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Secrets I Know
Perfect for fans of Liz Garton Scanlon's All the World and Amy Krouse Rosenthal's I Wish You More, this charming, whimsical story about one imaginative little girl’s magical world is sure to enchant readers young and old.
Follow the girl throughout a day spent in her own backyard, and you'll discover lots of secrets only she can tell. For example, did you know that whispers hide in trees? Or that trees make great umbrellas? With a simple, poetic text from Kallie George and extraordinary illustrations from debut artist Paola Zakimi, here is a book families will read again and again and treasure for years to come.
Follow the girl throughout a day spent in her own backyard, and you'll discover lots of secrets only she can tell. For example, did you know that whispers hide in trees? Or that trees make great umbrellas? With a simple, poetic text from Kallie George and extraordinary illustrations from debut artist Paola Zakimi, here is a book families will read again and again and treasure for years to come.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published May 23, 2017
1 person is currently reading
103 people want to read
About the author
Kallie George
91 books374 followersI’m an author, editor, and speaker living in Vancouver, BC, near the sea. When I’m not writing or editing, I’m teaching creative writing workshops.
I have my Masters of Children's Literature from the University of British Columbia.
I love picture books, fairy tales, beautiful art and music, and baking cookies.
I have my Masters of Children's Literature from the University of British Columbia.
I love picture books, fairy tales, beautiful art and music, and baking cookies.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews
January 16, 2018
You call those secrets? Those aren't secrets. I'll tell you some secrets:
Joey McCline ate a booger--but it wasn't even his own booger.
Samantha Vern once called a bear a "Chewbacca" without an ounce of irony because she didn't know what a bear was.
Hugh Webb wears a monocle when at home by himself. And ONLY a monocle.
Ethel Cooke's real name is Ethel Cook. She changed it because "it sounds more pirate-y with the 'E'."
Manny Zu only eats chocolate chip cookies because he told his then-girlfriend/now-wife that he loved chocolate chip cookies because she made mention of it early on in their relationship. In reality he's deathly allergic to chocolate. Whenever she makes them he eats one or two, then makes an excuse, goes to the backyard, shoves an EpiPen into his leg and passes out for awhile. If his wife catches him passed out, he just tells her that he wanted to take a nap in the backyard. If she asks about the EpiPen in his hand, he says that he's been secretly keeping a Mastiff puppy who is allergic to peanut butter but who keeps getting into Manny's secret stash of peanut butter. If she asks why he hides peanut butter, he says that he loves it so much that he's ashamed of how much. Except that Manny's also deathly allergic to peanut butter!
Joey McCline ate a booger--but it wasn't even his own booger.
Samantha Vern once called a bear a "Chewbacca" without an ounce of irony because she didn't know what a bear was.
Hugh Webb wears a monocle when at home by himself. And ONLY a monocle.
Ethel Cooke's real name is Ethel Cook. She changed it because "it sounds more pirate-y with the 'E'."
Manny Zu only eats chocolate chip cookies because he told his then-girlfriend/now-wife that he loved chocolate chip cookies because she made mention of it early on in their relationship. In reality he's deathly allergic to chocolate. Whenever she makes them he eats one or two, then makes an excuse, goes to the backyard, shoves an EpiPen into his leg and passes out for awhile. If his wife catches him passed out, he just tells her that he wanted to take a nap in the backyard. If she asks about the EpiPen in his hand, he says that he's been secretly keeping a Mastiff puppy who is allergic to peanut butter but who keeps getting into Manny's secret stash of peanut butter. If she asks why he hides peanut butter, he says that he loves it so much that he's ashamed of how much. Except that Manny's also deathly allergic to peanut butter!
June 24, 2018
In earth-tones and simple, domino-style prose, Secrets I Know by Kallie George welcomes us into the imagination of a little girl who could have walked out of a Mini Boden ad. I think it’s remarkable when an illustrator can make a child look cuddly (and her puppy pal, too!). The so-called “secrets” she knows incorporate backyard nature, buried treasure, stars, and friendship. A gentle if aimless story, but the soft-stroked illustrations are lovely to admire again and again.
