Claris

Megan Hess's illustrations are a legitimate reason to own this book — she is one of the finest fashion illustrators working today and it shows on every page. The story of a brave little mouse chasing big Parisian dreams is warm, simple, and perfectly calibrated for young children, while the visual style gives it genuine crossover appeal for style-conscious adults. The series has earned its quarter-million-copy success, and the ABIA shortlist recognition confirms it is not just pretty packaging.