Vendor
	Mohrbooks Literary Agency Annelie Geissler
Categories
Children’s picture books

PENNY LU PORCUPINE

Maribel Lechuga Katie Gilstrap

A cautious porcupine summons the courage to stand up to threats both real and imagined, reassuring readers that they, too, can face their fears.

Like all porcupines, Penny Lu is nearsighted. So while her incredible sense of smell leads her to all sorts of yummy food, predators can be hard to spot. Thankfully, she has another feature that's quite amazing - her pointy quills! Even when she's scared, they make her look powerful. But sometimes Penny Lu doesn't feel powerful. And she wonders what she'd do if she came face-to-face with the predator she fears the most - THE BEAR! With its rollicking, rhyming text and adorable art, Penny Lu Porcupine will charm readers and reassure them that they too can face their fears. Katie Gilstrap (KatieGilstrap.com), author of Spacemanatee! and the forthcoming Finnegan Fox, is a wildlife advocate and former veterinary technician from south-central Kansas. Diagnosed with panic disorder and OCD at an early age, Katie strives to celebrate neurodiversity in children's literature by writing kid-friendly books that inspire confidence, courage, and self-acceptance. Maribel Lechuga (MaribelLechuga.com) is a freelance illustrator from Madrid, Spain. Her previous picture books include Ten Beautiful Things (by Molly Beth Griffin), What's in Your Pocket? (by Heather L. Montgomery), and Seaside Stroll (by Charles Trevino). She loves nature, animal watching, hiking, and a good conversation.

Available products
Book Published 2024-05-07 by Nancy Paulsen Books

Comments

Lechuga's lush digital illustrations are dynamic without being busy; hand-textured natural elements make an immersive, sensory experience, from the bear's dripping fur as he retreats across a river, to closeup vignettes of Penny Lu's snout sniffing flowers, to the peacock feather-like glory of the porcupine's quills. A warm daytime palette of golds contrasts nicely with the cool periwinkles in the evening, and the red and orange explosion surrounding Penny Lu's exclamations make clear her fear and bravery.youngsters will love discovering the myriad of animals and flora hiding in each spread.a storytime on the senses.

Gilstrap's well-constructed rhyming narrative demands to be read aloud. Readers will delight in Lechuga's velvety illustrations, which include details such as a praying mantis's intimidating posturing, a startled owl, and watchful predators lurking in the background. In an author's note, Gilstrap provides information about porcupines and insight into her own childhood panic disorder, both of which enrich the story and invite conversation about bravery in the face of anxiety. Rich illustrations and a snappy rhyming text reinforce the power of inner strength.