Story Rug

INSTANT NATIONAL BESTSELLER!

From two-time Caldecott Medalist Sophie Blackall and beloved artist Phoebe Wahl comes a luminous book that braids together the joy of storytelling with the satisfaction of learning a new craft.

The children of Class 203 are learning to braid. They started with hair and shoelaces, and now the children have brought rags from home. Their braid gets longer and longer until one idea transforms it into an extraordinary surprise for their teacher.

Here is the story of a rag rug, woven through with the stories of the scraps used to create it and those told during its making. The result is a special handmade spot where the whole class can gather, ready for more stories.

This beguiling celebration of storytelling is woven through with an easy-to-learn and impressive craft project, including instructions, will have readers reaching for scraps to make their own rag rug.

Sophie Blackall has illustrated dozens of beautiful books, including the New York Times bestseller Farmhouse and the Caldecott Medal-winning titles Finding Winnie (by Lindsay Mattick) and Hello Lighthouse. She is also the founder of Milkwood, a creative retreat in the Catskills, where there are many vintage rag rugs, all made of scraps of clothing once worn by real people with stories of their own. She lives with her family in Brooklyn, New York, and invites you to visit her on Instagram @sophieblackall.

Phoebe Wahl is an award-winning illustrator and surface designer. She graduated from Rhode Island School of Design and has published celebrated picture books, including Little Witch Hazel and Sonya's Chickens. She lives with her family in Bellingham, Washington, where her children play on a rag rug braided by their great-grandmother. She invites you to visit her on Instagram @phoebewahl.

Review Quotes:

"A warm, visually ­appealing story that ­celebrates creativity, cultural ­expression, and classroom community."-- School Library Journal

 "Fans of Little Witch Hazel will be thrilled to recognize Wahl's...drawings, which brim with familiar details of a bustling classroom...Best of all, while the adults provide the crafting supplies, the ideas, direction, and ultimate creation are all completely kid-driven, providing sure inspiration for the backmatter directions for making a rag rug."-- Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, starred review

"A remarkable book that will wind its way into storytime rotations."-- The Horn Book, starred review

 "Solo play turns into communal collaboration in this appealing picture book expertly crafted by Caldecott Medalist Blackall, here in the author's seat, and Wahl ( Little Witch Hazel)."-- Publishers Weekly, starred review

"A charming interweaving of craft, cooperation, and the celebration of stories tucked into everyday things."-- Booklist