Jesse Byrd is an international award-winning children's book author and the youngest NPR Board member. At 6'8", Jesse pivoted from playing basketball at UCSB to pursue his passion for storytelling. After working at Google in Silicon Valley and later EY in Dubai as Director of Communications for Middle East and North Africa, Jesse turned all of his energy toward his deepest love: making stories for youth and families with a focus on supporting diverse creators and #own voices material. He's written six children's books and helped produce over 40 others as an editor, art director, and publishing consultant. Jesse is based in Los Angeles, CA.

Lau Moraiti is a children's book illustrator from Uruguay. Some story themes she loves exploring are: growing up, finding your path, and learning to accept change. Her aim is to make readers feel "cozy and at home" through fun, engaging, and adorable worlds and characters. Her favorite mediums are watercolors and colored pencils.

Both Jesse and Lau are big siblings themselves!

In this comics-style early reader containing three stories, the fun begins with Bo's birthday, which is happening in just three days! He is eager to open his present ahead of time and determined to find its secret hidden spot, and his older sister, Coco, signs up for the gift-hunting quest. One clue leads to the next, and they eventually find his present inside his toy box: tickets to the water park! In the next story, Bo's birthday is here, and the siblings help each other decide what to pack for their big day, and in the final story, Coco and Bo are ecstatic to explore the water park. With all sorts of splashy options, they opt for "the really REALLY big one." Bo finds it scary at first, but his loving big sister compassionately helps guide him away from his fear. Conveyed primarily in speech balloons with simple text, this warmly illustrated story about a pair of caring siblings is a great introduction for emerging readers, particularly those who are interested in comics.

-- Vivian Alvarez

Publisher: Paw Prints Publishing

Pub date: 2023-10-31

Length: 48 pages