When Emily Was Small
A joyful frolic through the garden helps a little girl feel powerful in this beautiful picture book that celebrates nature, inspired by the writings of revered artist Emily Carr.
Pages: 44
Age Range: 4-8 years
ISBN: 9780735266063
Publisher: Tundra Books
Sample Reviews:
- “It’s an altogether mystical yet accessibly grounded story.” —STARRED REVIEW, Kirkus Reviews
- “Soloy’s poetic prose and sumptuous illustrations pay homage to this beloved artist and writer.” –Atlantic Books Today
- “Soloy’s illustrations variously evoke glee, sadness, and astonishment.” — The Ormsby Review
- “Soloy’s When Emily Was Small is a satisfying, challenging, beautiful picture book that deserves to be shared with young readers and the young at heart.” –CM Reviews
Further Information:
You can watch Lauren speaking about When Emily was Small and demonstrating a bit of her process here.
You can also read a digital version of Lauren’s interview with The Vancouver Sun, here.
Click on this CBC Books link to find further information about the book and Emily Carr
Read an interview with Lauren about her writing and illustration process here.
Click here for a link to some fun printable and activities!
Etty Darwin and the Four Pebble Problem
Etty Darwin and her famous father go for a walk to ponder life, science . . . and fairies! Inspired by the real-life daughter of Charles Darwin.
Etty loves make-believe.
Her dad loves science.
Etty believes in fairies.
Her dad would need to see some proof that they exist.
But they both love nature, conversation and each other.
On Sale: May 18, 2021
Pages: 48
ISBN: 9780735266087 Publisher: Tundra Books
Sample Reviews:
- “An excellent introduction to the natural sciences, Darwin, fairies, and inquiry, sure to inspire and fascinate young readers and listeners.” —STARRED REVIEW, Kirkus Reviews
- Selected as a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection
For free downloadable activity sheets, please visit the Tundra website by clicking here.
To visit the home page of Down House, where Charles and Etty lived, click here.
I’s the B’y
For kids who love to sing and dance: this vibrant picture book shares lyrics from a classic folk song about community, culture, and the seaside.
“I’s the B’y” is a decades-old folk song that originated in Newfoundland but has been sung and danced to the world over. In this gorgeous picture book, Maritime artist and children’s writer Lauren Soloy honors the song and its birthplace with rich, captivating illustrations of bobbing boats, leaping humpback whales, violin-playing fish, dancing people, starry skies, and stormy seas. Full of undeniable energy and joy, this spirited picture book will have kids singing, dancing, and learning all about Newfoundland.
On Sale: May 31, 2022
Pages: 48
ISBN: 1771648333 Publisher: Greystone Kids
Sample Review:
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“Clap your hands and dance along to a traditional Newfoundland folk melody an inviting version of a Canadian song that will resonate-and reverberate.”
–Kirkus Reviews -
“An exuberant book that captures and celebrates the character and culture of Newfoundland and is sure to get you and the little ones tapping your feet.”
—Hakai Magazine
A Tulip in Winter, A Story About Folk Artist Maud Lewis
A celebration of a beloved folk artist, and her artistic expression of joy and beauty.
Known for her vibrant and cheerful paintings of landscapes, plants, and animals, Maud Lewis’ iconic folk art is celebrated around the world. Despite her beautiful art, she spent much of her life living in poverty with rheumatoid arthritis. In this stunning picture book, author Kathy Stinson and illustrator Lauren Soloy bring Maud’s world to life: how she captured in her art what she loved most, while navigating the mobility issues caused by her condition. From bright paintings of the sea and countryside, to the flowers and birds she painted on the walls of the small house she shared with her husband, Maud’s work continues to delight and inspire viewers young and old.
A Tulip in Winter features:
- Backmatter about Maud Lewis’ life and legacy
- Notes from the author and illustrator about how Maud has impacted their lives
Uplifting and visually compelling, Maud’s story will inspire young readers to find and focus on the beauty in their worlds.
On Sale: March 7, 2023
Pages: 44
ISBN: 978-1771649513, 1771649518 Publisher: Greystone Kids
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Reviews
“An inspiring picture book aimed at ages four to eight, but with a message for all ages.”
—Montreal Gazette“It’s eminently challenging to distill an entire life into a picture book. . . Soloy’s illustrations rise to the occasion, emulating the naïve style and cheery palette of Lewis’ art, while highlighting key moments in Stinson’s tight narrative. . . In a word: beautiful.”
—Kirkus STARRED Review“Anyone who’s faced a challenge—that’s everyone!—will appreciate Maud’s tenacity and Soloy’s lively art that bursts with color. . . A great choice for biography and art shelves.”
—Booklist“A touching and uplifting tribute, this book emphasizes the importance of finding beauty in the everyday and persevering through life’s challenges.”
—Horn Book
The Hidden World of Gnomes
A delightful introduction and collection of facts about the secret lives of gnomes that will charm and fascinate readers of all ages.
