This Press/Media Kit for children’s author Miranda Paul consists of the following elements:
- PHOTO/IMAGE DOWNLOAD LINKS
- AUTHOR BIOGRAPHIES
- AWARDS/REVIEWS
- BOOK INFORMATION
- INTERVIEW LINKS
- CONTACT INFO
PHOTOS/IMAGE DOWNLOAD LINKS (right click below to save or open in new window)
Photo Credit (Above): Kara Counard
No photo credits needed (Below):
Click here for more “fun” photos that you can edit into event posters, etc.
AUTHOR BIO:
Miranda Paul is an award-winning children’s author of more than twenty books for children. Several of her books have been named Junior Library Guild selections and CCBC Choices selections. Whose Hands Are These? was a 2017 ILA Teacher’s Choice. Her 2019 book Nine Months, illustrated by Caldecott Honoree Jason Chin released simultaneously in four languages and was named a Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Book for Nonfiction. Little Libraries, Big Heroes chronicles the Little Free Library movement and the legacy of founder Todd Bol, and Thanku: Poems of Gratitude was an ALA Notable title in 2019. In 2020, Speak Up was selected by the National Education Association as a nationally distributed back-to-school title and Miranda worked with the Seuss estate to produce the book 101 Ways to Help the Earth with Dr. Seuss’s Lorax for the 50th Anniversary of The Lorax. Some of her most notable titles with international acclaim have stemmed from collaborating with activist icons—Isatou Ceesay, Farmer Tantoh Nforba, and Rashida Tlaib; Miranda excels at writing or co-writing moving picture book biographies that chronicle the lives and work of environmental and social justice heroes of our time.
Miranda is a frequent presenter at schools and libraries around the world, and has presented at the Library of Congress Young Readers Center. In 2024, she was named the Wisconsin Library Association Notable Children’s Author of the Year. She is an annual faculty member at the Highlights Foundation and a co-founding member of the nonprofit organization We Need Diverse Books. She currently serves on the board of Americans Serving African Children (ASAC). Learn more at www.mirandapaul.com.
BOOK COVER IMAGE FILES – click below
365: HOW TO COUNT A YEAR Book Cover – 2560 x 2560 – click here
ONE PLASTIC BAG Book Cover – 1280 x 1074 Hi-res – click here
WATER IS WATER Book Cover Hi-res – 792 x 936 – click here
WHOSE HANDS ARE THESE? Book Cover – 625 x 615 – 450K/med. size – click here
TRAINBOTS Book Cover – 300 x 231 – 1.5MB/hi-res, small – click here
10 LITTLE NINJAS Book Cover – 4.9 MB/hi-res, large – click here
BLOBFISH THROWS A PARTY Book Cover – 2700 x 2700, 5 MB, hi-res, large – click here
ARE WE PEARS YET? Book Cover – 1 MB / 1300 x 1000 – hi-res – click here
THE GREAT PASTA ESCAPE Book Cover – medium, low-res – click here
ADVENTURES TO SCHOOL Book Cover – 1848 x 1400, low-res – click here
MIA MOVES OUT Book Cover – 1310 x 1688, medium-res – click here
NINE MONTHS Book Cover – 604 × 742, low-res – click here
I AM FARMER Book Cover – 3259 × 2738, high-res – click here
LITTLE LIBRARIES, BIG HEROES Book Cover – RGB – 10 MB – 2700 × 3150 – click here
THANKU: POEMS OF GRATITUDE Book Cover – click here
BEYOND: DISCOVERIES FROM…SPACE Book Cover – 507 x 605, low-res click here
101 WAYS TO HELP THE EARTH WITH DR. SEUSS’S LORAX –
MAMA IN CONGRESS: RASHIDA TLAIB’S JOURNEY TO WASHINGTON –
PEACE Book Cover
FRIEDEN Book Cover
PAZ Book Cover
Isatou Ceesay + Miranda Paul together – 3888 x 2592 – 6 MB full size – click here
Miranda Paul Author Visit Sample Flyer Template (for schools/orgs.) – click here
To request images with specific dimensions or resolutions, please contact Miranda or scroll down for publicity and marketing contacts below.
For a list of Miranda’s upcoming events and appearances, please visit mirandapaul.com/events
FRONTLIST/FORTHCOMING BOOK INFORMATION
Coming in 2025!
KALEIDOSCOPE OF HOPE: A BOOK OF BUTTERFLIES, illustrated by Hari and Deepti, Greenwillow (HarperCollins) – Nonfiction
UNDER ONE ROOF, illustrated by Christopher Silas Neal, Clarion Books (HarperCollins) – Fiction
Coming in 2026
THE HAIR YOU WEAR, illustrator TK, Dial Books for Young Readers (Penguin Random House) – Poetry/Nonfiction
HOUSE OF JOY: A CELEBRATION OF LUCILLE CLIFTON, illustrated by Jerry Jordan, Henry Holt Books for Young Readers (Macmillan) – Nonfiction
LATEST RELEASE: September 26, 2023 – 365: HOW TO COUNT A YEAR
FOR BACKLIST TITLES, VISIT BOOKS PAGE
I AM FARMER: GROWING AN ENVIRONMENTAL MOVEMENT IN CAMEROON
I Am Farmer: Growing an Environmental Movement in Cameroon
By Miranda Paul, Baptiste Paul, illus. Elizabeth Zunon
Millbrook Press (Lerner Publishing Group)
ISBN: 9781512449143
32pp, full color
Publication Date: February 5, 2019
List Price: 19.99
A Spring 2019 Junior Library Guild Selection!
Advance Praise for I Am Farmer: Growing an Environmental Movement in Cameroon:
“This heartening story . . . conveys the importance of sound agricultural practices across farms, schoolyards, communities, and nations.”—The Horn Book Magazine
“This is a beautiful book about an important topic and the man behind a movement.” —Booklist
“[Farmer Tantoh’s] work inspires many, and young people are no longer ashamed of farming.” —Kirkus Reviews
NINE MONTHS: BEFORE A BABY IS BORN
Nine Months: Before a Baby is Born
By Miranda Paul
illus. Jason Chin
Holiday House Books for Young Readers
Release Date:April 23, 2019
ISBN: 978-0823441617
For interviews, media coverage, blog posts, and giveaways of Nine Months before May 1, 2019: contact publicist Nicole Banholzer at nicolekbanholzer@gmail.com.
Download the press release for Nine Months here.
THREE STARRED REVIEWS!
“Caldecott Honoree Chin’s detailed gouache and watercolor illustrations skillfully depict the changes in the fetus month to month […] A fun and interesting addendum, titled ‘More About Babies,’ consists of four pages and is filled with facts about babies before they are born.” —Booklist, Starred (February 1 issue)★
“This touching book describes milestones both inside and outside of a mother’s belly over the course of nine months. Each page turn brings spare, poetic text that illuminates another month of the baby’s development on the left side and that also complements the scenes unfolding on the right side […] Captions also inform readers about the timeline of fetal development and sizes. […] Children both young and old will be captivated by the details of fetal development and the story of a family preparing for and welcoming a new member. (bibliography) (Informational picture book. 3-8) —Kirkus Reviews, Starred (February 1, 2019 issue)★
“This appealing treatment of the subject strikes a perfect balance between biology…and a gentle relevancy for young, soon-to-be siblings.” —Publisher’s Weekly, Starred Review★
“A bright, savvy heads-up for younger children in growing families; equally useful for shaping expectations and providing realistic glimpses of what’s going on inside a pregnant person.” —School Library Journal
LITTLE LIBRARIES, BIG HEROES
Info coming soon || Release Date: September 3, 2019
“This book proves ordinary people can do extraordinary, life-changing things. Readers will be inspired to make their own difference in the world.” —Pat Zietlow Miller, NYT bestselling author of Be Kind
Illustrator: John Parra
For interviews, media coverage, blog posts, and giveaways of Little Libraries, Big Heroes before October 1, 2019: contact publicist Nicole Banholzer at nicolekbanholzer@gmail.com.
