Emma in Buttonland

Emma is staying with her cranky Uncle Hubert and strict Aunt Mechthild during the holiday. At first it appears that this will be a long and dull visit, filled with lonely activities. However, Emma soon discovers that her aunt and uncle have countless rooms, each designated with their very own quirky collection. There is a room just for snail-shells and another for perfume samples. One evening Emma stumbles upon the Button Room, and suddenly a big gold button starts talking to her! When Emma touches it, she shrinks to button size and finds herself in the magical Buttonland.

No sooner has she arrived than the Button Police are after her in hot pursuit—it is their job, after all, to persecute all Non-Buttons. Luckily for Emma, she meets Louise, a silver button, and Gustav, a mother-of-pearl button. Together they try to help Emma back to the human world. That marks the beginning of a thrilling journey through the land of buttons. Emma in Buttonland is for any child with a love for magical worlds full of adventure, and for any parent who fondly remembers classic stories such as Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Gulliver's Travels.

Ulrike Rylance, born in 1968, studied both English and German in Leipzig and London. She has written numerous books for children and young readers. Her first novel, Elin Date für vier (A Date for Four), was recently published in 2010. She lives with her husband and two daughters in Washington State.

Silke Leffler, born in the Austrian province of Vorarlberg in 1970, trained as a tailor and then studied textile design. Since 1998 she has been working as an illustrator for children's books and stationary.