Dear Substitute - by Audrey Vernick & Liz Garton Scanlon (Hardcover)

About the Book

Told in a series of epistolary poems, this funny, relatable picture book illustrated by a Caldecott Medalist is a great fit for classrooms and for any child nervous about new experiences. Full color.

Book Synopsis

When a substitute teacher named Miss Pelly comes to class, one student bristles at the change in routine--Miss Pelly doesn't follow the rules like Mrs. Giordano. But in time, our student learns that even though the substitute may do things a little differently, and she may be a bit silly, mixing things up might not be so bad.Told in a series of epistolary poems, this funny, relatable picturebook is a great fit for classrooms and for any child nervous about new experiences.

Review Quotes

PRAISE FOR BOB, NOT BOB!

* "[A] perfect cheer-up for a kid tucked up with a cold."--, starred review

PRAISE FOR BOB, NOT BOB!

* "Every page offers a giggle. . . . [T]his is read-aloud gold."--, starred review

PRAISE FOR BOB, NOT BOB!

* "The co-authors' narrative is satisfying beyond the funny gimmick, . . . offering depth and heart in addition to the silly misunderstandings."--, starred review

PRAISE FOR BOB, NOT BOB!

"Scanlon and Vernick's text is sweet without treacle, and . . . Cordell's artwork is terrific."

PRAISE FOR UNLIKE OTHER MONSTERS

"A quirky, fun friendship title sure to be a read-aloud favorite with children."

PRAISE FOR UNLIKE OTHER MONSTERS

"Jack's colorful, humorous art makes for active illustrations and engaging characters, aptly complementing Vernick's gently speculative text."

"Big print and simple vocabulary make this suitable for early reading as well as reading aloud, the concept will spur kids to create their own letters, and substitute teachers will embrace a book that finally celebrates their usually unsung labors."--BCCB

"Each shift in the narrator's emotions--from suspicion to anger to intrigue--rings true in this perceptive, probing series of observations from a child's viewpoint."--Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"Kids will probably want to go back through the pages to follow recurring motifs such as the sun, the turtle, and the flowers as well as the progression of feelings from despair to exuberance."--Horn Book (starred review)

"Substitute teachers are a rite of passage for students; this narrator's change of heart provides a good example of handling it with aplomb."--Kirkus Reviews

Praise for Dear Substitute: Bank Street Best Children's Books of the YearA Gryphon Honor BookHorn Book FanfareA Junior Library Guild SelectionKansas NEA Reading Circle Recommended Reading ListA Washington Children's Choice Picture Book Award NomineeA Great Texas Mosquito List Book 2020-2021
An Arkansas Diamond Primary Award Nominee 2020-2021

About the Author

Liz Garton Scanlon is the author of many beloved books, including Caldecott Honor book All the World, illustrated by Marla Frazee, and her debut middle grade novel, The Great Good Summer. This is her second collaboration with Audrey Vernick--the first was Bob, Not Bob! illustrated by Matthew Cordell. Liz lives with her family in Austin, Texas and you can find her online at www.lizgartonscanlon.com.

Audrey Vernick is the author of over twenty books for young readers, including Unlike Other Monsters, Is Your Buffalo Ready for Kindergarten?, First Grade Dropout, and the co-written Bob, Not Bob!. She co-writes with Scanlon from her home in New Jersey and you can find her online at www.audreyvernick.com.

Chris Raschka is the Caldecott-Award-winning illustrator of The Hello Goodbye Window and A Ball for Daisy. He also received a Caldecott Honor for Yo! Yes? and has written and illustrated numerous books for children, for which he was nominated for the Hans Christian Andersen Award in 2012. He lives in New York City.