Tucson Festival of Books

The Joy & Wonder of Our Natural World


Our natural world is an endless source of joy and wonder for children, whether their focus is plants, animals or outer space. Join three author/illustrators who immerse readers in joyful stories of children exploring their world.


Panelists
Ellen Heck

Ellen Heck is a printmaker and author whose work explores identity, transformation, and the ways we see ourselves. She studied philosophy at Brown University and art at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago....

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Deborah Marcero

Deborah Marcero is the author and illustrator of picture books, including "In a Jar," which was called stunning in a starred review from Kirkus Reviews and beguiling by The Wall Street Journal. Her novel, "Out of a Jar," was an Entertainment Weekly Best Book of the Year and an ALA Notable Children's Book....

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S.D. Nelson

S.D. Nelson, of Norse and American Indian heritage, is an enrolled member of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. He is the award winning author and illustrator of celebrated books, including “Black Elk’s Vision,” “The Star People,” and “Crazy Horse and Custer: Born Enemies....

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Books:
Sunflower Seeds
Ellen Heck
Children
Levine Querido
August 2025
ISBN 9781646146239
48 pages
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The Great Escape
Deborah Marcero
Children
Penguin Group
February 2026
ISBN 9780593857953
48 pages
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Hope in a Jar
Deborah Marcero
Children
Penguin Group
February 2025
ISBN 9780593696699
40 pages
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The Animals Speak
The Lakota Way
S.D. Nelson
Children
Abrams Books for Young Readers
March 2026
ISBN 9781419764448
48 pages
Buy now