Illustrator & Author Profile
Simms Taback
9 Books
Simms Taback was an American children's book author and illustrator who created playful, colorful picture books. He won the Caldecott Medal for his visual work on Joseph Had a Little Overcoat and received a Caldecott Honor for There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly. His artistic style often incorporated mixed media, die-cut pages, and rich folk-art traditions. Through his interactive and visually engaging layouts, he brought traditional songs and classic folktales to life for early readers.
Step out onto the bustling city streets for a clever guessing game featuring animals that live right in your neighborhood. Even in a noisy town full of cars and buildings, there are wonderful creatures hiding in plain sight. By reading the simple clues and unfolding the large pages, you can try to guess whether a pigeon, a squirrel, or a friendly dog is waiting underneath. You will love piecing together the hints and seeing the poster-sized pictures of these familiar animals. It is a fantastic and playful way to explore the surprising wildlife that shares the sidewalks and parks with you every single day.
6-8 Years
20 Pages
Step inside the most ridiculous house you will ever visit. Jack has built a wonderful home and filled it with delicious cheeses from all around the world. But that tasty cheese soon catches the attention of a sneaky rat, which quickly brings in a grumpy cat, and before you know it, the entire neighborhood is involved in a wild chain reaction. Every new character adds to the growing chaos in a hilarious way that will keep you laughing out loud. You can follow along as the story builds on itself, introducing funnier and stranger animals with every single page. It is an unforgettable and energetic tale about how one simple piece of cheese can turn an entire house upside down.
6-8 Years
38 Pages
Meet Joseph, a clever man who loves his cozy overcoat very much. Over time, his favorite coat gets old, worn out, and full of holes. But Joseph is not the kind of person to just throw something away. When his coat becomes too shabby to wear, he finds a brilliant way to transform it into a smart new jacket. And when that jacket gets too worn out, he turns it into something else entirely. Through clever cutouts on every page, you get to guess what Joseph will create next from his shrinking pieces of fabric. You will follow along with his cheerful journey and discover the wonderful lesson that you can always make something beautiful and useful, even when it seems like you have almost nothing left.
6-8 Years
40 Pages
Sometimes you miss someone so much that your heart feels completely empty without them. A creative little girl feels exactly this way and decides she must find a way to be close to the person she loves. If she cannot just walk over to see them, she comes up with a perfectly magical plan. She decides to wrap herself up in cozy paper, climb into a sturdy box with plenty of air holes, and mail herself directly to the one she misses. You will join her on this incredibly sweet and slightly silly journey of love and determination. It is a warm, beautiful story that perfectly captures how far you are willing to go just to give someone you care about a giant hug.
6-8 Years
40 Pages
Gather around for a wonderful collection of thirteen traditional tales told by a wise and witty grandfather. These are not your everyday bedtime stories. Instead, they are filled with foolish mistakes, clever tricks, and plenty of characters who think they know everything but actually have a lot to learn. You will discover the hilarious difference between someone who is clumsy and someone who is just plain unlucky. Along the way, these bright and lively stories deliver gentle lessons about honesty, pride, and the importance of having just a little bit of nerve to get through life. It is an absolute delight to read, combining rich cultural traditions with universal jokes that will have you chuckling at the silly things people do.
6-8 Years
9-12 Years
42 Pages
Pack your bags and get ready for an exciting guessing game out on the open savanna. There are amazing wild animals hiding right in front of you, but you have to use your best detective skills to figure out who they are. By following simple, clever clues and slowly opening up the folds of the pages, you will reveal the beautiful creatures waiting underneath. It is a wonderful way to test your knowledge of nature while being completely surprised by the vibrant artwork. You will have an absolute blast trying to guess each animal correctly before you uncover the final picture in this bright and engaging adventure.
6-8 Years
20 Pages
Take a walk down to the barnyard for a fun and interactive guessing game with some friendly faces. Someone is hiding under the big flaps, and it is up to you to figure out exactly who it is. You will be given fun little clues to help you solve the mystery before you open the folds to reveal the surprise. From the pasture to the pigpen, you will meet all sorts of wonderful creatures that live and work on a farm. It is an exciting and joyful way to practice your animal knowledge while enjoying big, colorful pictures that bring the farm right to you.
6-8 Years
A Preposterous Pageant in Fourteen Acts Concerned with the Exquisite Joys and Extraordinary Adventures of Young Ladies and Gentlemen in the Pleasurable Practice of Sharing
Get ready for a hilarious and preposterous performance all about the wonderful art of sharing. Through fourteen brief and wacky acts, you will witness young ladies and gentlemen finding themselves in incredibly strange situations where they simply must learn to share. Whether they are dealing with wild adventures or exquisite joys, the characters show just how funny and rewarding it can be to offer a piece of what you have to someone else. The absurd scenarios will make you giggle while gently reminding you why it is so important to look out for your friends. It is a delightful and energetic romp that proves good manners and sharing do not have to be boring at all.
6-8 Years
56 Pages
Jump into a wild and wacky classic poem where one hungry old lady eats the most surprising things. It all starts with a tiny fly. Instead of stopping there, she swallows a spider to catch the fly, a bird to catch the spider, and her unusual snack time just keeps growing. With every page you turn, you can peek right into her ever expanding tummy through clever little holes in the book to see exactly what she has gobbled up so far. The animals watch in pure disbelief, wondering what she could possibly eat next. You will find yourself giggling along with this silly and energetic story that shows just how out of control one small bite can become.
6-8 Years
36 Pages
