“If you found …” is the repeated refrain in a picture book illuminating childlike attention to, and delight in, the possibility of small things: a ball, a flower, a box, a kitten. If you found any one of these things, and it didn’t belong to anyone, and you had permission from everyone (at least when it comes to the kitten), you could take it home. You could play with the ball. You could put the flower in a cup of water. You could save the box “for something good.” You could take the kitten inside. “If you found all of these things, you would be lucky.” You would have a kitten with “a place to sleep [box]”, “something nice to look at [flower],” and “something fun to play with [ball]. Everyone would be happy.” A black-haired, light skinned child appears on the title and closing pages, while the brown dog the child and their parent are walking appears on and off throughout, engaging with each potential discovery—ball, flower, box, and, in the end, no-longer-homeless kitten—because sometimes possibilities converge into perfection. The accomplished acrylic illustrations feature rich color and uncluttered composition—a perfect accompaniment to a narrative graced with simple yet captivating details.

Kirkus Best Picture Books of 2024

From bestselling and award-winning husband-and-wife team Kevin Henkes and Laura Dronzek, Finding Things is a child-centered, cozy, and conceptually rich picture book that explores storytelling, connections, luck, nature, and responsibility. For readers of Antoinette Portis, Marla Frazee, and Laura Vaccaro Seeger.

If you were on a walk and found a ball, you could take it home and play with it. You are likely to find many other wonderful things as you explore the world--maybe even a new friend--and that makes you very lucky.

Award-winning creators Kevin Henkes and Laura Dronzek's collaborations are always exceptional; full of vivid and deceptively simple observations of the world around us. Finding Things features a succinct text and exquisite, emotionally rich illustrations, and it encourages readers to be creative and to find purpose and connections in what surrounds them. A terrific read-aloud to treasure and share, as well as a great title for visual literacy and emerging readers, Finding Things is also a wonderful choice for social and emotional learning.