102 - by Matthew Cordell (Hardcover)

About the Book

After being sent home with a fever, a young boy discovers the mysterious, miniature world beyond his bedroom walls.

Book Synopsis

*"Utterly entrancing." --Kirkus, starred review
*"Tender and imaginative." --SLJ, starred review
*"Graceful, cozy." --Booklist, starred review
*"A weird and wonderful story." --Horn Book, starred review
*"Pulses with warmth and inventiveness."--PW, starred review

From Caldecott Medalist Matthew Cordell comes a cozy, magical nighttime adventure, where a child discovers the mysterious, miniature world beyond his bedroom walls. ​

Sent home from school earlier in the day with a fever, George awakens in the middle of the night to discover a cricket beckoning him on an adventure and soon finds himself shrunken down in size. He follows the insect guide through a crack in his bedroom wall, through the moonlit yard, and into the home of a family of mice at the base of an oak tree. There, in a tiny, cozy kitchen, George discovers the meaning of his quest: he must help the Mama mouse complete her special 102-bean soup for her sick young son.

Delightfully sweet as it is fantastic, 102 seamlessly explores the values of curiosity, kindness, and generosity. The simple yet profound conclusion shares a clever wink with readers, encouraging them to believe the unbelievable.

Review Quotes

* "Magical and masterfully illustrated."

--CCBC, starred review

* "A timeless new classic."--Bookpage, starred review

* "[An] ambitious picture book that recalls works by Chris Van Allsburg and David Wiesner..."--Publishers Weekly, starred review

* "A weird and wonderful story."--Horn Book, starred review

Praise for 102:
A Kids' Indie Next List Pick
An Amazon Best Book of 2026

"​Striking." --BCCB

* "[Cordell's] fanciful yet down-to-earth narrative will entrance..."
--Booklist, starred review

* "A tender and imaginative story that beautifully blends whimsy with warmth..." --School Library Journal, starred review

* "Utterly entrancing."--Kirkus, starred review

About the Author

Matthew Cordell is the Caldecott Medal-winning author and illustrator of Wolf in the Snow, Evergreen, Cornbread & Poppy, Wish, and Hello, Neighbor!: The Kind and Caring World of Mister Rogers. He is also the illustrator of highly acclaimed children's books such as Every Dog in the Neighborhood (by Philip C. Stead), Bob, Not Bob! (by Audrey Vernick and Liz Garton Scanlon), and Leeva at Last (by Sara Pennypacker). His books have been best-of-the-year selections by The New York Times, The Boston Globe, NPR, and Amazon.com, and have been translated into numerous languages around the world. Matthew lives in suburban Chicago with his wife, author Julie Halpern, and their two children.