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Pepper and Me
A New York Times Best Children's Book of 2024
A Kirkus Best Picture Book of the Year
A Kirkus Best Picture-Book Conversation Starter of 2024
A 2024 Kids’ Indie Next List pick
A Society of Illustrators 2024 Gold Medal Winner
From three-time NYT Best Illustrated creator of On a Magical Do-Nothing Day comes a stunning picture book about a little girl, the scab on her knee, and the healing they do together.
In this utterly enchanting and unexpected tale from international picture book star Beatrice Alemagna, a childhood mishap is the occasion for growth and self-reflection. When a little girl falls on the street, scraping her knee, her father tells her not to worry, that "a beautiful scab will form." But she does worry! The scab is not beautiful and it's keeping her from bending her knee! When will it ever go away? By the time the scab—who she has named Pepper—falls off, something astonishing has the girl has come to feel affection for the scab and has a hard time letting go. With an unerring understanding of a child’s emotional life and a dash of absurdist wit, this picture book will stand with classics from creators like Tomi Ungerer and William Steig, who explore the weird, funny essence of childhood.
"How could you not immediately adore and trust this voice?"
--Bruce Handy, The New York Times Book Review
"Pepper & Me is a simple story, but is also a secret door to what days and weeks feel like when you are small. Beatrice Alemagna has the key, and we're so lucky that she does."
--Jon Klassen, Caldecott Medalist for This is Not My Hat
A Kirkus Best Picture Book of the Year
A Kirkus Best Picture-Book Conversation Starter of 2024
A 2024 Kids’ Indie Next List pick
A Society of Illustrators 2024 Gold Medal Winner
From three-time NYT Best Illustrated creator of On a Magical Do-Nothing Day comes a stunning picture book about a little girl, the scab on her knee, and the healing they do together.
In this utterly enchanting and unexpected tale from international picture book star Beatrice Alemagna, a childhood mishap is the occasion for growth and self-reflection. When a little girl falls on the street, scraping her knee, her father tells her not to worry, that "a beautiful scab will form." But she does worry! The scab is not beautiful and it's keeping her from bending her knee! When will it ever go away? By the time the scab—who she has named Pepper—falls off, something astonishing has the girl has come to feel affection for the scab and has a hard time letting go. With an unerring understanding of a child’s emotional life and a dash of absurdist wit, this picture book will stand with classics from creators like Tomi Ungerer and William Steig, who explore the weird, funny essence of childhood.
"How could you not immediately adore and trust this voice?"
--Bruce Handy, The New York Times Book Review
"Pepper & Me is a simple story, but is also a secret door to what days and weeks feel like when you are small. Beatrice Alemagna has the key, and we're so lucky that she does."
--Jon Klassen, Caldecott Medalist for This is Not My Hat
48 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2024
About the author
Beatrice Alemagna
80 books248 followersBeatrice Alemagna was born in Bologna, Italy in 1973. She graduated from the Istituto Superiore for industrial arts in Urbino, Italy. She has won numerous international awards for her illustration. She now lives in Paris, France, where she works as an author and illustrator as well as a designer of childrens books, posters and collages.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 107 reviews
March 4, 2024
What a charming book! This brought back so many memories of my own childhood. I wasn’t sure what to expect based on the title, but it worked in a weird nostalgic sort of way. The artwork was intriguing. It’s not a style that I’m accustomed to but I really enjoyed how well it paired with the story. This a great one to share with little ones who have gotten their first scab.
June 4, 2024
از بئاتریس آلِمانیا توقع قصه‌ای انقدر خوب رو نداشتم. نویسنده‌ای که بیشتر تصویرگره و در روایت معمولاً خیلی خیلی معمولی و ساده عمل میکنه این‌بار از ایده تا پایان تماماً شگفت‌زده‌م کرد. هرچند ایده یـــه‌کمی جای دیوونه‌بازی بیشتری در پرداخت داشت اما همین کتاب هم زیادی خوب و کامل بود و خوندنش لذت‌بخش.
