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Finding Things
“If you found …” is the repeated refrain in a picture book illuminating childlike attention to, and delight in, the possibility of small things: a ball, a flower, a box, a kitten. If you found any one of these things, and it didn’t belong to anyone, and you had permission from everyone (at least when it comes to the kitten), you could take it home. You could play with the ball. You could put the flower in a cup of water. You could save the box “for something good.” You could take the kitten inside. “If you found all of these things, you would be lucky.” You would have a kitten with “a place to sleep [box]”, “something nice to look at [flower],” and “something fun to play with [ball]. Everyone would be happy.” A black-haired, light skinned child appears on the title and closing pages, while the brown dog the child and their parent are walking appears on and off throughout, engaging with each potential discovery—ball, flower, box, and, in the end, no-longer-homeless kitten—because sometimes possibilities converge into perfection. The accomplished acrylic illustrations feature rich color and uncluttered composition—a perfect accompaniment to a narrative graced with simple yet captivating details. ©2025 Cooperative Children’s Book Center
Illustrated by Laura Dronzek
Wisconsin author
Kevin Henkes grew up in Racine. He attended UW-Madison and lives in Madison.
Wisconsin illustrator
Laura Dronzek was raised in Deerfield, Illinois. She received both her BA (1982) and MFA (1993) from UW-Madison. She lives in Madison.
CCBC Age Recommendation: Ages 3-6
Age Range:
Babies/Toddlers (birth – 3)
PreK-Early Elementary (Ages 4-7)
Format:
Picture book
Subjects:
Imagination/Imaginary Play
Observation
Publishers:
Greenwillow, HarperCollins
Publish Year: 2024
Pages: 24
ISBN: 9780063245662
CCBC Location: Picture Book, Henkes