Eliza Wheeler (WheelerStudio.com) wrote and illustrated A Cozy Winter Day, Home in the Woods, and New York Times bestseller Miss Maple's Seeds and has also illustrated several picture books (including This Is Our Baby, Born Today by Varsha Bajaj and Wherever You Go and When You Are Brave, both by Pat Zietlow Miller) and novels (including Newbery Honor winner Doll Bones by Holly Black). She grew up in northern Wisconsin in a family of teachers, musicians, and artists. Some of the strongest influences on her creativity have been the wild Wisconsin seasons, canoeing the Brule River, picking blueberries with her grandmother, and digging through the snow with her brothers. She was a recipient of the prestigious Sendak Fellowship, as well as the SCBWI International Conference Portfolio Grand Prize for her artwork. She lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

"The animals of Acorn Village enjoy a busy summer day full of quintessential warm weather activities. In A Cozy Winter Day (2024), the villagers modeled the hygge life, but summer brings with it plenty of opportunities for coziness, too. . . . The highlight of the day comes with a lazy trip down the babbling brook to the Otters' swimming hole--brought to life in an especially captivating image that sees the animals in floaties, on paddle boards, and swinging off ropes into the water. . . . Wheeler's text is soothingly matter-of-fact, but the book's real appeal lies in her detailed illustrations, which offer plenty for readers to linger over. The visuals have a retro vibe; no devices are to be found, and one DIYer even churns her own ice cream. The wonderfully lazy feeling of summer comes through on each page, particularly those tired and sun-soaked moments that manifest only after a day of heat and fun. . . . As cheery as a sunny afternoon." --Kirkus Reviews

"In a quaintly rendered picture book from Wheeler, the animal denizens of Acorn Village fill a summer day with work and play. As opening lines beckon, an ensemble cast of anthropomorphized critters eagerly join in--some tending a garden or picking ripe berries, others painting plein air or building a large city of sand. . . . Yellow tones brighten animation-style renderings of a Calico Critters-like community, with beavers, hares, owls, and more buzzing about mushroom and treehouse abodes. After a 'crackling campfire, ' the crew bed down beneath the stars, ready to dream about another halcyon day. Amid a welcoming, fully realized world, it's an appealing roundup of sunny day pastimes." --Publishers Weekly

"Acorn Village is the antidote to anything that ails you. Introduced in A Cozy Winter Day (2024), this community of animal friends and families has returned to enjoy summertime activities. As in the previous book, the forest creatures are humanlike in their clothing and pastimes. . . . Everyone gets along in this candy-colored community, but the fun is inviting without being cloyingly sweet. Wheeler's illustrations give each character a distinct personality, and readers will enjoy discovering what the individual animals are doing in the detailed scenes." --Booklist

Publisher: Nancy Paulsen Books

Pub date: 2026-05-26

Length: 40 pages