October 1, 2025
Prachtig!
****1/2
****1/2
January 28, 2024
This books reminds me what it was like to be a kid and so it makes me nostalgic and warms towards a book. I wonder what the kids would think of it.
Giving it to mine to read and to get back to me.
Asked. They are both fine with the book. fine.
Giving it to mine to read and to get back to me.
Asked. They are both fine with the book. fine.
November 21, 2025
My good friend Sydney mailed this to me. Thank you sydney. Sometimes our flaws are special
April 5, 2024
The color work with the bright, bright reds and oranges is really stunning--I'm amazed they were able to capture it in the printing process. The story itself is intersting but I personally had a hard time getting there with the scab because it was kind of ick.
December 31, 2025
"Ningú hauria de marxar sense acomiadar-se."
July 5, 2025
Weil ich im Mai in Porto den Sommer mit
einem sensationell eleganten Kniefall auf Kieselsteine eingeläutet habe, spricht dieses Bilderbuch von Beatrice Alemagna ganz besonders zu mir.
Auch die Protagonistin von „Mein Sommer mit Pepper“ macht eine filmreife Bodenlandung. Und dann bildet sich so ein richtig schön-scheußlicher Schorf auf der Wunde, der den ganzen langen Sommer voller Klettereien, Tagträumereien, voller Spielplatzbesuche und Tage bei Oma bleiben wird, wie ein alter Freund, der ein bisschen zu lange zu Besuch ist.
Mit Wachsmalern in leuchtenden Farben illustriert Alemagna eine schräge und herzliche Geschichte, die nicht nur die Sommerferien feiert sondern auch die Resilienz unserer Körper.
„Der Sommer mit Pepper“ und „Die schönste Wunde“ von Emma AdBåge sind zwei großartige, körperpositive und humorvolle Bücher für alle, die hin und wieder filmreif über die eigenen Füße stolpern.
einem sensationell eleganten Kniefall auf Kieselsteine eingeläutet habe, spricht dieses Bilderbuch von Beatrice Alemagna ganz besonders zu mir.
Auch die Protagonistin von „Mein Sommer mit Pepper“ macht eine filmreife Bodenlandung. Und dann bildet sich so ein richtig schön-scheußlicher Schorf auf der Wunde, der den ganzen langen Sommer voller Klettereien, Tagträumereien, voller Spielplatzbesuche und Tage bei Oma bleiben wird, wie ein alter Freund, der ein bisschen zu lange zu Besuch ist.
Mit Wachsmalern in leuchtenden Farben illustriert Alemagna eine schräge und herzliche Geschichte, die nicht nur die Sommerferien feiert sondern auch die Resilienz unserer Körper.
„Der Sommer mit Pepper“ und „Die schönste Wunde“ von Emma AdBåge sind zwei großartige, körperpositive und humorvolle Bücher für alle, die hin und wieder filmreif über die eigenen Füße stolpern.
December 3, 2024
Children are fascinated by their minor wounds, and this girl even starts talking to the scab on her knee. Then one morning it's gone. "Nobody should ever leave without saying a word". Hilarious! Also liked the montage of other children with scabs "in strange places".
February 15, 2025
Unexpected topic for a pb
As a person who still falls down and scrapes her knees, even at my advanced age, I admire her patience in her relationship with her scab. I admit to always be fussing and picking at a scab. Yet the little girl doesn’t, just talks to it and wishes it away until it falls off on its own. And there’s finally dog at the end.
As a person who still falls down and scrapes her knees, even at my advanced age, I admire her patience in her relationship with her scab. I admit to always be fussing and picking at a scab. Yet the little girl doesn’t, just talks to it and wishes it away until it falls off on its own. And there’s finally dog at the end.
March 21, 2024
I don't know if I should rate this 5 stars or 3, because this was simply the oddest book I think I've read, but it was silly and entertaining and I'm sure kids would get a kick out of this.
September 14, 2025
Mabey she doesnt hate she just was doing what scabs do.
loveddddddd this book
loveddddddd this book
June 16, 2026
This book reminded me of my childhood that how something as insignificant as a scab feels the biggest thing as a child.
