“What an amazing presentation! Alastair did a great job of keeping the students and teachers engaged and involved. The students learned how you can turn your ideas into books and were excited to come back to the classroom to write even more!” — 1st Grade Teacher

Alastair Heim is the author of several children’s picture books including The Great Puppy Invasion, which won the 2019 Oklahoma Redbud Read-Aloud Award, Hello Door, which was named one of The New York Public Library’s Best Books of 2018, and Quiet Down Loud Town!, which was named a 2021 Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection. His newest How The Grinch Lost Christmas! became a New York Times Best seller.

He has written three books for Dr. Seuss Beginner Books titled If I Had Your Vote, If I Ran Your School, and If I Were Saint Nick – all featuring The Cat In The Hat. Laughter is his favorite sound, purple is his favorite color, and “other people cooking for him” is his favorite food.  He lives in Kansas City with his wife and three incredible children who inspire him every single day.

Alastair 's Featured Titles

Big Bub, Small Tub

Simon Spotlight |
Picture Book

A monster who is too big for his bathtub tries to get clean in this adorable and hilarious Ready-to-Go! Ready-to-Read.

Big Bub the monster needs a bath, but his bathtub is too small. What will he do? He will try everything!

Perfect for kids at the beginning of their reading journeys, Big Bub, Small Tub was written for children who have learned the alphabet and are ready to start reading! And what better way to get kids excited than with a hilarious story with words they can read on their own?

Each Ready-to-Go! Ready-to-Read includes a note to parents explaining what their child can expect, a guide at the beginning for readers to become familiar with the words they will encounter in the story, and reading comprehension questions at the end. Each Ready-to-Go! story contains about 100 words and features sight words, rhyming words, and repetition to help children reinforce their new reading skills. In this book, readers will learn nineteen sight words and twelve words from five word families. So come on and get reading!

No Peeking At Presents

Clarion Books |
Picture Book

Holiday hijinks abound in this very merry Christmas story about three siblings who can’t resist sneaking a peek under the tree before it’s time, for fans of How to Catch Santa and 5 More Sleeps.

Everyone knows there’s no peeking at presents before Christmas morning. But what if there’s a very, very good reason to take a look?

It’s Christmas Eve and the three kids in this story are trying their best to go to sleep, but something keeps waking them up. And it’s not just their excitement for gifts. Or, at least, not only because they’re excited for gifts.

This irresistible Christmas story, equal parts hilarious and charming, captures all the delicious anticipation of the holiday, especially celebrating it with siblings.

Hello, Tree

little bee books |
Picture Book

A thieving, Christmas-loving fox causes holiday madness all around town…until Santa catches him!

Hello, tree.

Hello, twine.

Hello, wreath.

Hello, sign.

Roguish Fox makes Christmas mischief all over town! He takes a tree, a wreath, the carrot from a snowman’s nose, Christmas decorations, tons of toys, and tasty treats. Then he settles back at home for a cozy Christmas Eve with all the wonderful items he’s “collected.” He gets so cozy, in fact, that he falls asleep and almost forgets to prepare for Santa! But as the clock strikes midnight, Santa arrives and scolds naughty Fox, making him put back all the things he stole. On Christmas Day, Fox wakes up groggy, sad, and alone, until he hears the ding-dong of his doorbell. It’s Fox’s friends from town delivering a snowball right to his face…and also a Christmas tree! The final scene is a warm and bright Christmas party in Fox’s home with everyone from town.

If I Were Saint Nick—by the Cat in the Hat

Random House Books for Young Readers |
Picture Book

The Cat imagines how HE would fill-in for Santa Claus in this hilarious new Beginner Book—a sequel to If I Had Your Vote by the Cat in the Hat—that’s perfect for Christmas celebrations and gift giving!

After receiving a letter from Santa Claus, the Cat in the Hat contemplates how HE would run Christmas differently if put in charge of the “Whole North Pole Show.”  Among the things he’d change: dressing his “elves”—Thing One and Thing Two—in Toy Making Sweaters with real “tricks up their sleeves;” wrapping presents in singing gift wrap; using Cane Cranes to lift giant candy canes up into four-story tall stockings; and designing a new expandable Santa Suit to store all the cookies and snacks people leave him!

