The Verts: A Story of Introverts and Extroverts

by Ann Patchett, Robin Preiss Glasser (Illustrator)

Overview

From the New York Times bestselling duo of award-winning author Ann Patchett and Fancy Nancy illustrator Robin Preiss Glasser comes an empathetic story about introverts and extroverts, and two siblings who learn to be themselves.

The Vert family is celebrating a very special occasion: it’s Ivan’s birthday! And Estie knows that every birthday needs a great party, with lots of guests, party hats, and twinkling tin foil stars. Because that is what everyone wants on their birthday, right? But did Estie ever ask Ivan?

 From the New York Times bestselling duo of Escape Goat and Lambslide, award-winning author Ann Patchett and Fancy Nancy artist Robin Preiss Glasser, comes a heartfelt story about honoring our differences.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780063064553
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	09/17/2024
Pages:	40
Product dimensions:	11.10(w) x 9.20(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Ann Patchett is the author of novels, most recently the #1 New York Times bestselling Tom Lake, works of nonfiction, and children's books. She has been the recipient of numerous awards, including the PEN/Faulkner, the Women's Prize for Fiction in the UK, and the Book Sense Book of the Year. Her novel The Dutch House was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. Her work has been translated into more than thirty languages, and Time magazine named her one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World. President Biden awarded her the National Humanities Medal in recognition of her contributions to American culture. She lives in Nashville, Tennessee, where she is the owner of Parnassus Books.

Robin Preiss Glasser has illustrated many acclaimed picture books, including the bestselling Fancy Nancy series, Lambslide, Escape Goat, and Grand Jeté and Me: A Christmas Holiday Book for Kids. She won the Children’s Choice Award for Best Illustrator of the Year for Fancy Nancy and the Mermaid Ballet. Robin actually wore tiaras and tutus when she danced with the Pennsylvania Ballet. Now she happily spends her days in jeans, drawing. Robin and her family live in Southern California.

Hometown:

Nashville, Tennessee

Date of Birth:

December 2, 1963

Place of Birth:

Los Angeles, California

Education:

B.A., Sarah Lawrence College, 1985; M.F.A., University of Iowa, 1987

Website:

http://www.annpatchett.com

Editorial Reviews

06/03/2024

The similarities between pale-skinned siblings Estie and Ivan Vert begin and end with their curly brown hair—as their parents say, “Estie is Estie, and Ivan is Ivan.” On Ivan’s birthday, Estie impulsively throws a boisterous party, welcoming the family’s neighbors to fill their living room. After dinner, Ivan retreats, first into the kitchen with their mother (“They stand side by side, Mrs. Vert washing a plate and Ivan drying. It’s very nice”), then to his favorite place behind the sofa, where he sits reading a book under a blanket. Like the wise parents in this story, previous collaborators Patchett and Glasser (Escape Goat) don’t favor either sibling. The text empathizes with Ivan’s desire for quiet and solitude, while watercolor, gouache, and colored-pencil art shows the humdinger of a party that illustrates Estie’s affinity with a crowd. What matters is the siblings’ dual epiphany, articulated with emotional acuity: Ivan’s solo happiness pleases Estie, “even though she’ll never understand how a person wouldn’t want a party,” while “Ivan knows her heart is in the right place, even if she never listens to him.” Background characters are portrayed with various skin tones. Ages 4–8. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

"An affirming read that values introverts and extroverts alike, uplifting each for their unique qualities." — Kirkus Reviews

“Award-winning adult novelist and bookseller Patchett's (Escape Goat, 2020) third picture book has fun lines and deadpan dialogue. Glasser, illustrator of the Fancy Nancy series and Patchett's previous children's books, fills Ivan and Estie's story with busy, brightly colored, movement-filled scenes.” — Booklist

From the Publisher

2024-05-31
Acclaimed novelist Patchett teams up with Fancy Nancy illustrator Glasser for the tale of a young boy who withdraws during his birthday celebration.

Mr. and Mrs. Vert and big sister Estie want to make the day special, but they fail to ask Ivan for his opinion. Extroverted Estie enthusiastically gathers all the apartment neighbors for a party, prompting introverted Ivan to slip away and hide. Estie parties away with her guests: dancing, making paper hats, and leading everyone in song once the candles are lit. When Estie finally discovers Ivan behind the couch, she feels unappreciated for all her birthday efforts, but she’s touched to learn that what Ivan wants most is to hide away in a cozy fort with his sister. Despite Grandmother Vert’s repeated prodding that each sibling should be more like the other, Mr. and Mrs. Vert gently support both of their children throughout the story and advocate for Ivan in important moments. Though the family’s last name and the book’s subtitle make clear to adult readers that this is a tale about introversion and extroversion, these words and definitions never appear within the story. Whimsically stylized illustrations evoke joy and movement. Each character’s facial expression is dynamically wrought; Ivan’s and Estie’s are especially evocative. The Vert family reads white, while their neighbors are racially diverse and represent a variety of family structures.

An affirming read that values introverts and extroverts alike, uplifting each for their unique qualities.(Picture book. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews