Maggie Rudd

Rudd, Maggie

Maggie Rudd's debut picture book, SOMETIMES IT'S HARD TO BE NICE, is about the struggle to be nice to cousins who hoard toys, to grandmas who bake strange foods, and to kids whom nobody else likes. Booklist praised it, saying: "Finally, a book that discusses children's feelings and emotions about being uncomfortable. Life is not about always getting what you want, a difficult concept for young children ..."

I'LL HOLD YOUR HAND has the reassuring theme that an adult will support a child through dangers, joys and hurdles, from scary stormy nights to the fun of splashing in puddles and the worries of the first day of school.

ON THE FOURTH OF JULY celebrates the joy of being an American on the Fourth of July, as the daytime fun of picnics and swimming gives way to wonder and delight at a night of fireworks. School Library Journal praised it: "Rudd describes the course of the evening as a large cast of characters experience the Fourth of July fireworks ... the poetic text is spare, evocative and reads aloud well. The bright colors and brief rhyming text will lend itself well to read-alouds in story hours as well as one-on-one."

HOW TO STAY INVISIBLE, Maggie's first novel for middle-grade readers, is the story of a boy's struggle to survive and find a place in his community after his parents left him. Hope and comfort come from his dog, his best friend, a fisherman - and a friendly coyote. It earned multiple starred reviews, including from Publisher's Weekly, which noted: "A hearty dose of existentialism, depictions of necessary wilderness skills, and ruminations on the perseverance of the human spirit permeate this meditative survival read."

(Co-agent for first five books: Betsy Amster)