In an ordinary garden full of flowers and plants, little Jack and Mr. Gnome live above the ground, while Yvonne the mole, the Field Mouse family, Paulie the earthworm and Colette the ant live below the ground. Everybody is happy in the garden. Until one day, a new seed arrives, which soon sprouts into a plant. As the plant begins to grow (and grow, and grow), its stalk and leaves get in the way of those aboveground, and its roots disrupt the homes and passageways of those underground. Before long, the plant has gotten so large, it has become a huge problem for the garden's residents. So, the friends decided they must chop it down. Unless ... wait! What's that growing on the plant? In this multilayered (and multilevel!) picture book, international award-winning author-illustrator Marianne Dubuc humorously explores the concept of change as the characters resist but eventually accept the new addition, an excellent example of a growth mindset. The story also highlights the interconnectivity of living things and, thus, the concept of community. Animal habitats and the growth cycle of plants - from seed to fruit-bearing - are presented here with easy-to-understand, child-friendly visuals. The winsome illustrations are full of clever details, offering peeks into the animals' fantastical homes, promising something new to discover with every look, and encouraging visual literacy.

And Then the Seed Grew

Children's Books

Dubuc, Marianne

Animals

Kids Can Press

Product Description 
There's no neighborhood like a Marianne Dubuc neighborhood --- this time in an apartment building! It's a special day at 3 Maple Street. It's Little Rabbit's birthday! His mother makes him his favorite breakfast. His sister has drawn him a picture. And, best of all, he's having a birthday party! His friends are invited, his father is decorating, and his mother is baking a cake. But that's not the only thing going on at 3 Maple Street today. The Cat family is moving in upstairs ... the Fox family is having a new baby ... Mr. Owl is trying to sleep ... there's so much happening inside (and outside) this lively building, it's hard to keep track!\nThis multilayered picture book from international award-winning Marianne Dubuc allows readers to peer into the homes of all the charming animal families in the building on every spread. Though there is one main story, captured in the text, there are multitudes of other stories-within-the-story, told in visual narratives. Dubuc's winsome one-of-a-kind illustrations include heaps of clever details for children to pore over, promising something new to discover with every look and encouraging visual literacy in readers and prereaders. There are terrific social studies connections here on the concepts of community, inclusiveness and belonging. 
 From School Library Journal 
PreS-Gr 3-In a three-story apartment building with attic space and a cut-away front like a dollhouse, readers watch as the creatures living in the seven units go about their daily routines. Except today is special: It's Little Rabbit's birthday, a family of cats is moving into one of the apartments, Momma Fox is about to deliver a baby, and Mr. Bear is sick with a cold. As an owl beds down for the day, all the critters are busy, busy, busy. The rambunctious mice children are especially fun to watch as they make one mess after another with their active play. Even Red Riding Hood, Big Bad Wolf, Goldilocks, and the Three Little Pigs make an appearance (so it helps, but is not necessary, if the reader is familiar with those stories). A simple narrative enlists readers in the main events, but there is far more going on than just what's in the the text; observant, patient viewers will be rewarded with details that amuse but also provide clues about how every family lives. The size of the illustrations, full of tiny details, make the book most appropriate for one or two to share, offering opportunities for rich discussion. There are numerous ways to enjoy the book: follow one character throughout the pages, check out the details in each apartment, notice the play and interactions of the children, or stick to the main events. VERDICT The reward is in entering the book again and again.-Maggie Chase, Boise State Univ., IDα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. 
 Review 
Dubuc's delightful domestic dramas will entertain children and adults alike.― 
Kirkus Reviews\nThis book will prompt contented rereads and conversations about neighbors, sharing, and community.― 
Publishers Weekly, starred review\n... a sweet story about friendship and inclusion that can only add another interactive level to story time.― 
CM Magazine\nThe reward is in entering the book again and again.― 
School Library Journal, starred review\n... this Richard Scarry-esque book, with its expressive and appealingly drawn animal characters, begs to be read multiple times.― 
Horn Book, starred review 
 About the Author \nMarianne Dubuc is an award-winning author and illustrator of many books for children, including The Bus Ride, Lucy and Company and Mr. Postmouse's Rounds. Her work has been translated into more than thirty languages around the world. Marianne lives in Montreal, Quebec.

