Books by Rachel Vail

Justin Case: School, Drool, and Other Daily Disasters (Justin Case Series, 1)

by Rachel Vail

It's the start of the school year, and nothing feels right to Justin. He didn't get the teacher he wanted, he's not in the same class as his best friend, and his little sister, Elizabeth, is starting kindergarten at his school. Elizabeth doesn't seem nervous at all. Justin is very nervous about third grade. And to top it off, he's lost his favorite stuffed animal, but he can't tell anyone, because technically he's too old to still have stuffed animals. Right?

Here is third grade in all its complicated glory―the friendships, the fears, and the advanced math. Acclaimed author Rachel Vail captures third grade with a perfect pitch, and Matthew Cordell's line art is both humorous and touching. As Justin bravely tries to step out of his shell, he will step into readers' hearts.

Justin Case is a 2011 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.

Never Mind!: A Twin Novel

by Avi, Rachel Vail

Edward and Meg are like night and day. How could such different people be twins? Well, they are, but they don't have to like it -- or each other.
For seventh grade, brainy Meg is attending ultra-competitive Fischer, while freewheeling Edward goes to an alternative school downtown. But it's just when they're finally out of each other's shadows that the trouble begins. Meg's aspirations for popularity and a boyfriend combine with Edward's devious planning and lack of singing ability to set off a showdown the likes of which twindom has never before seen.
Why is this final showdown so much fun? Could it be that Meg and Edward are more alike than they thought?

Never Mind!: A Twin Novel

by Avi, Rachel Vail

Edward and Meg are like night and day, oil and water. Meg zigs while Edward zags. How could two such different people be twins? Well, they are, but they don't have to like it -- or each other.
Seventh grade means different schools for the pair: Brainy Meg's at ultracompetitive Fischer, while Charlton Street Alternative School is the place for freewheeling Edward. Oddly enough, it's just when Edward and Meg are finally out of each other's shadows that the trouble begins.
Within just a week, Meg's aspirations for popularity, imaginary boyfriend, and angst over a terrible yellow ensemble her mother has chosen combine with Edward's devious planning, lack of singing ability, and top-secret soft spot to set off a showdown the likes of which twindom has never before seen.
How is it, then, that this final showdown is so much fun? Could it be that Meg and Edward are more alike than they thought?
Never mind. Read the book!

Lucky

by Rachel Vail, Alice Sebold, Chris Hill, Gabrielle Bell, Marissa Stapley

In a memoir hailed for its searing candor and wit, Alice Sebold reveals how her life was utterly transformed when, as an eighteen-year-old college freshman, she was brutally raped and beaten in a park near campus. What propels this chronicle of her recovery is Sebold's indomitable spirit-as she struggles for understanding ("After telling the hard facts to anyone, from lover to friend, I have changed in their eyes"); as her dazed family and friends sometimes bungle their efforts to provide comfort and support; and as, ultimately, she triumphs, managing through grit and coincidence to help secure her attacker's arrest and conviction. In a narrative by turns disturbing, thrilling, and inspiring, Alice Sebold illuminates the experience of trauma victims even as she imparts wisdom profoundly hard-won: "You save yourself or you remain unsaved."

Lucky

by Rachel Vail, Alice Sebold, Chris Hill, Gabrielle Bell, Marissa Stapley

It's all good . . . and lucky Phoebe Avery plans to celebrate by throwing an end-of-the-year bash with her four closest friends. Everything will be perfect—from the guest list to the fashion photographer to the engraved invitations. The only thing left to do is find the perfect dress . . . until Phoebe goes from having it all to hiding all she's lost.
Phoebe's older sisters warn her to keep the family's crisis totally secret. Unfortunately, her alpha-girl best friend looks increasingly suspicious, and Phoebe's crush starts sending seriously mixed signals. Phoebe tries hard to keep smiling, but when her mother is humiliated in Neiman Marcus while buying Phoebe that perfect dress and her father decides to cancel her party, she panics. How far will she go to keep up her image as a lucky girl?
With lucky, Rachel Vail begins a powerful sisterhood trilogy, comprised of one book for each of the three fascinating Avery sisters, with all their secrets laid bare during the year that completely changes their lives. Phoebe is the youngest; her story combines first love and flip-flops, friendship and sisterhood, humor and tears. Breezy, witty, and poignant, lucky is Rachel Vail at her breathtaking best.

