Camilla, Cartographer

by Julie Dillemuth PhD, Laura Wood (Illustrator)

Overview

2019 Ezra Jack Keats Book Award Nominee
​A Bank Street College Best Book of the Year

Camilla loves maps and has always wondered what it would be like to explore and discover a new path for the first time. When a snowstorm covers the path to the creek, Camilla's historic maps inspires her to make her own path—and her own map! Includes a Note to Parents and Caregivers celebrating discovery and adventurous problem-solving.

Includes a Note to Parents and Caregivers celebrating discovery and adventurous problem-solving.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781433830334
Publisher:	American Psychological Association
Publication date:	10/08/2019
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	1,033,300
Product dimensions:	7.90(w) x 10.10(h) x 0.30(d)
Lexile:	500L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Julie Dillemuth, PhD, is a spatial cognition geographer and children's writer. She is passionate about writing picture books for children that help develop spatial thinking skills. Her stories have appeared in Highlights for Children and Odyssey magazines. She is also the author of Lucy in the City and Mapping My Day. Visit juliedillemuth.com and follow her on Facebook: @JulieDillemuthBooks

Laura Wood is an independent illustrator currently based in Milan, Italy. Her work can be found in textbooks, advertising  campaigns, digital apps, and editorial publications. But mostly she likes to illustrate picture books in order to bring stories to life.
She is also the illustrator of Lucy and the City and Mapping My Day. Her favorite things include coffee, dancing, and visiting new places. She is proudly represented by the lovely people at Good Illustration Agency. Visit her at www.laurawoodillustration.com and follow on Facebook: @LauraWoodIllustration and Instagram: @laura_wood_illustration
 

Editorial Reviews

2019 Ezra Jack Keats Book Award Nominee

​A Bank Street College Best Book of the Year

“Through this engaging story, children will be shown the benefits of using and creating maps of their own. Camilla is a lovable main character. She’s smart, kind, and adventurous…. A fun way to get children interested in cartography, this book lends itself to many lessons inside and outside of a classroom.” ­—School Library Journal

“Wood's delightful illustrations and Dillemuth's expertise in the matter engage readers in the woodland creatures' adventures. In addition, Dillemuth, who holds a doctorate in geography, provides activities in the backmatter for parents and caregivers to help children develop their own spatial-reasoning skills, such as sketching and reading maps or using cardinal directions. An adorable adventure in cartography.” —Kirkus Reviews

“The text is clear and engaging, the art charming and inviting. Together they create a story that should stir the reader's imagination and make them eager to start making their own maps—of their room, their house, their neighborhood, their world. Mapmaking has rarely looked more fun and cozy.” —New York Journal of Books
 

From the Publisher

12/01/2019

Gr 1–3—Camilla, a boar, is a real map fanatic. She collects all types of maps—old, new, big, small—she loves them all. Her dearest possession is an old map of the forest where she lives. It maybe out of date but she treasures it. One very snowy morning, Camilla's neighbor Parsley (a porcupine) needs her help to find the creek. Camilla is determined to help her friend, but they're having a difficult time with the huge amount of snow. This is the perfect opportunity for Camilla to use her old map to create new paths, and a new map. Through this engaging story, children will be shown the benefits of using and creating maps of their own. Camilla is a lovable main character. She's smart, kind, and adventurous. She doesn't care if a huge snowstorm is blowing around outside—she wants to help her friend. The illustrations enhance the storytelling and show the pair having fun on their trek to locate the creek. A special section is included in the back of the book for parents and teachers. Spatial thinking is discussed, as well as how to use a compass and activities to do with children. VERDICT A fun way to get children interested in cartography, this book lends itself to many lessons inside and outside of a classroom.—Barbara Spiri, Southborough Library, MA

School Library Journal

2019-07-14
An exercise of spatial thinking through a snowy forest.

Camilla the warthog collects maps. Maps of stars, New York, even the London Tube. She even owns an ancient map of her forest. Unfortunately for her, she believes all lands have been explored and there is nothing new to chart. However, with a snowy morning comes a new opportunity. When her hedgehog neighbor, Parsley, asks for her help in finding the creek, Camilla quivers with excitement when she realizes the snow-covered land "is uncharted territory." With all landmarks covered in snow, Camilla and Parsley must use their spatial-reasoning skills and a compass to find a new way to the creek. Their trailblazing journey proves a challenge as they keep bumping into trees, rocks, and walls. But when they find the creek, Camilla will have all the information and tools ready to draw out a new map, to break out in case of another snowfall. Wood's delightful illustrations and Dillemuth's expertise in the matter engage readers in the woodland creatures' adventures. In addition, Dillemuth, who holds a doctorate in geography, provides activities in the backmatter for parents and caregivers to help children develop their own spatial-reasoning skills, such as sketching and reading maps or using cardinal directions.

An adorable adventure in cartography. (author's note) (Picture book. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews