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Watermark Books and Cafe is thrilled to be hosting Matthew Cordell at the Advanced Learning Library! Celebrate the release of his newest picture book called 102.
Watermark Books and Cafe is thrilled to be hosting Matthew Cordell at the Advanced Learning Library! RSVPs are required, get your free seat here: https://watermarkbooks.com/event/2026-04-18/childrens-author-event-matthew-cordell
About the Book
From Caldecott Medalist Matthew Cordell comes a cozy, magical nighttime adventure, in which a child discovers the mysterious, miniature world beyond his bedroom walls.
Sent home from school earlier in the day with a fever, George awakens in the middle of the night to discover a cricket beckoning him on an adventure and soon finds himself shrunken down in size. He follows the insect guide through a crack in his bedroom wall, through the moonlit yard, and into the home of a family of mice at the base of an oak tree. There, in a tiny, cozy kitchen, George discovers the meaning of his quest: he must help the Mama mouse complete her special 102-bean soup for her sick young son.
Delightfully sweet as it is fantastic, 102 seamlessly explores the values of curiosity, kindness, and generosity. The simple yet profound conclusion shares a clever wink with readers, encouraging them to believe the unbelievable.
About the Author
Matthew Cordell is the Caldecott Medal-winning author and illustrator of Wolf in the Snow, Evergreen, Cornbread & Poppy, Wish, and Hello, Neighbor!: The Kind and Caring World of Mister Rogers. He is also the illustrator of highly acclaimed children’s books such as Every Dog in the Neighborhood (by Philip C. Stead), Bob, Not Bob! (by Audrey Vernick and Liz Garton Scanlon), and Leeva at Last (by Sara Pennypacker). His books have been best-of-the-year selections by The New York Times, The Boston Globe, NPR, and Amazon.com, and have been translated into numerous languages around the world. Matthew lives in suburban Chicago with his wife, author Julie Halpern, and their two children.
AGE GROUP: | Preschool | Children Grades K-2 | Children Grades 3-5 |
EVENT TYPE: | Children |
The Advanced Learning Library, located centrally in the historic Delano neighborhood, has many specialty services and collections including the Maker Space and AV Studio, local history and genealogy collections, and the Friends of the Wichita Public Library used bookstore.