A poignant and uplifting story of hope, friendship, and finding happiness from the creators of USBBY-honored The House of Lost and Found
Noah and Mia have never met. They live far, far apart but look out upon the same sea.
Noah is heartbroken when his old dog Gus dies. He slips into dreams, searching for his loyal friend, but instead finds something unexpected.
Mia has no home, only her cat Olive. So when Olive sets off travelling, Mia follows her on an unexpected journey.
Will Mia and Noah find all they've dreamed of?
Poignant and uplifting, Martin Widmark's story of finding hope and a home is accompanied by stunning illustrations from Emilia Dziubak, which alternate between the two characters' interconnected journeys. Martin and Emilia are co-creators of USBBY Outstanding International Book The House of Lost and Found, and of Little Pearl.
'Dreams of Near and Far is a beautiful story about two young children who seem worlds apart yet have so much in common... From the poignant illustrations to the heartwarming storyline, this is unquestionably a masterpiece for children and adults alike.'
- San Fransisco Book Review, 5 stars
'It is a quiet, gentle story, which has left us in a peaceful, contemplative place after each reading. Enter a fantastical world where dreams and life intermingle, transporting us away from the craziness of our lives for a while. I will be searching out other titles by Widmark and Dziubak immediately. The stunning, dream-like illustrations were hand-drawn using a digital stylus pen and tablet. The color palette used in each illustration enhances the mood of the text, moving from darkness to light as hope and happiness grows in the characters.'
- My Kids Read the World
Praise for The House of Lost and Found:
'In this complex and mature tale of reawakening, pages boast dark, richly detailed illustrations aglow with deftly conjured light.'
- Booklist Online
'Widmark's melancholy story about loneliness gains atmosphere and, ultimately, lift from Dziubak's beautiful illustrations, hand-drawn using colored pencils. Children will pore over the details and delight as Niles banishes murky darkness with light... Lovely.'
- Kirkus Reviews
'An absolutely fantastic book, which truly left me speechless. It is a book that talks about loss, about finding hope, and of new beginnings, with extraordinary illustrations and a simple, yet very profound text. It is the kind of book that captures every reader, young and old, and definitely one of a kind.'
- Our World of Wonder
'The illustrations are dreamy, reminding me of Rembrandt, each one a work of art... Perfect.'
- Youth Services Book Review
Praise for Little Pearl
'An imaginatively illustrated fantasy with a dreamlike feel... Dziubak's romantic colored pencil illustrations place doll-like images of children and creatures against dramatic, moody backdrops of flowers and waterside foliage. Grace is a resourceful hero, and her fanciful, The Water-Babies-esque story packs a lot of adventure into the picture book format.'
- Publishers Weekly
'This is a magical story combined with beautiful pencil illustrations - a real treat! [...] The drawings are in muted colors and are complete works of art - Dziubak raises the bar on how children's books should be illustrated with incredible talent using simple tools. 5/5.'
- Youth Services Book Review
'[A] beautifully illustrated, imaginative story.' - Kirkus Reviews