Why am I passionate about this?

While I am a self-acclaimed cat expert, I have been an animal lover since I could remember. In fact, my favorite childhood memories are of me running barefooted through grass, catching bugs, and chasing birds. I wasn't allowed big pets growing up, but I'm pleased to say I now have two furbabies that fill my heart with love and inspiration! I am still fascinated by nature and the animal kingdom, often indulging in books, podcasts, and especially David Attenborough’s natural documentaries. I think they are all extraordinary and this passion influences my work too, as evident in my body of work. I really enjoy observing and painting animals, as well as illustrating animal characters.


I wrote

No Fuzzball!

By Isabella Kung,

Book cover of No Fuzzball!

What is my book about?

A hilarious new story from debut picture book artist Isabella Kung. Fuzzball is the queen of the house. Her subjects…

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The books I picked & why

Book cover of They All Saw a Cat

Isabella Kung Why did I love this book?

This book is brilliantly and creatively illustrated, featuring a black cat (which I have a soft spot for) from the point of view of a boy, a dog, a mouse, a bee, a bird, a snake, and more! This seemly simple concept not only scientifically showcases the difference in each animal's capabilities of vision and sense perception, but it also demonstrates that things can be perceived very differently depending on the perspective of the viewer. It’s has a really lovely and subtle message for young children while introducing them to the extraordinary word of zoology in a fun and creative way. A great book for children and adults alike.

By Brendan Wenzel,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked They All Saw a Cat as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

They All Saw A Cat by Brendan Wenzel - New York Times bestseller and 2017 Caldecott Medal and Honor Book

"An ingenious idea, gorgeously realized." -Shelf Awareness, starred review
"Both simple and ingenious in concept, Wenzel's book feels like a game changer." -The Huffington Post

The cat walked through the world, with its whiskers, ears, and paws . . . In this glorious celebration of observation, curiosity, and imagination, Brendan Wenzel shows us the many lives of one cat, and how perspective shapes what we see. When you see a cat, what do you see?

If you and your child…


Book cover of Pokko and the Drum

Isabella Kung Why did I love this book?

I knew I would love this book from the moment I saw the cover. It’s a charming, hilarious, and slightly dark tale about this little frog named Pokko as she marches to the beat of her own drum – a drum that her parents gifted her and quickly deemed it to be their biggest mistake! This extraordinary determined little frog proceeded to walk alone through the forest, face down a hungry wolf, and lead a large marching band! From beginning to the end, I enjoyed the story, the humor, and the pacing. The illustrations are dazzlingly gorgeous and make me feel like I’m enjoying a modern-day folk tale!

By Matthew Forsythe,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Pokko and the Drum as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2019
A Today Show Best Book of the Year
A Booklist Book for Youth Editors' Choice 2019
A Boston Globe-Horn Picture Book Honor Book 2020
An NPR Favorite Book of 2019
A Charlotte Zolotow Honor Book
A Quill & Quire 2019 Book for Young People of the Year
"Extraordinary." -Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"Inspirational." -Booklist (starred review)
"Laugh-out-loud funny." -Shelf Awareness (starred review)
"Will tickle kids and adults alike." -Kirkus Reviews
"An instant classic." -Quill & Quire (starred review)

From E.B. White Read Aloud honor artist Matthew Forsythe comes a picture book about a…


Book cover of The Three Pigs

Isabella Kung Why did I love this book?

This book takes classical nursery rhymes and turns them on its head! The three extraordinary pigs were able to escape the big bad wolf into the white meta-landscape of the book where they enjoyed an adventure through other stories, saving another classical fairytale victim and bringing it home, along with a cat. They were able to take matters into their own hand, despite the narration. Towards the end, one of the pigs even rearranged the text to spell out a much improved happy ending! I love the play with text and illustration that enriches the storytelling experience, and also the shifting illustration styles were used as a meta-way to express different dimensions. As a long-time fan of David Wiesner, I am continuously amazed by his ability to reinvent the wheel, it’s no wonder why this book has won a Caldecott Medal!

By David Wiesner,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Three Pigs as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Satisfying both as a story and as an exploration of story, The Three Pigs takes visual narrative to a new level. When the wolf comes a-knocking and a-puffing, he blows the pigs right out of the tale and into a whole new imaginative landscape, where they begin a freewheeling adventure as they wander-and fly-through other stories, encountering a dragon and a cat with a fiddle, among others. This familiar tale will never be the same old story again.


Book cover of This Way, Charlie

Isabella Kung Why did I love this book?