Your House, My House

In this playful take on school readiness by award-winning author-illustrator Marianne Dubuc, a child visits their friends' schools and discovers how many wonderful things kindergarteners do in a day!Pom is ready for the first day of kindergarten. Not the real first day, that's not for another year. But Pom has been hearing a lot from all the animals about each of their schools. So today Pom is visiting them all, to see what kindergarten is really like. Pom starts by watching the mouselings ride the bird bus; then the rabbits learning to read, write and count; the froglets making art; the foxes playing sports; the bear cubs sharing lunch; the sloths napping; the squirrels exploring nature; the wolf pups reading stories; the turtles doing classroom tasks; and, finally, the hedgehogs waiting to be picked up in the schoolyard. Pom is thrilled to discover there are so many fun activities to enjoy at school! Best of all, now Pom knows what Pom wants to do in kindergarten --- all of it!Marianne Dubuc is a master of the delightful small detail, and those details abound in this charming child-friendly look at school readiness. Though there is one main story running through the book, every busy illustration contains numerous individual stories, as the many appealing animal characters (and a few surprise fairy tale characters!) go about their school day. Each fantastically imagined animal school fills its own spread. This is a book that young children will return to again and again, finding something new each time and enhancing their visual literacy.

1, 2, 3, Off to School!

In Front of My House is a whimsical celebration of a child's imagination and all the places it can travel. This circular story begins and ends in a tidy front yard, but in between takes the reader to mountains and mysterious caves, up to outer space, down into the ocean and beyond. It's a journey as boundless and surprising as young imaginations. Filled with inventive and delightful twists, this charming story reveals a child's fancy taking flight, showing how imaginative play can begin in a place as mundane as a front yard, reach to the stars, then return back to the same place. Children will recognize a kindred imagination in Marianne Dubuc's joyful illustrations and simple text.

In Front of My House

Activities, Crafts & Games

Come one, come all to the animal masquerade! The lion is going as an elephant, the elephant as a parrot, and the parrot as a turtle! Each costume gives way to another, yielding new surprises on every page, and revealing a menagerie of familiar and unusual animals. Young children will delight in the absurd and amusing images (who wouldn't love a ladybug dressed as a hippopotamus?) and will also appreciate the gags (a fish costumed as a cat is dubbed a ?catfish?) and other bits of silly sweetness. Recapping this reading adventure: a detailed panorama at book's end, showing all the party guests in their fanciful finery.

Animal Masquerade

The best-selling The Lion and the Bird featured the enchanting stories and art of Canadian children's book author Marianne Dubuc. The Fish and the Cat is a playful story of pursuit between a cat and pet fish that starts in the house, moves through the neighborhood, and ends in the sky with a chase around the stars and the moon. This wordless picture book, full of action and humor, encourages children to create their own stories and adventures.

The Fish and the Cat

Princeton Architectural Press

Mrs. Badger, an avid collector and naturalist, takes a weekly journey up to Sugarloaf Peak, greeting her friends on the way and sharing her discoveries with them. One day she meets Lulu, a very small cat, who wants to go with her to the top of the mountain. On the way, Lulu learns to take care of the natural world, help those in need, and listen to her intuition. Rich in wisdom and beautifully illustrated, Up the Mountain Path offers a profound story full of lessons about love, generosity, and following one's heart.

Up the Mountain Path

Science, Nature & How It Works

"It has a terrific message about the importance of family and how to care for those you love. An excellent and timeless selection for all picture book shelves."—School Library Journal, STARRED Review Otto the squirrel is perfectly content living by himself in his treehouse in the forest, when a small creature arrives on his doorstep. Otto invites the curious little Pio in, but soon Pio eats all the hazelnuts, takes up the entire bed, and just gets bigger and bigger! Frustrated at first, Otto comes to realize that his home is much happier with his new friend. Award-winning author and illustrator Marianne Dubuc has written a heart-warming tale about finding friendship and family when it is expected least and needed most. "This tender look at the value of taking care of each other quietly considers the meaning of home and family."—The Horn Book Magazine Read our other award-winning books by Marianne Dubuc:<ul>
<li>Up the Mountain Path</li>
<li>The Fish and the Cat</li>
</ul>

Otto and Pio (Read aloud book for children about friendship and family)

Little Cheetah's shadow is missing. When Little Cheetah finds him and learns that Little Shadow is sad because he never gets to go first, Little Cheetah is happy to switch places. As they travel about their neighborhood, Little Cheetah is surprised to learn how hard it can be to follow. Eventually they decide that walking side-by-side is much better, and when they go through a scary tunnel on the way home, they discover they can face the dark together. Little Cheetah's Shadow is a sweet tale of friendship, empathy, and the importance of seeing things from a different perspective, rendered in Marianne Dubuc's warm and inviting illustrations.

Little Cheetah's Shadow

Baby koala Koko takes his first step toward independence in this endearing board book made for reading together. Koko and Baba are a very close koala family, so close that Koko does everything on Baba's back--eats, plays, you name it! Until one day, when Koko wants to do something different, and he takes his first step off Baba's back to go explore. Families will love snuggling up together to read this sweet tale of togetherness, just like Koko and Baba as they curl up at the end of the night to celebrate Koko's big day.

On Baba's Back

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Books by Dubuc, Marianne