Stickler Loves the World

Stickler

by Lane Smith

From award-winning author/illustrator Lane Smith comes Stickler, a woodland creature who reminds us to appreciate the everyday wonders we often ignore. In a picture book that’s both silly and sweet, readers will find Stickler’s enthusiasm irresistible and see the world anew.

And just think of the wonders we must pass every day without even noticing!

Stickler, an original character covered in sticks and with multiple ever-changing eyes, loves its little world. With best friend Crow, it shares the wonders of all the amazing things the world has to offer. Stickler is astonished by the ordinary, such as the sun and the stars, as well as fascinated by those things in nature that are often overlooked, such as swirling seed pods falling from the sky. The two pals wander about the world, stopping to appreciate the many marvels along the way, especially its beloved sticks, each one unique.

Stickler Loves the World encourages awareness and mindfulness with a joyous and lighthearted touch. The award-winning illustrator of bestsellers including Penguin Problems and Giraffe Problems brings imagination and humor to a story that features a delightful and original character.

Genres: Picture Books, Nature, Childrens, Fantasy, Fiction, Humor, Friendship

40 pages, Hardcover

Published August 22, 2023

About the author

Lane Smith was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, but moved to Corona, California at a young age. He spent summers in Tulsa, however, and cites experiences there as inspirations for his work, saying that "[o]nce you've seen a 100-foot cement buffalo on top of a donut-stand (sic) in the middle of nowhere, you're never the same."

He studied art in college at the encouragement of his high school art teacher, helping to pay for it by working as a janitor at Disneyland. He graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in illustration, and moved to New York City, where he was hired to do illustrations for various publications including Time, Mother Jones, and Ms..

Smith is married to Molly Leach, who is a book designer and designed the Smith/Scieszka collaboration.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/lanesmith

Reviews

[Josh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderfully weird and fantastic illustrations combine with a simple but heartfelt message about enjoying the simplest things in life.

[Spencer Orey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t review picture books as much anymore, but I loved this one and wanted to spread the word. At the start, it seems like it should be scary but it’s beautiful and sweet.

[Deb (Readerbuzz) Nance · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stickler LOVES the world. Everything in it. Sticks. Flowers. The sun. Everything. Especially sticks.

And then a...is it an alien from another planet?...arrives and Stickler shows the creature everything he loves, and it's almost like Stickler has a chance to see the world through new eyes.

A new favorite.

[Lisa Livesay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a fun, weird, charming little story! I would love to see more books about Stickler and Crow!

[Melissa Even · Rating 5 out of 5]

That was a delight.

[Erin]

Stickler longs to see the world anew. Thanks to a mishap featuring crow, Stickler has the opportunity to show his friend the world with fresh eyes. I thought about this book a lot when I took the dog for a walk afterwards, and she delighted in each and every stick.

Weird and wonderful.

[Peacegal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oddball, wacky, and clever, readers who like offbeat stories and characters will adore Stickler and his delightfully-illustrated world.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was really cute. It balanced the sweet awww factor with just the right amount of silliness to keep from tipping over into too saccharine.

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book. The way Stickler describes everything to his new friend is really well done.

'Behold! The joy of rocks.'

[Alissa Wood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely precious! Stunning illustrations and beautiful message of slowing down and appreciating all that is around us. Thanks, Michelle, for recommending I read it!

[Cail Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve got a cheese-shaped spot in my book-lovin soul for Lane Smith.