July 21, 2026
"Nessuno dovrebbe mai partire senza salutare." ♥️
August 31, 2026
Di ferite, fisiche e morali, e di come imparare a conviverci
May 22, 2025
beatrice'i çok seviyorum🧡
March 22, 2024
I enjoy the offbeat ones. This is a girl who falls down, cuts her leg and then gets a scab and names the scab and talks to the scab. Then it sadly disappears and she's a little sad that it's no longer there.
I love the sketch-like illustrations and her bright, bright crayon-colored hair. I love that she named it Pepper after the dog that she wished she had. I like that she was sad when it went away and found it and then gave it new "life" in the flower bed and hopes it lived a happy life.
A cool fun pairing with Cells at Work!
I love the sketch-like illustrations and her bright, bright crayon-colored hair. I love that she named it Pepper after the dog that she wished she had. I like that she was sad when it went away and found it and then gave it new "life" in the flower bed and hopes it lived a happy life.
A cool fun pairing with Cells at Work!
February 20, 2025
An unusual story about a girl, a skinned knee, and the scab that forms as the skin heals.
April 21, 2025
Beatrice Alemagna, diseñadora gráfica y escritora italiana, ha visto publicadas sus obras por editoriales internacionales, siendo, a su vez, ganadora de más de una veintena de premios.
En "Berta y yo" vuelve a desplegar toda su sensibilidad a partir de una anécdota cotidiana como es una caída, una rodilla raspada y un llanto incontenible, convirtiéndola en un relato que explora sutil y conmovedoramente el miedo, el dolor y la transformación que acompaña al proceso de crecer.
Con un lenguaje accesible, delicado y sencillo para las primeras edades, Beatrice continúa con su maestría habitual para convertir lo cotidiano en algo universal, recorriendo así el episodio en la vida de una niña que vive con intensidad el proceso de sanación de una herida, encontrando en ella un aprendizaje que nunca hubiera creído hallar en medio del enojo y el rechazo.
La historia, de base simple, se abre a un mundo simbólico lleno de profundidad, pues la herida en la rodilla no es solo un rasguño, sino una puerta hacia el descubrimiento emocional y la capacidad de convivir con lo que nos gusta, aceptándolo como parte de la vida.
En ese sentido el "personaje" de Berta encarna esa dualidad ya que puede interpretarse como una amiga imaginaria, una personificación del dolor o una metáfora del proceso interior que vive la protagonista.
El formato de letra redondeada, funciona muy bien para ser escuchada, pues se incluyen numerosos diálogos, una redacción no muy extensa y una información ajustada en frases cortas y concisas acompañada de unas simpáticas imágenes.
La atmósfera en que se desenvuelve la trama es acogedora, de tonos ocres, invita al recogimiento. Las ilustraciones cargadas de texturas, matices y expresividad son amables y su paleta cromática apagada acompaña el vaivén emocional del relato. Así mismo, los escenarios bucólicos tienen ciertos toques costumbristas que consiguen crear cierta cercanía.
A lo largo de la historia se tratan temáticas de real importancia para las edades a las que va dirigido; la aceptación de lo que no nos gusta como algo inherente a la vida, el crecimiento, el rechazo, la superación, el disfrute de los momentos sencillos o el paso del tiempo. Mensajes sencillos que calan, desde un punto de vista pedagógico, en el pequeño lector por tratarse de una situación cotidiana y cercana a ellos.
Personalmente, considero que "Berta y yo" es un álbum ideal para trabajar con los más pequeños, pues trata de un modo muy natural las emociones, el rechazo a lo inesperado, la frustración o el crecimiento personal, validando el miedo y las emociones que nos suscita cualquier tipo de situación indeseada. Este enfoque es especialmente valioso para los más pequeños cuando muchas veces se espera que superen rápidamente sus emociones sin entenderlas del todo.