Lucky

by Rachel Vail, Alice Sebold, Chris Hill, Gabrielle Bell, Marissa Stapley

A classic animal adventure story featuring dueling squirrel clans, peace-keeping dogs, interspecies friendships, and unlikely heroes.
Lucky, a lost little squirrel, finds himself in Albion Park surrounded by native squirrels that are very big, very tough, and VERY different than him. He needs lots of luck to fit in, and even more to pass the Squirrel Trial that will give him a permanent place in the park. But when he discovers a plot that threatens his new home, he'll need more than just good fortune to set things right.

Lucky

by Rachel Vail, Alice Sebold, Chris Hill, Gabrielle Bell, Marissa Stapley

The timeless, fearless, #1 New York Times bestselling memoir from the author of The Lovely Bones—a powerful account of her sexual assault at the age of eighteen and the harrowing trial that followed, now with a new afterword by the author.

In a memoir hailed for its searing candor, as well as its wit, Alice Sebold reveals how her life was transformed when, as an eighteen-year-old college freshman, she was brutally raped and beaten in a park near campus. What ultimately propels this chronicle of sexual assault and its aftermath is Sebold’s indomitable spirit, as she fights to secure her rapist’s arrest and conviction and comes to terms with a relationship to the world that has forever changed. With over a million copies in print, Lucky has touched the lives of a generation of readers. Sebold illuminates the experience of trauma victims and imparts a wisdom profoundly hard-won: “You save yourself or you remain unsaved.” Now reissued with a new afterword by the author, her story remains as urgent as it was when it was first published more than twenty years ago.

Lucky

by Rachel Vail, Alice Sebold, Chris Hill, Gabrielle Bell, Marissa Stapley

REESE’S BOOK CLUB PICK
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

A thrilling roller-coaster ride about a heist gone terribly wrong, with a plucky protagonist who will win readers’ hearts.

What if you had the winning ticket that would change your life forever, but you couldn’t cash it in?

Lucky Armstrong is a tough, talented grifter who has just pulled off a million-dollar heist with her boyfriend, Cary. She’s ready to start a brand-new life, with a new identity—when things go sideways. Lucky finds herself alone for the first time, navigating the world without the help of either her father or her boyfriend, the two figures from whom she’s learned the art of the scam.

When she discovers that a lottery ticket she bought on a whim is worth millions, her elation is tempered by one big problem: cashing in the winning ticket means she’ll be arrested for her crimes. She’ll go to prison, with no chance to redeem her fortune.

As Lucky tries to avoid capture and make a future for herself, she must confront her past by reconciling with her father; finding her mother, who abandoned her when she was just a baby; and coming to terms with the man she thought she loved—whose dark past is catching up with her, too.

This is a novel about truth, personal redemption, and the complexity of being good. It introduces a singularly gifted, multilayered character who must learn what it means to be independent and honest...before her luck runs out.

Lucky

by Rachel Vail, Alice Sebold, Chris Hill, Gabrielle Bell, Marissa Stapley

A wry daily comics journal of urban ennui

Gabrielle Bell fascinatingly documents the mundane details of her below-minimum-wage, twentysomething existence in Brooklyn, New York, with a subtle humor. Her simple, unadorned drawing style, heavy narration, and biting wit chronicle transient roommates who communicate only through Post-it notes; aspiring artists who sublet tiny rooms in leaky, greasy broken-down border-house loft apartments crawling with bugs, cats, and bad art. Bell tackles a string of forgettable, unrelated jobs--including nude modeling, artist's assistant, art teacher, and jewelry maker--that only serve to bolster her despair, boredom, and discomfort in her own skin.Bell's self-scrutiny leads her to dream sequences that allow her to rise above her banal actuality and hyperawareness. She fantasizes about her vision of a perfect world as she becomes the accomplished artist and world traveler she longs to be. Bell's daily comics allow her to escape the harsh, judgmental gaze of the world and the monotony of daily life. Her unpolished art speaks to a desire to record all the messy details while the pain and confusion are still fresh.

Coming of age amid the zine revolution, cartoonist Gabrielle Bell has been creating her comics to much acclaim, even winning an Ignatz Award for the self-published serialization of Lucky.