[Ioana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lane Smith aduce la viață unul dintre prietenii preferați ai tuturor copiilor: BĂȚUL 🤍 Însă bățul imaginat de ea este inimos, empatic, prietenos și blând 🤍 Ah, și are 8 ochi 🤭👀

"Bețișor iubește lumea" și "Un Crăciun cu Bețișor" sunt cele două lecturi simpatice cu cel mai cald locuitor al pădurii, care iubește totul în jurul lui (bine, bețele maro sunt preferatele lui, dar mai uită asta când vede minunile din jurul său, ca razele soarelui sau mierea lipicioasă 🌞)

Cărțile au apărut de curând la Editura ZYX Books în traducere de Irina-Roxana Georgescu și sunt numai bune de pus sub brad, mai ales că una dintre ele este despre Crăciun 🎄

Partea cea mai faină a cărților este că în prim plan au un personaj ciudățel, ce deși arată neobișnuit este cât se poate de cald și bun ❤️ Bețișor ne aduce aminte că suntem înconjurați de lucruri frumoase și că cadoul perfect poate fi un simplu băț maro 😉

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Delicate and unique mixed media illustrations accompany a story about a special creature who has quite a lot to teach the rest of us. In this picture book--3.5 for me--Stickler, who is covered in sticks and has multiple eyes [8 at one point] that move around to different places on his head, finds joy in the simple things around him. Things like sticks and trees and clouds fill him with happiness. When he encounters what he thinks is some sort of alien while strolling through the forest, he showcases the special aspects of his world. The stranger, actually his friend, Crow with a green pea can stuck on its head, tries to communicate, but his efforts are thwarted by the foreign object that muffles his words. Meanwhile, Stickler extols the beauty around them--the sun, colorful flowers, ocean waves, the wind, even rocks. Through Stickler's eyes, Crow is able to see the world quite differently, even with the can on his head. Youngsters may enjoy spotting some of the things Stickler loves but also noticing some of the things he doesn't see as he's going on about all these wonders, and they'll surely like the story's ending as Crow, freed from his tinny prison, and Stickler, head home. The font size of his list of wonderful things decreases across the bottom of the page until "Dewy grass!" (unpaged) is barely visible. Stickler truly does love the world, and readers might be inspired by his example to take a second look at things they take for granted or no longer notice because they've become so familar.

[Melissa Romano · Rating 4 out of 5]

Have you ever just stopped and looked around? In the book Stickler was born different then the others but he didn't let that stop him. He found a new friend and showed them the wonders of the world. Then looked at the trees and the water around them just taking in the natural beauty they provide. The major theme in this book is just to slow down and appreciate everything. Stickler was explaining how amazing the things are we walk past every day and just take advantage of. The genre of this book is fancy. This book is fancy because Stickler is a made up animal and can't really interact with different species of animals. I think this is a good book for everyone to read. I find myself taking advantage of the beautiful places I get to live. I wish when I was younger I appreciated the natural landscape and not just brush it off like it was nothing. I thought this was a wow book because it gives a very optimistic outlook on life and the world itself.
The author in this book used a lot of literary devices including simile metaphors and onomatopoeia that really brought the book to life. I think it also made the book easier for younger readers to understand. Sometimes it's hard for a reader to get into fantasy books if there is not a good,mental image of the story but the literary devices help create that image. I think this is an anti-biased book because it talked about the natural beauty of the world. Also it becomes easier for a book to be anti-biased when the characters are made up and or animals.

[Jefferson Rivera-Delgado · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stickler Loves the World by Lane Smith was a great reminder to me to slow down and enjoy all the small and strange things we often take for granted. Stickler, a peculiar creature who lives in a wonderful area of the forest, enthusiastically points out all the little wonders of the world in this book, from sticks and rocks to fireflies and sunsets. Stickler meets Crow, who is unable to see because a can is stuck on his head. For the first time, Stickler allows Crow to appreciate the beauty all around him. The book's main themes were friendship and the value of everyday wonders. For instance, Stickler's constant enthusiasm for everyday items like moss, clouds, and wind demonstrates that, if you look closely, the world is full of beauty. The strength of friendship is another theme, as Stickler's generosity allows Crow to open his eyes. The main genre of this book is fantasy. Children who read this book might discover that friendship can change your perspective on the world and that there are many little miracles in the world if you look for them. For me this was a WOW book because it made me realize how easy it is to take for granted all small things in life.