Publisher: Clarion Books, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
SBN-13/EAN: 9780544800274
ISBN-10: 0544800273
Pages: 40
Price: $17.99
Publication Date: 09/03/2019
Grade(s): K-5
THANKU: POEMS OF GRATITUDE
Release Date: September 3, 2019
Editor: Miranda Paul
Illustrator: Marlena Myles
Contributors: Poems by Joseph Bruchac, Naomi Shihab Nye, Kimberly Blaeser, 신 선 영 Sun Yung Shin, Ed DeCaria, Becky Shillington, Padma Venkatraman, Gwendolyn Hooks, Jane Yolen, Janice Scully, Charles Waters, Carole Lindstrom, Sylvia Liu, Carolyn Dee Flores, Sarvinder Naberhaus, Lupe Ruiz-Flores, Baptiste Paul, Cynthia Leitich Smith, Patti Richards, Chrystal D. Giles, Margarita Engle, Kenn Nesbitt, JaNay Brown-Wood, Diana Murray, Megan Hoyt, Jamie McGillen, Rénee M. LaTulippe, Vanessa Brantley-Newton, Traci Sorell, Edna Cabcabin Moran, Charles Ghigna, and Liz Garton Scanlon.
Library Binding: 40 pages
Publisher: Millbrook Press TM (Lerner Publishing Group)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1541523636
ISBN-13: 978-1541523630
To include Thanku: Poems of Gratitude in your Thanksgiving or holiday gift-buying roundup before December 1, 2019, contact publicist Nicole Banholzer at nicolekbanholzer@gmail.com.
Synopsis: How do you give thanks? For some people, Thanksgiving is a time to talk about feeling thankful. But gratitude isn’t something we need to save up for a special holiday. What are you grateful for right now, today? This anthology brings together a diverse group of poets who express gratitude for everything from a puppy to hot cocoa to the sky itself. Each writer uses a different poetic form, and readers will encounter a concrete poem, a sonnet, a pantoum, a sijo, and much more. Stunning illustrations from Marlena Myles invite close examination, making this a collection to return to and savor again and again. A portion of the proceeds will benefit We Need Diverse Books.
Mia Moves Out is sweet sibling story about one fed-up big sister who wants to find a space of her own.
Title: Mia Moves Out
Target ages: 3-7
Illustrator: Paige Keiser
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers (an imprint of Penguin Random House)
ISBN-13 (Trade): 978-0-399-55332-5
Release date: October 16, 2018
Synopsis: An girl gets adopted, then gets a new brother. Laugh a little and warm your heart as Mia navigates finding where she belongs—literally and figuratively—within her new home.
Longer Synopsis: Mia loved her big, bright room . . . until she had to share it with her new brother. With Brandon’s toys, books, and even underwear taking up space, Mia has finally had it. “I’m moving out!” There are lots of new and interesting spaces she could settle into—the bathroom, the basement, even a pillow fort. But something is always missing. What could it be? Tackling the oh-so-relatable topic of finding a space of one’s own, Mia will inspire siblings everywhere to work together as a team. Because sometimes the best place of all is a shared one.
Early Praise for Mia Moves Out:
This book gives readers “the pleasure of seeing adoptee characters confidently negotiating a sense of home and belonging. Move this picture book onto the shelf.” —Kirkus Review of Mia Moves Out
“All-in-all, a great sibling story, filled with heart, humor, drama, and a happy ending.” —Goodreads Community Review of Mia Moves Out
——
ADVENTURES TO SCHOOL
PUBLICITY CONTACTS: Gayley Avery, PR/Marketing Director, Marketing and PR Director – gayley.avery@
Release Date: May 1, 2018
Co-Authors: Miranda Paul and Baptiste Paul
Illustrator: Isabel Muñoz
Publisher: little bee books (a division of Bonnier, dist. by Simon & Schuster in the US)
ISBN-13: ISBN 978-1499806656
Price: $17.99
Synopsis: Follow thirteen students who face extraordinary situations as they embark on their journeys to get to school—and learn about the diverse landscapes and cultures of their countries along the way.
