Announcing SWAMP: THE WONDROUS WORLD OF WETLANDS

I've got a new picture book on the way! SWAMP: THE WONDROUS WORLD OF WETLANDS comes out next summer from S&S/Beach Lane Books. The book will be beautifully illustrated by Kendra Binney.

I've been enchanted by swamps—and wetland ecosystems more broadly—for a long, long time. These wild places are constantly being maligned and destroyed by humans, but they are home to such incredible biodiversity, such strange beauty. And they play vital roles in mitigating the effects of human-caused climate change.

I've also wanted to write about these wild places for a long, long time. It took me many years to land on the right approach. I'm so excited to see it coming together, and I can't wait to share it with you next year.

More soon—including a stunning cover. In the meantime, here are a few shots (courtesy of Taylor Smith) from a research trip I took to Louisiana’s Atchafalaya Basin—the largest river swamp in the U.S.—a few years back. It was lush and gothic and gorgeous.