A perfect cheerful choice for seasonal read-alouds and holiday gift-giving, this rhymed easy-reader will delight Dr. Seuss fans and Cat fanciers young and old!

Originally created by Dr. Seuss, Beginner Books encourage children to read all by themselves, with simple words and illustrations that give clues to their meaning.

Sign Says Stop! Ready-to-Read Pre-Level 1

Simon Spotlight |
Picture Book

Mr. Frog wants to cross the street, but the crosswalk sign says “​stop.”​ See how he flips, flops, and jumps his way to the other side in this funny Pre-Level 1 Ready-to-Read!

Mr. Frog finds out that timing is everything when he keeps missing his chance to cross the street as the crosswalk sign changes from “stop” to “go.” Can he stop daydreaming about how he will jump, hop, or flip his way across the street, and how much fun he will have when he gets to the other side, before the sign says “stop” again? Sometimes the journey is just as much fun as the destination!

If I Ran Your School-by the Cat in the Hat

Random House Books for Young Readers |
Picture Book

The Cat is on a mission to make school FUN in this hilarious new Beginner Book–a sequel to If I Had Your Vote–by the Cat in the Hat–that’s a perfect choice for back to school!

When the Cat hears that Sally and her brother of the classic The Cat in the Hat think school is dull, he arrives at their classroom–along with Little Cats A, B, and C from The Cat in the Hat Comes Back–to demonstrate how school fun should be done! Among the changes he’d make? Adding two-headed class pets; replacing show-and-tell with smell-and-tell; planting book-blooming seeds (growing rooms full of books); and adding such nontraditional materials as mops and plungers to art class! An ideal choice for children entering school for the first time, this easy reader is bound to cause lots of giggles–helping to ease any back-to-school anxiety!

Originally created by Dr. Seuss, Beginner Books encourage children to read all by themselves, with simple words and illustrations that give clues to their meaning.

Quiet Down, Loud Town!

Clarion Books |
Picture Book

In this funny, rhyming read-aloud for very young readers, a grumpy Mr. Elephant just wants some peace and quiet—that is, until he gets it.

Packed with hilarious rhymes, fun-to-shout-out sounds, and the frenetic energy of a happy, busy town, this raucous read-aloud follows an exasperated elephant through the course of his day. From barking dogs to clattering dishes at the coffee shop to a boisterous marching band, the noise is just too much. Mr. Elephant wants nothing more than for his loud town to PLEASE QUIET DOWN!!! But what happens when he ends up getting exactly what he wishes for?

Snuck into the fun is an important message about seeing things from the perspective of others. Share this story with anyone who loves to make noise and anyone who loves to hate it!

If I Had Your Vote–by the Cat in the Hat

Random House Books for Young Readers |
Picture Book

Just in time for Election Day, this hilarious new Beginner Book featuring Dr. Seuss’s Cat in the Hat–and the changes he’d make if elected president of the United States–is perfect for introducing young readers to the White House!

Think politics is boring for kids? Think again! If the Cat in the Hat is elected president, life in the White House is about to get a lot more interesting–and funny! The Cat plans to shake things up. On his agenda: To change the shape of the Oval Office (to make it far more OVAL-ER-ER); to replant the Rose Garden with Seussian shrubbery; to paint smiles on portraits of frowning world leaders; and (among other things) to shoot a SOCK-IT rocket into space to shower the United States with an explosion of socks! Written in rhyme and featuring a cast of characters from The Cat in the Hat and The Cat in the Hat Comes Back, this is the perfect, kid-friendly way to introduce beginning readers to life in the White House AND to the Cat in the Hat.

Originally created by Dr. Seuss, Beginner Books encourage children to read all by themselves, with simple words and illustrations that give clues to their meaning.

Love You Too

little bee books |
Picture Book
A sweet, interactive picture book about a father and daughter’s fun day, now available as a board book!

When I say “I love,” you say “you!”

I love

you.

I love

you.

When I say “love you,” you say “too!”

Love you

too.

Love you

too.