Brilliant (Avery Sisters Trilogy)

by Rachel Vail

Everything is going to be fine . . . .
Quinn Avery can handle change. It's just paint, right? Bright, blinding white paint covering her once dazzling red bedroom walls. Quinn knows she shouldn't be angry at her mom—she's doing what she must to sell the house—but still, Quinn is beyond mad, and she doesn't know what to do about it.
Until now, Quinn was doing a pretty good job at pretending to be her old self—calm and brilliant Avery daughter, responsible big sister to Allison and Phoebe, piano virtuoso, girl who makes everyone proud—but without the sanctuary of her room, a new, wild Quinn is emerging. Lying, sneaking out, partying, Quinn is practically asking to get caught. When Quinn adds kissing the wrong boys—including her sister's boyfriend and her own piano teacher—to her list of crimes, has she gone too far to save herself?
Brilliant, the final book in Rachel Vail's critically acclaimed sisterhood series, which includes Lucky and Gorgeous, follows Quinn through a summer of change as she discovers that while letting go is never easy, hanging on can be even harder. Witty and poignant, Brilliant is the perfect ending to this addictive trilogy of interconnected sister stories.

If We Kiss

by Rachel Vail

As discreetly as possible I pressed my right fist against my mouth and stuck my gum to the back of it, just in case this was going to turn into a kissing-type thing. Even in my inexperience, I knew you are not supposed to have gum in your mouth while you kiss. Kevin led me quickly around the side of the building, then stopped. I managed not to crash into him. I tried to look calm, cool, unperturbed. I told myself not to laugh, especially not a snorting kind of laugh. "Wha ... what did ... " And then he kissed me.
If We Kiss is the story of Charlotte (Charlie to her friends), who finds herself falling for a boy who is off-limits. Her best friend is in love with him, and her mother and his father are dating. Still, Charlie can't help but wonder, what would happen if we kiss?

You, Maybe: The Profound Asymmetry of Love in High School

by Rachel Vail

Careful what you love
Josie is independent, fierce, and does not care what anyone thinks about her, especially where guys are concerned. She may flirt with them, and even kiss them, but it doesn't mean anything, not even with Michael. He's more like a friend-with-benefits.
So who can explain what happens when Carson Gold decides he's interested in her? Carson Gold, the hottest senior, the one everyone secretly watches. At first Josie treats him the same way she treats everybody else. But something about him gets to her. Maybe it's the same thing that causes everyone to watch him. Maybe it's something between them, something just he and Josie share.
Can you blame her for what happens? Could you resist? Neither can Josie -- not for lack of trying, and despite her better sense. It's too much, that first time love finds you and sucks you under. It's too much, even for Josie.
Love is a brat

Do-Over

by Rachel Vail, Christine Hurley Deriso

But that doesn't mean anyone likes him back. Maybe it's because he's not so good at Seven in Heaven, or because he always manages to say the wrong thing. His best friend isn't much help, and his dad can't even seem to stay married, so what good would his advice be?
Unlike in basketball, there are no do-overs in life or in love. Which is either really scary or really awesome, depending on how you look at it.

Do-Over

by Rachel Vail, Christine Hurley Deriso

Imagine having the power to turn back time. Not 100 years—just 10 seconds. Enough to take back those embarrassing missteps and wrong answers.

Elsa’s mom died suddenly one year ago, but she appears one night to grant Elsa do-over power. Elsa thinks she dreamt it until she utters the words the next morning and watches her whole world rewind 10 seconds.

Elsa needs the do-over power to become cool at her new school. It’s fun taking people’s answers and being a star student one day, and gossip queen the next. Even the ultra-popular Slice Girls want to be her friend now. Elsa can re-do anything until she gets it right. So why doesn’t her new life feel so perfect?

Ever After

by Rachel Vail, Graham Swift

Mainly because the here and now is so lame, even if it is the summer. Her best friend, Vicky, is jealous of newcomer Grace, and who knows what's up with Jason, her ex-fling. Her mother doesn't understand her, her father's no good at pivotal moments, and even Prince Purple Flower has deserted her. She may yet turn to a life of petty crime.
Doesn't everyone get a happily ever after? Molly is definitely ready for the ever after part to begin.

Ever After

by Rachel Vail, Graham Swift

Dazzling in its structure and shattering in its emotional force, Graham Swift's Ever After spans two centuries and settings from the adulterous bedrooms of postwar Paris to the contemporary entanglements in the groves of academe. It is the story of Bill Unwin, a man haunted by the death of his beautify wife and a survivor himself of a recent brush with mortality. And although it touches on Darwin and dinosaurs, bees and bridge builders, the true subject of Ever After is nothing less than the eternal question, "Why should things matter?"