"Berta y yo" es un álbum de gran profundidad emocional, un canto a la resiliencia infantil. Una obra que abraza los silencios, respeta los tiempos y ofrece una puerta abierta a la conversación, la empatía y la ternura. Una lectura imprescindible para quienes acompañan a los niños en sus primeros aprendizajes emocionales.
En "Berta y yo" vuelve a desplegar toda su sensibilidad a partir de una anécdota cotidiana como es una caída, una rodilla raspada y un llanto incontenible, convirtiéndola en un relato que explora sutil y conmovedoramente el miedo, el dolor y la transformación que acompaña al proceso de crecer.
Con un lenguaje accesible, delicado y sencillo para las primeras edades, Beatrice continúa con su maestría habitual para convertir lo cotidiano en algo universal, recorriendo así el episodio en la vida de una niña que vive con intensidad el proceso de sanación de una herida, encontrando en ella un aprendizaje que nunca hubiera creído hallar en medio del enojo y el rechazo.
La historia, de base simple, se abre a un mundo simbólico lleno de profundidad, pues la herida en la rodilla no es solo un rasguño, sino una puerta hacia el descubrimiento emocional y la capacidad de convivir con lo que nos gusta, aceptándolo como parte de la vida.
En ese sentido el "personaje" de Berta encarna esa dualidad ya que puede interpretarse como una amiga imaginaria, una personificación del dolor o una metáfora del proceso interior que vive la protagonista.
El formato de letra redondeada, funciona muy bien para ser escuchada, pues se incluyen numerosos diálogos, una redacción no muy extensa y una información ajustada en frases cortas y concisas acompañada de unas simpáticas imágenes.
La atmósfera en que se desenvuelve la trama es acogedora, de tonos ocres, invita al recogimiento. Las ilustraciones cargadas de texturas, matices y expresividad son amables y su paleta cromática apagada acompaña el vaivén emocional del relato. Así mismo, los escenarios bucólicos tienen ciertos toques costumbristas que consiguen crear cierta cercanía.
A lo largo de la historia se tratan temáticas de real importancia para las edades a las que va dirigido; la aceptación de lo que no nos gusta como algo inherente a la vida, el crecimiento, el rechazo, la superación, el disfrute de los momentos sencillos o el paso del tiempo. Mensajes sencillos que calan, desde un punto de vista pedagógico, en el pequeño lector por tratarse de una situación cotidiana y cercana a ellos.
Personalmente, considero que "Berta y yo" es un álbum ideal para trabajar con los más pequeños, pues trata de un modo muy natural las emociones, el rechazo a lo inesperado, la frustración o el crecimiento personal, validando el miedo y las emociones que nos suscita cualquier tipo de situación indeseada. Este enfoque es especialmente valioso para los más pequeños cuando muchas veces se espera que superen rápidamente sus emociones sin entenderlas del todo.
"Berta y yo" es un álbum de gran profundidad emocional, un canto a la resiliencia infantil. Una obra que abraza los silencios, respeta los tiempos y ofrece una puerta abierta a la conversación, la empatía y la ternura. Una lectura imprescindible para quienes acompañan a los niños en sus primeros aprendizajes emocionales.
October 2, 2025
New York Times 2024’ün En İyi Çocuk Kitapları Seçkisi Kirkus 2024’ün En İyi Resimli Kitabı İllüstratörler Derneği 2024’ün En İyi Resimli Kitabı
Dünya çapında çok sevilen resimli kitapların yaratıcısı Beatrice Alemagna’dan küçük bir kız, dizindeki yara ve beraber iyileşmeleri üzerine büyüleyici bir öykü.
Küçük kız sokakta düşüp de dizi sıyrıldığında, babası endişelenmemesini, yarasının bir güzel kabuk bağlayacağını söyler ama nafile, o endişelenmeden duramaz! Kabuk hiç de güzel değildir ve dizini bükmesini engeller. Fakat günler geçtikçe küçük kız, Biber adını verdiği yara kabuğunu sevmeye başlar.
