Books by Hilary Horder Hippely
I Know How to Draw an Owl
I KNOW HOW TO DRAW AN OWL is the story of a girl and her mother, living in their car, watched over by an owl.
“Hilary Horder Hippely’s soulful text pairs with Matt James’s atmospheric illustrations in a book all too relevant to the realities of many families. Neither flinching nor sensationalizing, I Know How to Draw an Owl is a deeply empathetic and age-appropriate portrayal of a family experiencing housing insecurity.” Penguin Random House
Winner of the 2025 Charlotte Zolotow Award for Outstanding Picture Book Text
“A visually compelling, compassionate look at an often-misunderstood situation.” - Kirkus Reviews
Neal Porter Books / Holiday House
By Hilary Horder Hippely
Illustrated by Matt James
Ballad of the Broom
June 2024
It’s the early 1900’s in the San Juan Islands, and a young girl unknowingly readies an old homestead cabin just in time to welcome a man jettisoned by smugglers.
Winner of the 2024 SCBWI Spark Award for excellence in independent publishing for children in the picture book category!
“A charming tale that weaves together history, serene illustrations, and a pleasing rhyme scheme” - Kirkus Reviews
By Hilary Horder Hippely
Illustrated by Hillary Moore
Adventure on
Klickitat Island
1998 Dutton Children's Books
2000 Paperback, Picture Puffins
1999 United Kingdom Rights
2000 Korean Rights
Teamwork saves the forest animals in this gentle story. There's a big storm raging, and the animals of Klickitat Island are left standing out in the open, a sad and bedraggled bunch. But help is on the way, for when a little boy and his teddy bear hear a cry of distress, they quickly take a boat out to the island to see what's the matter. Told in charming verse, this amusing story by Hilary Horder Hippely is a gently humorous tale of bravery, the power of teamwork, and the importance of sharing. Under the little boy's direction, each animal has a role to play in this communal effort: building a "Klickitat fort" that will keep them all snug and dry.
A Song for Lena
1996 Simon & Schuster
American Booksellers 1996 "Pick-of-the-List"
2011 Paperback, Simon & Schuster
As Lena helps make apple strudel, her Grandmother tells her a story about her childhood in Hungary. One day, she and a friend are approached by a wandering beggar. They race to the house, frightened, but Mother decides that the man should have some of their just-made strudel. He repays their kindness by playing sweet, sad music on his violin. Each year he returns, has his piece of strudel, and plays, until finally one season the harvest comes, but the beggar does not. Father says that "Perhaps our friend isn't hungry anymore." He tells the children to listen closely, and they hear the wanderer's music in the sounds of the country night. A recipe for strudel is included.
Rain or Shine
Xlibris, An Open Adoption Story, 2006
Finn has a happy life with his mother and father. Every summer he looks forward to the birthday celebration that will reunite him with his rich extended family, particularly his birthmother, Lisa. But when clouds threaten, Finn wonders how his much-loved birthday traditions can continue.
The Crimson Ribbon
1994 G. P. Putnam's Sons
A winter fantasy with a hint of magic and a wisp of whimsy. To cure her child's doldrums, Nell's mother takes her up to the attic and shows her a box of ribbons given to her years before by her maiden aunts. The satin streamers feed Nell's imagination, taking her across the street to an empty house that fancifully becomes filled with warmth and light, and is suddenly occupied by two elderly women who invite Nell for tea. Coming back to reality, the girl finds her hair tied back with a crimson ribbon that is "a little damp from the snow." This title will keep readers wondering what's real and what's not.