A noun is a puppet, a verb pulls its strings.
Ah, writing. When Dante visited Hell, he saw millions of writers sitting at their desks, feverishly writing. When Dante visited Heaven, he saw millions of writers sitting at their desks, feverishly writing. He told his guide Beatrice he saw no difference between the writers in Hell and those in Heaven. “In Heaven," she explained, "they get published.”
Wednesday lived in a fishbowl.
It was the only home she knew.
Wednesday lived in a fishbowl.
It was the only home she knew.
Whale in a Fishbowl (Schwartz & Wade)
story by Troy Howell, pictures by Richard Jones
* starred reviews from
Kirkus
Booklist
Publishers Weekly
Bulletin
A Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators Golden Kite Honor Book
An Amazon Best of the Month selection
A Northern Lights Book Award winner
A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of 2018
A New York Public Library Best Book of 2018
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Wednesday has made her leap in six countries:
The US and UK, France, Korea, China, and Japan.
For my series about the backstory of Whale in a Fishbowl, go here.
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The Dragon of Cripple Creek (Abrams/Amulet)
Chosen for the American Booksellers Association’s “New Voices 2011”
Shortlisted for the 2012 “Reading the West” award
An Accelerated Reader book
"I hate it when really wonderful illustrators turn out to be even more wonderful at writing novels. But how can I hate Troy Howell whose sassy, self-aware (and hurting) heroine Kat has one of the freshest voices in children's novels today. Whose dragon Ye has a marvelous world-weary insouciance. Whose landscapes and cave-scapes are as visualized in words as in his paintings. You guessed it: I love this book."
—Jane Yolen, author of The Devil's Arithmetic and The Dragon's Boy
"Troy Howell's heroine, Kat, is as luminous as the gold she hides in her pocket. Readers better hang on to their hats as she tells her funny, sad, lyrical, and finally, breathtaking tale. I absolutely love this book."
—Mary Pope Osbourne, author of The Magic Tree House series
buy the book here or here
For more about the book and my writing process, please see
The Voices of Children on the Take It From Me page.
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A Perfect Fit (Dorothy's Song) Twinkle, twinkle, myriad stars Upon two silver shoes; I wish I may in wondrous flight Away to where I choose. A tap together of the heels, A yearning of the soul, And through a moment’s passageway , Across the heavens stroll. No place I go -- exotic, rare, Exceeding great or fine -- No place, but to a simple state, Modest by design. No other comforts capture me, No other people share The plain familiarity, The unassuming care. The evening star above my bed, Beneath my feet the loam That holds the seed that grows the life: The place I call my home. © 2000 by Troy Howell / Note: In the original tale by L. Frank Baum Dorothy’s shoes are silver |
from OZ: THE HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION ( Books of Wonder / HarperCollins / Peter Glassman, editor) cover art by Maurice Sendak |
River City Secrets Stories from Richmond (Chop Suey Books)
24 stories of imagination and adventure, with universal themes, set in many of the historic spots of Virginia’s capital city. Intended for young readers, enjoyed by all ages.
buy the book here