Bir çocuğun iç dünyasına dair kusursuz bir kavrayışın ve ince bir mizahın örneği Biber ve Ben çocukluğun benzersiz, tuhaf, şakacı özünü keşfediyor.
Çocuk Kitapları Konuşalım Kitap kulübümüzün ekim 2025 kitabı. yaralar, geçen yaralar, kalan izler, geçmeyen yaralar.. Bekleme, iyileşme, zamanın yaralar ve hayatımız üzerindeki etkisini anlatan muazzam bir çocuk kitabı. Hem çocuklara hem yetişkinler dünyasına hitap ediyor elbette.
Dünya çapında çok sevilen resimli kitapların yaratıcısı Beatrice Alemagna’dan küçük bir kız, dizindeki yara ve beraber iyileşmeleri üzerine büyüleyici bir öykü.
Küçük kız sokakta düşüp de dizi sıyrıldığında, babası endişelenmemesini, yarasının bir güzel kabuk bağlayacağını söyler ama nafile, o endişelenmeden duramaz! Kabuk hiç de güzel değildir ve dizini bükmesini engeller. Fakat günler geçtikçe küçük kız, Biber adını verdiği yara kabuğunu sevmeye başlar.
Bir çocuğun iç dünyasına dair kusursuz bir kavrayışın ve ince bir mizahın örneği Biber ve Ben çocukluğun benzersiz, tuhaf, şakacı özünü keşfediyor.
Çocuk Kitapları Konuşalım Kitap kulübümüzün ekim 2025 kitabı. yaralar, geçen yaralar, kalan izler, geçmeyen yaralar.. Bekleme, iyileşme, zamanın yaralar ve hayatımız üzerindeki etkisini anlatan muazzam bir çocuk kitabı. Hem çocuklara hem yetişkinler dünyasına hitap ediyor elbette.
February 2, 2024
✨ Friday Feature ✨
A January/February 2024 Kid’s Indie’s Next List pick!
In Pepper & Me, by @beatricealemagna, a little girl falls on a street and develops a relationship with the scab that forms on her knee. While her family is telling her not to worry, she begins to worry and doesn’t particularly like her scab, that is until she gives her scab a name, Pepper, and begins on a journey of acceptance.
There is no stopping a young child’s vivid imagination! I love how this book takes a scary and yucky topic for young ones and turns it into a message of understanding, healing, and self-love.
Thank you @astrakidsbooks for our #gifted copy. This book is out now but you can find a copy in our LFL!
A January/February 2024 Kid’s Indie’s Next List pick!
In Pepper & Me, by @beatricealemagna, a little girl falls on a street and develops a relationship with the scab that forms on her knee. While her family is telling her not to worry, she begins to worry and doesn’t particularly like her scab, that is until she gives her scab a name, Pepper, and begins on a journey of acceptance.
There is no stopping a young child’s vivid imagination! I love how this book takes a scary and yucky topic for young ones and turns it into a message of understanding, healing, and self-love.
Thank you @astrakidsbooks for our #gifted copy. This book is out now but you can find a copy in our LFL!
October 23, 2024
I love how Beatrice Alemagna's books have a somewhat sideways perspective on life, like when you lean back on a swing and see the world upside-down. She understands and respects the things that loom large for a child, and I think that makes her one of the most talented picture book creators today. I've heard this book called odd because it's about a scab, but honesty I can't believe we don't have a hundred books about scabs! What kid hasn't had a deep and complicated relationship with a big scab and all that it represents (a big fall, a lot of blood, a trip to the doctor, a consolation ice cream...)? I love the child's voice in this book - "I cried like a baby", "it's pretty humongous", "a super nice cute name" - it's so spot on and endearing. An absolute winner!
February 6, 2024
Brief summary: A young girl falls on a cobblestone and ends up getting a bloody knee. Her father gives her first aid, telling her she will have a beautiful scab.
It is NOT beautiful.
She asks her mother when it will go away. The woman answers, "In a few days."
But it does not.
Thinking it will never leave, she calls it "Pepper".
Days pass until one day, the scab falls off.