"Ever After is explicitly concerned with historical investigation, love, death, family affairs.... It moves quickly, and it vibrates with feeling and thought."--Wall Street Journal

Unfriended

by Rachel Vail

In middle school, nothing is more important than friendship.

When Truly is invited to sit at the Popular Table with the group she has dreamed of joining, she can hardly believe her luck. Everyone seems so nice, so kind to one another. But all is not as it seems with her new friends, and soon she's caught in a maelstrom of lies, misunderstandings, accusations and counter-accusations, all happening very publicly in the relentless, hyperconnected social media world from which there is no escape.

Six eighth-graders, four girls and two boys, struggle to understand and process their fractured glimples into one another's lives as they find new ways to disconnect, but also to connect, in Rachel Vail's richest and most searching book.

Unfriended

by Rachel Vail

In middle school, nothing is more important than friendship.

When Truly is invited to sit at the Popular Table with the group she has dreamed of joining, she can hardly believe her luck. Everyone seems so nice, so kind to one another. But all is not as it seems with her new friends, and soon she's caught in a maelstrom of lies, misunderstandings, accusations and counter-accusations, all happening very publicly in the relentless, hyperconnected social media world from which there is no escape.

Six eighth-graders, four girls and two boys, struggle to understand and process their fractured glimples into one another's lives as they find new ways to disconnect, but also to connect, in Rachel Vail's richest and most searching book.

Well, That Was Awkward

by Rachel Vail

Gracie has never felt like this before. One day, she suddenly can’t breathe, can’t walk, can’t anything—and the reason is standing right there in front of her, all tall and weirdly good-looking: A.J.

But it turns out A.J. likes not Gracie but Gracie’s beautiful best friend, Sienna. Obviously Gracie is happy for Sienna. Super happy! She helps Sienna compose the best texts, responding to A.J.’s surprisingly funny and appealing texts, just as if she were Sienna. Because Gracie is fine. Always! She’s had lots of practice being the sidekick, second-best.

It’s all good. Well, almost all. She’s trying.

Funny and tender, Well, That Was Awkward goes deep into the heart of middle school, and finds that even with all the heartbreak, there can be explosions of hope and moments of perfect happiness.

Well, That Was Awkward

by Rachel Vail

Gracie has never felt like this before. One day, she suddenly can’t breathe, can’t walk, can’t anything—and the reason is standing right there in front of her, all tall and weirdly good-looking: A.J.

But it turns out A.J. likes not Gracie but Gracie’s beautiful best friend, Sienna. Obviously Gracie is happy for Sienna. Super happy! She helps Sienna compose the best texts, responding to A.J.’s surprisingly funny and appealing texts, just as if she were Sienna. Because Gracie is fine. Always! She’s had lots of practice being the sidekick, second-best.

It’s all good. Well, almost all. She’s trying.

Funny and tender, Well, That Was Awkward goes deep into the heart of middle school, and finds that even with all the heartbreak, there can be explosions of hope and moments of perfect happiness.

Please, Please, Please (The Friendship Ring)

by Rachel Vail

Best friends stick together in Rachel Vail's Friendship Ring series!

Growing up is never easy. But when things get tough, you can always count on your best friends. CJ, Olivia, Morgan and Zoe know one thing for sure: they’ll always have each other!

CJ has been taking ballet for years. But doing ballet means lots of practice and missing out on stuff like soccer with her friends and the big seventh-grade field trip. On top of that, the friendship ring she bought with Zoe is causing trouble in the group. CJ is sure that quitting ballet will make things better with her friends, but it would devastate her mother. All CJ wants is a chance to be happy without hurting anyone else, but is that possible?

If You Only Knew (The Friendship Ring)

by Rachel Vail

4 rings, 1 promise: Best Friends Forever

Growing up is never easy. But when things get tough, you can always count on your best friends. CJ, Olivia, Morgan and Zoe know one thing’s for sure: they’ll always have each other!

Zoe isn’t like her three best friends. She enjoys playing sports outside, doesn’t really care about clothes, and is a little self conscious of her body. So when her best friend Tommy admits he likes her, Zoe is caught off guard and tells him to ask CJ out instead. But then she starts having doubts about her decision. Can she share her true feelings without risking her friendships?

