Michelle Houts became fascinated with sea glass while visiting the coast of Maine each summer. She is the author of When Grandma Gatewood Took a Hike, illustrated by Erica Magnus, and the STEM-based chapter-book series Lucy’s Lab, illustrated by Elizabeth Zechel. Michelle Houts is also the author of the middle-grade novel Winterfrost. She lives in Ohio. Bagram Ibatoulline has illustrated many acclaimed books for children, including The Matchbox Diary by Paul Fleischman; The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane and Great Joy, both by Kate DiCamillo; and The Hawk of the Castle by Danna Smith. Bagram Ibatoulline lives in Chichester, New York.
These masterful, moving watercolor pictures transmit feelings and features so faithfully they feel somehow deeply personal...When a present-day girl hands her Papaw Tom a piece of clear sea glass she finds, one that could have come from a broken magnifying glass decades before, the past and present converge. Thomas and his family all present white. A celebration of small miracles. --Kirkus Reviews (starred review) Sea Glass Summer, written by Michelle Houts and illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline, is a beautifully depicted story about family, discovery and the mysteries of nature...Ibatoulline's gorgeous, realistic illustrations capture the fine details of the natural world and Thomas' sense of excitement. Readers will be intrigued by this tale and the lessons it imparts about being attentive to the wonders of the great outdoors. --BookPage First, to the beach with 'Sea Glass Summer' (Candlewick, 30 pages, $16.99) by Michelle Houts, a serene and thought-provoking picture book about time and transformation as told through the interlocked stories of two children. --The Wall Street Journal