Author Profile
Eve Bunting
31 Books
Eve Bunting was an Irish-born American author of many books for children and teens. Her stories, including Fly Away Home, A Day's Work, and Smoky Night, often explore family, courage, history, immigration, and difficult real-world issues with warmth and clarity. Her wide-ranging work spans picture books and novels that gently guide young readers through complex emotional landscapes.
Have you ever dreamed of growing your very own secret hideout? When a young boy plants a circle of tiny sunflower seeds, he has no idea what magic is about to sprout. After weeks of careful watering, weeding, and watching, those little seeds shoot up into towering giant sunflowers. They form a magnificent, golden-roofed playhouse right in his backyard!
Step inside this leafy green fortress, where there is plenty of room for three best friends to let their imaginations run wild. It is the perfect place for summer games, secret club meetings, and sleepovers under the stars. But what happens when the summer winds blow cold and the giant flowers begin to droop?
Discover the beautiful cycle of nature in this vibrant, rhyming story. You will learn how the end of one glorious season holds the bright, hopeful seeds for next year's amazing adventures.
6-8 Years
36 Pages
Carlos is traveling south for Christmas, back across the border to the Mexican village his parents still call home. To Carlos and his sisters, California feels like home now, and Mexico is a place they barely remember.
As the family reaches La Perla, the holiday lights, music, relatives, and village celebrations begin to change how Carlos sees the journey. He starts to understand why Mama and Papa carry this place in their hearts, even after leaving it behind to work in the United States.
Going Home is a rich, thoughtful picture book about family roots, immigration, Christmas traditions, and the many meanings of home.
6-8 Years
9-12 Years
32 Pages
When a fierce ocean storm crashes into a massive cargo ship, a giant crate filled with bathtub toys tumbles into the churning waves. Suddenly, one small yellow plastic duck finds himself bobbing all alone in the middle of the vast sea.
Far away from the safe, warm bathtub he was meant for, Ducky must brave towering waves, passing sharks, and lonely nights beneath the stars. But this brave little toy refuses to give up hope. Based on an amazing true story of toys lost at sea, this incredible journey follows Ducky as he rides the ocean currents, waiting for the day he can finally wash ashore and find a home.
Featuring spectacular cut-paper artwork, this thrilling tale shows that even the smallest explorer can survive the biggest adventures.
6-8 Years
37 Pages
It is incredibly difficult when a best friend gets sick, and even harder to understand when they do not get better. After her beloved classmate and friend Rudi passes away, a young girl struggles to process her feelings of sadness and loss. To honor his memory, she and her schoolmates come together to build a special project: a beautiful, peaceful pond situated right next to the big oak tree in their schoolyard. They hang a bright hummingbird feeder that Rudi himself had made, hoping to bring life and beauty to his memorial. When a delicate hummingbird suddenly appears to drink from the feeder, the children find a gentle sense of comfort. Based on a true story, this poignant and beautifully illustrated narrative provides a compassionate look at grief, the healing power of community, and the ways we can keep the memories of those we love alive forever.
6-8 Years
9-12 Years
32 Pages
Marianne is traveling west alongside fourteen other children aboard the Orphan Train, leaving her old life behind. As the train chugs across the vast American prairie, she holds onto a secret hope: that her mother will be waiting for her at one of the stations. After all, her mother promised to come back for her once she made a new life out West. At every stop, crowds gather to adopt the children, but no one seems to notice the shy, plain Marianne. She tells herself that it is for the best, because she needs to remain free for when her mother finally arrives. But as the train pulls into its very last stop, a small town called Somewhere, Marianne must face the unknown. This deeply moving, beautifully illustrated story offers a poignant look at a unique chapter of American history, capturing the heartbreak and hope of finding a place to belong.
6-8 Years
9-12 Years
32 Pages
David liked his family exactly the way it was: Mom, Dad, and him. Now a baby named Jin Woo is coming from Korea, and David is not sure he wants to be a big brother at all.
When Jin Woo arrives, everyone seems to be busy holding, feeding, and smiling at the new baby. David begins to wonder whether there is still enough love left for him. Then a meaningful letter helps him see his family in a new way.
Jin Woo is a gentle picture book about adoption, sibling jealousy, and learning that love in a family can grow without leaving anyone behind.
6-8 Years
32 Pages
A little girl and her father have a bright birthday plan: they are going to bring home a garden. At the store, they choose pansies, tulips, daffodils, geraniums, and daisies, then carry their colorful surprise home on the bus.
Back at their apartment, father and daughter work together to plant the flowers in a window box before Mom comes through the door. Told in simple rhyme, Flower Garden turns an everyday errand into a warm family celebration.
Cheerful and tender, this picture book is a lovely story about birthdays, city life, flowers, and the care that goes into making a gift by hand.
