Henri and the Machine

Name: Henri and the Machine
Price: 16.99 AUD
Availability: PreOrder
ISBN: 9781800783751

Isabelle Marinov, Olga Shtonda

$16.99

Paperback

Forthcoming
Pre-Order now

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English

Miscellaneous
30 June 2026

Children's & Educational; Picture storybooks; Art: general interest (Children's&YA)

What's the point of art?

This is the question Henri asks himself when his class is taken on a school trip to the local art gallery. Who wants pictures of old soup cans or melting watches? But when he encounters a painting with the most perfect blue, it creates a beautiful feeling. It's blueberries, oceans, summer skies and butterflies all rolled into one. And then he wanders into a room with a chair and a sign that reads ""Is this really a chair?"" Henri decides to test it out, unleashing an explosion of creativity! Finally Henri understands what art is all about...

Following Isabelle Marinov's successful Leo and the Octopus, this is a fun and encouraging story of a boy learning to appreciate art and its boundless creativity.

By: Isabelle Marinov
Illustrated by: Olga Shtonda
Imprint: Miscellaneous
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 266mm, Width: 228mm, Spine: 5mm
Weight: 176g
ISBN: 9781800783751
ISBN 10: 1800783752
Pages: 32
Publication Date: 30 June 2026
Recommended Age: From 5 to 7 years
Audience: Children/juvenile , English as a second language
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming

Isabelle Marinov (Author) When Isabelle Marinov was nine years old, her parents gave her a red typewriter for her birthday. She started crafting stories in German and Luxembourgish, her native language, straight away, but it wasn't until her first son was born that she returned to writing full time. Isabelle writes across several genres, writing picture books, middle grade and screenplays. She speaks four languages fluently, but English is her favourite for prose. She is a member of the SCBWI and a 2017/18 Children's Literature Fellow at Stony Brook University in Southampton, NY. Olga Shtonda (Illustrator) Olga Shtonda is an award-winning illustrator from Ukraine. She studied Graphic Arts at Kharkiv Design and Arts Academy (2009-2015), where she fell in love with printmaking techniques and textures which greatly influenced her style. She has illustrated children's books, book covers, board games, music posters and more. Olga enjoys working with textures and vibrant colours, but most of all she appreciates humour in her illustrations. She loves to experiment and apply her knowledge of illustration in a wider range of fields, for example, animation.

Reviews for Henri and the Machine

'With an unexpected twist at the end, and some wonderful illustrations... this is an enjoyable and entertaining read for KS1' - Peters Books 'A wonderfully illustrated book to read, share and discuss with EYFS and KS1 classes, Henri and the Machine perfectly answers the question: 'What is the point of art?'.' - School Reading List 'This simple picture book tackles one of the most complicated questions - what's the point of art?. . . This is a delightful story with lovely illustrations' - Books for Topics 'Illustrator Olga Shtonda's gallery spaces brim with joyful depictions. . . A simple yet profound dive into why art is for everyone, Henri and the Machine has a lovely overarching message: ""The only thing that matters is how art makes you feel"".' - Imogen Carter 'This book has proved to be an absolute gem. It deserves to be in every school library.' - Margaret Pemberton