Are We Pears Yet?
Are We Pears Yet?
Release Date: September 19, 2017
Illustrator: Carin Berger
Publisher: Neal Porter Books / Roaring Brook Press / Macmillan Children’s
ISBN-13: 978-1626723511
Price: $17.99
Synopsis: This theatrical picture book features two impatient seeds as they endure the long journey to bear fruit. Includes back matter about grafting, pears, and growth cycles.
Awards/Honors/Reviews: 2018 Award of Excellence from the Council of Botanical and Horticultural Libraries; Reviews from Publisher’s Weekly, Kirkus Review, Read Brightly, The Horn Book
SELECT REVIEWS:
“Berger’s quirky collages are so stylish and fun, and Paul’s dialogue so friendly and funny…An inventive treatment of a tried and true topic.” —Publisher’s Weekly
“These pears will be fun read-aloud companions for curious eaters and budding botanists.” —Kirkus Review
The Great Pasta Escape
Title:The Great Pasta Escape
Author: Miranda Paul
Illustrator: Javier Joaquin
Picture book: Ages 4-8
Publisher: little bee books
Release date: August 29, 2017
ISBN: 978-1499804805
Length: 40 pages
Awards/Reviews/Honors: 2018-2019 Nominee, Washington State Children’s Choice Book Award; SLJ Spotlight – “Perfect Picnic Picture Books”
Now available in Costco stores nationwide!
PUBLICITY CONTACTS: Crystal McCoy, Senior Publicist, crystal.mccoy@littlebeebooks.
Blobfish Throws a Party
Release Date: May 2, 2017
Illustrator: Maggie Caton (debut!)
Publisher: little bee books, a division of Bonnier Publishing (dist. by S&S)
ISBN-13: 978-1499804225
Price: $16.99
Synopsis: Blobfish is lonely and wants lights and delicious treats. But his solution—to throw a party—doesn’t quite work out when his invitation continues to be misheard around the world.
Awards/Honors/Reviews: Kirkus Review, School Library Journal, The Horn Book, Free Book Friday
PUBLICITY CONTACTS: Crystal McCoy, Senior Publicist, crystal.mccoy@littlebeebooks.
10 Little Ninjas
Release Date: August 9, 2016
Illustrator: Nate Wragg
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers (Penguin Random House)
ISBN-13: 978-0553534979
Price: $14.99
Synopsis: A sensei-tional bedtime book about not-so-sleepy toddlers who sneak, creep, and tumble their way out of bed.
Awards/Honors/Reviews: 2018 Missouri Building Block Award Winner (Picture Book); Amazon Best Book of the Month (August 2016), Amazon #1 New Release in Children’s Counting Books, Review in School Library Journal, Publisher’s Weekly
Note: This book is a title included in National Ninja Day Storytime.
Trainbots
Release Date: June 7, 2016
Illustrator: Shane McG
ISBN-13: 978-1-4998-0167-5
Price: $16.99
Publisher: Little Bee (distributed by Simon & Schuster in the U.S. and Canada)
Awards/Honors/Reviews: Reviewed in School Library Journal, Foreword Reviews
Synopsis: A group of industrious robots making a special delivery are derailed by a band of evil bots in this action-filled picture book.
PUBLICITY CONTACTS: Crystal McCoy, Senior Publicist, crystal.mccoy@littlebeebooks.
Whose Hands Are These? A Community Helper Guessing Book
Official release date: February 1, 2016
Publisher: Lerner Publishing, Millbrook Press
ISBN-10: 1467752142
ISBN-13: 978-1-4677-3214-5
Cover/List Price: $19.99
Format: Hardcover, full color, 32 pp.
Synopsis: A rhymed guessing-game book that introduces and celebrates a diverse range of community occupations.
