About the Author

Sophie Blackall has illustrated dozens of beautiful books including the Caldecott Medal-winning titles Hello Lighthouse and Finding Winnie by Lindsay Mattick. She is also the proprietor of Milkwood, a creative retreat housed in a restored dairy barn, adjacent to a falling-down house upon which this book is based. When not at the farm, she lives with her family in Brooklyn, NY. She invites you to visit her on Instagram @SophieBlackall.

Reviews

Praise for Farmhouse:
A 2022 KIRKUS BEST CHILDREN'S BOOK
A 2022 SLJ BEST BOOK
A HORN BOOK FANFARE
A 2022 PUBLISHERS WEEKLY BEST BOOK
A 2022 BOOKPAGE BEST BOOK
A 2022 WASHINGTON POST BEST BOOK
A 2022 NYTIMES BEST ILLUSTRATED BOOK
AN NPR BEST BOOK OF 2022
A 2022 BOOKLIST EDITORS' CHOICE
GOOD HOUSEKEEPING BEST KIDS' BOOKS OF 2022
2023 ALSC NOTABLE BOOKS FOR CHILDREN
2023 CCBC CHILDREN'S CHOICES LIST
2023 BANK ST COLLEGE BEST BOOKS

*"A sophisticated, openhearted ode to what truly makes a house a home...Vividly realized...."--BookPage, starred review

"a tender, layered masterpiece that itself deserves to be passed along for generations."--New York Times

*"A perfect melding of beautiful art with soulful, imaginative writing, this lovely story, penned by Colebourn's great-great granddaughter, is ideal for sharing aloud or poring over individually."--School Library Journal (Starred Review)

*"Little ones who love Milne's classic stories will be enchanted by this heartening account of the bear's real-life origins."--Booklist (Starred Review)

*"The book strikes a lovely, understated tone of wonder and family pride...[Sophie Blackall] proves that she's equally imaginative at chronicling straight-on reality too."--Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"Gorgeously illustrated...[a] delightful telling."--New York Times Book Review

"Exquisite"."--Wall Street Journal

Praise for Hello Lighthouse: A New York Times Bestseller and Caldecott Winner
* "Blackall's charmingly old-fashioned art style is beautifully matched to this nostalgia-rich story, which imbues an antiquated place with warmth and wonder."L--Booklist, starred review

Praise for Finding Winnie:
A #1 New York Times bestseller and Winner of the 2016 Caldecott Medal
A New York Times Notable Children's Book of the Year

* "A delightful bedtime read perfect for one on one sharing."--School Library Journal, starred review

* "It's a jewel of a creation and a gift to those who dream of retreat."--Publishers Weekly, starred review

"I will be surprised if a more exquisite picture book will be published this year...Children will be fascinated..."--New York Times Book Review

*"The sum total is as captivating as it is informative, transforming a personal family story into something universally resonant."--Horn Book (Starred Review)

* "Genuinely captivating...A meditation on the creative process...Multifaceted and arresting...Irresistible."--Booklist, starred review

*"A love letter to the joys of country living and family life as well as the importance of treasuring the past and all its stories."--School Library Journal, starred review

*"A lovely, tender reimagination of people in a long-past time and place."--Kirkus, starred review

*"Blackall's illustrations are everything here, incorporating wallpaper, fabrics, and other items scavenged from the house melded together with ink, watercolor, gouache, and colored pencil to create vibrantly layered compositions with a tactile quality."--Horn Book, starred review

*"The tale's strong sense of place undergirds Blackall's witness to the way environments change over time and stories survive long after material objects disappear, in a thoughtful, expertly executed work that looks simultaneously forward and back."--Publishers Weekly, starred review