Outside Amelia's Window

New friends to meet, new worlds to explore…Amelia is a shy little girl with a big imagination. After an injury, she finds solace in stories—fairy tales about faraway lands and magical creatures. When two children move in next door, Amelia wonders: Can she play with them? Can she be as brave as the heroines in the stories she reads? With the help of a little bird outside her window, Amelia finds the courage she needs to embark on a journey in her new wheelchair…where she discovers that there is magic to be found just outside her window.With lyrical text and lovely watercolor illustrations, Outside Amelia’s Window is a heartfelt story about friendship, new beginnings, and embracing the beauty of the world around us.

“Budisan’s delicate but vivid pencil-and-watercolor illustrations subtly convey Amelia’s emotions and lend a dreamlike feel to the redstarts’ rhythmically described migration, quietly enhancing Nastro’s simple, gently encouraging text. Fledgling ornithologists will particularly appreciate the notebook-style bird facts scattered across the endpapers.…An uplifting tale of birds and bravery.” —Kirkus Reviews “The delightful story does a marvelous job of giving Amelia room to explore life on her own terms, and the dreamy pencil-and-watercolor illustrations are wonderfully creative.…A gentle reminder of the joy to be found in embracing adventure and expanding horizons.” —Booklist “Nastro’s reflective, gentle text captures Amelia’s thought process and growth, while interweaving facts about birds. Budisan’s colorful pencil-and-watercolor illustrations are nothing short of stunning.…Inspirational and informative, this story is highly recommended for purchase for picture book collections.” —School Library Journal

Caroline Nastro was born and raised in New York City. Her first picture book, The Bear Who Couldn’t Sleep, illustrated by Vanya Nastanlieva, has been translated into three languages and was chosen as a Bank Street Best Picture Book of the Year in Spanish. Outside Amelia’s Window is Anca Sandu Budisan and Caroline Nastro’s second collaboration. Their first book, Fly, Little Bird, Fly!, was published in 2021. Caroline attended the Sorbonne University in Paris, France, and has a master’s degree in theater from Stanford University. She is an award-winning theater director and playwright. Learn more about the author at www.carolinenastro.com.