Awards/Honors/Reviews: Kirkus Review, Booklist, International Literacy Association 2017 Teacher’s Choice
Illustrator: Luciana Navarro Powell
Note: Book Trailer Available Here
Publicist for One Plastic Bag and Whose Hands Are These?:
Lindsay Matvick, Lerner Publishing Group
800-328-4929/612-332-3344, x385
lmatvick@lernerbooks.com
One Plastic Bag: Isatou Ceesay and the Recycling Women of the Gambia
Release Date: February 1, 2015
Publisher: Lerner Publishing, Millbrook Press
ISBN-10: 1467716081
ISBN-13: 978-1467716086
Cover/List Price: $19.99
Format: Hardcover, full color, 40 pp.
Publicist for One Plastic Bag and Whose Hands Are These?:
Lindsay Matvick, Lerner Publishing Group 800-328-4929/612-332-3344, x385
lmatvick@lernerbooks.com
Synopsis: This narrative picture book tells the story of how five Gambian women sparked a movement that would restore beauty to their village and increase their own economic capacity.
Awards/Honors/Reviews: 2016 Children’s Africana Book Awards (Notable), 2016 Green Earth Book Awards (Honor), 2015 National Social Studies Trade Book, 2015 Eureka! Honor Award from California Reading Association, A Junior Library Guild selection, SLJ Starred Review, Amelia Bloomer Project List 2016, A Mighty Girl 2015 list, 2017 Monarch Awards Nominee (Illinois School Library Media), New York Public Library 100 Titles for Young Readers (2015), Chicago Public Library (2015) list, 2016 Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People, ALA Notable discussion book at ALA Annual 2015, The Horn Book review, Kirkus Review, Publisher’s Weekly review, Booklist review
Illustrator: Elizabeth Zunon
Notes: A site dedicated to the book’s extension resources has launched at www.oneplasticbag.com. The book trailer can be found here.
Water is Water: A Book About the Water Cycle
Release Date: May 26, 2015
Publisher: Macmillan, Roaring Brook Press (A Neal Porter Book)
ISBN-10: 159643984X
ISBN-13: 978-1596439849
Cover/List Price: $17.99
Format: Hardcover, full color, 40 pp.
Synopsis: This poetic story follows two siblings—and all the water around them—through a year’s worth of movements and changes. Includes back matter facts about the science behind the story.
Awards/Honors/Reviews: 2016 Maryland Blue Crab Award (Winner – Beginner Nonfiction), Junior Library Guild selection, 2016-2017 Star of the North Award Nominee, Best of 2015 from School Library Journal, Top 10 of 2015 from Booklist, Starred Review from School Library Journal, Starred Review from Publisher’s Weekly, 2016 ALA Notable book, Charlotte Zolotow 2016 Highly Commended title, Capitol Choices Seven to Ten Nomination, Indie Kids’ NEXT List Summer 2015 (ages 4-8), Kirkus Review, Huffington Post Best Creative Nonfiction of 2015, SLJ/Fuse8’s “Newbery / Caldecott 2016: Summer Prediction Edition”
Illustrator: Jason Chin
AUTHOR BIOS
Standard:
Miranda Paul is a award-winning children’s author of One Plastic Bag and Water is Water, both named Junior Library Guild selections. Her titles have received starred reviews from School Library Journal and Publisher’s Weekly in addition to being named to several recommended and “best of” reading lists. 10 Little Ninjas also was named an Amazon Best Book of the Month (August 2016). Miranda makes regular appearances at schools, libraries, and bookstores, and has been a guest presenter at the Library of Congress Young Readers Center along with environmental activist Isatou Ceesay. Miranda also serves as Mentorship chair for We Need Diverse Books™ (www.diversebooks.org), volunteers for Books for Africa, and is a regional advisor for the Society of Children’s Book Writers (Wisconsin Chapter). She believes in working hard, having fun, and being kind. Learn more about her current and forthcoming titles at www.mirandapaul.com.
