Works by
Kevin Henkes
(Illustrator, Writer)
[1960 - ]

Mouse Books

• Chester (Baby - Preschool)
  There is only one way for Chester to do things - his own way. "'You definitely have a mind of your own,' said Chester's mother. 'That's one way to put it,' said Chester's father." Luckily Chester's best friend, Wilson, likes doing things just the same way as Chester. So all is well.
  
  That is, until Lilly moves into the neighborhood. Because Lilly, as we all know, has her own way of doing things ...!

  • Chester's Way (1988)
    Chester and Wilson share the same exact way of doing things, until Lilly moves into the neighborhood and shows them that new ways can be just as good.

   

• Chrysanthemum (Ages 4-8)
  Chrysanthemum loves her name, but when she goes to school, the other children giggle. "'Her name is so long,' said Jo. 'It scarcely fits on her name tag,' said Rita, pointing."
  
  Poor Chrysanthemum; even though her father says her name is "precious and priceless and fascinating and winsome," how will she persuade the other children in her class? Perhaps Mrs. Twinkle can come to the rescue!

  • Chrysanthemum (1991)
    She was a perfect baby, and she had a perfect name. Chrysanthemum. When she was old enough to appreciate it, Chrysanthemum loved her name. And then she started school. "I'm named after my grandmother," said Victoria. "You're named after a flower." Chrysanthemum wilted. Life at school didn't improve. In fact, it got worse. Then the students were introduced to their music teacher, Mrs. Twinkle. Mrs. Delphinium Twinkle. And suddenly, Chrysanthemum blossomed....

   

• Julius (Baby - Preschool)
  When baby Julius is born, his parents think he is just perfect. "'Julius is the baby of the world,' they chime as they kiss him and admire him.
  
  But Lilly is Julius's older sister, and she knows differently. 'I am the queen,' said Lilly. 'And I hate Julius.'
  
  Poor Julius. And poor Lilly, because her selfish behavior is making her miserable too. Can anyone persuade Lilly that her brother really is the baby of the world?

  • Julius, the Baby of the World (1990)
    Lilly is convinced that the arrival of her new baby brother is the worst thing that has happened in their house, until Cousin Garland comes to visit.

  • Julius's Candy Corn (2003)
    When can waiting
    for a party be both
    a trick and a treat?
    Just ask Julius!

   

• Lilly (Ages 4-8)
  Lilly loves all sorts of things. She loves school, she loves dressing up, she even grows to love her "stinky baby brother," Julius. In fact, Lilly loves everything! At least, she loves everything most of the time. Even Lilly has some bad days, but when you have movie star sunglasses and a purple plastic purse, how bad can it be?
  
  If you love life, then you'll love Lilly!

  • Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse (1996)
    Lilly loves everything about school, especially her teacher, but when he asks her to wait a while before showing her new purse, she does something for which she is very sorry later.

  • Lilly's Sticker & Storybook Fun (2000)
    It's Lilly!
    
    She's ready with some of her favorite friends in nearly six feet of sticker fun! Read an exciting story about this spunky star, then create your own adventures with Lilly in all the places she loves - Mr. Slinger's classroom, home, and the neighborhood. Stickers and an imagination are all you need for hours of entertainment with this marvellous mouse.

  • Lilly Finger Puppets (2002)

  • Lilly's Chocolate Heart (2003)
    Lilly loves her chocolate heart.
    Will she save it?
    Forever and ever?
    What do you think?

  • A Box of Treats: Five Little Picture Books about Lilly and Her Friends (2004)

  • A Box Full of Lilly (2006)
    Lilly has starred in two picture books with her name in the title: Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse and Lilly's Big Day. Now these two hardcover books are available in A Box Full of Lilly. The sturdy slipcase features art by Kevin Henkes and the package includes a limited edition print (of Lilly, of course) that is suitable for framing.

  • Lilly's Big Day (2006)
    Mr. Slinger has big news.
    He's getting married.
    Married!
    
    Lilly has big plans.
    She's going to be the flower girl.
    (Lilly has always wanted to be a flower girl.
    Even more than a surgeon or a diva or a hairdresser.)
    
    But what's the biggest,
    the best,
    the most perfect thing of all?
    You're invited to the wedding -- so start reading!
     

