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About The Book

In the spirit of All Are Welcome, this gentle picture book about being yourself and inspiring change in others follows sweet, plucky Linus who doesn’t fit into the rigid confines of his straitlaced world—and learns that that’s okay.

Linus is trying his very best to stay in line, but everyone in Linneopolis is bent out of shape because he isn’t square enough for them. When he’s sent to an overnight camp to straighten out and build some character, Linus decides he’s had enough. He’s going to run away and find shapes that aren’t so set in their ways.

But what happens when he starts to miss home? Can he convince the population of Linneopolis to open up instead of shutting down? Or are they too boxed in to hear him out?

About The Author

Photograph by Clifford Hamilton

Stuart Hausmann is an award-winning artist and illustrator living and working in Dallas, Texas. He studied at the Savannah College of Art and Design and went on to earn his BFA with honors from the University of Texas at Arlington. His work has been showcased throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex and was featured in Craighead Green Gallery’s New Texas Talent exhibition. He is a winner of the Dallas Arts District’s Year on the Plaza Art Competition for his mural across from the Meyerson Symphony Center and was honored with Dallas Voice’s Best Local Artist award. When he’s not at his easel, Stuart can be found playing and watching basketball, eating tacos, or dancing with his partner at the local cowboy saloon. You can visit Stuart at StuartHausmann.com.

About The Illustrator

Photograph by Clifford Hamilton

Stuart Hausmann is an award-winning artist and illustrator living and working in Dallas, Texas. He studied at the Savannah College of Art and Design and went on to earn his BFA with honors from the University of Texas at Arlington. His work has been showcased throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex and was featured in Craighead Green Gallery’s New Texas Talent exhibition. He is a winner of the Dallas Arts District’s Year on the Plaza Art Competition for his mural across from the Meyerson Symphony Center and was honored with Dallas Voice’s Best Local Artist award. When he’s not at his easel, Stuart can be found playing and watching basketball, eating tacos, or dancing with his partner at the local cowboy saloon. You can visit Stuart at StuartHausmann.com.

Product Details

  • Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers (February 21, 2023)
  • Length: 40 pages
  • ISBN13: 9781665900317
  • Grades: P - 3
  • Ages: 4 - 8
  • Lexile ® AD530L The Lexile reading levels have been certified by the Lexile developer, MetaMetrics®

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Raves and Reviews

"The success here is in the digital illustrations, with geometric shapes, shifting palettes, and varying compositions...for all of their angular similarity, the citizens of Linneopolis convey a surprising range of emotions with just their wide eyes and some well-suited apparel, while the shapes Linus finds on his journey have both structure and whimsy."

– BCCB

"The striking art helps to carry the simple story and will encourage young readers to be themselves, accept differences, and see themselves in the shoes (or tiny stick legs) of the rectangular hero."

– Kirkus

"Extravagant shapes and saturated colors gradually seep in artful ways into the drab, geometric settings on the way to a final view of loudly patterned hot-air balloons hovering over a bridge that connects the two countries and is built of both curves and straight lines...these digitally created pictures more than reward readers their close examination."

– Booklist

"Extravagant shapes and saturated colors gradually seep in artful ways into the drab, geometric settings on the way to a final view of loudly patterned hot-air balloons hovering over a bridge that connects the two countries and is built of both curves and straight lines...these digitally created pictures more than reward readers their close examination."

– Booklist

Awards and Honors

  • Kansas NEA Reading Circle List Top Pick

Resources and Downloads

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