From jacketflap of One Plastic Bag:
Miranda Paul has been an avid recycler since elementary school, when she won a contest by transforming a discarded cereal box into a beautiful holiday ornament. She still loves rummaging for treasures but now spends most of her time teaching and writing books for children. Over the past decade, Miranda has traveled to the Gambia as a volunteer teacher, a fair‐trade and literacy advocate, a freelance journalist—which led her to the subject of her new book, One Plastic Bag: Isatou Ceesay and the Recycling Women of the Gambia. The book has garnered a starred review from School Library Journal and was named a Junior Library Guild selection. Miranda lives in Green Bay, Wisconsin, with one husband, two kids, ten bookcases, and a hundred new ideas. Find her online at www.mirandapaul.com, and discover more about her latest book at www.oneplasticbag.com.
From jacketflap of Water is Water:
Miranda Paul has written everything from articles on gardening to poems about the life cycle of a butterfly. She enjoys swimming, scuba diving, and dipping her toes in water . . . unless it’s below zero. In that case, she can be found sledding, skiing, or skating on it. She lives a short drive from the shoreline in Green Bay, Wisconsin, with her husband, children, and two friendly cats who love taking baths.
From jacketflap of Whose Hands Are These?
Miranda Paul is an award-winning children’s book author. Besides writing, her hands are good at cooking, playing games, and tickling kids. She lives in Green Bay, Wisconsin, with her husband and two children. Find out more at www.mirandapaul.com.
AWARDS/REVIEWS/ACCOLADES
NEW! More honors and awards have come in. Please see the awards page for a more complete list.
Eureka! Honor Award, California State Reading Association (for One Plastic Bag)
Junior Library Guild Selection (for One Plastic Bag and Water is Water)
Starred Review, School Library Journal (for One Plastic Bag and Water is Water)
Starred Review, Publisher’s Weekly (for Water is Water)
2015 SLJ Best Book of the Year (for Water is Water)
2016 Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People (for One Plastic Bag)
2016 Children’s Africana Book Award Notable (for One Plastic Bag)
2016 Charlotte Zolotow Highly Commended Title (for Water is Water)
Indie Kids’ NEXT Pick Summer ’15 (for Water is Water)
SLJ Best Book of the Year 2015 (for Water is Water)
Huffington Post Best Creative Nonfiction 2015 (for Water is Water)
New York Public Library 100 Notable Titles 2015 (Water is Water & One Plastic Bag)
Chicago Public Library’s “Best of the Best” 2015 (Water is Water & One Plastic Bag)
Silicon Valley Reads 2016 (for Water is Water)
Amelia Bloomer Project Title 2016 (for One Plastic Bag)
Capital Choices Nominee – Seven to Ten (for Water is Water)
2015 Mighty Girl Books: A Year in Review (for One Plastic Bag)
Amazon Best Book of the Month – Ages 3-5 – August 2016 (for 10 Little Ninjas)
2017 South Carolina Book Award Nomination – Picture Book (for 10 Little Ninjas)
2016 Best in Rhyme Award Longlist (for Trainbots)
2016 Maryland Blue Crab Award Winner (for Water is Water)
2017 Minnesota Star of the North Book Award List (for Water is Water)
2018 Minnesota Star of the North Book Award List (for One Plastic Bag)
2017-2018 Nebraska Golden Sower Nomination (for One Plastic Bag)
Praise for Trainbots
from School Library Journal:
“This delightful, simple story is told in a fun rhyme that makes it a great read-aloud. […] The size of the pictures and text makes this a perfect book for storytime. […] VERDICT The surefire combination of trains and bots make this a great selection for library collections and program planning.” —May 15, 2016
from Foreword Reviews:
“With inventive rhymes and colorful, action filled illustrations, Trainbots delivers fun to young children as surely as the title characters deliver toys to girls and boys. Most appropriate for ages 4 to 8, the book is likely to expand young vocabularies while entertaining kids with a silly story and amusing artwork.” —Foreword Reviews, 2016
Praise for Whose Hands Are These?
from Kirkus Review:
“Rhyming verses and illustrations of hands working give readers the opportunity to guess what community jobs people do. […] In both the pictures showing only hands and in the full-page reveals, people of all genders, ages, and ethnicities are displayed. […] A great addition to libraries’ and teacher’s shelves for units on community helpers.”
