The Outside

by Gianna Marino, Gianna Marino (Illustrator)

Overview

New York Times bestselling illustrator Gianna Marino helps little ones find their courage to face their fears and explore the world around them.

Earl likes the inside and likes feeling safe. He also likes his friends to be safe and is quick to point out the many dangers of the outside, where his friends are determined to explore. No matter how hard they try to convince Earl to come outside to play, he won’t change his mind.

But…what if Earl needs to go outside? What will it take for his friends to convince him? What will it take for Earl to feel safe on the outside?

In this stunningly illustrated book about friendship, facing your fears, and finding the courage to push past what’s comfortable, Gianna Marino once again uses endearing animals to give young readers a voice.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780593528778
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	06/04/2024
Pages:	40
Product dimensions:	8.94(w) x 11.25(h) x 0.35(d)
Lexile:	AD360L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Gianna Marino was born in San Francisco and spent her early years galloping horses through Golden Gate Park. Her explorations expanded to some of the farthest places she could find, including Ethiopia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Bhutan, and many small villages in faraway mountains. When not wandering the great OUTSIDE, Gianna writes and illustrates full-time from her home in Colorado, where prairie dogs peek from their burrows. Gianna has written and illustrated many highly acclaimed picture books, including Night Animals, Too Tall Houses, and Don’t Let Them Disappear by Chelsea Clinton. You can visit Gianna Marino at GiannaMarino.com or follow her on Instagram @GiannaMarinoBooks and on Facebook at Facebook.com/GiannaMarino.

Editorial Reviews

03/11/2024

A group of happy-go-lucky prairie dogs loves to play outside—all except Earl, who worries about leaving the burrow. When the others head up to view the sunrise, painted by Marino (We Will Live in This Forest Again) as a scrap of color-splashed sky seen through the tunnel’s narrow opening, Earl warns them: “Careful! Coyotes come out at dawn.... Smells like rain.” As the carefree prairie dogs play tag, readers can see that Earl’s not wrong; a coyote lurks nearby, and thunderclouds quickly gather. When the rain comes and the tunnel floods, the group finds that Earl has made provisions for danger they hadn’t even thought about. When Earl’s physical need for warmth outweighs his heightened awareness of threat, the group convinces Earl to try a new tack—and they do it with maximum care. Speech balloon text kicks up the pacing throughout, while cross-sections of the burrow system reveal both the animals’ underground lives and how Earl perceives the outdoors from below—as small, constricted areas of light in the midst of velvety blackness. It all adds dimension to this sweet-tempered outing that illuminates a supportive system leading to individual change. More about prairie dogs concludes. Ages 4–8. Agent: Deborah Warren, East West Literary. (June)

Publishers Weekly

Praise for The Outside:

"Marino’s gouache and ink compositions capture the beauty of a sunrise and the drama of the storm . . . Children will be charmed by the furry friendships and fascinated by the visual details." —Kirkus Reviews

"Speech balloon text kicks up the pacing throughout, while cross-sections of the burrow system reveal both the animals’ underground lives and how Earl perceives the outdoors from below—as small, constricted areas of light in the midst of velvety blackness. [A] sweet-tempered outing that illuminates a supportive system leading to individual change."  —Publishers Weekly

From the Publisher