This Way, Charlie is a beautiful book based on the true story of an unlikely friendship between a partially blind horse and a very grumpy and stubborn goat at a wildlife rehabilitation farm. The gentle text tells their story and shows how a little help from a friend can help overcome all kinds of obstacles, physical or mental. The illustrations are beautifully designed and executed in a soft impressionistic way that is almost dreamlike. Resulting in a heartwarming book that celebrates the kindness, compassion, trust, and strength of a friendship.

By Carson Levis, Charles Santoso (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked This Way, Charlie as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 5, and 6.

What is this book about?

From the award-winning team behind Ida, Always comes a story about a friendship that grows between a blind horse and a gruff goat

All the animals at the Open Bud Ranch can see that Jack likes keeping his space to himself. But when Charlie arrives, he doesn t see Jack at all. He s still getting used to seeing out of only one of his eyes.
The two get off to a bumpy start. At first, Jack is anxious and distrustful. But one day, he summons his courage and guides Charlie to his favorite sunlit field: this way, Charlie. And…


Book cover of The Honeybee

Isabella Kung Why did I love this book?

I have found no other picture book as fun to read, access, and as beautifully illustrated as The Honeybee. The book takes us through the seasons and highlights the life and responsibilities of a black and yellow striped, smiling, buzzing, zooming, dancing honeybees. The rhythmic pattern of text and well-crafted vocabulary is delightful to read aloud, yet simple enough for little ones to follow along. The illustrations are exquisite with pops of neon yellow ink scattered throughout the book, calling attention to the pollen being collected and then turn into honey. This book is a wonderful celebration of the extraordinary honeybees!

By Kirsten Hall, Isabelle Arsenault (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Honeybee as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 4, 5, 6, and 7.

What is this book about?

Buzz from flower to flower with a sweet honeybee in this timely, clever, and breathtakingly gorgeous picture book from critically acclaimed author Kirsten Hall and award-winning illustrator Isabelle Arsenault.

Bzzz...

What's that?
Do you hear it?
You're near it.
It's closer,
it's coming,
it's buzzing,
it's humming...

A BEE!

With zooming, vibrant verse by Kirsten Hall and buzzy, beautiful illustrations by Isabelle Arsenault, this celebration of the critically important honeybee is a honey-sweet treasure of a picture book.


Explore my book 😀

No Fuzzball!

By Isabella Kung,

Book cover of No Fuzzball!

What is my book about?

A hilarious new story from debut picture book artist Isabella Kung. Fuzzball is the queen of the house. Her subjects just love how she scales the tallest shelves and drags their belongings across the floor. Hear how they shout her name everywhere she goes ..."NOFUZZBALL!" But when they leave her queendom for the weekend, she questions whether she should be a more benevolent ruler.

Fans of funny, lovable characters like Aaron Blabey's Pig the Pug, Mo Willems's Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus, and David Shannon's No, David! will fall in love with this furry, feline despot.

You might also like...

Serendipity

By Maria de Fátima Santos,

Book cover of Serendipity

Maria de Fátima Santos Author Of Serendipity

New book alert!

Why am I passionate about this?

I have been fascinated by the richness of fairy tales since I was a child. The fantasy writing offers endless possibilities to nourish my mind’s eye and pearls of wisdom that I can transfer to real life. I remember from childhood that I cried reading the Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen. This childhood memory never left me. Fantasy writing is interwoven with the realm of nature and beings other than humans that offer a tapestry for the tradition of storytelling and nature writing, which I found a fascinating field to explore. I hope you can find the same in the books on this list.

Maria's book list on nature and fantasy storytelling for children

What is my book about?

Serendipity is a magical story told by a grandmother to a granddaughter, introducing us to the traditional way of living of the Scottish Travellers and their Cant language.

A fantasy tale for children of 8 years old and older inspired by three real places in Scotland. Serendipity takes us to Helge's Hole in Forres, the Hermitage Forest in Dunkeld, and Glen Lyon in Perth on a quest for Truth, Beauty, and Goodness. It's a story of a grandmother's greater love for a granddaughter, a mother for a daughter, and the boundless bounty of the natural realm for each one of…

Serendipity

By Maria de Fátima Santos,

What is this book about?

Not so long ago, nomadic communities in Scotland told stories around camp fires and slept in bow tents made of hazel and canvas. In this book, their culture is introduced through Cant's vocabulary, a dialect spoken by Scottish travellers. Following them, Serendipity takes you to Helge's Hole in Forres, Hermitage Forest in Dunkeld, and Glen Lyon in Perth, meandering through the valleys and cragged peaks of the Scottish Highlands, in a quest for Truth, Beauty and Goodness.

Dive into Scottish culture as the old grandmother, Julia, recounts to her granddaughter Gaia the tale of a little girl of pure heart.…


5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in cats, horses, and bees?

Cats 204 books
Horses 121 books
Bees 42 books