—Kirkus Review, December 2015
from The Horn Book:
“The guessing-game format will keep children engaged; this is a good choice for classroom use and one-on-one readings.”
—”Civics and Community” – The Horn Book, January 23, 2017
from Booklist:
“Beyond the content, the text is linguistically complex and fun, helping readers to build vocabulary with words associated with the professions…An engaging, well-executed resource.”
—Booklist, Dec. 15, 2015 issue
Praise for One Plastic Bag
from School Library Journal (STARRED):
★ “Simple but lyrical text conveys this beautiful, thought-provoking tale of ecological awareness and recycling […] An inspiring account.”
—Dorcas Hand, Annunciation Orthodox School, Houston, TX, Published in December issue of School Library Journal
from Kirkus Review:
Paul […] tells this story in a straightforward fashion, deftly including words from the Wolof language and including details about Ceesay’s village life. A map, author’s note, glossary, timeline and excellent suggestions for further reading set this example of a woman who made a difference in a larger context. […] The easy connection makes this a welcome addition to the small shelf of examples of ingenuity in developing nations.
—Kirkus Review, Nov. 15, 2014 issue
from The Horn Book Magazine:
“This handsome presentation of grassroots environmental activism is certain to inspire young readers.”
—The Horn Book Magazine, Jan/Feb 2015 issue
from Publisher’s Weekly:
“Notes of hope, determination, and empowerment suffuse Paul’s story…. Incorporating real plastic bags into her mixed-media collages, Zunon, who grew up in West Africa, juxtaposes the brown, dusty landscape against splashes of color and vibrant printed dresses and head coverings worn by the village women.”
—Publisher’s Weekly, January 2015
from author Laura Purdie Salas:
“This is a beautiful, inspiring, true story. The text is spare and effective…Miranda Paul brings Gambia to life through all the senses…. Let kids learn how one young person can change the world for the better!”
—Laura Purdie Salas, author of A Leaf Can Be
Praise for Water is Water
from Huffington Post:
“Creative nonfiction at its best.”
—Minh Le, Huffington Post Books, Feb. 13, 2015
from Publisher’s Weekly (starred):
★”…as enchanting as it is informative.” —Publisher’s Weekly, starred review
from School Library Journal (starred):
★ “A first-rate introduction to the water cycle for young readers.”
—Kathy Piehl, Minnesota State University Library, Mankato
from Kirkus Review:
“A biracial brother and sister explore the out-of-doors (and a bit of mischief) through the four seasons in this poetic look at the many forms water takes…An engaging and lyrical look at the water cycle.”
—Kirkus Reviews, Feb. 3, 2015
from Betsy Bird / Fuse8 Productions:
“Chin brings to life this infinitely simple, but incredibly clever, explanation for very young children of the water cycle in its different forms… It’s worth considering at the very least.”
—“Newbery / Caldecott 2016: Summer Prediction Edition”
[Past Awards]
Michael S. Glaser Creative Writing Award (2004, SMCM)
Natalie and Ben Parran Award for Excellence in Education (2003, SMCM)
Ethics in Business Award Finalist (2008, American Foundation of Counseling Services)
CONTACT INFO:
All booking/event inquiries (workshops, school visits, conferences, festivals)
THE BOOKING BIZ
JulieAnn Hartman, Miranda’s Agent
julieann@thebookingbiz.com
Author-direct:
Miranda Paul
miranda@paulfamilybooks.com
@Miranda_Paul (Twitter)
Facebook.com/AuthorMirandaPaul (Facebook)
@mirandapaulbooks (Instagram)
www.MirandaPaul.com
Publicist for LERNER titles (One Plastic Bag, I Am Farmer, Whose Hands Are These?, Thanku)
Lindsay Matvick, Lerner Publishing Group
800-328-4929/612-332-3344, x385
lmatvick@lernerbooks.com
Bulk, discount, international or special sales of One Plastic Bag or Whose Hands Are These? Email mkjoller@lernerbooks.com
Publicist for Water is Water, Are We Pears Yet? and House of Joy (forthcoming in 2026):
(request review copies, illustration image files, or other publicity materials)
Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group
646-438-6151
Bulk, discount, or special sales of Water is Water or Are We Pears Yet?