Personification and repetition are two literary devices the author used in this book. For example, the author personifies nature when Stickler says the morning sun “reaches through the clouds” and “shakes hands.” The author also uses repetition when Stickler lists objects. I would consider this book to be an anti-bias book because it teaches readers to appreciate life even if it is ordinary or unusual things.

[Read Ribbet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Personal favorite and award-winning author illustrator Lane Smith's latest effort is a story about a strange forest creature named Stickler. Stickler (named for his love of sticks) tends to find joy in in all things in the forest and beyond. He decides to share his joy with what he thinks is alien creature due to its strange helmet. Stickler finally discovers it was just his friend Crow with a can stuck on his head. Crow still enjoyed "seeing" the world through Stickler's eyes and gaining new insights. Smith's illustrations are somewhat whimsical. His initial use of more neutral tones provides a great backdrop for his contrasting burst colors as he illustrates natural phenomena. His word choice especially the adjectives used to describe things in nature are great examples for young writers to emulate. He creatively uses fonts, type sizes and placement of words to add to the presentation of Stickler's story. The book celebrates joy and reminds all of us to enjoy the world as we pass through it.

[Becky B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stickler loves his world. When a new visitor arrives, he gives the alien a tour and encourages it to enjoy the wonders of the natural world. Though the visitor may not be who Stickler thinks, his enthusiastic tour of the world did do some good.

Stickler may be a little weird looking, but his approach to enjoying everyday things in nature will encourage readers to appreciate the world around them with new eyes and gratitude. I mean when's the last time you considered the variety of sticks in the world? But Stickler waxing on about the wonders of sticks may just get you doing that. There's beauty and wonder all around for those with eyes to see it. Smith lends a touch of humor to the story with the "alien" being obviously a bird with its head stuck in a can that readers immediately get but Stickler is oblivious to for quite a while. This is a great reminder to appreciate the beauty in nature, and possibly will even encourage little readers to unplug and find some natural play things.

[Calista · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book reminds us how weird and wonderful nature is out there. We meet stickler, this truly weird and bizarre creature who loves sticks. He also loves the world around him and appreciates all there is.

This is a stranger in a stranger land sort of tale. An Alien lands and stickler describes all the sights and wonders to him. Actually, it a crow with a can on it's head, but that's the wonder of stickler, he is accepting.

Lovely artwork and stickler is truly an odd little thing. Kids who like odd things and nature will enjoy this book. Realists might not enjoy it so much. I think my nephew would have loved it back in the day. He loved odd little things.

[Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another winning book by Lane Smith! Stickler Loves the World is such a heartwarming story about finding pleasure in everyday surroundings that we oftentimes overlook. Stickler is a strange woodland creature with sticks for hair, big ears, and sharp looking teeth who delights in his surroundings and wants to share the beauty with a new stranger he meets by pointing out "the wonders of" the planet. It turns out that the stranger is his friend Crow who managed to get a can stuck on his head and could not see the wonders that Stickler points out, but is able to envision the world through Stickler's eyes.

[Terresa Wellborn · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The morning sun reaches through clouds. Shake hands, it says. Pleased to meet you!"

I have some news. I think Stickler might be my favorite storybook character ever. This book made me want to run out and hug the world and everything in it. Stickler, thank you for being you, and for being the closest storybook figure to "Elf" (yes, the one with Will Ferrell who plays the titular role), helping us rip the blinds (or erm, cans in the case of Stickler's friend, Crow, in the book) and see the world afresh: inviting, and "so amazing, so weird, so wonderful."

(Deep bow) Thank you, Lane Smith. (I'm a fan girl.)

Themes: friendship, humor
Ages:
Pub year: 2023

[Milton Public Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would love to have Stickler as a friend. Stickler is hilarious, loves the world around him, and is a good friend! This is a whimsical and sometimes weird, a great weird, book about appreciating the world around you with enthusiam and a grateful heart. Any kid or grown up will love this read.

Find it in our SHARE Catalog today!

