Hopefully the Scarecrow

Ages 4 to 8, Grades P to 3

A tender and emotive picture book about a scarecrow who befriends the young girl who reads to him day after day until one day he's left wondering where she is. The perfect Fall book for kids!

A scarecrow stood in the garden. Tall, proud, and smiling. Every day a girl brought her favorite books to the garden and she read to him. He heard tales of courage and of hope. And when she said, "The End," the scarecrow always felt a little bit taller and braver. Year after year, she came and she read to him.

Until one spring, two different hands picked him up from the garden shed and placed him in the garden. He waited, but she didn't come to read to him.

With poignant words from award-winning author Michelle Houts and lush illustrations by Pura Belpré Honor winner Sara Palacios, Hopefully the Scarecrow is a tender distillation of the enduring power of friendship and a heartwarming look at the ways stories connect us.

Perfect for fans of The Scarecrow by Beth Ferry and The Fan Bros

About the Author

Michelle Houts writes from a restored one-room schoolhouse in Ohio. When she’s not writing, she’s either reading or kayaking. Houts has written more than a dozen picture books and novels for young readers. You can visit Michelle Houts at MichelleHouts.com or follow her on Instagram and Twitter @MHoutsWrites and on Facebook @MichelleHouts.

Author Residence: Rockford, Ohio

Author Hometown: State College, Pennsylvania

Sara Palacios is the illustrator of many books for children. She is also the recipient of the Pura Belpré Illustrator Honor for her work on Marisol McDonald Doesn’t Match and the Américas Book Award for Between Us and Abuela. She earned her BFA and MFA degrees in illustration from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. You can visit Sara Palacios online at SaraPalaciosIllustrations.com.

Illustrator Residence:San Francisco, California

Illustrator Hometown:Mexico