• Owen (Baby - Preschool)
  Owen's fuzzy yellow blanket is his favorite possession. Everywhere Owen goes, his blanket goes with him. "Upstairs, downstairs, in-between. Inside, outside, upside down." Everywhere! Owen's parents are in despair - soon Owen will begin school and he can't take Fuzzy with him then. Whatever can be done?
  
  Everyone who's ever had a favorite blanket will know exactly how Owen feels!

  • Owen (1993)
    Owen had a fuzzy yellow blanket. "Fuzzy goes where I go," said Owen. But Mrs. Tweezers disagreed. She thought Owen was too old for a blanket. Owen disagreed. No matter what Mrs. Tweezers came up with, Blanket Fairies or vinegar, Owen had the answer. But when school started, Owen't mother knew just what to do, and everyone -- Owen, Fuzzy, and even Mrs. Tweezers -- was happy.

  • Owen's Marshmallow Chick (2002)
    "My favorite," said Owen when he saw the marshmallow chick.
    
    "My favorite," you will say when you read this book.

   

• Sheila Rae (Ages 4-8)
  Sheila Rae has a little sister called Louise. Sometimes she won't share things with Louise, and sometimes she looks down on her. "'I am brave,' says Sheila Rae. 'You're always such a scaredy-cat,' she says to Louise." But then sometimes things happen to make Sheila Rae wonder if she is so much better than Louise after all. And whether Louise is really such a scaredy-cat.
  
  Just because Sheila Rae is older, she doesn't always know better!

  • Sheila Rae, the Brave (1987)
    When brave Sheila Rae, who usually looks out for her sister Louise, becomes lost and scared one day, Louise comes to the rescue.

  • Sheila Rae's Peppermint Stick (2001)
    Louise wants a taste of her sister's peppermint stick, but Sheila Rae will not make it easy for her.

• Wemberly (Baby - Preschool)
  Wemberly's parents think that she worries too much. So does her grandmother. "'Worry, worry, worry,' said her grandmother. 'Too much worry.'" So imagine how poor Wemberly feels on the first day of school. She has a whole list of worries. What will school be like? Will she make friends? Will people laugh at her doll, Petal?
  
  If you ever worry (or know someone who does), then you need to meet Wemberly!

  • Wemberly Worried (2000)
    A mouse named Wemberly, who worries about everything, finds that she has a whole list of things to worry about when she faces the first day of nursery school.

  • Wemberly's Ice-Cream Star (2003)
    One hot simmer day Wemberly finds that patience -- just like a frosty treat -- will go a long way.

• Wendell (Ages 4-8_
  You probably wouldn't want Wendell to come and stay in your house. Sophie definitely doesn't want him to stay. Wendell wants to make all the rules, he messes up all her toys, he steals her dessert when she's not looking, he plays tricks on her... But what Wendell doesn't realize is that when Sophie has had enough, she's quite capable of playing a trick on him!
  
  Troublemakers everywhere should meet Wendell!

  • A Weekend with Wendell (1986)
    Sophie does not enjoy energetic, assertive Wendell's weekend visit until the very end, when she learns to assert herself and finds out Wendell can be fun to play with after all.

Novels

• Two Under Par (1987)
  It seemed to ten year old Wedge that most of the time nothing made sense anymore. Suddenly he had a brand-new stepfather and a five-year-old stepbrother, Andrew. Wedge does not easily let go of his anger, but the moment does come when things again begin to make sense. Ages 9-12.

• The Zebra Wall (1988)
  The Vorlob family is making preparations for the new baby, soon to arrive. Adine, age ten, is used to the routine - she has four sisters already. This time, however, the routine is broken and nothing goes quite as expected. Especially for Adine ... Ages 9-12.

• Words of Stone (1992)
  Blaze Werla is having a typical summer. He lives in the country and spends his days alone, wandering around the hill beside his home. Then the message appears on the side of the hill. And Blaze's summer suddenly takes a turn toward the mysterious ... Ages 9-12.

• Protecting Marie (1995)
  "Fanny sensed that from the moment she was born she was meant to have a dog. It was as though some unique and independent organ deep inside her, like a tiny heart, couldn't thrive properly without one." This is Fanny's story - a story about wanting and getting and realizing that nothing is simple or easy. Ages 9-12.

• Sun and Spoon (1997)
  Spoon needed something special of Gram's - something to remember her by. He wasn't quite sure what the something was, and he didn't have the time he needed to think, or perhaps he wouldn't have done what he did ... Ages 4-8.

