Deborah Underwood

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About Deborah Underwood
Deborah Underwood grew up in Walla Walla, Washington. When she was little, she wanted to be an astronomer. Then she wanted to be a singer. Then she wanted to be a writer. Today her jobs are writing and singing. Two out of three's not bad! (Okay, she also wanted to work in a piano factory and paste the labels on new pianos, but let's just ignore that one.)
Her dad was a math professor, and her mom taught English. Her sister got all the math brains, but some of her mom's word sense rubbed off on her, thank goodness. After college, she moved to San Francisco and became a street musician. Then she worked in an office typing memos for accountants. When the accountants weren't looking, she wrote screenplays. She found that if she glowered at the computer screen and yelled, "Criminy!" once in a while, everyone thought she was typing a very demanding memo and left her alone.
In 2001, Deborah decided to start writing stories for kids. She also began writing children's nonfiction. When a publisher asks her to write a nonfiction book, she usually doesn't know much about the topic. That means she has to learn fast. Now she knows about lots of cool things, like smallpox and orangutans and Easter Island and whether or not it's okay to slurp your noodles in Japan (it is).
When she’s not writing, you might find her singing in a chamber choir, playing a ukulele (very badly), walking around in Golden Gate Park, baking vegan cookies, or petting any dogs, cats, pigs, or turkeys that happen to be nearby.
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Titles By Deborah Underwood
From the New York Times best-selling author behind The Quiet Book comes a mindful contemplation on the many ways nature affects our everyday lives, even when we're stuck inside. Five starred reviews!
Perfect for fans of Joyce Sidman and Julie Fogliano, Outside In reminds emerging readers of the ways nature creates and touches our lives in homes, apartments, and cars, and is the perfect homeschooling tool to reflect on the world's connectedness.
Outside is waiting, the most patient playmate of all. The most generous friend. The most miraculous inventor. This thought-provoking picture book poetically underscores our powerful and enduring connection with nature, not so easily obscured by lives spent indoors.
Rhythmic, powerful language shows us how our world is made and the many ways Outside comes in to help and heal us, and reminds us that we are all part of a much greater universe. Emotive illustrations evoke the beauty, simplicity, and wonder that await us all . . . outside.
Every story needs a problem.
But Panda doesn't have a problem.
Unless . . . Panda is the problem.
The New York Times bestselling author of Here Comes the Easter Cat and The Quiet Book loses control of the narrative in the funniest, most exuberant, most kid-delighting way in this adventurous ode to what makes a story--and what makes a story great.
"Highly entertaining and laugh-out-loud funny."--Kirkus
"Supremely silly."--Publishers Weekly
"Excellent...Cute, cute book."--School Library Connection
"Entertaining...humorous." --BCCB
"Kid-friendly...visually appealing...cheeky...adorable."--The Horn Book
"Hilarious, inventive...A joyful read aloud." --SLJ, The Classroom Bookshelf
When Cat loses a tooth, the Tooth Fairy delivers a wholly unwanted sidekick: a mouse. Together, Cat and Mouse are tasked with running a few Tooth Fairy-related errands—a challenge, since Mouse is just as competitive and mischievous and hilariously self-involved as Cat. The stakes rise and so does the deadpan humor, culminating in a satisfying surprise that will leave readers eager for yet another delightfully devious Cat adventure.
An homage to classic comic strips from the author of The Quiet Book and The Loud Book, this New York Times bestselling series is perfect for fans of Pete the Cat, Bad Kitty, and Mo Willems's Elephant and Piggie series.
Read it when there's a wiggly tooth and year-round!
“Priceless.” —SLJ
“Great . . . clever fun.” —Kirkus
“Craftier than ever . . . [A] welcome addition.” —The Horn Book
“A delight . . . a hoot in an aqua tutu and fairy wings” —BCCB
Yo ho ho! Pete loves pirates, but his mom thinks they are rude and messy. Then Pete and his mom go to see the Amazing Marco, and Marco hypnotizes Pete’s mom into thinking she’s a pirate! Now Pete’s mom won’t behave. She chases the neighbors. She steals underwear off other people’s clotheslines. She’s even flying the Jolly Roger over the house. Pete has to find the Amazing Marco. He wants his real mom back!
Perfectionistic Jerzey Mae desperately wants to be a ballet dancer. But she's frustrated by her own lack of talent--and by her friends' jokes about her terrible dancing. Things get even worse when her little brother Mason attends her ballet class, totally embarrassing Jerzey in front of her prima ballerina idol, Miss Camilla Freeman. When Jerzey learns that Miss Camilla will be attending their recital, she's determined not to make a fool of herself again. But her efforts to learn her dance are continually thwarted--until she finds help in a very unexpected place.
Why should the Easter Bunny get all the love? That's what Cat would like to know. So he decides to take over: He dons his sparkly suit, jumps on his Harley, and roars off into the night. But it turns out delivering Easter eggs is hard work. And it doesn't leave much time for naps (of which Cat has taken five--no, seven). So when a pooped-out Easter Bunny shows up, and with a treat for Cat, what will Cat do? His surprise solution will be stylish, smart, and even—yes—kind.
An homage to classic comic strips from the author of The Quiet Book and The Loud Book, this Easter treat has a bit of bite, a sweet center, and a satisfying finish—sure to inspire second helpings.
Great as an Easter basket stuffer—read it at Eastertime and year-round!
"Clever . . . light-as-air." —The New York Times
★ "Brilliant . . . truly winning . . . wonderful." —SLJ, starred review
★ "Utterly endearing." —Kirkus, starred review
★ "Marvelous." —Publishers Weekly, starred review
★ "Cheekily amusing." —BCCB starred review
"Witty . . . entertaining." —The Horn Book
“Hilarious.” —Booklist
amid her tools and sprockets,
a girl named Cinderella dreamed
of fixing fancy rockets.
With a little help from her fairy godrobot, Cinderella is going to the ball. But when the prince's ship has mechanical trouble, someone will have to zoom to the rescue! Readers will thank their lucky stars for this irrepressible fairy tale retelling, its independent heroine, and its stellar happy ending. Plus, this is a fixed-format version of the book, which looks nearly identical to the print version.
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