December 6, 2024
This has great illustrations that are quite serene. The text is clever in a way that When You Give a Mouse a Cookie is clever. The author attempts to make links between the secrets the little girl knows.
I found it quite sweet and a great read aloud book.
I found it quite sweet and a great read aloud book.
June 30, 2017
George, Kallie Secrets I Know, illustrated by Paolo Zakimi. PICTURE BOOK. Schwartz & Wade (Random House), 2017. $18.
A little tells about the secrets she knows - like umbrellas make good boats, or true treasure is a friend.
I read this book three times, trying to love it, but I really only kind of like it. Only some of the transitions in this progressive book make sense to me; the ones that did work I liked, but then I’d be thrown off by one that irked me. And while the illustrations have a Holly Hobbie feel to them, pretty cute, the colors are muted , bringing a sad feeling to everything. Hmm - I’d love to hear differently.
Pre-K - NOT RECOMMENDED. Cindy, Library teacher
http://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2017/...
A little tells about the secrets she knows - like umbrellas make good boats, or true treasure is a friend.
I read this book three times, trying to love it, but I really only kind of like it. Only some of the transitions in this progressive book make sense to me; the ones that did work I liked, but then I’d be thrown off by one that irked me. And while the illustrations have a Holly Hobbie feel to them, pretty cute, the colors are muted , bringing a sad feeling to everything. Hmm - I’d love to hear differently.
Pre-K - NOT RECOMMENDED. Cindy, Library teacher
http://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2017/...
September 7, 2017
So sweet, so cute, and I'm a sucker for a good background squirrel.
August 2, 2017
A lovely picture book, set mostly in the outdoors, where the young unnamed protagonist shares some of the special secrets she has learned in her exploration and through her imagination - things like "You can sweeten tea with sunshine" and "True treasure is a friend." Her interactions with animals, nature, and one friend who peers out of his window and then joins her in her adventures are sweet and magical. Beautiful pencil drawings, colored digitally, by Paola Zakimi, who I was pleased to learn has an Etsy shop to explore where she sells her own illustrations!
"Stars keep your secrets. They only tell the trees."
"Stars keep your secrets. They only tell the trees."
August 2, 2020
Trees do not make great umbrellas!!!! I repeat, TREES DO NOT MAKE GREAT UMBRELLAS!!! Remember kids, do not stand under a tree when it's raining lest you get struck by lightning.
July 10, 2017
I love the quiet reflective voice of this story. A little girl wanders her backyard with her dog using a tree for an umbrella and then segues into other things she finds- boats, stars, seashells, friends. The little puppy is adorable in the illustrations.
May 4, 2017
A charming story about an imaginative young girl reveals her many backyard secrets only she knows.
June 7, 2017
A little girl spends a rainy day playing in her backyard and sharing secrets with the reader. She knows lots of secrets like secrets are for whispering and whispers hide in trees. She uses the tree as an umbrella and then her umbrella as a boat for her toys. She and her puppy play in the sandbox and have a tea party there, the sunshine sweetening the tea. A friend joins her and they play dress up and then head outside to the trees once again when darkness falls and the stars come out.
George writes with a poetic simplicity here. In the little girl’s voice, she chains together the different experiences she is having, each one leading naturally to the next. It’s rather like a daisy-chain of a picture book spent outside and having a wonderful time whether on her own or with a friend.
Zakimi’s illustrations are detailed and filled with warmth. The blustery and rainy day is shown as an opportunity to play outside and have fun, not as anything that limits activities. Even darkness can’t stop the little girl from enjoying herself outdoors as stars fill the sky. The use of just one backyard as the canvas for the day shows how large imagination can be and how much fun can be had.
A simple book with lots of big ideas, this picture book shows how any day can be a special one. Appropriate for ages 3-5.
George writes with a poetic simplicity here. In the little girl’s voice, she chains together the different experiences she is having, each one leading naturally to the next. It’s rather like a daisy-chain of a picture book spent outside and having a wonderful time whether on her own or with a friend.
Zakimi’s illustrations are detailed and filled with warmth. The blustery and rainy day is shown as an opportunity to play outside and have fun, not as anything that limits activities. Even darkness can’t stop the little girl from enjoying herself outdoors as stars fill the sky. The use of just one backyard as the canvas for the day shows how large imagination can be and how much fun can be had.
A simple book with lots of big ideas, this picture book shows how any day can be a special one. Appropriate for ages 3-5.
May 13, 2017
Lovely illustrations rendered in pencil and then colored digitally accompany a glimpse into the world of a young girl who has many wonderful secrets to share with readers and her own way of viewing the world. While she points out how useful trees are when it comes to avoiding rain--they make excellent umbrellas--and she has a tea party with seashells, each idea connecting to the next idea and the next in an interesting way, she shares the best secret of all, which is that a friend is the best treasure anyone could ever hope to have. After all, what's the point of having a secret or a special place if there is no one around with which to share it? This picture book makes readers think outside of the box and view the ordinary world around them from a unique perspective. The elegant yet understated language makes it a delight to read and one that quietly seeps into one's consciousness.
June 21, 2017
The sweet, simple text along with the warm, friendly drawings make this a picture book that I would love to climb inside again and again. The little girl doesn't let a rainy day get her down. She has a wonderful imagination so that she's able to put on her raincoat and head outside with her adorable little dog. She lets us in on her secrets: trees are great umbrellas, the umbrella can be turned upside down to become a boat, the seashells in the sandbox can be transformed into a tea party. She visits her friend next door and the imaginative play continues. This would be a terrific story time read to help young readers learn to make the best of their time by being creative and enjoying friends.
August 14, 2018
Perfect for fans of Liz Garton Scanlon's All the World and Amy Krouse Rosenthal's I Wish You More, this charming, whimsical story about one imaginative little girl's magical world is sure to enchant readers young and old. Follow the girl throughout a day spent in her own backyard, and you'll discover lots of secrets only she can tell. For example, did you know that whispers hide in trees? Or that trees make great umbrellas? With a simple, poetic text from Kallie George and extraordinary illustrations from debut artist Paola Zakimi, here is a book families will read again and again and treasure for years to come.
Subject: Play and imagination -- Juvenile fiction.
Friendship -- Juvenile fiction.
Subject: Play and imagination -- Juvenile fiction.
Friendship -- Juvenile fiction.
June 13, 2024
What a lovely, thoughtful, nuanced story! The narrator tells us about the secrets she notices, the secrets that she cares about.
Having just reviewed two "books" presented as full-color comics, books in the Mr. Badger and Mrs. Fox series, books that I strongly disliked... I couldn't be more ready to read "Secrets I Know."
The narrator has an inner life. She uses her imagination. For instance:
Boats never listen. But seashells hope you do.
Soulful, beautiful illustrations add to the appeal of this delightful book.
I also appreciate the lack of forced verses with strained rhymes. The writing here sounds natural, and Kallie George knows how to pack a lot of meaning into a relatively few words.
FIVE STARS and HIGHEST PRAISE
Having just reviewed two "books" presented as full-color comics, books in the Mr. Badger and Mrs. Fox series, books that I strongly disliked... I couldn't be more ready to read "Secrets I Know."
The narrator has an inner life. She uses her imagination. For instance:
Boats never listen. But seashells hope you do.
Soulful, beautiful illustrations add to the appeal of this delightful book.
I also appreciate the lack of forced verses with strained rhymes. The writing here sounds natural, and Kallie George knows how to pack a lot of meaning into a relatively few words.
FIVE STARS and HIGHEST PRAISE
June 2, 2020
The sequential/consequential pattern to the scenes is mildly suggestive of kid-favorites IF YOU GIVE A MOUSE A COOKIE. Text uses phrasing of creative ideas about ways in which secrets move through nature within charming illustrations.
It has a rhythmic appeal, especially for very young, but I'll admit that I always sense in myself a "yes, but..." reaction when the topic of secrets is presented to the very young. Using this book might be a way to open discussions with the very young (and slightly older?) audiences about when secrets should be kept and when a request to keep secrets can be harmful.
