The Wildwood Elves - by Anne-Marie Chapouton (Paperback)

About the Book

"Deep in the forest, the Wildwood elves live happily in their little village, making pottery, chopping wood, and growing vegetables. ... When a friendly seagull makes a flying visit, they are astonished to hear of a mysterious thing called 'the sea'--and so begins a wonderful seaside adventure"--Publisher marketing.

Book Synopsis

A charming, classic story about the joy of discovering new places, illustrated by the acclaimed creator of USBBY-honored A Year in Our New Garden

Deep in the forest, the Wildwood elves live happily in their little village, making pottery, chopping wood and growing vegetables. But when a friendly seagull makes a flying visit, they are astonished to hear of a mysterious thing called 'the sea'... and so begins a wonderful seaside adventure.

Charmingly written by popular French children's author Anne-Marie Chapouton, and full of lively and characterful illustrations by world-renowned artist Gerda Muller, this classic tale is available in English for the first time. Children will be enchanted by the hidden world of the mischievous, adventurous, and curious Wildwood elves while their grown-ups will love the vintage artwork inspired by folklore and bursting with details of the natural world.

Review Quotes

'The Wildwood Elves live happily, hidden under a great beech tree, deep in their forest, in their little village they pick berries, make plates, chop wood, bakes cakes and grow vegetables, they lead very busy lives. So it is that when they learn that there is a chance for an outing to the sea, an outing to be led by their friend Skye the seabird, they are all a fluster for the sea is a mystery, an adventure waiting to unfold. It is also a trip that will present them with surprise and stories to tell for generations. Prepare for enchantment, wonder, curiosity, and an exploration of the natural world led by French author Anne-Marie Chapouton and Dutch illustrator Gerda Muller.'
- Armadillo

'The Wildwood Elves is a wonderful book about sweet little children, the wildwood elves, who want to know about the sea. The storyline is most delightful. There are lots of funny and cute little characters, like the sweet little field mice and a sea bird. You can never tell what's about to happen in this wonderful story. The illustrations are beautiful, just like all of Gerda Muller's books.'
- Alexandria, age 10, for Kids' Book Buzz

Praise for Gerda Muller:

'Unpredictable, stimulating and ultimately confidence-inducing... Gerda Muller draws each activity and animal with great detail and attention.'
- The New York Times on A Year Around the Great Oak

'Realistic, delicate paintings use pattern, light and soft colors to track nature's transformation of the old oak tree during a single year in an innocent style reminiscent of Barbara Cooney. Simplified natural details of individual plants, birds and animals invite close inspection, while holistic scenes of the oak evoke an idyllic seasonal atmosphere. A charming celebration of the changing seasons.'
- Kirkus Reviews on A Year Around the Great Oak

'The beautifully detailed paintings invite close inspection as the seasons change.'
- School Library Journal on A Year In Our New Garden

'Gerda Muller's enchanting illustrations, filled with details, will keep little readers engaged.'
- San Francisco Book Review on A Year in our New Garden

About the Author

Anne-Marie Chapouton (1939-2000) was a popular French children's author. Born in France, she spent her childhood in Tunisia, Holland and the USA and obtained a doctorate in literature from Columbia University, New York City. When she moved back to live in the French countryside, Anne-Marie began writing children's stories for her daughters. She published over 200 books in her lifetime; including picture books, novels and poetry collections. Gerda Muller was born in 1926 in Naarden, Holland. She attended the Fine Arts School of Amsterdam and Ecole Estienne of Paris. She has illustrated over 120 books for children and her books have been translated into many languages. She is the creator of the Seasons board books, How Does My Garden Grow?, How Does My Fruit Grow? and A Year in Our New Garden, which was named a USBBY Outstanding International Book 2017.