Tales for the Perfect Child

Florence Parry Heide

Mas 2017 · Kuthengiswe ngu-Simon and Schuster

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Sergio Ruzzier brings his mischievous touch to a timeless favorite by Florence Parry Heide, beloved author of The Shrinking of Treehorn. This delightful new edition includes one never-before-published story.

Ruby is reliable (kinda).
Arthur is careful (sorta).
Harry eats his carrots (though it depends on what you mean by “eat”).
And just like all perfect children, Gloria helps her mother (well, that might be an exaggeration).

As the eight deliciously wicked tales featured in this hilarious chapter book prove, it’s perfectly nice to be a perfect child—but where’s the fun in that?

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Florence Parry Heide (1919–2011) was the author of more than 100 children’s books, including picture books, juvenile novels, two series of young adult mysteries, plays, songbooks, and poetry. She may be best remembered for her now-classic The Shrinking of Treehorn and its two sequels, illustrated by the great Edward Gorey. Florence grew up in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, married during World War Two, and spent her adult life in Kenosha, Wisconsin, with her husband and five children, all of whom grew up listening to the joyful sounds of an old typewriter.

Sergio Ruzzier has written and illustrated many celebrated picture books, including We Give Thanks by Cynthia Rylant and his own Good Boy, A Letter for Leo, and the Fox and Chick series, the first book in which received a Geisel Honor. His work has been awarded by American Illustration, The Society of Illustrators, Communication Arts, The Society of Publication Designers, and Parents’ Choice. In 2011, he received the Sendak Fellowship. Sergio lives in Italy, and you can visit him at Ruzzier.com.