Baxter and Jeffrey

by Ariane Erickson, Todd Erickson, Gabriel San Martin (Illustrator)

Overview

In a hustling, bustling forest, a young dragon named Baxter spots a young boy named Jeffrey learning how to be a knight, and quickly decides he can help him.

The only problem…Jeffrey wants to become a knight all by himself.

Will Jeffrey welcome Baxter’s help and friendship?

Will they both learn what it takes to become a knight?

Will the castle’s stained glass window ever look the same again?!

Herein lies the charming tale of two young heroes who learn how to become brave, kind, and helpful - together.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9798987974117
Publisher:	Norse-Gael Books
Publication date:	05/15/2024
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	474,582
Product dimensions:	8.88(w) x 11.25(h) x 0.38(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Ariane Erickson, along with her husband Todd, founded Norse-Gael Books in 2023, and celebrated the launch of their first book, BAXTER AND JEFFREY, with a giant slice of chocolate cake and an ice-cold glass of milk.

Ariane and Todd are committed to creating children’s books that root for the underdogs, promote kindness and empathy, welcome and affirm all readers, embrace characters that are flawed but lovable, create feelings of satisfaction, security, and belonging, elicit uproarious laughter from children and adults alike, and are worth reading again and again.

When not publishing children's books, Ariane enjoys sneaking in a daily chocolate before her family comes home, worrying if she is under or over watering her plants, and buying pillows for the couch (much to her family’s chagrin).

Visit Ariane and Todd at www.norsegaelbooks.com to learn more about their favorite brand of chocolate, where to buy decorative pillows, and how to make friends when you're a Viking.

Todd Erickson, along with his wife, Ariane, founded their publishing label, Norse-Gael Books in 2023, and launched their debut picture book, BAXTER AND JEFFREY, in January 2024.

Todd is a Head Teacher at Stanford University's Bing Nursery School, where he scaffolds play, opens hearts, challenges minds, and reads loads and loads of picture books to his students. He enjoys tapping into the deep wonder, boundless hope, and endless creativity of young children as both a teacher and a picture book author. He also writes a monthly newsletter, Todd’s Good Books, featuring book recommendations for young children and their families.

In his spare time, Todd enjoys playing basketball, spending time with his family, any food that contains chocolate, and trying to figure out how “wallpaper, uff da, gnocchi, and Guardians of the Galaxy” form a group of four in Connections.

Visit Todd and Ariane at norsegaelbooks.com to learn why they think they’d make great candidates for “The Amazing Race,” where to grab a delicious slice of chocolate cake, and how to parent a feisty daughter when you’re the Chief of a Medieval Viking clan.

Gabriel San Martin has been creating whimsical and engaging children’s book illustrations for over 12 years. When he isn’t illustrating rich and humorous worlds for children to immerse themselves in, he enjoys reading historical novels, exploring his hometown of Madrid, and spending time with his partner and children. Connect with him at www.ggsanmartin.com and on Instagram @ggsanmartin.

Editorial Reviews

2024-02-04
Giving and getting help isn’t easy for a friendly dragon and a young knight-in-training in this picture book.

Everybody makes assumptions about a dragon named Baxter. Whenever he sees forest animals struggling, he rushes “to the rescue,” but they all run off afraid. Never mind the multicolored blanket he hand-knitted for them, or the toasted sandwiches he made. Meanwhile, Jeffrey, a young boy, marvels at the portraits of knights that hang in the corridor of his family’s castle. He owns a guide on how to be a knight, and he aims to teach himself to become one “WITHOUT any help.” However, adults keep trying to tell him what to do. After he runs off to the forest, he meets Baxter, but unlike other creatures, he isn’t afraid of him and learns to accept his help. San Martin’s illustrations stand out well, featuring lush, finely detailed greenery, humorous facial expressions, and layered backgrounds. Occasional word choices are confusing; for instance, the tasks in Jeffrey’s book are called jobs, when the term training exercisesseems more fitting and accurate. The dialogue, however, is appealingly cheeky in how modern terms are used in a medieval setting: Jeffrey’s dad directs him to do burpees, and his mom offers him broccoli (a 17th-century term).

An unlikely pair build a kind, helpful friendship in a well-illustrated tale.

Kirkus Reviews