A Little Shelf Love

Children will learn to love plants--and themselves!
In this charming botanical adventure, Poe--a long, leafy vine--finds herself among a colorful collection of kitchen shelf plants. As she admires her new shelfmates' impressive qualities--beautiful flowers, tasty leaves, spiky arms, and even fly-catching traps--Poe struggles to see her own special gifts.
Through several stem-breaking stumbles and with gentle encouragement from her plant friends, Poe embarks on a journey of self-discovery that leads her to recognize and embrace what makes her uniquely wonderful.
Perfect for children ages 3-7, this beautifully illustrated picture book:

Introduces STEM topics to children in a fun and engaging way

Delivers a powerful message about self-acceptance and celebrating our unique qualities

Provides a springboard for conversations about empathy

Presents relatable plant characters children will love

A Little Shelf Love is more than just another picture book--it's a loving reminder for children that the qualities making them different are often the same qualities that make them special.
Let Poe and her plant friends take root in your child's heart and blossom into a lesson they'll carry with them as they grow.

Mara Altman is a journalist and author. She grew up on her parents' plant nursery with her two older brothers. She quickly learned that no two people (or plants) do things the exact same way, and that's okay. (She also learned, the hard way, that cacti spines are sharp.) She now lives in San Diego with her husband and twins.

Mara Altman is the author of two nonfiction books, Thanks for Coming and Gross Anatomy: Dispatches from the Front (and Back), which was a semi-finalist for the Thurber Prize for American Humor. Altman also wrote eight best-selling Kindle Singles and has written for publications such as The New York Times and New York Magazine. Earlier in her career, she was a staff writer for The Village Voice and daily newspapers in India and Thailand. She lives in San Diego with her husband and twins.

Theresa Baxter, aka"Reesa," is a Los Angeles-based illustrator and designer. Reesa specializes in online digital illustration, product and packaging design and children's picture books. Her art reflects her passion for breakfast, kitsch, herb gardens, animals, body liberation and social equity.

Reesa is self-taught, and has been an artist her entire life. Professionally, she has been in the design field for ten years, and has been focused on illustration since 2017. As a freelancer, Reesa has worked with companies such as VICE, ADIDAS, ATTN:, HBO, Hilton, Victoria's Secret PINK, T-Mobile and more. In the future, she is looking forward to designing packaging and products for more brands, illustrating her own graphic novel and of course... more picture books!