6-8 Years
62 Pages
High above the city streets, perched on the cold stone corners of a museum, sit the gargoyles. All day long, they stare down with empty eyes, frozen in time while the busy world rushes by below. But when the sun sets and shadows creep across the walls, these eerie stone creatures finally get their chance to play. In the middle of the night, the gargoyles awaken from their slumber. They stretch their heavy wings, grumble in the darkness, and roam the empty museum grounds, much to the dismay of the nervous night watchman. This delightfully spooky tale brings the hidden life of statues to vivid reality. With hauntingly beautiful illustrations and a wonderfully eerie atmosphere, it invites you to look closer at the shadows. You will never walk past a stone gargoyle the same way again.
6-8 Years
9-12 Years
36 Pages
Green eyes shine from the dark, watching Halloween night come alive. Skeletons dance, goblins skip, witches glide, and ghosts float past in a parade of spooky visitors.
The rhyming text builds a deliciously shivery mood, but the fright stays just right for young readers who enjoy a little Halloween suspense. As the creatures pass, a mother cat and her kittens watch from the shadows, turning the night into something eerie, playful, and mysterious.
Scary, Scary Halloween is a rhythmic picture book for children who love costumes, cats, and spooky stories that feel exciting without being too scary.
6-8 Years
36 Pages
Susie is supposed to take a nap. Susie has other plans.
Dad tries everything he can think of to make her sleepy. They walk, dance, drum, read, and play, but Susie keeps insisting she is wide awake. Dad, however, is getting more tired by the minute.
No Nap is a bright, silly picture book about a familiar family moment: a child with endless energy and a parent doing his best. Eve Bunting’s playful text and Susan Meddaugh’s lively illustrations make the story especially fun for children who enjoy everyday humor, bedtime resistance, and the small comedy of family routines.
6-8 Years
36 Pages
Laura’s memory string is more than a row of buttons. Each one holds a family story, and the ones that belonged to her mother feel especially precious: a prom dress button, a wedding dress button, and one from the nightgown her mother wore the day she died.
Laura is still grieving, and her new stepmother, Jane, cannot take her mother’s place. When the string breaks and a beloved button goes missing, Jane tries to help, but Laura’s feelings are tangled with anger, sadness, and fear of forgetting.
The Memory String is a tender picture book about loss, blended families, and the difficult work of holding on to the past while allowing new memories to begin.
6-8 Years
9-12 Years
40 Pages
Callie’s front yard is full of things that used to be inside her house: furniture, flowers, and even her bike. Her family is moving to a smaller apartment, and most of their belongings will not fit.
As strangers pick up and buy pieces of her everyday life, Callie feels the ache of letting go. Her parents try to explain, but understanding why something has to happen does not make it easy. Still, through the sadness, Callie begins to see what her family can keep.
Yard Sale is a sensitive picture book about moving, money worries, change, and the truth that home is built most deeply by the people who love one another.
6-8 Years
32 Pages
Mr. and Mrs. Bear usually sleep right through Valentine’s Day. Bears hibernate in winter, after all. But this year Mrs. Bear has a plan: she sets her alarm for February 14 and prepares a special surprise.
Waking a bear in the middle of winter is not simple, and Mrs. Bear’s loving celebration takes patience, care, and a bit of humor. With cozy illustrations and a sweet holiday spirit, the story turns Valentine’s Day into a warm moment of affection between two sleepy bears.
The Valentine Bears is a gentle picture book for readers who enjoy animal stories, wintertime settings, and quiet surprises made with love.
6-8 Years
32 Pages
On Christmas Eve, a family drives into the quiet forest with a basket full of gifts. They are not carrying shiny ornaments or tinsel. They bring popcorn, apples, tangerines, and seed balls for the animals who live among the trees.
By moonlight, they decorate their favorite evergreen and leave it standing as a generous holiday surprise for the creatures of the woods. The tradition is simple, peaceful, and full of wonder.
Night Tree is a beautifully hushed picture book about Christmas, nature, kindness, and a family ritual that honors the wild world beyond their door.
6-8 Years
40 Pages
Simon and his mother do not have much: a cardboard shelter, a tiny Christmas tree, and a picture of an angel named December pinned to the wall. On a cold Christmas Eve, they meet an old woman who has even less than they do.
Although their own space is small and fragile, Simon and his mother offer the woman warmth and shelter. By morning, something mysterious has happened, leaving Simon to wonder about generosity, angels, and hope in the hardest season.
December is a moving picture book about poverty, compassion, Christmas, and the quiet power of helping someone when you have very little to give.
6-8 Years
9-12 Years
40 Pages
Ari, Boo, and Col have a very important job to finish. The rain clouds are gathering, and these three busy leprechauns must hurry to bury their heavy pot of gold at the end of the rainbow before it fades away. They know they need to stay focused, but there is one big problem.
