Picture Book

A Is For Bee: An Alphabet Book in Translation

"Kaleidoscopic and delightful. Any lover of language, or any child who likes new sounds, will be entranced.

The New York Times

“A gorgeous collection for linguists of all ages."

Booklist, STARRED Review!

“Against richly colored backgrounds, the black-and-white scratchboard illustrations dramatically employ contrast and texture. Hand-lettered display type enhances the visual drama and zestfully celebrates the multiplicity of animal names. Cleverly, each letter is hidden somewhere in the composition of its illustrated page, adding an A-to-Z seek-and-find element for children… Combining visual verve with a sense of our worldwide connectedness, this both teaches and entertains.”

Kirkus

“An entertainingly subversive take on the usual alphabet book.”

Five Books, Best Books of 2022

Golden Gate: Building the Mighty Bridge

"Making playful use of language, Partridge’s immersive, meticulously detailed second-person narration pairs seamlessly with Heck’s intricate, realistic images for a child’s-eye glimpse of the whole thrilling process. Endpapers beautifully mimic the iconic bridge, with close-ups on the reddish-orange steel... A riveting look at an iconic landmark and architectural feat."

Kirkus Reviews, STARRED Review!

"Mixed media illustrations capture the “fog and wind and pounding surf” that are the constant companions of the workers as they pour concrete, string cables, and blast bedrock... A well-researched and excellent addition to STEM classes and library collections."

School Library Journal, STARRED Review!

"Heck divides the spreads horizontally throughout. Larger views above show construction workers at work on various parts of the bridge (“Workers climb/ and clamber, reach, jump, and swing—acrobats/ suspended between water and sky”), while a narrower ribbon below shows the entire site with new additions in the bridge’s signature vermilion, a device that makes every stage of the project clear."

Publishers Weekly

“As the two children lead the inaugural crowd surging onto the finished bridge to the sound of foghorns on a May day in 1937, it’s hard not to join in the giddy rush.”

Booklist

"Composition and perspective are especially effective in the mixed-media art, with spreads layering expansive shots of the bridge and bay, stretching across the pages, and close-ups, hemmed by the children’s telescope’s lens, of worker activity. Laid over red-orange paper, the illustrations have some red seeping through even the more ocean and sky-focused scenes, giving the pages an almost inner-glow... an immersive read."

The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"Heck’s textured art, varied compositions, and striking color choices provide the appropriate mood and gravitas for the accomplishment of such a noted architectural wonder and historical landmark.”

The Horn Book