With "Friends," the creator of the international hit "Happy" goes one step further and shows emotional interactions. Here she uses monsters to show different situations, making the images recognizable for little monsters of all ages. Full color.

Who could have guessed that dazzlingly colored fish swimming in an ink-black sea would help hundreds of thousands of people around the world learn to recognize and name their emotions? On each of its spreads swims a single fish, each scale and fin suffused with an emotion that the facing page names in similarly expressive letters: curious, shocked, loving, content... Now, in this stunning edition of Happy, van Hout's luminous fish swim across extra-heavy pages that will endure through countless readings.

Bestselling author-illustrator Mies van Hout employs vivid creatures in a jewel-tone natural setting to explore the longing we all feel at times to be like somebody else. What child has not daydreamed about having wings like a butterfly? But secretly, the flashy butterfly yearns for a stick insect's privacy. And the stick insect wants to swim like a whirligig beetle. One after the other, the denizens of bestselling author-illustrator Mies van Hout's vibrant garden landscape wish to be like somebody else. From the glowing firefly to the capable spider to the adorable ladybugs, each one brings something to be admired. And when the dragonfly wishes to be like a child who can run, play, laugh, and build, a world of possibilities opens up. A gentle but effective story for social emotional learning, If Only allows children to reach their own conclusions and acknowledge that while it's common to compare ourselves to others, it's best to remember and celebrate what we ourselves can do.

Bestselling author-illustrator Mies van Hout employs vivid creatures in a jewel-tone natural setting to explore the longing we all feel at times to be like somebody else. What child has not daydreamed about having wings like a butterfly? But secretly, the flashy butterfly yearns for a stick insect's privacy. And the stick insect wants to swim like a whirligig beetle. One after the other, the denizens of bestselling author-illustrator Mies van Hout's vibrant garden landscape wish to be like somebody else. From the glowing firefly to the capable spider to the adorable ladybugs, each one brings something to be admired. And when the dragonfly wishes to be like a child who can run, play, laugh, and build, a world of possibilities opens up. A gentle but effective story for social emotional learning, If Only... allows children to reach their own conclusions and acknowledge that while it's common to compare ourselves to others, it's best to remember and celebrate what we ourselves can do.

The anticipation, joy, challenges and rewards of parenthood, captured by Happy artist Mies van Hout. From longing and expecting, via marvelling and nursing, to listening and eventually letting go - Mies van Hout has created a picture book that will conjure a lasting smile on the face of every parent and parent-to-be. Just as fish expressed the emotions of Happy and monsters big and small portrayed the stages of Friends, Mies van Hout's birds of wonder convey the journey of parenthood with colorful exuberance.

Cats take center stage for a colorful and whimsical celebration of feline personalities featuring the eye-popping illustrations of Mies van Hout What do cats think when they get caught in the rain, or when a bird is just out of reach? If they could tell us, their voices would be full of charisma and attitude. Cats have been our companions for thousands of years. From the sandy roads of Ancient Egypt to the shopping bag left on the kitchen counter, felines have always embraced their curiosity. With a lot of history comes a lot of personality. Charming, capricious free verse from author John Spray pairs brilliantly with the striking art of celebrated illustrator Mies van Hout in this delightful tribute to cats.