Steppin' Out

Jaunty Rhymes for Playful Times

Author Lin Oliver
Illustrated by Tomie dePaola
Capturing the magic and fun throughout a toddler's day, this lively collection of poems, from the creators of Little Poems for Tiny Ears, is a book to be treasured.
 
Being a preschooler means days full of discovery every time you step out of your door. It’s a time filled with wonder, at all the sights and sounds of the outdoors and at the huge variety of people there are to meet.

This collection of nineteen original poems features little ones eager to explore, whether it’s splashing in puddles, riding in an elevator or through a car wash, or visiting the library. They go full-steam ahead to the park, the beach, and dance class, somewhat begrudgingly learn to share and get their first haircut, and enjoy lots of time with their families.

Full of contagious rhythm and rhyme, this inviting picture book introduces young children to the sounds of poetry through familiar childhood activities, and beloved illustrator Tomie dePaola’s engaging children are the perfect match for Lin Oliver’s bouncy poems.
Lin Oliver is a children’s book author and writer/producer of numerous television series and movies for children. With Henry Winkler, she writes the New York Times bestselling book series, Hank Zipzer: World’s Best Underachiever, which has sold over 4 million copies and is a hit television series on the BBC. Their new chapter book series, Here’s Hank, is also a New York Times bestseller.  She is also the author of the Who Shrunk Daniel Funk quartet, Sound Bender and The Shadow Mask, adventure/science fiction middle grade novels she coauthored with Theo Baker. Her collection of poetry, the highly praised Little Poems for Tiny Ears, illustrated by Tomie dePaola, is being followed with another poetry collection, Steppin’ Out: Playful Rhymes for Toddler Times. Oliver is the cofounder and Executive Director of SCBWI.  View titles by Lin Oliver

Tomie dePaola was born in Meriden, Connecticut, in 1934, to a family of Irish and Italian background. His determination to create books for children led to a BFA from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York, and an MFA from the California College of Arts & Crafts in Oakland, California. 

His particular way with color, line, detail, and design have earned him many of the most prestigious awards in his field, among them a Caldecott Honor Award for Strega Nona, the Smithsonian Medal, the Kerlan Award from the University of Minnesota for his "singular attainment in children's literature," the Catholic Library Association's Regina Medal for his "continued distinguished contribution," and the University of Southern Mississippi Medallion. He was also the 1990 United States nominee for the Hans Christian Andersen Medal for illustration, and received the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award for lifetime contribution to children's literature in 2011.

DePaola has published almost 200 children's books in 15 different countries over the past 30 years. Among his most well-known titles are the Strega Nona series, 26 Fairmount Avenue, and The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush.

DePaola lives in an interesting house in New Hampshire with his four dogs. His studio is in a large renovated 200-year-old barn.

View titles by Tomie dePaola
“Oliver and dePaola accentuate the positive in this follow-up to 2014’s Little Poems for Tiny Ears, which features 19 original poems about moments common to the lives of many children. . . . In a welcoming opening touch, a gatefold lets readers open one child’s front door as the action moves outdoors. . . . Subsequent poems are similarly buoyant. . . . Oliver’s young cast, painted by dePaola with characteristic warmth and in an array of ethnic backgrounds, are resolutely cheerful, generous, and curious.”Publishers Weekly

“Playful . . . touches on common toddler experiences. . . . The poems are short enough for young audiences and demonstrate a pleasing mix of meters and rhymes, resulting in varied selections. The verses also evoke emotions and the senses. . . . DePaola’s signature acrylic artwork appears on every page, depicting happy multicultural children engaged in diverse activities. The illustrations employ great variety, keeping each page interesting. . . . A great follow-up to this duo’s earlier collaboration, Little Poems for Tiny Ears (2014), this child-friendly anthology should have broad appeal.”Booklist

About

Capturing the magic and fun throughout a toddler's day, this lively collection of poems, from the creators of Little Poems for Tiny Ears, is a book to be treasured.
 
Being a preschooler means days full of discovery every time you step out of your door. It’s a time filled with wonder, at all the sights and sounds of the outdoors and at the huge variety of people there are to meet.

This collection of nineteen original poems features little ones eager to explore, whether it’s splashing in puddles, riding in an elevator or through a car wash, or visiting the library. They go full-steam ahead to the park, the beach, and dance class, somewhat begrudgingly learn to share and get their first haircut, and enjoy lots of time with their families.

Full of contagious rhythm and rhyme, this inviting picture book introduces young children to the sounds of poetry through familiar childhood activities, and beloved illustrator Tomie dePaola’s engaging children are the perfect match for Lin Oliver’s bouncy poems.

Author

Lin Oliver is a children’s book author and writer/producer of numerous television series and movies for children. With Henry Winkler, she writes the New York Times bestselling book series, Hank Zipzer: World’s Best Underachiever, which has sold over 4 million copies and is a hit television series on the BBC. Their new chapter book series, Here’s Hank, is also a New York Times bestseller.  She is also the author of the Who Shrunk Daniel Funk quartet, Sound Bender and The Shadow Mask, adventure/science fiction middle grade novels she coauthored with Theo Baker. Her collection of poetry, the highly praised Little Poems for Tiny Ears, illustrated by Tomie dePaola, is being followed with another poetry collection, Steppin’ Out: Playful Rhymes for Toddler Times. Oliver is the cofounder and Executive Director of SCBWI.  View titles by Lin Oliver

Tomie dePaola was born in Meriden, Connecticut, in 1934, to a family of Irish and Italian background. His determination to create books for children led to a BFA from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York, and an MFA from the California College of Arts & Crafts in Oakland, California. 

His particular way with color, line, detail, and design have earned him many of the most prestigious awards in his field, among them a Caldecott Honor Award for Strega Nona, the Smithsonian Medal, the Kerlan Award from the University of Minnesota for his "singular attainment in children's literature," the Catholic Library Association's Regina Medal for his "continued distinguished contribution," and the University of Southern Mississippi Medallion. He was also the 1990 United States nominee for the Hans Christian Andersen Medal for illustration, and received the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award for lifetime contribution to children's literature in 2011.

DePaola has published almost 200 children's books in 15 different countries over the past 30 years. Among his most well-known titles are the Strega Nona series, 26 Fairmount Avenue, and The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush.

DePaola lives in an interesting house in New Hampshire with his four dogs. His studio is in a large renovated 200-year-old barn.

View titles by Tomie dePaola

Praise

“Oliver and dePaola accentuate the positive in this follow-up to 2014’s Little Poems for Tiny Ears, which features 19 original poems about moments common to the lives of many children. . . . In a welcoming opening touch, a gatefold lets readers open one child’s front door as the action moves outdoors. . . . Subsequent poems are similarly buoyant. . . . Oliver’s young cast, painted by dePaola with characteristic warmth and in an array of ethnic backgrounds, are resolutely cheerful, generous, and curious.”Publishers Weekly

“Playful . . . touches on common toddler experiences. . . . The poems are short enough for young audiences and demonstrate a pleasing mix of meters and rhymes, resulting in varied selections. The verses also evoke emotions and the senses. . . . DePaola’s signature acrylic artwork appears on every page, depicting happy multicultural children engaged in diverse activities. The illustrations employ great variety, keeping each page interesting. . . . A great follow-up to this duo’s earlier collaboration, Little Poems for Tiny Ears (2014), this child-friendly anthology should have broad appeal.”Booklist

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