Books with author Giselle Potter

A girl makes her own dollhouse in this picture book that celebrates creativity and imagination! A little girl proudly walks the reader through her handmade dollhouse, pointing out the bricks she painted on the outside, the wallpaper she drew on the inside, the fancy clothes she made for her dolls, and the little elevator she made out of a paper cup. She’s proud of her house and has lots of fun using her imagination to play with it—until she discovers her friend Sophie’s “perfect” storebought house. Sophie thinks her house, with everything matching and even a toilet seat that goes up and down, is pretty perfect too, until both girls discover that the narrator’s handmade dollhouse is really a lot more fun."Celebrates the best of free play, capturing what it's like to be fully engaged and inspired." —The New York Times"Readers will feel right at home with this cozy tribute to imagination." —Kirkus Reviews, Starred"The realization that creative, outside-the-box artistry can be more inspiring than anything manufactured makes for a wonderful story." —Publishers Weekly, StarredFrom the Hardcover edition.

A little English, a little Russian, and a lot of heart make a birthday celebration you won't want to miss! When Sara's grandma, Catherine the Great, suddenly announces, "This year for my birthday, I want no presents! I have music in my Russian bones, and laughing in my heart. I have the day and the night, and I have all of you," Sara is surprised. How can Grandma have a birthday party with no presents?" Her mama explains that a NO PRESENT can be anything from a kiss or a hug to a game of gin rummy -- as long as it comes from deep inside you. But what kind of NO PRESENT would be good enough for Catherine the Great? Mr. Minsky, Monica, and her dad, Mary Caruso and her baby, Mimmo, already have good ideas. But it isn't until Sara is surrounded by Grandma's bundles of Russian newspapers and books that she gets her won idea: She will teach Grandma to read and write English. This lively borscht-and-blintzes birthday celebration shows that sometimes NO PRESENTS can be the best presents of all.

Journey with two sisters into the world of dreams in this delightfully offbeat read-aloud bedtime story. Little sister asks big sister to tell her what to dream about at bedtime, and big sister presents her with possibilities, such as eating a meal of teeny-tiny waffles with teeny-tiny animals, living in a furry world, and residing in a tree-house town. Little sister is wary of each idea, until together the girls hit upon the perfect dream. Full of fantastic dreamscapes from each girl's point of view and quirky details that children will want to investigate again and again, this beautiful, irreverant title will inspire the imaginations of readers young and old.From the Hardcover edition.

Readers are in for another rousing good time with Sara and Catherine the GreatThe unsinkable heroine of Three Cheers for Catherine the Great! is back! Sara’s Russian grandma, Catherine the Great, has promised to teach Sara how to float in the sea like a flower. So, on a sizzling summer day, they pile into Mr. Minsky’s old car with Mama and their neighbors and set out for the beach. At first things are fine. But then they’re not: there’s a forgotten bathing suit, car trouble, and so many delays that everyone wonders if they’ll ever get there. Everyone except Catherine the Great. With an enthusiastic “Da!” (Yes!), Sara’s grandma keeps Mr. Minsky’s car chugging down the road, until finally they arrive – just in time for Sara to learn one more lesson from her beloved grandma.With pictures full of charm and whimsy, this lively sequel to Three Cheers for Catherine the Great! demonstrates that when things go wrong, a positive attitude can make all the difference.

Many nights the dwarf girl, Trudi, fell asleep hoping that her body would stretch itself overnight, that she'd wake up and be the size of other girls her age. Trudi doesn't know anybody like her. No one with short arms that can't reach coat hooks, or short legs that dangle in chairs; no one small enough to look into her eyes. No one, that is, until she meets Pia at the circus. Pia is a lion tamer -- strong and fearless and, most important, a dwarf like Trudi. When Pia asks for a volunteer to step into the ring, Trudi doesn't hesitate. And together, they weave tales of a magical island where people are little and never lonely. After the enchantment ends, Pia shares a secret with Trudi: Feeling that you belong starts with loving yourself. Adapted from Ursula Hegi's best-selling novel Stones from the River -- and perfectly paired with Giselle Potter's poignant illustrations -- this moving story of a girl's search for acceptance captures what it feels like to be different...and then what it feels like to realize that you're not.

Beatrice wants to write the kind of letters that start with "Dear Somebody," but she only knows how to write letters like A B C T E R I E. Then her Nanny Hannah teaches her how to put the letters together to spell words, and Beatrice takes off on a spelling spree. She decides to start a Spelling Club at school, but no one signs up because spelling is B-O-R-I-N-G. In fact, the class decides to go on a spelling strike! Then Beatrice has a lulu of an idea and turns show-and-tell into show-and-spell starring her pet T-A-R-A-N-T-U-L-A―and soon, in this picture book by Cari Best, everyone has caught the spelling bug.

Do you want to be in a band? Well, here's how! First, bug your two older sisters to start a band, and then beg them to join. (It helps if they already know how to sing and play guitar.) Then there are some tricky parts, like getting over STAGEFRIGHT and practicing until the tips of your fingers ache and playing gigs at not-so-big-time music clubs. At least, that's the way our little sister narrator explains it in her "guide" on how to start a band, based on the real-life experiences of author Suzzy Roche.

Do you want to be in a band? Well, here's how! First, bug your two older sisters to start a band, and then beg them to join. (It helps if they already know how to sing and play guitar.) Then there are some tricky parts, like getting over STAGEFRIGHT and practicing until the tips of your fingers ache and playing gigs at not-so-big-time music clubs. At least, that's the way our little sister narrator explains it in her "guide" on how to start a band, based on the real-life experiences of author Suzzy Roche.From the Hardcover edition.

Words. Selig collects them, ones that stir his heart (Mama!) and ones that make him laugh (giggle). But what to do with so many luscious words? After helping a poet find the perfect words for his poem (lozenge, lemon, and licorice), he figures it out: His purpose is to spread the word to others. And so he begins to sprinkle, disburse, and broadcast them to people in need.

A little English, a little Russian, and a lot of heart make a birthday celebration you won't want to miss! When Sara's grandma, Catherine the Great, suddenly announces, "This year for my birthday, I want no presents! I have music in my Russian bones, and laughing in my heart. I have the day and the night, and I have all of you," Sara is surprised. How can Grandma have a birthday party with no presents?" Her mama explains that a NO PRESENT can be anything from a kiss or a hug to a game of gin rummy -- as long as it comes from deep inside you. But what kind of NO PRESENT would be good enough for Catherine the Great? Mr. Minsky, Monica, and her dad, Mary Caruso and her baby, Mimmo, already have good ideas. But it isn't until Sara is surrounded by Grandma's bundles of Russian newspapers and books that she gets her won idea: She will teach Grandma to read and write English. This lively borscht-and-blintzes birthday celebration shows that sometimes NO PRESENTS can be the best presents of all.

Whether she's impersonating Elvis, swaggering like Captain Hook, or imitating the sounds of a cricket, Violet is expressive and funny -- but only when she's alone or with her best friend, Opal. At school, especially around class bully Irwin, who teases her nonstop, she retreats into a shell of shyness. But when Irwin, playing the part of Planet Mars in the class play, begins to spin wildly out of control and threatens to ruin the entire production, it's Violet who saves the day -- managing not only to give Irwin his comeuppance but to find her own unique way of surviving the spotlight. Illustrations brimming with humor and charm add to the fun in this fresh take on overcoming shyness.