A near-wordless picture book for young children from 3-6 with brightly coloured monsters who are real friends – they play, laugh and cuddle, but they also tease, argue and make up. The dynamic illustrations and words is drawn by the well-known children’s book illustrator Mies van Hout, by using oil pastel and wax crayon on a black background in her characteristic expressive style. It portrays situations recognizable for small monsters and links with Friends, the translation of Vriendjes, also by Mies van Hout, published by Protea Book house in 2015.

“Mies van Hout's Happy is a tour de force of underwater awesomeness and emotion, showcasing what an artist can do with a few pastels, black paper and something fundamental to express.�—New York Times Book Review Who could have guessed that dazzlingly colored fish swimming in an ink-black sea would help hundreds of thousands of people around the world learn to recognize and name their emotions? In 2012, Mies van Hout’s Happy swept the scene as both a stunning art piece and a social-emotional learning book like no other. On each of its spreads swims a single fish, each scale and fin suffused with an emotion that the facing page names in similarly expressive letters: curious, shocked, loving, content… Now, in this stunning edition of Happy, van Hout’s luminous fish swim across extra-heavy pages that will endure through countless readings. A gorgeous dust jacket reverses to a playful poster for home, classroom, or office.  Readers of all ages can benefit from expanding their emotional vocabulary. Use Happy during a story time full of energetic face-making, or emote with your whole bodies for a drama exercise. Share it one-on-one to help someone name what they’re feeling, or inspire budding artists to see what they can do with chalk pastels and black paper. Or simply page through the art and lose yourself in Mies van Hout’s ocean of extraordinary fish. Whatever makes you…happy. “It's a delightful amuse-bouche of a book, and an aquatic introduction to everyday emotions. Ages 2– up!�—Publishers Weekly ★ Starred Review

'n Byna woordlose prenteboek vir jong kinders van 3-6 met helderkleurige visse wat verskillende emosies uitbeeld – van opgewonde tot hartseer, van verlee tot trots, en van kwaad tot gelukkig. Die visse en die enkele woorde van die emosies wat elkeen uitbeeld is deur die bekende kinderboekillustreerder Mies van Hout met oliepastel en waskryt op 'n swart agtergrond in haar kenmerkende ekspressiewe styl geteken. Die boek is 'n internasionale sukses en is in Duitsland vir die gesogte Deutscher Jugendliteraturpreis genomineer.

'n Byna woordlose prenteboek vir jong kinders van 3-6 met kleurvolle monsters wat ware vriende is. Hulle speel, lag en liefkoos mekaar, maar hulle soek ook skoor met mekaar, en maak dan weer vrede. Die dinamiese illustrasies en woorde is deur die bekende kinderboekillustreerder Mies van Hout met oliepastel en waskryt op 'n swart agtergrond in haar kenmerkende ekspressiewe styl geteken. Dit beeld herkenbare verhoudings vir klein monstertjies uit en sluit aan by Vriende, die vertaling van Vriendjes, ook van Mies van Hout wat in 2015 deur Protea Boekhuis gepubliseer word.

“A visual delight, this picture book offers openings for conversation about wishes, predictions, and one’s own enviable strengths.�—School Library Journal **Starred Review** What child has not daydreamed about having wings like a butterfly? But secretly, the flashy butterfly yearns for a stick insect’s privacy. And the stick insect wants to swim like a whirligig beetle. One after the other, the denizens of bestselling author-illustrator Mies van Hout’s vibrant garden landscape wish to be like somebody else. From the glowing firefly to the capable spider to the adorable ladybugs, each one brings something to be admired. And when the dragonfly wishes to be like a child who can run, play, laugh, and build, a world of possibilities opens up. A gentle but effective story for social emotional learning, If Only allows children to reach their own conclusions and acknowledge that while it’s common to compare ourselves to others, it’s best to remember and celebrate what we ourselves can do. “The imaginative narrative guides viewers through a series of richly colorful, dynamic collages, each showcasing a creature and its particularly enviable ability, characteristic, or situation….Originally published in the Netherlands, this radiant picture book has international appeal.�—Booklist **Starred Review**

A near-wordless picture book for young children from 3-6 with bright fish that express different emotions – from excited to sad, shy to proud, and from angry to happy. The fish and the single words of the emotions that each one express is drawn by the well-known children’s book illustrator Mies van Hout, by using oil pastel and wax crayon on a black background in her characteristic expressive style. The book is an international success and was nominated for the prestigious Deutscher Jugendliteraturpreis in Germany.