Along the way, they spot a cow, a hen, and a grumpy old man. Try as they might to keep walking, the clever little fellows simply cannot resist stopping to play a few playful tricks. After all, besides hiding treasure, causing a bit of trouble is exactly what leprechauns are meant to do!
Packed with silly antics and magical charm, this lively adventure is guaranteed to bring a smile to your face. Follow along as these mischievous friends try to balance their magical duties with their love for a good prank.
6-8 Years
32 Pages
Every Wednesday night, Anna and Grandma share a quiet secret. The rest of the family thinks Grandma is helping Anna practice reading, but the truth is far more surprising: Anna is teaching Grandma.
Together, they turn pages, sound out words, and prepare a birthday gift for Anna’s father that no one will forget. This tender picture book celebrates patience, pride, and the special wisdom that can pass from young to old as well as from old to young.
Warm and gently moving, The Wednesday Surprise is a family story about literacy, love, and the joy of giving someone the confidence to read their own words aloud.
6-8 Years
9-12 Years
36 Pages
Smoke fills the night as Daniel and his mother watch unrest break out in their neighborhood. From their apartment window, Daniel sees people running, shouting, and taking things from stores. Then danger reaches their own building, and they must leave for a shelter.
In the middle of fear and confusion, Daniel also notices something smaller but important: his cat and a neighbor’s cat, animals that usually do not get along, are suddenly part of the same frightened night. Their story helps Daniel begin to understand how people, too, may find a way toward understanding.
Winner of the Caldecott Medal, Smoky Night is a powerful picture book about community, prejudice, violence, and hope after a frightening public crisis.
6-8 Years
40 Pages
Laura Iwasaki’s family is making a solemn visit to Manzanar, the place where her grandfather is buried and where thousands of Japanese Americans were imprisoned during World War II. For Laura, it is partly a family trip and partly a journey into history.
As her father remembers being taken there as a child, Laura begins to understand that this quiet place carries pain, courage, and memory. Her family’s visit becomes a way to honor Grandfather and recognize a painful chapter in American history.
So Far from the Sea is a deeply moving picture book about Japanese American incarceration, family remembrance, patriotism, and the importance of telling hard truths to the next generation.
6-8 Years
9-12 Years
30 Pages
A busy airport is a place where people are always going somewhere, but for one young boy and his father, it is the only place they can call home. Moving quietly from terminal to terminal, they blend in with the crowds, wearing blue clothes to look like ordinary travelers and being very careful never to be noticed. It is a difficult, uncertain life, filled with the constant fear of being discovered. But one day, amidst the noise and rush of the passengers, the boy spots a small bird that has become trapped inside the massive glass building. As he watches the little bird flutter and struggle against the windows, he sees it finally find an open door and soar out into the open sky. This powerful, thought-provoking story offers a sensitive look at homelessness through a child's eyes, providing a gentle message of resilience, quiet courage, and the enduring hope for a better tomorrow.
6-8 Years
9-12 Years
32 Pages
The night the police come, a family must leave their Caribbean island behind. They climb into a small fishing boat with other refugees and set out across the sea, not knowing how long it will take to reach America.
The journey is crowded, frightening, and uncertain. Through a child’s eyes, each day at sea becomes a question: How many more days? When the family finally nears land, their arrival connects their search for safety with the meaning of Thanksgiving.
How Many Days to America? is a powerful picture book about refugees, immigration, courage, and the hope of finding welcome in a new country.
6-8 Years
9-12 Years
32 Pages
Biggest Mouse, Middle Mouse, and Little Mouse have an important mission: find Mother the perfect Mother’s Day gift. The meadow is full of possibilities, but not every idea feels special enough for such a special day.
As the three brothers hurry through the spring morning, each mouse has his own plan, and the littlest one keeps looking for something that comes from the heart. Their search brings gentle adventure, sibling charm, and a sweet celebration of love for Mother.
The Mother’s Day Mice is a warm picture book for young readers who enjoy animal families, springtime stories, and thoughtful gifts made meaningful by care.
6-8 Years
40 Pages
Everyone calls it the impossible bridge, but Robert’s father is helping build it. High above San Francisco Bay, Pop works as a skywalker on the Golden Gate Bridge, and Robert is certain his father has the most important job of all.
Robert and his friend Charlie watch the huge project with pride, wonder, and worry. When a frightening moment shows just how dangerous the work can be, Robert begins to understand that no single person builds something so enormous alone.
Pop’s Bridge is an engaging historical picture book about the Golden Gate Bridge, teamwork, courage, engineering, and the many workers whose skill helped create an American landmark.
6-8 Years
9-12 Years
32 Pages
Zoe’s family has come west to the Nebraska Territory to begin again, but the prairie is wider and lonelier than she expected. Their new sod house nearly disappears against the endless land, and while Papa feels hopeful, Mama cannot hide her sadness.
