Eliza Wheeler

Miss Maple's Seeds (Nancy Paulsen Books)

Fans of Miss Rumphius will adore this gorgeous picture book which introduces the kind, nature-loving Miss Maple, who celebrates the miracle in each seed. Miss Maple gathers lost seeds that haven't yet found a place to sprout. She takes them on field trips to explore places to grow. In her cozy maple tree house, she nurtures them; keeping them safe and warm until it's time for them to find roots of their own, and grow into the magnificent plants they're destined to become. Eliza Wheeler's luminous paintings feature gorgeous landscapes, lush foliage and charming details. Her tender story celebrates the potential found in each seed--since even the grandest tree and most brilliant flower had to grow from the smallest of seeds. Celebrate every season with Miss Maple, from Earth Day to graduations to harvest festivals.

"Confident artistry and an intuitive knowledge of what the world looks like to a very small person make a winning combination in Wheeler's debut. . . . Careful observation of seeds (including a labeled seed chart), leaves, and plants gives the artwork substance, and Japanese woodblock-style skies that fade to sunset hues provide a wistful emotional overlay. Wheeler has clearly had a good time inventing fairy-house fixtures for Miss Maple: flower lantern boats and hollow-log houses make one yearn to escape our big, unwieldy world and inhabit hers."--Publishers Weekly

Eliza Wheeler grew up in Wisconsin and got a degree in art and design from the University of Wisconsin. She currently lives in Los Angeles, California. Visit her at WheelerStudio.com.

THIS EVENT WAS RECORDED LIVE AT SKYLIGHT BOOKS APRIL 7, 2013. COPIES OF THE BOOK FROM THIS EVENT CAN BE PURCHASED HERE: http://www.skylightbooks.com/book/9780399257926