It’s another bright morning, and there’s a whole day of fun activities ahead! Over the course of a day, a father and his little piglet wake up, get dressed, eat pancakes with syrup, ride bicycles, go on the swings, eat lunch, play hide-and-seek, take a bath, and then get ready for bed, eager for the next day to come. This rhythmic call-and-response picture book is an entertaining and interactive reading experience perfect for children who like hands-on books. Kids will love reciting the text when prompted with “When I say pancakes, you say more. . . . When I say syrup, you say pour. . . . When I say swing me, you say high. . . . When I say to the, you say sky,” and more!

The Great Puppy Invasion

Clarion Books |
Picture Book

What’s a town to do when not one, not two, but hundreds of adorable, wriggling puppies invade?

This is especially a problem in Strictville, where no one has ever seen puppies before. And where there are rules against such things. In fact, cuteness of any kind is considered downright criminal.

But one boy is brave enough to face the adorable doggies, and he just may turn things around for this narrow-minded town. A true treat for the funny bone!

Hello, Door

little bee books |
Picture Book

In Hello, Door, kids can follow a thieving fox as he greets everything he sees in a home that isn’t his.

Hello, door.

Hello, house.

Hello, mat.

Hello, mouse!

In this ode to the classic “Goldilocks and the Three Bears” story, kids can follow a thieving fox as he greets everything he sees in a home that isn’t his. He collects fine art and jewelry, practices his golf swing, and devours a tasty snack along the way. But just when he thinks he’s in the clear to leave with all the goods, the owners of the house-a mama bear, papa bear, and baby bear-come home. They chase him through the house, and when the mama bear catches him she promptly throws him out. But she throws him so far that he ends up in a much nicer neighborhood-in front of a mansion, in fact-where he can begin his mischievous adventure again!

No Tooting At Tea

Clarion Books |
Picture Book

Tea parties have certain rules. You must lay your napkin carefully in your lap, say “please” and “thank you,” and sip, not slurp, your tea. But SOMEONE at this tea party keeps breaking a very important rule—NO TOOTING! Will this tea party be ruined? And WHO keeps tooting, anyway? A charming and hilarious take on sibling dynamics that plays against gender expectations and has huge kid appeal. An afterword includes information on tea and all the wonderful and delicious ways it can be served.

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FOR KIDS

When presenting to children, Alastair’s ultimate goal is to encouraging kids to do whatever they can to stay creative as they grow up. With so many pressures on kids to conform to what everyone else is doing, an individual’s creativity doesn’t always come along for the ride as children age. Alastair aims to help kids understand just how important their creativity is to the world – especially when they become adults.

“IDEAS ARE EVERYWHERE” SESSION

In this incredibly interactive, 50-minute presentation geared toward 2nd through 5th graders, Alastair talks to kids about IDEAS – what they are, where they come from, how to capture them and, ultimately, how he turns his own into picture books. Each session features a fun, imaginative storytelling activity that helps kids come up with their own ideas and a few volunteers even share them out loud.

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FOR ADULTS

“WRITING (AND READING) DYNAMIC READ-ALOUD BOOKS” SESSION

In this one-hour session, Alastair uses his personal experiences and examples from his own books to share the ingredients it takes to write stories that create a dynamic read-aloud experience for children.

Read-Aloud: “Love You Too” by Alastair Heim and Alisa Coburn – A Book for Kids

2017 Reach Out And Read “For The Love Of Books” Keynote Address

Alastair Heim’s Upcoming Events

Free Coloring Pages

Honors, Awards & Recognition

New York Times Best seller (How The Grinch Lost Christmas!)
Best Books of 2018 (New York Public Library)
School Library Journal Featured Author
2019 Best Children’s Books for Family Literacy
Current Author Of New Dr. Seuss Books For Random House Publishing/Dr. Seuss Enterprises

Media clips

The New York Times | Children’s Picture Books

ABC News | Dr. Seuss’ ‘How the Grinch stole Christmas!’ gets a sequel

Publishers Weekly | Hello, Door

Pennsylvania Center for the Book | The Best Children’s Books for Family Literacy

Shelf Awareness | Love You Too – Review

 

Media Kit

By clicking the link below you will be directed to a Google Docs Folder
where you can download author photos and cover images.

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