Bestselling author-illustrator Mies van Hout employs vivid creatures in a jewel-tone natural setting to explore the longing we all feel at times to be like somebody else. What child has not daydreamed about having wings like a butterfly? But secretly, the flashy butterfly yearns for a stick insect's privacy. And the stick insect wants to swim like a whirligig beetle. One after the other, the denizens of bestselling author-illustrator Mies van Hout's vibrant garden landscape wish to be like somebody else. From the glowing firefly to the capable spider to the adorable ladybugs, each one brings something to be admired. And when the dragonfly wishes to be like a child who can run, play, laugh, and build, a world of possibilities opens up. A gentle but effective story for social emotional learning, If Only... allows children to reach their own conclusions and acknowledge that while it's common to compare ourselves to others, it's best to remember and celebrate what we ourselves can do.

“Who is my Daddy?� asks a prickly baby animal. Is it the porcupine? The dust bunny? Could it be the cactus? No! It’s the father hedgehog, of course, cuddling his baby to sleep.  With This is My Daddy!, acclaimed illustrator Mies van Hout gives young readers and their parents a fun and often funny challenge: correctly choose a baby animal’s father from among four candidates, rendered in striking portraits. The vibrant cast includes busy beavers, prickly porcupines, frolicking frogs, and more.  A clever twist on babies-and-parents books, This is My Daddy! will mesmerize little ones with the details of its vivid artwork. Then, just when the complacent reader has the pattern all figured out, story time wraps up with a side-splitting surprise.

Renowned illustrator Mies van Hout delivers a funny and affectionate picture book that celebrates fathers and the value of play. "Who is my Daddy?" asks a prickly baby animal. Is it the porcupine? The dust bunny? Could it be the cactus? No! It's the father hedgehog, of course, cuddling his baby to sleep. With This is My Daddy!, acclaimed author-illustrator Mies van Hout gives young readers a fun and often funny challenge: correctly choose a baby animal's father from among four candidates, rendered in striking portraits. The vibrant cast includes busy beavers, slippery snails, roaming rhinos, and more. A clever twist on babies-and-parents books, This is My Daddy! will mesmerize little ones with the details of its vivid artwork. Then, just when the complacent reader has the pattern all figured out, story time wraps up with a side-splitting surprise.

Cats take center stage for a colorful and whimsical celebration of feline personalities featuring the eye-popping illustrations of Mies van Hout What do cats think when they get caught in the rain, or when a bird is just out of reach? If they could tell us, their voices would be full of charisma and attitude. Cats have been our companions for thousands of years. From the sandy roads of Ancient Egypt to the shopping bag left on the kitchen counter, felines have always embraced their curiosity. With a lot of history comes a lot of personality. Charming, capricious free verse from author John Spray pairs brilliantly with the striking art of celebrated illustrator Mies van Hout in this delightful tribute to cats.

A bright and vivacious counting book for the very young featuring the paintings of renowned Dutch artist and author Mies van Hout How many whiskers does the cat have? How about the crocodile's teeth, or the octopus's arms? With vivid colours and energetic kid-friendly animal illustrations, this concept book doubles up the learning opportunities by including numbers and descriptive words matched to Dutch artist Mies van Hout's striking art. Little ones can count the fish's stripes and the monkey's fingers, or learn the letters in words such as whiskers, wings, and ears. Rendered in bold hues that appeal to babies and pre-schoolers alike, this sturdy counting book will be a reading-time favorite.