Ruthie Rose’s Big Idea by John Schu; illustrated by Holly Hatam | Publication Date: March 4, 2025.
Published by Candlewick Press | Edited by Karen Lotz | Designed by Heather McGee
Ruthie Rose wakes up with an idea.
A big, bright, beautiful idea.
An idea so great! An idea so grand! Ruthie Rose can’t wait to share it with her idea-loving librarian, her art teacher, and her best friend. As the idea gets shared, it sparkles through her classmates, shouts down the hallway, and echoes over the playground. It invites everyone in the school, including YOU. John Schu’s effervescent prose is complemented by Holly Hatam’s vibrant artwork in clear, vivid colors, depicting a cast of adorable characters. Collaged throughout the artwork are intriguing snippets of language and lines from classic poems, sure to inspire young poetry lovers to discover more.
Resources and Interviews
Author and librarian Travis Jonker revealed Ruthie Rose’s Big Idea’s cover.
This Is a Story by John Schu; illustrated by Lauren Castillo
Published by Candlewick Press | Edited by Karen Lotz | Designed by Heather McGee
This is a word on a page.
This is a page in a book.
This is a book on a shelf . . . waiting.
With a sea-horse kite in hand, a child heads out with Dad to the library. On the way they stop at a park, joining lots of people, some of whom are flying kites, too. At the library, a person toting a big pile of books hands over a story on a favorite subject: the sea horse. All around, there are readers poring over books, each with their own questions, ideas to explore, hopes for the future, and imaginations ready to spark. With a warm, lyrical text and tenderly expressive illustrations, John Schu and Lauren Castillo invite us to imagine the myriad ways that books can foster connection and understanding—and how they can empower children, through their own passions, to transform the world.
Reviews
An homage to book and library lovers everywhere, Schu and Castillo’s book takes readers on a journey that shows how words can lead to human connections. . . . A valentine to reading, books, the love of books, and the rooms that house them, this charmer will find a home in every heart." —School Library Journal (starred review)
Starting in close and pulling back, this love letter to libraries foregrounds their gift for connecting each reader with just the right story. . . . Realistically drawn, recognizable book jackets cover the pages, creating jumping-off points and sparks of recognition in a title that’s both the next best thing to an actual library visit and fine preparation for a first foray. —Publishers Weekly
In his follow up to This Is a School, Schu presents This Is a Story—a delightful homage to the power of story, particularly those moments when that certain book lands in the hands of that certain child, when those sparks of connection lead to that sense of wonderand a desire to know more. . . As a classroom teacher, a school librarian, and the Ambassador of School Libraries for Scholastic Book Fair, Schu knows the importance of this book-reader connection. . . . Using ink, watercolor, and pastel, Caldecott Honor-recipient Lauren Castillo creates a soft, warm feeling with each illustration. . . choosing a city public library tucked in the middle of a diverse neighborhood is the perfect setting to tell this story, a story relatable to all kids. —The New York Journal of Books
Resources and Interviews
Author and librarian Travis Jonker revealed This Is a Story’s cover and interviewed Lauren and me.
Author and fifth-grade teacher Colby Sharp created the teachers’ guide for This Is a Story.
Download a high-resolution cover here.
This Is a School by John Schu; illustrated by Veronica Miller Jamison
Published by Candlewick Press | Edited by Karen Lotz
Publication Date: March 29, 2022 | Order a signed copy from Anderson’s Bookshop.
A moving celebration of school and all it may signify: work and play, creativity and trust, and a supportive community that extends beyond walls
A school isn’t just a building; it is all the people who work and learn together. It is a place for discovery and asking questions. A place for sharing, for helping, and for community. It is a place of hope and healing, even when that community can’t be together in the same room. John Schu, a librarian and former ambassador of school libraries for Scholastic, crafts a loving letter to schools and the people that make up the communities within in a picture book debut beautifully illustrated by Veronica Miller Jamison.
Reviews
Schu's debut picture book salutes the school community and the positive role it plays in kids' lives. . . Jamison's watercolor, acrylic, and digital-collage illustrations employ a sunny palette, well suited to the text's upbeat tone. . . . Schu emphasizes the school as a community, where growth, celebrations, transformations, and work all occur, providing a reassuring introduction to this near-universal experience. —Booklist (starred review)
Librarian and book advocate Schu invites readers into a school community in which all voices are heard, each person learns, and everyone—and everything, including the plants in the school garden—grows. . . . This introduction to school communities shows children what happens inside a classroom via a vision of school at its best—one that leaves readers with a sense of belonging and inclusion. —Publishers Weekly
A soaring panegyric to elementary school as a communal place to learn and grow. . . the central message here is that school is a physical space, not a virtual one, where learning and community happen. . . . A full-hearted valentine. —Kirkus Reviews
The mixed media illustrations (watercolor, acrylic, and digital) are vibrant, showcasing students of multiple ethnicities, genders, and abilities. Dominated by muted or cool colors in the background, the active learning of students and teachers is brought to the forefront. Full spread illustrations showing the whole community mix with smaller, more intimate portrayals of kids and adults hard at work, providing strong movement throughout the story. —School Library Journal
This book is so beautiful! I can see the love, joy, inclusion, and empathy on every single page. What a gift this is for kids, educators, and families.—Supriya Kelkar, children’s author of Brown is Beautiful
Resources and Interviews
Author and fifth-grade teacher Colby Sharp created the teachers’ guide for This Is a School.
Author and librarian Travis Jonker revealed This Is a School’s cover and interviewed Veronica and me.
Q&A with John Schu | Publishers Weekly