This book is an introduction to the hidden folk called gnomes, who live in a happy place they call The Pocket. Where is The Pocket, you ask?
Well, it’s all around you, all the time.
Gnomes are curious little creatures, and they’re very shy. But after reading this book, you will learn to spot the telltale signs that gnomes are around . . . and maybe even meet one!
Lauren Soloy has been studying gnomes her whole life, and she has created this book to share her knowledge with you. For example, what jobs do gnomes do? Babysitting robin’s eggs, squirrel-tail fluffing, storytelling. Where do they live? In gardens, forests and any place with plants, birds and bugs. What are their names? Hotchi-Mossy, Able Potter, Cob Tiggy and Puckle Swift, to name a few.
With charming details and surprising facts, this celebration of all things gnome will enchant readers of all ages.
On Sale: June 20, 2023
Pages: 96
ISBN: 0735271046, 978-0735271043 Publisher: Tundra Books
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Reviews
“[This] cheeky, cheerful book is incredibly endearing . . . each page turn brings an unexpected treat. Young readers can dip in for a delightful detail or read all the way through for a deep dive into the cozy world, and Soloy concludes with a reminder that there is always magic to be found in the world around us. An utterly charming gnome tome for anyone searching for wonder.” —STARRED REVIEW, Booklist
“[A]ims to make readers more attentive to nature as a source of joy. . . . Gnomish ‘heart-seeing’ might be the best way to appreciate this winning tribute to euphoria.” —Kirkus Reviews
“In this charming guidebook to gnomes and gnome-dom, Soloy … invites readers to “see the magic in the world” as gnomes do.” — Publisher’s Weekly
Tove and the Island With No Address
A gorgeous picture book homage to celebrated Moomin author Tove Jansson.
Tove and her family go to the island with no address every summer. After checking to make sure that everything in the cabin is exactly as it should be, young Tove sets off on an adventure. She finds some interesting salvage on the beach, she visits the grotto and she offers to babysit her strange little friend’s five wild daughters.
But when the weather takes a turn, Tove finds this task is more than she bargained for . . .
Through Lauren Soloy’s brilliant art and storytelling, this imagined day on the island with no address pays tribute to Tove Jansson’s wild and beautiful imagination and explores both the exhilaration of adventure and the comfort of coming home.
On Sale: October 22, 2024
Pages: 48
ISBN: 1774883155, 978-1774883150 Publisher: Tundra Books
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Reviews
A 2024 Horn Book Fanfare Selection
Named one of Horn Book’s CaldeNott Honor Books 2024
A School Library Journal Best Picture Books of 2024
A 2024 Blue Ribbon Pick from The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
A Starred Selection of the Canadian Children’s Book Centre’s Best Books for Kids and Teens, Spring 2025“The adventure channels the darkly mischievous tone for which Jansson’s works are beloved . . . and re-creates the strange, wild atmosphere of the island in this windblown tribute to the creator’s artistry and sensibility.” —STARRED REVIEW, Publishers Weekly
“Taking pieces of Jansson’s wildly varied body of work, from the colors and moods to the wildness of the setting to the fantastical, unruly, and strangely shaped creatures, Soloy has skillfully distilled them into one story that at once feels both like Jansson’s boldly colored abstract paintings and her sharply funny, delightfully irreverent cartoons.” —STARRED REVIEW, Booklist
“This pairing of a strange escapade in the wild with a warm and a cozy welcome home epitomizes the appeal of Jansson’s Moomin books; Moomin fans of all ages will especially enjoy this tale.” —STARRED REVIEW, The Horn Book
“Moomin enthusiasts will be fond of Soloy’s stunning tribute to beloved author Tove Jansson in this picture book biography. . . . Although the book highlights the dangers of nature along the way, young readers will be captivated by Tove’s resilience as she follows the rays of light that lead her to her friends and ultimately back home to her family, where she finds comfort, love, and pancakes.” —STARRED REVIEW, The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
Every Leaf on Every Tree
My love for you is vast
Every blade of grass
In every field
And every petal on every flower
And every second in every hour.
The debut baby board book from beloved and bestselling author-illustrator Lauren Soloy is a beautiful meditation on love, inspired by the natural world.
The gentle refrain, My love for you is? takes readers from the vastness of grassy fields to the boundlessness of birds in flight to the limitless galaxy of stars in the night sky. Soloy’s lyrical, hand-lettered verse and captivating illustrations, bursting with bold colour, make Every Leaf on Every Tree an equally whimsical and moving read-aloud.
