"Block's charming, full-color illustrations complement the tales in a decidedly mid-20th-century modern style .... An homage to classic fantasies for an audience willing to suspend all disbelief and just go along for the ride." - Kirkus Reviews "In her first children's book, adult author Michaels presents five stories driven equally by whimsy and self-aware humor .... Michaels is fond of digressions, one of many vocabulary words she highlights as the narrative comments on the peculiarities of storytelling .... Block's delicate color illustrations are ideally suited to Miss Petitfour's subdued and decidedly eccentric adventures, which involve everything from an empty marmalade jar to a lost stamp." - Publisher's Weekly ..".. It's comedic irreverence and spirited play with words, names, and pirate lore will remind readers of Mary Poppins and Pippi Longstocking. Children will savor the whimsical language and conversational tone as well as the nameless village with its wordless wooden signs ...." - Starred Review, School Library Journal "Toronto's new poet laureate is known for her moody adult poetry and fiction, so it came as a surprise when her kidlit debut turned out to be a fun and whimsical confection of sweet stories about a young woman and her 16 cats who take to the sky using a tablecloth as a sort of non-hot air balloon. Full of delightful language that skips and lilts off the page and the tongue, Michael's first book for kids might even be better than the stuff she writes for adults." - Quill & Quire Block's charming, full-color illustrations complement the tales in a decidedly mid-20th-century modern style .... An homage to classic fantasies for an audience willing to suspend all disbelief and just go along for the ride. -Kirkus Reviews In her first children s book, adult author Michaels presents five stories driven equally by whimsy and self-aware humor ....Michaels is fond of digressions, one of many vocabulary words she highlights as the narrative comments on the peculiarities of storytelling .... Block s delicate color illustrations are ideally suited to Miss Petitfour s subdued and decidedly eccentric adventures, which involve everything from an empty marmalade jar to a lost stamp. -Publisher s Weekly .... It's comedic irreverence and spirited play with words, names, and pirate lore will remind readers of Mary Poppins and Pippi Longstocking. Children will savor the whimsical language and conversational tone as well as the nameless village with its wordless wooden signs ...." - Starred Review, School Library Journal Toronto s new poet laureate is known for her moody adult poetry and fiction, so it came as a surprise when her kidlit debut turned out to be a fun and whimsical confection of sweet stories about a young woman and her 16 cats who take to the sky using a tablecloth as a sort of non-hot air balloon. Full of delightful language that skips and lilts off the page and the tongue, Michael s first book for kids might even be better than the stuff she writes for adults. -Quill & Quire " PRAISE FOR"Fugitive Pieces" "Extraordinarily magical." -"The New York Times""Searing the mind with stunning images while seducing with radiant prose, this brilliant first novel is a story of damaged lives and the indestructibility of the human spirit. It speaks about loss, about the urgency, pain and ultimate healing power of memory, and about the redemptive power of love." -"Publishers Weekly"..".this is a stunning first novel that attests to the strength of the human spirit." -"School Library Journal""Anne Michaels, in one sudden stunning gift to literature, has made her memorable mark.""- Ottawa Citizen" PRAISE FOR"The Winter Vault" "Profound loss, desolation and rebuilding are the literal and metaphoric themes of Michaels's exquisite second novel." -Starred Review, "Publishers Weekly""Michaels' skill is showcased in every well-chosen word of this luminous novel." -"Booklist"" PRAISE FOR "Fugitive Pieces" "Extraordinarily magical." -" The New York Times""Searing the mind with stunning images while seducing with radiant prose, this brilliant first novel is a story of damaged lives and the indestructibility of the human spirit. It speaks about loss, about the urgency, pain and ultimate healing power of memory, and about the redemptive power of love." -"Publishers Weekly"..".this is a stunning first novel that attests to the strength of the human spirit." - "School Library Journal""Anne Michaels, in one sudden stunning gift to literature, has made her memorable mark." "- Ottawa Citizen" PRAISE FOR "The Winter Vault" "Profound loss, desolation and rebuilding are the literal and metaphoric themes of Michaels's exquisite second novel." - Starred Review, "Publishers Weekly""Michaels' skill is showcased in every well-chosen word of this luminous novel." - "Booklist"

Anne Michaels is the author of several books of poetry, of the multi-award-winning novel"Fugitive Pieces," which was made into a feature film and won the Orange Prize for Fiction and the Guardian Fiction Prize and"The Winter Vault," her celebrated second novel. Her most recent book, "Correspondences," was shortlisted for the Griffin Poetry Prize. Anne's work has appeared in translation around the world. She lives in Toronto. Emma Block is the author and illustrator of"Tea and Cake"and has illustrated several books for children. She has worked for clients including Blue Apple, Harper Collins, Orla Kiely, UNIQULO, Anthropologie, Time Out and Hallmark. She likes charity shops, tea and very sharp pencils. Her art is inspired by the people she meets in her everyday life, old photos, vintage clothes, travel, 1950s illustration and 1930s jazz. Visit her online at emmablock.co.uk."