It has a rhythmic appeal, especially for very young, but I'll admit that I always sense in myself a "yes, but..." reaction when the topic of secrets is presented to the very young. Using this book might be a way to open discussions with the very young (and slightly older?) audiences about when secrets should be kept and when a request to keep secrets can be harmful.
November 7, 2017
Sweet, simple text follows the day of a little girl as she uses her imagination in her backyard and playing with a friend. I especially love that they are connected. She says, “Secrets are for whispering, whispers hide in trees.” After a day of fun, the story comes full circle as the friends return to the tree, which "make great umbrellas. Which you already know." Not to mention the illustrations are gorgeously pencil drawn and finished digitally. Will certainly be adding to my list of consideration for the Kentucky Bluegrass Awards.
August 10, 2018
So, I really loved the artwork--it could have stood alone as a wordless picture book, the illustrations were so rich.
I liked the story okay. It felt disjointed with the title. It had a lot of potential, but I'm not sure the author made their vision quite clear. Because the story was so disjointed, it seemed mismatched with the artwork. Maybe this is a picturebook best read multiple times? Maybe I missed something.
Either way, there is something compelling about the book, so perhaps I could recommend it to people still that were in the mood to puzzle things out.
I liked the story okay. It felt disjointed with the title. It had a lot of potential, but I'm not sure the author made their vision quite clear. Because the story was so disjointed, it seemed mismatched with the artwork. Maybe this is a picturebook best read multiple times? Maybe I missed something.
Either way, there is something compelling about the book, so perhaps I could recommend it to people still that were in the mood to puzzle things out.
March 7, 2023
This one was a random library checkout that ended up being one of A's favorite reads this go-around. I was a little wary about the content based on the title, because we raise our kids to tell the truth and be open about their feelings, but this turned out to be a warm and lovely story about exploration of the world around us. Which is quite compelling for a three-year-old who loves observation as much as A does.
August 28, 2023
Six year old says: I liked it - the trees and stars and pictures I liked so much.
Mom says: I liked her pock-a-dot pants and how the kids and dog are spending time outside exploring but that seemed to lend itself to some trouble - broken umbrella and tracking mud inside. some times adventuress are indeed messy. I liked the way her train of thought travels and how we get to go along with it. I wasn’t following the title until the end which was kind of like a treasure hunt.
Mom says: I liked her pock-a-dot pants and how the kids and dog are spending time outside exploring but that seemed to lend itself to some trouble - broken umbrella and tracking mud inside. some times adventuress are indeed messy. I liked the way her train of thought travels and how we get to go along with it. I wasn’t following the title until the end which was kind of like a treasure hunt.
July 6, 2017
After reading the title and wondering what this book was about, I was pleasantly surprised. The child Spends the day outside and enjoys the make believe of what is around. This book will encourage your imagination.
July 10, 2017
We absolutely LOVED this book, and highly recommend picking it up. It's a beautiful mix of simple, poetic storytelling, and visual stunning artwork.
FULL REVIEW http://mundiekids.blogspot.com/2017/0...
FULL REVIEW http://mundiekids.blogspot.com/2017/0...
January 5, 2018
This is so sweet and the illustrations are wonderful. I love the little rocket animals and also FRIENDS omg. Thanks again to Alyx for sharing because this was so fun to read.
May 15, 2017
A quiet, happy book about secrets. Secrets about trees, treasures, stars, and all kinds of umbrellas. Adorable, nicely representative, and fun for story time!
May 16, 2017
A sweet circular tale of a young girl suing her imagination about all that can happen in one's backyard. Its structure and use of language position this as a good mentor text for writing.
May 20, 2017
Too sticky sweet for my taste. Can't see it holding the attention of wiggly toddlers.
June 1, 2017
Lovely illustrations and simple text.
Use as an example of circular logic.
Use as an example of circular logic.
June 5, 2017
I loved illustrations to this book but the story just fell a bit short.
June 6, 2017
Simple and sweet, won't hold any wigglers, a good sleepy morning or bedtime read.
June 12, 2017
Cute, but not a linear story, which I prefer for read-alouds.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews