• Age: 0 to 2
• Grade: p to 12
• Reading age: 0 to 2

From a carrier, a baby peers out at the trail.

Leaves rustle overhead, and a turtle stretches toward the sun. Everything shimmers with light, including the jeweled wings of a dragonfly and the star-shaped lilies. This delightful board book takes the reader on a hike accented by the soft sound of footsteps on the trail and grounded by the rhythmic rocking of mother and baby moving through the forest. Travel along on their serene journey with Laurie Elmquist's lyrical verse and Shantala Robinson's warmly painted collages. A beautiful book that will be treasured by anyone who loves the outdoors.

Laurie Elmquist holds an MA in Literature and Creative Writing from the University of Windsor in Ontario and has been published in several magazines and anthologies. A teacher at Camosun College in Victoria, British Columbia, and online instructor at the University of Calgary in Alberta, Laurie has served as a judge for several competitions, including the Canadian Author’s Association Book Prize. When she’s not writing, Laurie enjoys exploring the beaches of the west coast, from California to Vancouver Island. Beach Baby is her first book. For more information, visit www.laurieelmquist.blogspot.ca.

Laurie Elmquist's profile page

Shantala Robinson has been drawing voraciously since she was a child. She currently works in the field of illustration and graphic design, selling artwork and working on commissioned pieces. She draws and paints in a variety of styles but tends toward using multimedia to collage her pictures. Shantala is passionate about literature and travel, gaining inspiration from her exploration of strange and fantastic environments both fictional and real. She believes the world can be a wondrous and magical place and tries to recreate that sense of adventure in her artwork. Shantala lives in New Westminster, British Columbia, with her family.

Shantala Robinson's profile page

• Commended, Bank Street College of Education Children's Book Committee Best Children's Books of the Year

"The idea of a baby in a carrier lovingly exploring the outdoors with their mother is a pleasant and soothing one, and the illustrations do a good job at displaying their happiness and the warm excitement of discovering nature, including a variety of creatures."

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&quotA magical encounter with nature. A vicarious walk in the woods.&quot

Kirkus Reviews