CRASH LANDING IN A BOOKSTORE NEAR YOU!
From the creator of Hidden Gem and Sour Apple comes a new out-of-this-world picture book about a star who loses their shine from the pressures of over-achieving.
Being the star that people wish on is demanding work! And when the burden of performing becomes too much to bear, even celestial bodies take a hit.
As a star falls from their sky-high position, their self-esteem takes a real nosedive. But a lift from an unlikely source gives this star a new purpose, along with the courage to glow again. Linda Liu is an illustrator and a designer based in Southern California with a taste for tactile textures, saucy shapes, and palatable palettes. She graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design and now works freelance and full-time so she can be a girl boss and a girl employee at the same time. She is the author and illustrator of Hidden Gem and Sour Apple.
Praise for Sour Apple
A Society of Illustrators 2024 Original Art Exhibit Winner
"A tremendous homage to self-esteem, individuality, thoughtfulness, surrender, and hope." -School Library Journal, starred review
"An uplifting tale of triumph." -Kirkus Reviews
"As in her sparkling debut, Hidden Gem, Liu has created a charming and emotional protagonist to whom readers of all ages will relate: After all, recognizing and appreciating our own unique potential is an ongoing process." -BookPage
Praise for Hidden Gem
"While there are many recent children's books that celebrate identity, make room for this one, which blends subtle humor and superb design for a profound, deftly conveyed message. . . Breathtaking." -Kirkus Reviews, starred review
"Liu has created a delightful, reflective, rhyming, and engaging book for emerging readers. Her illustrations at first glance look simple, but are unassumingly detailed with social justice, racial, and gender identity connections that allow parents and teachers to talk about inclusion, tolerance, and acceptance within the context of the story, that can easily transfer to daily life and interactions. Children will enjoy having this book read to them and reading it themselves." -School Library Journal, starred review
"Alongside message-forward text, it's the glowing colors of Liu's distinctive visual style that carry the overarching message of self-wonder and innate worth." -Publishers Weekly
"Liu's art matches the quirky tone of the book, using predominantly geometrical shapes with beautifully textured watercolor patterns . . . the reminder to love yourself as you are is still sweet and worthy of sharing." -The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