Ashley C. / Milton Public Libarry #CheckOutMPL

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

A high energy picture book about the unusual forest creature Stickler who was first introduced in Lane Smith's A Gift for Nana. Stickler is a roundish brown creature with branch-like hair and eight eyes and loves everything about the forest. When Crow turns up with his head stuck in a can, Stickler thinks it's a space creature who can't see. Stickler wastes no time in describing the forest in detail. A good story to read before taking a nature walk.

"And just think of the wonders we must pass every day without even noticing."

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stickler is some sort of creature that lives in the forest. It is forever upbeat and optimistic. When it meets another "creature" with "three eyes", Stickler takes it on a tour to see all there is to see in the vast woodsland around them. However, the things Stickler points out are not all that out of the ordinary, to the average person that is. To Stickler, however, these small ordinary things are nothing short of fantastic and fully appreciated.

This book challenges me to slow down,stop, and take notice of things around me. There are many good examples of adjective use al well.

[Melki · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was once accused of being easily amused. Why that's a BAD THING to be, I don't know. So much that I see makes me wildly happy. I am constantly amazed at the wonders around me. The blue of the sky, the colors of the leaves, and even the skeletons of the trees in the winter when the leaves have fallen. They're GORGEOUS! You would not believe the sunrise I saw the other morning! It was SPECTACULAR!

Stickler is a creature after my own heart. He loves EVERYTHING about the world.

That's basically all there is as far as a story goes, but that was enough for easy-to-please little old me.

[Melanie Hetrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stickler, a thistle-like creature, loves sticks more than anything else. Wait...except maybe not more than many things Stickler goes on to list. Stickler gets the perfect opportunity to describe the glory all around him when he encounters a three-eyed creature who's language he doesn't understand. That is, until towards the end of their journey together, Stickler realizes that his new friend his actually Crow, his best friend, with a can stuck on his head!

Hilarious and recommended for storytime.

[Kim Bruce · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lane Smith’s “Stickler Loves the World” is a small, bright celebration of relentless optimism—equal parts laugh and warm nudge. Smith’s joyful, slightly absurd hero sees wonder everywhere, and the book’s art perfectly matches that buoyant, offbeat voice. An anecdote Smith shared about cheerfully pointing out “perfect” days until his 90-year-old mother-in-law threatened him with a cane captures exactly why I love his work: that stubborn, comic optimism is infectious. This one nudged Lane Smith up near the top of my favorite children’s authors and illustrators.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stickler loves everyone and everything. Readers see the world through his eyes as he explores the forest. His favorite thing is brown sticks; each one excites him. When he thinks he has met a new creature, he takes them on a tour to show them all the amazing things that can be seen. It turns out to be an old friend, and the friend thanked him for showing his passion. Great book to encourage looking for beauty in the world that surrounds us.

[Laura Harrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved Lane Smith's 2022 release, A Gift for Nana. Stickler (a woodland creature covered in sticks), is a character from that book. Stickler loves his world and finds joy in so many things that make up the natural world and more. The incredible art by Caldecott award winner, Lane Smith, were painted in oils, gesso and cold wax on canvas. Another amazing and original Smith offering. Definite must have for libraries, classrooms and picture book collections!

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I first read Stickler Loves the World, I found myself scratching my head and wondering what on earth I was reading. But then as I settled into the weirdness of it, I began to appreciate the message of taking delight in the small things we see/experience every day such as flowers, waves, wind, and stars. This would be a great book to start a writing activity to describe something you see/experience every day that you normally don't think much about.

[Molly Cluff (Library!) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this so funny--I think I am just like excitable Stickler whenever my family goes on national park vacations (that rock! WOW! That tree! Amazing!). Stickler finds a creature that he thinks is an alien and introduces him to everything in the world like they're seeing it for the first time (though it turns out the "alien" is just Crow with a can on his head). Lots of giggles and I loved Stickler's excitement over small wonders.