Perfect for fans of Narwhal and Jelly, Arlo & Pips: King of the Birds is the first in a new early graphic chapter book series about the friendship between Arlo, an arrogant crow, and a sarcastic little bird named Pips.

Like most crows, Arlo has a big brain. But Arlo has something else: a little pal who’s not afraid to tell him when he’s being insufferable!

In the first of three episodes, a battle of the brains and bird-to-bird banter soon turns into an unexpected friendship. Arlo and Pips' adventures include a visit the big city and the beach on their hunt for shiny things and French fries. Cool crow facts are included throughout the book.

Everyone's crowing about Arlo & Pips, with Kirkus praising it as "a perfect match for newly independent readers"!

More praise for Arlo & Pips #1: King of the Crows: A New York Public Library Best Book * A Chicago Public Library Best of the Best * A Junior Library Guild Selection * "An unexpected friendship story! In three short graphic chapters marked by [Gravel’s] signature sly humor, facts about crows are sprinkled throughout, making the reader believe that maybe crows are truly as amazing as Arlo says.” —The Horn Book (starred review)

ELISE GRAVEL a écrit et illustré une trentaine d’albums jeunesse. L’auteure use d’un humour mordant pour exprimer ses vues et éveiller le sens critique de ses jeunes lecteurs. En 2022, Elise a remporté le prix Vicky Metclaf, qui souligne le travail d’un auteur ou d’une auteure jeunesse. Elle a également reçu le prix du Gouverneur général en 2012 dans la catégorie illustrations pour son livre La clé à molette, de même que le prix Droits et Libertés et des droits de la jeunesse.

ELISE GRAVEL has won a Governor General's Award for illustration, the Vicky Metcalf Award for Literature for Young People, the Rights and Freedoms Award from the Quebec Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse, two Applied Arts Awards and a Grafika Award. She also was short-listed for Mr. Christie's Book Award. She has written and illustrated over 30 books for children in both French and English including Not Me (Pas moi), Everybody! (Tout le monde! and It's My Body! (C'est mon corps!). Elise lives in Montreal, Quebec.

Elise Gravel's profile page

• Buckaroo Book Award (Wyoming)
• Junior Library Guild Selection
• New York Public Library’s Best Books for Kids
• Maryland Blue Crab Young Reader Award
• Chicago Public Library Best of the Best

“Fun and informative! This book will FLY off the shelves!” — Ben Clanton, bestselling author of the Narwhal and Jelly series

"Straightforward sentences, limited color scheme, and thick black outlines make this a perfect match for newly independent readers. Through Pips’ inquisitiveness and Arlo’s desire to prove himself, readers also learn much about the intelligence, diet, and behavior of crows. A charming treasure." — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“It's an unexpected friendship story! In three short graphic chapters marked by [Gravel's] signature sly humor, facts about crows are sprinkled throughout...making the reader believe that maybe crows are truly as amazing as Arlo says.” — Horn Book (starred review)

"Gravel brings the smart attitude of her Disgusting Critters series to a more fictional narrative here, and it’s just as informative and accessible in its provision of kid-pleasing facts...Aspiring birders with a flair for the dramatic may be particularly drawn to Arlo’s braggadocio." — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

"This simple story of would-be friendship [has] Gravel's distinctive panels and snappy dialogue...crow facts appear throughout like cereal-box prizes" — Publishers Weekly