130,000+ Books, Games & Puzzles in-stock 🇳🇿

Overnight NZ-wide delivery 🚀 | Visit our Auckland bookstore • Open 7 days, 8:30am–5pm

I Am Smoke

By Henry Herz
0.0 (0 reviews)
4.36 goodreads logo

Ratings/reviews counts are updated frequently.

Check link for latest rating. ( 355 ratings, 114 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
I Am Smoke by Henry Herz is a unique children's book that delves into the life of smoke as a character. It explores smoke’s journey through history and its role in different contexts, from rituals to practical uses, intertwining cultural and environmental themes. The narrative, paired with captivating illustrations, invites young readers to ponder smoke’s multifaceted nature.
Read More
Format: Hardback
$3599
AVAILABLE WITH SUPPLIER Ships from our Auckland warehouse within 3-4 weeks

Found a better price? Request a price match

Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you're interested in introducing young readers to unique perspectives and imaginative narratives. It beautifully combines a poetic storytelling style with engaging illustrations to explore fascinating concepts, making it a delightful choice for children who appreciate both art and science.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

Smoke itself acts as narrator, telling us how it has served humankind since prehistoric times in signaling, beekeeping, curing and flavouring food, religious rites, fumigating insects and myriad other ways.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Smoke speaks in mesmerizing riddles: "I lack a mouth, but I can speak…. I lack hands, but I can push out unwanted guests…. I'm gentler than a feather, but I can cause harm…"

This rhythmically powerful narration is complemented by illustrations in which swirling smoke was captured on art paper held over smoky candle flames. The dancing smoke textures were then deepened and elaborated with watercolours and Photoshop finishes.

With this unique method, Mercè López "let the smoke decide how the idea I had in mind would dance with it, giving freedom to the images."

The resulting illustrations are astounding, and they resonate with the otherworldly text of I Am Smoke.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Reviews highlight I Am Smoke as a beautifully crafted children's book that combines science with poetry, offering a fresh perspective on smoke as a character narrating its own story. The illustrations, created using unconventional techniques, enhance the lyrical and meditative text that explores smoke's positive attributes, contrasting with common negative perceptions. This picture book is praised for its aesthetic beauty and educational value, appealing to a wide audience.

Book Hero reading reviews

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780884487883

Publisher: Tilbury House,U.S.

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 09 November 2021

Country: United States

Imprint: Tilbury House,U.S.

Illustration: full color

Contributors:

  • Illustrated by Mercè López

Audience: Children

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 13.0mm

Width: 226.0mm

Height: 290.0mm

Weight: 477g

Pages: 36

Collections

Children's Books Children's Early Years Children's Fiction Children's Picture Books Children’s & Teenage Non-Fiction Children’s, Teenage and Educational Henry Herz

About the Author

Henry Herz has authored more than ten picture books. His children's short stories have been published in Highlights for Children, Ladybug Magazine, and in anthologies for Albert Whitman & Co. and Blackstone Publishing. Henry also writes adult science fiction and fantasy short stories. He holds a BS in Engineering from Cornell, an MS in Engineering from George Washington University, and an MA in Political Science from Georgetown. Merce López graduated from Llotja Art School in Barcelona and has illustrated for design, theater, and film as well as twenty children's books for Spanish and international book publishers. Her 2019 title Lion of the Sky: Haiku for All Seasons by Laura Purdie Salas received multiple starred reviews and was named a Center for Children's Books Gryphon Honor Book, an NCTE Notable Poetry Book, a Kirkus Best Picture Book, and a Parents Magazine Best Kids' Book, among other accolades. In a starred review of I Am Smoke (Tilbury House, 2021), Kirkus called her illustrations "Lustrous" and "Exquisitely beautiful." In his 100 Scope Notes column for School Library Journal, Travis Jonker called I Am Smoke "One of the most astonishingly unconventional children's books of 2021. Here's to children's books that expand our assumptions of what a children's book can be."

Also by Henry Herz

View all
  • Alice's Magic Garden
    Curiouser and curiouser! In this imaginative prequel to Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Alice finds herself at a grey, dreary boarding school that is decidedly up the rabbit hole. From the relentless clocks to the beastly students, Alice's world is void of colour and cheer—until Alice finds a secret garden and begins tending its wilting inhabitants. When Alice's love touches an...
    By Henry Herz
    Hardback
    $3499
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • I Am Gravity
    Told in lyrical, riddling first-person narrative, I Am Gravity boasts of its essential role in life as we know it—from the pulling of the ocean's tides to the vastness of the stars in the sky. Back matter about the science of gravity and major historical discoveries enhances the book for STEM learning.
    By Henry Herz
    Hardback
    $3599
    Available
    Ships in 3-4 weeks
  • I Am Light
    I Am Light
    What does every living thing on the planet depend on? Weighing nothing and zooming as fast as 186,000 miles per second? Light, of course! Told in lyrical, riddling first-person narrative, Light boasts of its essential role in life as we know it—from fueling the wheel of life to humans' celebration of it as the year turns. Back matter about the...
    By Henry Herz
    Hardback
    $3599
    Available
    Ships in 3-4 weeks

