Maribel's Year

Celebrate the special connection between father and daughter in this gorgeously evocative picture book, recounting the year a little girl and her mother spend in America while waiting for her father to join them from the Philippines. From acclaimed author Michelle Sterling and illustrator Sarah Gonzales, a poignant story perfect for fans of Joanna Ho, Linda Sue Park, and Matt De La Peña.

New country, new school, new friends.

A lot can happen in a single year. But one thing's for certain: Maribel won't forget her Papa, even when he's 8,000 miles away in the Philippines.

After all, Papa is all around. He is the memory of feeding koi fish in their pond every morning. He is the constellation map as Maribel dreams of showing him her new world. He is the packages and letters sent back and forth.

He is everywhere except the place he's wanted the most. But the bond between Maribel and Papa transcends oceans. So as the snow melts and turns to rain, as flowers blossom and welcome sun-kissed days, and as the leaves start to change and snow begins to fall once more, can Maribel wait just a little bit longer?

Michelle Sterling is an author, photographer, and speech-language pathologist. She lives in Southern California, where her summers are filled with reading, homemade ice cream, and long, golden hours at the park. When Lola Visits is her first picture book. Find Michelle online at www.averyandaugustine.com.

Sarah Gonzales is a Filipino Canadian, Ezra Jack Keats Award-winning illustrator of The Only Way to Make Bread, written by Cristina Quintero, Maribel's Year by Michelle Sterling, and many other books for children. Sarah spends her days in Montreal; you can visit her at www.sgonzalesart.com.