On Sale: June 17, 2025
Pages: 18
ISBN:177471423X, 978-1774714232 Publisher: Nimbus Books
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Reviews
Every Leaf on Every Tree is a board book and aimed at the very youngest of our children, and so it will be a lovely baby gift for expectant parents. Lauren Soloy gives us a picture book in which parent and child are part of each other and a larger world of immense beauty and scope. In their own little world, they are everything. In the world at large, they are one. -CanLit for Little Canadians
The Newest Gnome
A beautiful ode to nature, mindfulness and community, Lauren Soloy delivers a delightful picture book about welcoming and belonging for fans of Little Witch Hazel by Phoebe Wahl.
Grolly Maru is The Pocket’s newest inhabitant. They are learning all about their new home and all the things the gnomes do to care for it. But what will their job be?
As each gnome shares their role in The Pocket, Grolly is less and less sure about what they should do. But by the light of the full moon, inspiration strikes!
This gorgeous homage to nature, beauty, mindfulness and community is a reminder to be present and to care for and appreciate the world around us, but it’s also just a delightful stroll through a special and strange yet ultimately familiar place first introduced in The Hidden World of Gnomes.
On Sale: October 7, 2025
Pages: 72
ISBN: 1774887207, 978-1774887202 Publisher: Tundra Books
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Reviews
Winner of the 2026 Ann Connor Brimer Award for Atlantic Canadian Children’s Literature
“At every step, the wonder, beauty, and mystery of nature is on display, with Soloy’s soft, endearing artwork delighting on every earthy, cream-colored page. The wonderfully busy day is capped off by a poetic reflection from Grolly Maru, adding a new layer of meaning to this lovely reverie of a book. A gorgeous blend of imagination and appreciation that will entertain, inform, and inspire anyone with a heart.” —STARRED REVIEW, Booklist“[T]his is another sweet immersion in a whimsical world populated by endearing residents who vary in skin tone. Soloy’s lovely, intricate vignettes, rendered in muted watercolors, brim with warmth. Young naturalists will be utterly absorbed by the tiny delights here.” —Kirkus Reviews
“The warm, earth-toned illustrations are as cozy as the story and include interspersed spreads of paneled vignettes that mimic time-lapse photography (a dandelion opening; a strawberry ripening). Soloy’s message that ‘each unique being is part of a greater whole’ is naturally conveyed in this sweet but not sappy tale.” —The Horn Book
“The real joy of this book is the sheer joy of it! [A]n enchanting mix of fact and fantasy where a community of odd little beings revel in the natural world and invite readers to do so alongside them. [With] transcendent moments of poetry, wordless graphic spreads, lovingly elucidated lists, and stunning text-over-art pages worthy of poster-sized wall prints . . . Soloy has created a world all her own, and in introducing readers to the world of The Pocket she also has much to tell us about our own.” —Atlantic Books Awards, Writers’ Federation of Nova Scotia
Hello, Beautiful Animal, illustrated by Janie Hao
A warm and thoughtful introduction to caring for and loving our animals – and ourselves.
In a gentle, helpful voice, this book explains to young children what animals need to thrive, describing each of the basic requirements of all animals (including humans!) and sweetly suggesting how to meet them. For example, “It’s a good idea to greet an animal with affection upon waking. ‘Good morning, my beautiful animal,’ you can say.” Covering everything from grooming and feeding to exercising and sleeping, it’s the perfect companion for every animal lover!
In this unique picture book, celebrated author Lauren Soloy shares a personal message about the importance of taking care of all the animals in our lives, including the human kind. Her advice is practical, while her tone is affirming and tenderhearted without being overly sentimental. The book helps children recognize that humans are animals, too, and need just as much adoration, love and care. It offers young children easy-to-understand lessons on the needs of living things and an excellent overview of how to care for an animal. It would make a wonderful gift for a child with a new pet. Award-winning Janie Hao’s illustrations blend the real with a sense of the imagined to capture the special relationship between young children and animals.
On Sale: October 6, 2026
Pages: 32
ISBN: 1525314335, 978-1525314339 Publisher: Kids Can Press
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Reviews
An ingenious twofer: good advice on pet care and amusing art teasing the similarities between kids and animals. -Kirkus Reviews
Dear Petal: Emily Dickinson and her Flower Friends – available March 2, 2027
A quirky, charming and beautiful picture book celebrating Emily Dickinson’s passion for flowers and the natural world by the creator of The Hidden World of Gnomes and Tove and the Island with No Address.
Here’s something that Emily knows: flowers make excellent friends. Would you like to know how to make flower friends too? Wild friends, delicate friends and flamboyant friends?
Emily can show you how. It’s okay if you’re shy, the flowers don’t mind.
Flower friends are good listeners, and they have their own secrets to share. You just have to listen . . .
Lauren Soloy brings an unusual perspective to the elusive and beloved poet Emily Dickinson that focuses on her passion for flowers. Go on an enchanting journey with Emily, and her very good friend Carlos the dog, in this delightful exploration of her love and deep appreciation for the natural world.
On Sale: March 2, 2027
Pages: 40
ISBN: 0735271062, 978-0735271067 Publisher: Tundra Books