Justin Case: School, Drool, and Other Daily Disasters (Justin Case Series)

by Rachel Vail

It's the start of the school year, and nothing feels right to Justin. He didn't get the teacher he wanted, he's not in the same class as his best friend, and his little sister, Elizabeth, is starting kindergarten at his school. Elizabeth doesn't seem nervous at all. Justin is very nervous about third grade. And to top it off, he's lost his favorite stuffed animal, but he can't tell anyone, because technically he's too old to still have stuffed animals. Right?
Here is third grade in all its complicated glory―the friendships, the fears, and the advanced math. Acclaimed author Rachel Vail captures third grade with a perfect pitch, and Caldecott award-winning illustrator Matthew Cordell's line art is both humorous and touching. As Justin bravely tries to step out of his shell, he will step into readers' hearts.

Justin Case is a 2011 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.

Piggy Bunny

by Rachel Vail

A sweet story about a pig who knows he's really a bunny

Most piglets want to be pigs when they grow up. Not Liam. He wants to be a bunny. Even if it takes a lot of practice to learn how to hop...and to eat salad. Even if no one believes that a piggy can be a bunny. With a lot of determination, and a little help from his grandma, Liam is determined to make his dream come true.

For children who put on a cape or a tutu, who dream of being someone or something different, Piggy Bunny by Rachel Vail, with illustrations by Jeremy Tankard, offers a reassuring and fun opportunity to believe in themselves.

This picture book is perfect for families looking for LGBTQ-friendly children's books. The sweet story about about identity, acceptance, and coming out to family members speaks to the queer and transgender experience, as well as the experience of any children who know they're different.

Sometimes I'm Bombaloo (A Big Feelings Book)

by Rachel Vail

A tender story that explores BIG feelings and includes a wise take on tantrums and learning how to feel like yourself again!

Katie Honors is a really good kid -- most of the time. But sometimes... well, sometimes, say when her little brother knocks down her beautiful castle after she told him not to touch it and she knows she'll never be able to make it look that good again... sometimes Katie gets so mad she's BOMBALOO, she's just not herself. Sometimes she uses her feet and her fists instead of words.
Being Bombaloo is scary. But a little time-out and a lot of love and understanding from Mom calms Bombaloo down and help Katie feel like Katie again! This is a warm book about losing your temper and how to feel like yourself again. With Yumi Heo's bright illustrations and Rachel Vail's sweet text, this title is the perfect read aloud for librarians, teachers, and parents.

Bad Best Friend

by Rachel Vail

Rachel Vail's powerful middle-grade novel proves once again that no one does tween better than she does!

Niki Ames can't wait to start eighth grade, that all-important year before high school. She and her best friend Ava have shared so many plans for the coming year. But then the unthinkable happens: at gym class pair-up, Ava chooses someone else to be her partner. Niki is devastated. It's clear that Ava wants to be part of the popular group, leaving Niki behind. Niki has to decide who her real friends should be, where her real interests lie. Meanwhile, life at home is complicated. Niki's nine-year-old brother Danny continues to act out more and more publicly. Their mother refuses to admit that Danny is somewhere on the autism spectrum, but it's clear he needs help. Niki doesn't want to be like her brother, to be labeled as different. She just wants to be popular! Is she a bad sister and a bad best friend?

Bad Best Friend

by Rachel Vail

Friendship, cliques, and middle school drama with a heavy dose of heart--perfect for fans of Rebecca Stead!

Niki Ames can't wait to start eighth grade, that all-important year before high school. She and her best friend, Ava, have shared so many plans for the coming year. But then the unthinkable happens: at gym class pair-up, Ava chooses someone else to be her partner. Niki is devastated. It's clear that Ava wants to be part of the popular group, leaving Niki behind. Niki has to decide who her real friends should be, where her real interests lie. Meanwhile, life at home is complicated. Niki's nine-year-old brother Danny continues to act out more and more publicly. Their mother refuses to admit that Danny is somewhere on the autism spectrum, but it's clear he needs help. Niki doesn't want to be like her brother, to be labeled as different. She just wants to be popular! Is she a bad sister and a bad best friend?

