Frances in the Country - by Liz Garton Scanlon (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

Frances is a city kid, but it's hard for her to fit in. City walls aren't for climbing, city rooms aren't for running, city shops and city yards are too crowded, and there are so many rules that Frances can't seem to follow.

A New York Times Best Children's Book of the Year

She takes a trip to visit her cousins in the country, where she finds cats for chasing, roads for racing down, ladders for leaping, and fields full of animals. When it's time to go home, it's not easy to leave her cousins, but she invites them to visit and see the sights and sounds, lights, thumps, beeps and shines of the city where she returns to her loving mom and sisters.

Liz Garton Scanlon is author of the Caldecott Honor book All the World, illustrated by Marla Frazee, and many other books including Bob, Not Bob, illustrated by Matt Cordell, and Another Way to Climb A Tree, illustrated by Hadley Hooper, With Frances in the Country, she deftly balances the appeals of city and country life.

Sean Qualls is the Coretta Scott King Honor artist for Before John Was a Jazz Giant, Emmanuel's Dream, and Giant Steps to Change the World.

Review Quotes

"Through spirited poetry and rough-and-tumble painted-collage art, this ebullient picture book shows us the best of both worlds."--The New York Times

★ "Absence not only makes the heart grow fonder in this tribute to city, country, and family--it can be a source of fresh perspectives, too."--Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

"A good choice for read-alouds. Qualls' signature textured illustrations, done in acrylic paint, collage, and pencil, elevate and add character"--Kirkus Reviews

"In this beautiful, fresh take on city versus country life, readers are the winners."--Booklist

"Qualls' multimedia illustrations work their magic not only through depictions of the brown-skinned cousins' joyful activities, but also through subtle visual contrasts. . . . this will be the perfect pick for kids itching to be--just for a little while--somewhere, anywhere else."--The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

About the Author

Liz Garton Scanlon is the author of many picture books for young readers including All the World, illustrated by Marla Frazee, which was a Caldecott Honor book and a New York Times bestseller. She is also the author of I Want a Boat, illustrated by Kevan Atteberry.

Sean Qualls illustrated the widely acclaimed biographies The Poet Slave of Cuba and Dizzy. Sean has also illustrated Emmanuel's Dream (Schneider Award recipient) written by Laurie Ann Thompson, Giant Steps to Change the World written by Spike Lee and Tonya Lewis Lee and Before John Was a Jazz Giant (Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor) written by Carole Boston Weatherford. He lives in Brooklyn where you can also find him DJing on occasion.