< Picture Books

Wake

"In dream I am far away, standing still and silent at the edge of a mountain forest...'"

Awakened by his friend Owl in the quiet hours of the night, a boy ventures out to his special place in the forest. Owl is waiting there, along with Oak and Moon, and together they teach the boy about the sacred power of nature to connect all things.

Filled with striking watercolor illustrations and poetic text, Wake is a quiet celebration of one child’s deep bond with the natural world.

Reviews:

"Especially recommended for children ages 5 to 7, Wake is unique, extraordinary, and unfailingly entertaining from cover to cover—making it an ideal and highly recommended addition to family, elementary school, and community library picture book collections." - Midwest Book Review

"Wake is rich with old-soul wisdom and young-soul wonder. I want to stay up all night till dawn for the first time in many years."
- Jim Borgman, Pulitzer Prize winner and co-creator of comic strip "Zits"

"Watercolors from Leah Busch complement the boy's quiet inner musings as he expresses his love, respect, and wonder at the world around him..." - Foreword Reviews

"Dougherty's poetic text appeals to the senses, immersing readers in the child's experiences..." - Kirkus Reviews

"Whether you are an urban, suburban, or rural dweller, Wake is an invitation to children and to the child within all of us to seek out and to remember the importance of connection with the natural world." - Diane Debevec, Executive Director, Women Writing For (a) Change®

"Wake, a collaboration between mother and daughter team Shawn Dougherty and Leah Busch, is a beautiful rendering of the innate connection between child and nature. 'Wake!' calls Owl and Oak. This wise book invites its readers to wake to the world around us." - Pauletta Hansel, Cincinnati Poet Laureate, 2016-2018

"Dougherty and Busch express the inexpressible quality of spiritual curiosity, mystery, and wholeness." - Marta Donahoe, writer/poet, recognized leader in the Montessori community, Montessori teacher trainer (CMSTEP) in the U.S. and abroad, Mindful Schools certified trainer

Publication Information

List Price: $17.99
ISBN: 978-1-936669-60-8
Publication Date: September 2017
Format: Hardcover
Dimensions: 11" x 8.5"
Page Count: 40
Ages: 4-8

Buy Wake

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About the Author: 

Shawn Dougherty is a teacher and writer in Cincinnati. She holds a BS in Early Childhood Education from the University of Cincinnati, and a MEd in Montessori Education from Xavier University. She spent many years writing at Women Writing for (a) Change, an independent writing school in Cincinnati, and taught their young women’s classes. Shawn and her husband, Gary Busch, are the parents of three (including author/illustrator Leah Busch) and grandparents of five… and counting.

About the Illustrator: 

Leah Busch is an artist from Cincinnati, OH. She has held many positions in the arts, won numerous awards (including for her Toast to Baby children's book series), and taught extensively, and holds an MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Other illustration credits include the best-selling Sleep Baby, Safe and Snug.

Learn more at www.leahbusch.com