  | Stubby : a pencil's journey Author: Mallery, Sydra | |
| Price: $23.98 | ||
Summary:
Before working hard in the classroom and being sharpened down to a stub, Stubby was a towering cedar tree in a forest far away. It hasn't been easy for poor Stubby--he's been sliced and chewed, made friends and lost them, and even spent three dusty days on the floor before being scooped up by the right hands. Stubby describes each step of his journey from tree to pencil to writer from his own point of view.
| Illustrator: | Hare, John |
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews (04/15/26)
School Library Journal (04/01/26)
Full Text Reviews:
School Library Journal - 04/01/2026 Gr 1–3—Stubby's journey begins as a giant cedar tree in the forest, feeding berries to bunnies and mice, and serving as a home for birds and bugs. Though he is big, his world is small as he never gets to go anywhere, until one day he is harvested, and his journey to become a pencil begins. Readers are led step by step through the process of becoming a pencil; first at the pencil factory, with details including the addition of his eraser before he and his nine new friends in his box go to a store and wait to be chosen. Stubby's name on his pencil, his toothy grin (with two teeth) and big eyes give him personality. Stubby tries to look as yellow and useful as possible, and he gets chosen by the sparkly unicorn nail polished–clad hands of Barbara Ann Brown, and his life commences at school and the classroom. Stubby's adventures continue as he falls under the desk, and various students pick him up, using him in some unfortunate ways, and sharpening him so much he worries he will disappear. One day he is "found," seen for who he really is, given his name, and is finally understood. Hare's full-color, cartoonlike illustrations with facial expressions give Stubby a personality readers will root for. Sequential art panels add a graphic novel component that young comic fans will enjoy. VERDICT As Stubby's life comes full circle, from his start in the pencil factory to becoming the author of the book. Readers will appreciate his trials and tribulations and may just treat their own pencils with a little more care.—Michele Shaw - Copyright 2026 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.
Publishers Weekly - 04/27/2026 Part imagined autobiography, part how-things-work documentary, Mallery and Hare’s quirky picture book presents the life story of an anthropomorphic pencil. Stubby, the account’s well-worn graphite-filled narrator, recounts its odyssey from its origins as a giant cedar ("a home for birds and bugs") to its jarring machine harvest and trip through the timber yard and pencil factory and into the hands of a classroom’s denizens. Though most of Stubby’s initial keepers are careless ("I rolled under Felix Johnson’s desk./ I stayed there for three days"), the pencil finds a forever home with a creative student who plays a significant role in Stubby’s story. Hand-drawn pencil and digitally colored artwork alternates spot art, panels, and full spreads, highlighting Stubby’s expressive eyes and deprecating humor. Facing firsts large and small, the familiar writing implement shares comedic insights into next steps for young pencil-pushers. Ages 4-8. (June) - Copyright 2026 Publishers Weekly used with permission.
