Happy Pub Day to Katie Risor’s Welcome to the Forest: The Lake Trip!
I’m happy to celebrate the publication of Welcome to the Forest: The Lake Trip by Katie Risor, out today from Andrews McMeel Publishing. This early reader graphic novel is perfect for readers who love the gentle worlds of Studio Ghibli, cozy comics, and collectible characters in the spirit of Brambly Hedge and Calico Critters.
At a Glance
- Format: Paper over board graphic novel
- Age Level: Ages 6–8 (Grades 1–3)
- Page Count: 80 pages
- Genre: Early reader cozy fantasy graphic novel
- Foreign Rights: Available via Andrews McMeel
- Film/TV Rights: Available via Janna Co.
- Merch/Commercial Rights: Available via Janna Co.
- Best for Readers Who Like: classic Mercer Mayer, Brambly Hedge, and Calico Critters
In The Lake Trip, the second book in the Welcome to the Forest series, Mossman, Wallace, and their friends set off on a lakeside adventure. When Fiona’s friend Sue Ellen invites the gang to visit Lake Sunny Splash, they take a road trip to a brand-new place, survive a surprising fishing trip, and celebrate summer with an island picnic. The book closes with a fun nonfiction fact sheet about lakes and their natural wonders.
The Lake Trip combines the appeal of its quirky forest characters with a warm story about friendship and trying new things, making it especially appealing for emerging readers, English-language learners, and classroom and library shelves.
Sample Pages
What Makes It Special
- An early reader graphic novel for Grades 1–3 (ages 6–8) in a fast-growing category, built for accessibility with a dyslexia-friendly font, simple dialogue, and sight words for beginning readers and ESL learners.
- Katie Risor’s hand-painted gouache and colored-pencil art gives the series a distinctive, cozy look, with funny, expressive characters readers want to return to.
- This is Book #2 in the Welcome to the Forest series, building a recognizable cast and a returnable world across installments.
- A character-driven, episodic premise with clear potential for translation, licensing, and merchandising.
Early Praise
- “Risor’s soft artwork, in gouache and colored pencil, nicely carries the episodic stories … gentle fantasy forest creatures with rounded shapes and expressive faces … the warm palette will appeal to kids.” – Booklist, on the series
For rights inquiries, please contact me at janna@jannaco.co.
