• Age: 4 to 6
• Grade: p to 1

Whimsy's heavy things are weighing her down. She tries to sweep them under the rug, but she trips over them. She tries to put them in a tree, but they fall on her. She even tries to sail them out to sea, but they always come back. Eventually Whimsy decides to deal with the heavy things one at a time... and a surprising thing happens. With exquisite illustrations and delightfully simple text, Whimsy's Heavy Things is a sweet story about changing the things that weigh us down into the things that lift us up.

Julie Kraulis' profile page

Toronto-based artist and illustrator Julie Kraulis is passionate about ideas: the unexpected, profound, whimsical, smart. Since completing her Bachelor of Design in Illustration at the Ontario College of Art & Design, Julie has created images that form a diverse body of work ranging from fine art, to illustration, to design. Her creative journey is one of hope and disbelief, soaring and stumbling. All that she encounters in this wide world becomes her inspiration and she delights in sharing these treasures with others. She is a "stop and smell the roses" kind of gal who loves to create. Visit her online at juliekraulis.com. The author lives in Toronto, Canada.

LONGLIST 2014 CBA Libris Awards Children’s Picture book of the Year

"[Whimsy's] ... solutions are ingenious, and the ending surprises with a mature little twist that is reassuring as well as realistic. Every page is sweetly rendered by author and illustrator Julie Kraulis's oil and graphite artwork, which evokes a softer, gentler version of Tim Burton's style.”
—Quill & Quire