• The Birthday Room (1999)
  Ben was just two years old when he and his uncle, Ian, were last together, so Ben didn't remember him. And no one in Ben's family ever talked about him. Then the letter arrived, changing Ben's life, and changing his family in unexpected ways. And there was the birthday room ... Ages 9-12.

• Olive's Ocean (2003)
  Olive Barstow was in Martha Boyle's class until she was killed by a hit-and-run driver while riding her bicycle. Martha didn't know Olive-not really. But after Olive's mother gives her a section from Olive's journal, Martha knows they could have been, would have been friends.
  
  And now Martha and her family are going to visit Godbee, Martha's grandmother, on Cape Cod for the rest of the summer-as they do every year. The Boyles descend on Godbee's small house in a flurry of exuberance, mini-crises, diapers, and humor all mixed together. The ocean is still there. And the five Manning boys still live next door. There is Jimmy Manning with his ever-present video camera. Jimmy Manning, who gives Martha her first kiss. And Tate, who seems to follow Martha with his eyes. And then there is Olive, who had always wanted to see the ocean, and who now haunts Martha's thoughts and dreams. Ages 9-12.

Picture Books

• All Alone (1981)
  It's always fun to spend time with friends, but every now and then it's nice to be by yourself. When you're alone, there is no end to what you can imagine and no limit to what you can do. All Alone was Kevin Henkes's first book for children. All ages.

• Clean Enough (1982)
  I must be getting bigger because the tub feels smaller every time, things the hero of this book, who sits in his bath, playing, remembering and wondering - anything but washing.  Ages 2 and up.

• Bailey Goes Camping (1985)
  Bruce and Betty were going camping. Bailey had to stay home. "You're too little," said his brother. "You can go in a few years," said his sister. But Bailey didn't want to wait. And, with the help of Mama and Papa, Bailey went camping right where he was!  Ages 4 and up.

• Grandpa and Bo (1986)
  A new edition of this favorite Kevin Henkes title, and celebrating the love between a boy and his grandfather.  Ages 4 and up.

• Jessica (1989)
  "There is no Jessica," said Ruthie's parents. But Ruthie knew there was. When the first day of school arrived, Mom and Dad hoped Ruthie would find a real friend. Were they in for a surprise!  Ages 4 and up.

• Shhhh (1989)
  Someone just woke up. Quietly she moves around the house. Everyone else is still asleep ... A perfect Good Morning book for early — and late — risers.  Ages 2 and up.

• Good-bye, Curtis (1995) with Marisabina Russo, Illustrator
  Curtis has been delivering mail for forty-two years. Today is his last day. And all the mailboxes along his route are filled with surprises. But the very real surprise is at the very last house on the very last street. Ages 2 and up.

• The Biggest Boy (1995) with Nancy Tafuri, Illustrator
  Billy is a big boy who can do all sorts of things by himself. And when his parents tell him he is growing bigger every day, he starts to imagine what it would be like to be the biggest boy in the world. Ages 2 and up.

• Circle Dogs (1998) with Dan Yaccarino, Illustrator
  The circle dogs live in a big, square house with a big, square yard. See the dogs? See the circles? And even the youngest reader will want to wiggle and bounce and dig through the day with the circle dogs .... until it is time for bed.  Ages 2 and up.

• Oh! (1999) with Laura Dronzek, Illustrator
  The snow falls all night. Everything is white. And everyone wants to play. You can play, too! Come and join the squirrel, the rabbit, the cat, the dog, and all the children. You don't even need your snowsuit!  Ages 2 and up.

• Kitten's First Full Moon (2004) -- Winner 2005 Caldecott Medal
  It is Kitten's first full moon, and when she sees it she thinks it is a bowl of milk in the sky. And she wants it! Does she get it? Well, no … and yes. What a night!  Ages 3 and up.

• So Happy! (2005) with Anita Lobel, Illustrator
  There once was a boy who was bored, a rabbit who was lost, a magic seed that was thirsty, and a book. Turn the pages of the book. It will make you so happy!  Ages 2 and up.

• A Good Day (2007)
  It started out as a bad day for little yellow bird, little white dog, little orange fox, and little brown squirrel. Until ...
  A discovery, and love, and luck and persistence, and a different point of view changed all that. What can turn a bad day into a good day? You decide. All ages.