Justin Case: Shells, Smells, and the Horrible Flip-Flops of Doom (Justin Case Series, 2)

by Rachel Vail

In Rachel Vail's Justin Case: Shells, Smells and the Horrible Flip-Flops of Doom, Justin is going to start fourth grade―but first, he has to survive the summer. He "gets" to go to camp every day on a bus. He "gets" to experience all sorts of new things: Bugs. Mess hall food. Flip-flops (they hurt the space between his toes and they're hard to walk in). And (gulp!) swimming.

Justin's little sister, Elizabeth, seems to deal with camp just fine. So do his friends. Justin is trying very hard not to be a worried kid anymore, especially when it comes to making friends at camp, including a new kid who is kind of . . . rough. After all, Justin is going to be in fourth grade. It's time to be brave. Right?

Sometimes I Grumblesquinch (A Big Feelings Book)

by Rachel Vail

A sweet and touching exploration of the scariness of BIG feelings and overcoming the pressures to do everything "just right," in this companion title to bestselling picture book Sometimes I'm Bombaloo.

Katie Honors is a really nice kid. But there’s one little secret that sometimes makes her feel not-so-nice deep inside: her little brother, Chuck. Katie loves her brother and works hard to be the perfect big sister but it can be hard. Chuck can sometimes be just so icky and messy. Sometimes it makes Katie secretly wish she had a trampoline or a treehouse or a giraffe instead of a brother. When all these emotions bubble up to the surface, Katie can no longer grumblesquinch them down. She explodes, but she also learns an important lesson: that there’s room for ALL of her feelings, even the scary ones.
Sometimes I Grumblesquinch masterfully explores the pressure children often feel to be perfect all the time and helps them realize that it's okay to share frustrating, and at times, not-so-nice thoughts and seek comfort from adults to help them manage those feelings. This story explores key social emotional skills that kids need to navigate complicated feelings, and will live alongside bestsellers like When Sophie Gets Really Really Angry and How Do Dinosaurs Say I'm Mad. Once again, Rachel Vail taps into universal childhood experiences that are often left unexplored, and does so with sensitivity, humor, and respect for the wide range of emotions kids face today.

Sometimes I Kaploom (A Big Feelings Book)

by Rachel Vail

Another heartfelt and tender story about dealing with BIG feelings from the bestselling author of Sometimes I'm Bombaloo and Sometimes I Grumblesquinch, Rachel Vail.

Katie Honors is a really brave kid. She can go to bed with just one small night light. She can hold her tears in when it’s time to say goodbye to her mom at school. But sometimes Katie isn’t ready to say goodbye and doesn’t feel brave at all. When this happens, she Kaplooms! She refuses to let go of her mom, and everything is flurried as she begins to cry. Her emotions feel frightening. It’s not the Katie Honors she wants to be. But her mother assures Katie that she can be both brave and sad, brave and crying, brave and scared.
Sometimes I Kaploom masterfully explores how hard it can be for children when they’re nervous or scared and have to transition to new places and faces when they just don’t feel quite ready. In another poignant, honest, and insightful story, readers learn along with Katie that bravery and fear are not mutually exclusive.

You and Me, Anemone A Story about Friendship and Personal Space

by Rachel Vail

"Don't boop this book away! Embrace this lively, creative look at asserting one's boundaries." --Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"The clever art is an ideal partner to highly readable, percussive text that emphasizes the harmony that can arise from respecting others' spaces and needs." --Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"A lyrical lesson on personal boundaries with illustrations guaranteed to help enhance young readers' vocabularies and imaginations." --School Library Journal (starred review)

Bestselling author Rachel Vail and multiple Caldecott Medal winner Chris Raschka shine a spotlight on the importance of personal space in this SEL standout that also celebrates the ocean and sea life. Includes back matter.

Don't want to be booped No problem! A sea anemone in the ocean confidently sets itself some personal boundaries, encouraging young readers on land to do the same.

You and Me, Anemone is a nuanced, thoughtful, playful picture book for young children about the delicate challenge of boundaries--having them, maintaining them, and respecting them in others. The playful, rhythmic, interactive text by award-winning author Rachel Vail pairs the science of sea life with social-emotional learning for terrific classroom potential. Two-time Caldecott Medal winner Chris Raschka's illustrations--created by painting and stitching on burlap--are a visual and emotional showstopper with a ton of kid appeal. Back matter includes an author's note and facts about the incredible sea anemone.