Pauline lives with her mom in a house on stilts by the sea. A Little Called Pauline is the first picture book adaptation of a poem from Gertrude Stein’s groundbreaking 1914 book Tender Buttons. Featuring vibrant illustrations from poet-artist Bianca Stone, A Little Called Pauline invites young readers to experience Stein’s playful, mysterious language for the very first time and to delight in the adventures of a girl named Pauline. According to Stone’s afterword, “Pauline likes to do things her mom does, like type on a typewriter, and she doesn’t like to wear dresses. She also really, really wants to get a fancy crown at the market on her birthday, but they don’t have enough money…and Pauline throws a bit of a tantrum. Later, while her mom has a grownup birthday party for her, she runs away and jumps into a little boat. She rows out to sea. And all her family friends are searching for her. She sees all kinds of beautiful sights on her boat, but then things go terribly wrong, and Pauline needs to be rescued. In the end she is so glad for what she has, more than any crown to put on her head. Because she has a whole group of friends and family who love her—especially her mom.”
“This is a book for kids (and adults) unafraid to use their brains. This is a book with guts and glory packed in its pages. See if you’re brave enough to give it a shot.”—Betsy Bird
Publication date: April 14, 2020