What will she do with it? ??
Comments: This would make a hilarious read-aloud that all kids could relate to and share stories about their scabs.
The illustrations used are gouache, oil, collage, and wax pencils.
Rating: 4.5/5 📗📗📗📗1/2
It is NOT beautiful.
She asks her mother when it will go away. The woman answers, "In a few days."
But it does not.
Thinking it will never leave, she calls it "Pepper".
Days pass until one day, the scab falls off.
What will she do with it? ??
Comments: This would make a hilarious read-aloud that all kids could relate to and share stories about their scabs.
The illustrations used are gouache, oil, collage, and wax pencils.
Rating: 4.5/5 📗📗📗📗1/2
February 11, 2024
This is a delightfully odd, unconventional book about a girl who befriends her scab. We don't have many books about scabs, let alone books with talking scabs and kids who befriend them. But this book manages to be a sweet story about everyday wonders and the innocence of a child.
The voice is filled with wonder and childlike and the illustrations splash with a bright use of an orangey-red color. It might not be a book for everyone-adults will most likely think it's weird. But creative kids, kids who are contemplative and thoughtful, even kids who have felt lonely-I think they will be the ones to find something to relate to here.
The voice is filled with wonder and childlike and the illustrations splash with a bright use of an orangey-red color. It might not be a book for everyone-adults will most likely think it's weird. But creative kids, kids who are contemplative and thoughtful, even kids who have felt lonely-I think they will be the ones to find something to relate to here.
June 23, 2025
I wanted to like this—a child-centered story about what happens after you scrape your knee and get a scab. I can’t think of another book like it. It’s honest and quirky. The illustrations are distinctive; you can tell Alemagna is a master. Ultimately Pepper & Me just kinda grossed me out. The bright reds and oranges in the illustrations against a tan and olive backdrop had the effect of making me woozy. Talking to a scab on your knee? Finding it after it’s dried out and fallen off and then dropping it in the garden? I can imagine some children connecting with this book and others responding like me. Put it in the love it or not-love-it category. 3.5 stars
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 11, 2025
This book is maybe a little longer than is ideal for the littlest ones (K and 1 have suuuuuch a short attention span) BUT my brilliant (if I do say so myself) activity made it work. After we read, I showed the kids a body map with all my major injuries indicated. The entire class moved sooooooo close to me with a big “wow!” inhale as I showed them and went down the list. And then I gave them blank body maps (basically just a silhouette of a body shape) to fill in all their major injuries for me. I heard so many funny stories that day! (“and this is where J pushed me last week in recess! I still remember it!” “This is where I hurt my knee and this is all the blood that dripped down my leg!”)
April 20, 2025
Pepper & Me is a heartwarming story about a young girl who forms an unexpected bond with the scab on her knee, which she names Pepper. As the scab shrinks over time, the girl imagines it as a companion, sharing her thoughts and dreams. The book beautifully explores the emotional journey of attachment and loss, illustrating how even small moments can hold great significance in a child's world. Through its tender narrative and soft illustrations, it reminds readers of the quiet, everyday moments that shape growing up.
June 13, 2025
Un àlbum il·lustrat excepcional que explica un procés vital que potser no és gaire transcendental, però és important i literàriament està ben treballat. La protagonista cau a terra, fent-se una ferida al genoll que es convertirà en una crosta. L'àlbum il·lustra la por, el pas del temps, la relació amb el cos, l'acceptació i el deixar anar. Per la longitud del text, és una autèntica filigrana tocar tots aquests temes i literàriament amb tant nivell i tanta sensibilitat.
Imprescindible a tota biblioteca escolar de primària.
Imprescindible a tota biblioteca escolar de primària.
November 29, 2023
Pepper and Me is a super sweet story about a little girl and her scab. Childhood can be weird and absurd sometimes, but a child’s imagination can open worlds of understanding and self-reflection. Giving things that scare us a name creates familiarity and acceptance which enables us to see clearly and make good choices. Pepper and Me develops this concept with a heartfelt story and beautiful illustrations.
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