More from Children's Books

View all
  • New Release
    Gruffalo Granny
    The brand new Gruffalo picture book from Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler. The Gruffalo said to his daughter one day, "Your Gruffalo Granny is coming to stay." Return to the deep dark wood with the first new Gruffalo story in over 20 years, and meet Gruffalo Granny as she visits the Gruffalo family. This fresh and exciting new Gruffalo adventure...
    By Julia Donaldson
    Hardback
    $2499
    Elsewhere:
    $3000
    (2)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • New Release
    Lottie Brooks’s Twelve Disasters of Christmas
    From hilarious MEGA bestselling author, Katie Kirby, comes a new story collection from the world of Lottie Brooks! But this time... it's not about Lottie! From hilarious MEGA bestselling author, Katie Kirby, comes a new story collection from the world of Lottie Brooks! And it's CHRISTMAS! In The Completely Chaotic Christmas of Lottie Brooks we spent the holiday season with...
    By Katie Kirby
    Paperback
    $1799
    Elsewhere:
    $2100
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Wahine
    New Release
    Wahine
    From a majestic mermaid to a clay woman, the creator of glaciers to the mother of gardening, discover powerful wahine and how their stories shaped the world around us. Wahine introduces readers to twelve purakau of brave, bold, and inspiring women of Aotearoa. A beautifully illustrated collection that will delight the whole whanau, from award-winning illustrator Isobel Joy Te Aho-White....
    By Isobel Joy Te Aho-White
    Hardback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • The Sweet As Looky Book
    New Release
    The Sweet As Looky Book
    Can you find all the chocolate fish? Is it possible for kiwi to fly? Can you spot the difference? See Aotearoa New Zealand through the eyes of award-winning artist Donovan Bixley in The Sweet As Looky Book. Use your finest skills to seek out pirates in the Bay of Islands and birds in Rakiura Stewart Island. Get in a car...
    By Donovan Bixley
    Hardback
    $2299
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • New Release
    The Day of the Dinosaur Disaster
    Angry anacondas, blizzarding blobs, carnivorous cactuses ... what kind of twisted curse will Glam-Evil think up this time?!Only it's not just Glam-Evil's curse the gang needs to worry about; they've got a few other problems, too. Swooping Pteranodons, a hungry T-Rex, a missing mother, and ... is that ... an ASTEROID?!Join MILES AND JONES as they face their biggest challenge...
    By Sam Smith
    Paperback
    $1400
    Elsewhere:
    $1499
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • New Release
    The Neverfear
    A world of richly-imagined wonder Cressida Cowell It’s the Midsummer Feast on the Islet of Glimt and on this magical moonlit evening, the word on everyone’s lips is bandits. Reports of masked men burning villages are spreading throughout the Archipelago, but worse is still to come: Christopher and Anya are ambushed and one of the people they love most is...
    By Katherine Rundell
    Paperback
    $1999
    Elsewhere:
    $2299
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • New Release
    Mari the Unwonderful Witch
    A charming, cosy and thought-provoking tale about a wonderfully unconventional little witch, by bestselling author of BUTTER, Asako Yuzuki. Perfect for fans of WICKED, KIKI'S DELIVERY SERVICE, and THE HATMAKERS series by Tamzin Merchant - and anyone who likes an enchanting adventure with just a hint of mischief. Mari the Unwonderful Witch introduces us to Mari, an eleven-year-old witch who...
    By Asako Yuzuki
    Paperback
    $1999
    Elsewhere:
    $2400
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • New Release
    Animalia 40th Anniversary Edition
    A beautiful, foiled collector's edition to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Graeme Base's classic and bestselling Australian picture book, Animalia. Embark on a fantastical alphabetic adventure where each turn of the page unveils a rich tapestry of intricate illustrations tied to a unique letter of the alphabet. More than 5 million copies sold worldwide Children's Book Council of Australia (CBCA)...
    By Graeme Base
    Hardback
    $2999
    Elsewhere:
    $3500
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • New Release
    The Comeback Kid
    Charlie Boy might be just an ordinary kid, but he's about to get into some EXTRA-ordinary trouble... Get ready for this funny, fast-paced, friendship adventure with lots of kick. Meet Charlie Boy: skinny, small, looks like a strand of spaghetti. He and his best friend, Rocky the Lower Hutt Chief, are good at getting into trouble together. But when Charlie...
    By Airana Ngarewa
    Paperback
    $1799
    Elsewhere:
    $1999
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Millie from Milford
    New Release
    Millie from Milford
    Based on the true story of Ruth Shaw and her husband Lance looking after a baby seal that had been shot between the eyes. Millie from Milford lives in Milford Sound, the number one tourist destination in Aotearoa New Zealand. After Millie was checked by a vet, she was taken to Ruth and Lance's home to be looked after until...
    By Ruth Shaw
    Paperback
    $2299
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • The Case of the Tall Stranger: Violet and the Velvets 4
    New Release
    The Case of the Tall Stranger: Violet and the Velvets 4
    But disaster strikes when guitarist Jack breaks his wrist and can no longer play. On top of that, all their hard work fundraising has fallen short! When help comes from unexpected channels, the Velvets make it to the Big Apple just in time to compete against the best kid bands in the whole world, including their new rivals the Blazer...
    By Rachael King
    Paperback
    $1600
    Elsewhere:
    $1899
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Pocket Observology
    Pocket Observology
    Pocket Observology is a practical field guide designed for those who love to explore and understand the natural world around them. Slip this guide out of your pocket to identify, measure, compare, or find clues to the things you encounter every day in nature. This pocket guide is a useful tool and a fun reminder of how to engage with...
    By Giselle Clarkson
    Paperback
    $2399
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    Backorder
    Ships Unknown - Contact Us

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.

Our Gifting Service

Our Gifting Service

Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.

Children's Books lists from the team

Explore our curated lists from our heroes to find your next read!

The Latest at Book Hero

View all