Email Dustin Ross at Dustin.Ross@macmillan.com
Workshops/Festivals that will be giving away Water is Water or Are We Pears Yet?, contact:
Kelsey Albertson, Macmillan Children’s, 646-407-5442
Kelsey.Albertson@macmillan.com
Publicity/Sales for Trainbots, Blobfish Throws a Party, and The Great Pasta Escape
little bee books – a division of Bonnier Publishing
853 Broadway
Suite 2014
New York, NY 10003
212-321-0249
For rights/sales/licensing info (all general inquiries):
Erin Murphy Literary Agency
erin@emliterary.com
INTERVIEW/PRESS LINKS
NEW – THE GREAT AMERICAN READ (Wisconsin Public Television Blog) – with Baptiste and Miranda Paul
Miranda’s Goodreads Author Page
WEB EXCLUSIVE – “Revisions, Rejections, and Rewards” Bookpage Author Interview
An intimate profile of children’s author Miranda Paul in her own backyard, as reported by reviewer and librarian Sharon Verbeten.
PREDICTION LIST – Betsy Bird / Fuse 8 / SLJ Summer Caldecott Prediction Edition
Miranda Paul’s text is described as “infinitely simple, yet incredibly clever” and Jason Chin’s artistry is noted for “his customary beauty and skill” in this post that names Water is Water as a title to be considered for the 2016 Caldecott Medal.
PODCAST – Picturebooking Podcast – Episode #31 – “The Long Journey of Storymaking”
Podcast host Nick Patton interviews Miranda Paul about her currently released titles and the years of research and exploration leading up to their releases.
NPR RADIO – Miranda Paul & Isatou Ceesay on Public Radio – Delmarva Today
In this NPR affiliate’s radio episode, Miranda Paul and Isatou Ceesay discuss the book One Plastic Bag and diversity in children’s literature along with guests Kwame Alexander and Susanne Gervay in preparation for the 2015 Salisbury University Children’s Literature Festival.
VIRTUAL TOUR – Studio Tour of Miranda’s Underground Lair
See photos of where she works most days on Andrea Skyberg’s Website
ARTICLE INTERVIEW – Interview with Miranda Paul about One Plastic Bag
Miranda shares a bit about the true story behind One Plastic Bag on Alison Goldberg’s blog site for “young activists”
ARTICLE INTERVIEW – A Review, An Interview, And Writing Advice
Sylvia Liu reviews One Plastic Bag, and interviews Miranda about her writing process, breaking the rules, and forthcoming books
ARTICLE INTERVIEW – How Environment and Poetry Merge to Enlighten
An interview of Miranda Paul by author-activist Ann Angel on the social justice and children’s literature blog The Pirate Tree
BLOG INTERVIEW – Coffee and Conversation with Miranda Paul – SCBWI MD/DE/WV Blog
Read an interview in which she reveals her favorite books and more
ARTICLE ESSAY – 12 x 12 Picture Book Group Author of the Month (June 2014)
A post in which she speak about the importance of being many things beyond a writer, and how to help diversify our bookshelves (Hosted at Julie Hedlund’s website)
READING LIST – “The Best is Yet to Come: A 2015 Picture Book Preview”
Miranda Paul and Jason Chin’s Water is Water appears on this list of “brilliant” picture books due out in 2015 from the Huffington Post.
BLOG INTERVIEW – Miranda Paul Answers Writers’ Burning Questions
A post on the Group Blog by writer/librarian Kathy Halsey with some craft-based tips from Miranda Paul.
FUTURE/FORTHCOMING TITLES IN 2020 & BEYOND
Forthcoming in 2020 – SPEAK UP – By Miranda Paul, illustrated by Ebony Glenn. Clarion Books, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
More to be announced soon.