Here Is a Book - by Elisha Cooper (Hardcover)

About the Book

"The life of a picture book begins in the artist's studio, journeys through the world of publishing, finds itself on a bookshelf, and lands in the home of a young reader"--

Book Synopsis

A love letter to books, showing how many elements and people contribute to making something beautiful, from Caldecott honoree Elisha Cooper

In this poetic and beautifully illustrated ode to creativity and the process of making books, Caldecott honoree Elisha Cooper takes readers on a journey showing how words and art move from one person to another.

From writer to reader, and everyone who contributes in between: Here is a book, made with love.

An artist's studio overflows with sketches, drafts, a wastebasket, and wonder.
A publisher's office hums with computers, layouts, coffee, and teamwork.
A printer makes a layout into a book using presses, ink, paper, and time.
And that book travels to a school, to a library, to a student, to a home.

Review Quotes

***STARRED REVIEW***
"[A] winningly granular work...It's a step-by-step representation of how a book comes into being, focused on how much depends on "teamwork, time, beauty, adventure, grit, inspiration, curiosity, action, structure, humor, wonder, and love."--Publishers Weekly

***STARRED REVIEW***
"Each word of the brief text is chosen with care...The descriptive phrases often end with an emphasis word--something to make the reader stop and ponder. Those special words are gathered up at the end, bringing the parts of the book's journey together into one unified message."--Booklist

***STARRED REVIEW***
"This small treasure is both an artistic accomplishment and informative text, all packaged neatly into a picture book, making it an immediate classic."--Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"Focused on capturing the creative process and its power to, in turn, inspire further creation, this title is broad in scope; the wide landscapes and tight vignettes will encourage young people to find the stories around themselves in ­places large and small."--School Library Journal

"This beauty is echoed in the text's poetic lyricism...A behind-the-scenes glimpse into the origins of our most beloved titles."--Kirkus Reviews

"This reverie made manifest will be welcome in classrooms, libraries, and homes that value reading and art."--Horn Book Magazine

About the Author

Elisha Cooper is an author/illustrator who received a Caldecott Honor for Big Cat, Little Cat, and his following book River won the 2020 Robin Smith Picture Book Prize. Dance!, one of his earlier books, was a New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Book of the Year, and Beach won the Society of Illustrators Gold Medal. In 2016, he was awarded a Sendak Fellowship. His essays and sketchbooks have appeared in the sports section of the New York Times. Cooper lives with his wife, daughters, and cats in New York City.