Habbi's Treasures

A heartfelt ode to family, memory, and the stories that live in the everyday things we hold dear.

During a game of hide-and-seek at his grandfather’s house, Caleb finds something unexpected—a box full of unknown treasures. Inside are old clothes: a worn school uniform, a polished naval jacket, a folded tuxedo, and a pair of grass-stained jeans. One by one, Habbi shares the story behind each treasure, passing down his life’s journey to Caleb. Inspired by her own family’s history, acclaimed novelist Yoojin Grace Wuertz makes her picture book debut with this poignant, intergenerational story about resilience, gratitude, and the wisdom we pass down.

Yoojin Grace Wuertz is the author of EVERYTHING BELONGS TO US, which was selected as a New York Times Editors’ Choice, longlisted for the Center for Fiction’s First Novel Prize, and included on Kirkus Reviews’ Best Fiction of 2017. She is the author of two picture books, HABBI’S TREASURES (September 2026) and SOMI’S STAR DAY (September 2027), both from RISE x Penguin Workshop. Her debut young adult novel, WELCOME HOME, STRANGER, is forthcoming from FSG Books For Young Readers in May 2027. Grace’s writing has appeared in Guernica, ArtReview, The Times Literary Supplement, and The Los Angeles Review of Books, among others. She serves on the Board of Directors of the Brattleboro Literary Festival.

Grace was born in Seoul, South Korea, and immigrated to the United States at age six. She holds a BA in English from Yale University and an MFA in fiction from New York University. She lives in Princeton, New Jersey, with her family.

Dung Ho is the illustrator of several bestselling picture books, including Eyes That Kiss in the Corners, Eyes that Speak to the Stars, and many more. She studied graphic design at the Hue University College of Arts and then worked in the design and advertising industry before pivoting to illustration. She lives and works in Vietnam.