your local indie on IndieBound) 

🏆 Amazon Best Books of the Year 



When Mama goes on a trip, her baby penguin Kipling knows she’ll return home soon—yet he still can’t help but miss her. After all, Pillow Mama won’t read, Picture Mama won’t laugh, and Snow Mama is too cold to cuddle.

But when Kipling receives a special delivery from Mama, he knows that no matter where she is, he is always loved. Soon, Mama comes home, and Kipling ends the day where he belongs—right in her arms.
“Bradley’s soft paintings and understated narration create a rich maritime world―and the comforting assurance of enduring love―that should readily resonate with the children of working parents, even if their Mamas don’t head off to work on an ice floe, as Kipling’s mother does.” ―Publishers Weekly (click here for full review)

“The artwork works with the spare text to keep the focus on how Kipling is feeling; readers are sure to empathize. This will provide both reassurance to children missing their own loved ones and ideas for staying connected.” ―Kirkus Reviews 

“Poignant and high quality... a must for public and school libraries.” - School Library Journal 

“Enchanting illustrations and understated text depict... the heartfelt emotions of this parent-child pair, making this poignant tale a reassuring choice for any youngster dealing with separation from a loved one.” - Joy Fleishaker, Sweet Treats for Valentine’s Day, School Library Journal 

Coming Soon

No Voice Too Small: Fourteen Young Americans Making History

Editors: Lindsay Metcalf, Keila Dawson, and Jeanette Bradley
Illustrator: Jeanette Bradley
ISBN:  978-1-6235-4131-6
Publisher: Charlesbridge
Coming Soon: Fall 2020

Featuring young, contemporary activists including literacy advocate Marley Dias, water protector Jasilyn Charger, Scouts for Equality founder Zach Wahls, and immigration reformer Viridiana Sanchez Santos. Contributors include Nikki Grimes, Joseph Bruchac, Lesléa Newman, and Guadalupe García McCall.
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