Troop Esme

Esme always has a plan. A funny and sweet early illustrated chapter book about a problem-solving girl who decides to start her own badge-earning troop . . . and makes a new friend along the way. For fans of Dory Fantasmagory.

Esme lives with her grandparents on the uppermost floor of the topmost best building. She has just met a future friend named Wendall who came to her door selling Troop Badger cookies. He is hoping to earn his Cookie Empresario badge. Esme thinks she would like to earn a Cookie Empresario badge too! One small problem: she is not in Troop Badger.

But Esme is a problem solver! She decides to start her own troop: Troop Esme. It will include all the neighbors in the topmost best building. And her first act as troop leader? Help Wendall sell all his cookies, of course!

A funny and delightful story about cookies, badges and most importantly, friendship.

LOURDES HEUER is a children’s book author and poet. She was born in Spain to Cuban immigrant parents, then moved to the United States in 1984. She holds an M.F.A. in Writing from the Vermont College of Fine Arts and is an Associate Professor of English at Broward College. She is the author of On This Airplane and Esme’s Birthday Conga Line. Lourdes lives in South Florida with her husband, son and three dogs.

Originally from South Texas, MARISSA VALDEZ is a two times #1 New York Times bestselling children’s book illustrator and author. She’s a graduate of the Massachusetts College of Art and Design, where she received a B.F.A. in Animation. She loves to illustrate stories that are overflowing with humor, wit and totally out-there situations. In her spare time, Marissa gets her illustration inspiration by wandering around natural science museums, watching super-cool dinosaur documentaries and playing with her two fat cats in Birmingham, UK.