Zoe sees how hard this new life is for her mother. On a trip to town with Papa, she notices something small and bright that might help their home feel less lost on the prairie. Her idea carries comfort, color, and a child’s quiet understanding of what her family needs.
Dandelions is a lyrical historical picture book about pioneer life, homesickness, resilience, and finding beauty in a difficult new place.
6-8 Years
9-12 Years
48 Pages
Farah feels entirely alone, even when she is surrounded by her new classmates. It is difficult being the new kid in school, especially when you have just moved from another country and cannot speak the language yet. Most of the time, she just listens quietly and nods.
During a class field trip to an apple orchard, things begin to change. Farah notices the familiar sound of dogs crunching on food and the happy ripples of friendly laughter. When she picks a crisp green apple to drop into the cider press alongside her classmates' red ones, she realizes that being different is perfectly fine.
This tender and beautifully painted story puts you right in the shoes of a young immigrant finding her voice. It is a warm reminder that sharing simple moments can help anyone feel like they finally belong.
6-8 Years
9-12 Years
32 Pages
Francisco's grandfather has just arrived in California from Mexico, and he does not speak a word of English. Eager to help his family, young Francisco acts as his grandfather's translator as they wait in line hoping to find a day's work. When a man drives up looking for an experienced gardener, Francisco tells a small lie, claiming his grandfather is an expert with plants. They get the job, but soon Francisco's lie leads to a terrible mistake in the garden that threatens to ruin their entire day. When the truth comes out, his grandfather refuses to take payment for work done poorly and insists they stay to fix the damage. Through this difficult afternoon, Francisco discovers that his grandfather might not know English or gardening, but he has incredibly valuable lessons to teach about integrity, hard work, and the true meaning of honesty.
6-8 Years
9-12 Years
32 Pages
Two pairs of sneakers, one big and one small, step into a dark house where spooky surprises wait behind every door. A little girl and her father move through rooms filled with ghosts, witches, a vampire, a werewolf, and other Halloween frights.
The scares are playful rather than too scary, with rhyming language and clever illustrations that let young readers enjoy the shivers while feeling safe. In some editions, flaps and touch-and-feel details make the haunted-house tour even more interactive.
In the Haunted House is a lively Halloween picture book for children who like monsters, mystery, and just enough suspense for a fun seasonal read.
6-8 Years
14 Pages
Susie has planned a perfect Father’s Day for Dad. She takes him out, chooses the restaurant, picks the activities, and makes sure the day is full of treats.
The funny part is that Susie’s perfect plans look a lot like her own favorite things. Dad understands more than he says, and the outing becomes a warm, gently comic picture of a father and daughter enjoying time together.
A Perfect Father’s Day is a sweet family picture book with simple humor, affectionate illustrations, and a child’s-eye view of giving someone a special day. It works well for Father’s Day, but its warmth makes it appealing any time of year.
6-8 Years
36 Pages
A young boy and his father have traveled a very long way to visit a special place in Washington, D.C. They have come to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, a long, shiny black wall covered in thousands of carved names. The boy has never met his grandfather, but he knows that his name is somewhere on that dark, reflective surface. As they walk quietly alongside the wall, searching for the name of the man they lost, they see other families leaving flowers, crying, and remembering their own loved ones. When they finally find his grandfather's name, the boy feels a deep mixture of sadness and quiet pride. This deeply moving and beautifully illustrated story respectfully captures the emotional weight of honoring those who sacrificed everything. It provides a tender, child-friendly exploration of memory, love, and the lasting impact of history on everyday families.
6-8 Years
9-12 Years
40 Pages
In the grassy field right next to Alice's house stands a magnificent, ancient oak tree. It has been a beloved landmark for generations, providing cool shade for picnics and sturdy branches for climbing. But one day, Alice notices that the great oak's leaves are starting to wither and fall. Something is terribly wrong. The soil around the tree has been poisoned by illegal pollution, and the beautiful old oak is dying. Alice, her parents, and their neighbors desperately band together, trying everything they can to save their treasured tree. When all their efforts fail to cure the mighty oak, Alice is heartbroken. But she soon remembers a handful of tiny acorns she collected when the tree was still healthy, realizing that even in the face of loss, there is always the gentle promise of new beginnings.
6-8 Years
9-12 Years
16 Pages
Mrs. Moose wants Thanksgiving to be perfect, and there is only one thing missing: a turkey. So Mr. Moose sets off with his animal friends to invite Turkey to dinner.
Turkey, however, thinks he knows exactly what a turkey at Thanksgiving dinner means, and he is not eager to be found. The mix-up leads to a funny, warm holiday story about misunderstanding, hospitality, and making room at the table.
A Turkey for Thanksgiving is a cheerful picture book for young readers who enjoy animal stories, gentle humor, and Thanksgiving celebrations centered on friendship rather than fuss.
6-8 Years
32 Pages
