Billie and Bean

★"Open, clear, inviting...A pitch-perfect portrayal of a summer day."-Kirkus Reviews, starred review Celebrating the supportive relationship between a child and her dog, this story shows how we can all be brave and achieve things in our own time. Billie prefers playing quietly, but the beach is a noisy place. Her energetic dog, Bean, is happy to explore the sand and water. When Billie does try going for a swim, she has a painful surprise and heads back to shore. But Bean digs up something that can help Billie get back in the water where she soon discovers a whole world of quiet solitude and spectacular color beneath the surface.

★"Delightful, portraying a little one's first forays into independence, joys, fears, and all...A simple yet wonderfully satisfying escapade."-Kirkus Reviews, starred review Celebrating the supportive relationship between a child and her dog, this story gently introduces the resilience and bravery that come with the first steps toward independence. Billie is reading quietly in her apartment while her mom does laundry downstairs. But her impatient dog Bean wants to go outside. Billie has taken Bean outside before when mom was watching, so she decides to try taking Bean out by herself-just around the block. Billie and Bean enjoy the vibrant city street, but after stopping to pick a flower in the park, Billie becomes disoriented by the tall buildings and can't remember the way back to their building. As Billie begins to worry, Bean tugs on the leash in encouragement and Billie discovers that she's braver than she thought she could be.

A child finds her own way to enjoy the ski hill with the help of her energetic dog in this brightly illustrated picture book. Trying new things can mean finding your own path. Celebrating the supportive relationship between a child and her dog, this story reminds us that, with resilience and courage, we can find our own way through something new and scary. Billie liked visiting the mountains when she could be pulled in a sled, but Mom says she's big enough to try ski lessons instead this time. Billie doesn't like going fast and finds the hill too steep. When she notices a poster for dogsledding, Billie decides she and her dog, Bean, can make their own fun on the slopes. But when Bean is startled by some falling snow, Billie is left all alone in the cold. Finding her courage and staying calm, Billie realizes she wasn't as alone as she thought and finds her way to Bean and Mom. Key Selling Points • Billie and Bean are back for a trip to the mountains, where Billie is nervous about trying skiing for the first time. • A child demonstrates resilience and bravery as she steps outside her comfort zone, tries something new and finds her own way to have fun. • Celebrates the supportive relationship between a child and their dog. • Bright illustrations play with light and shadow to capture the textures and details of the snowy mountains. • This is the third book in the Billie and Bean series, following Billie and Bean at the Beach and Billie and Bean in the City, which received starred reviews from Kirkus. In this gentle picture book series, Billie takes her first steps toward independence, learning resilience and bravery as she and her energetic dog, Bean, try new things together. Julia Hansson is a children's book author and illustrator from Stockholm. She studied at Konstfack University of Arts, Crafts and Design in Stockholm and Tama Art University in Tokyo. She currently lives in Japan, where she has spent many years studying both illustration and the Japanese language. She is the author of Billie and Bean at the Beach and Billie and Bean in the City.