Books for Younger Readers (over 140 titles!)

(Board Books, Picture Books, Early Readers, Poetry Books, Novelty Books, Chapter Books)

 

Author, illustrator, letterer, character designer, colorist, storyboarder, logo designer—I have many roles as a children’s book creator. I am not just writing words and making pictures—I’m the inventor of the idea, the leader and champion for these books, and will do anything to see them through. Even though I have teams of editors, art directors and marketing people to help take the books to the next level with their expertise, I always have to be self-editing and working to make the final product—the book—better. The words have to be for the right age group and the humor can’t be too sarcastic or above the reading level. The characters have to be engaging, too. There are so many moving parts, but it is such a satisfying experience to make these types of books. I do what it takes, along with my team, to get the most traction for the book. We want all our titles to be home runs with our readers!

Overall, I have been involved with over 140 titles, as both illustrator and author/illustrator. Most have been with major publishers and others with smaller ones. I have collaborated, too, with some projects going to publication and some stopping just short. Many of our books have won awards and, sadly, several have gone out of print. I used to list them all on this website but you can easily do an online search for “Ethan Long Books” to find most of my titles, including reviews, descriptions and places to purchase copies.

New Releases!

Click on the covers to find out more!

Below are some select titles showing the creation-to-publication process. Enjoy!


Hoggy Went-A-Courtin’ and Hoggy At Bat (2022, 2023)

No one can catch Hoggy on the court. He’s the best at dribbling, shooting, and scoring. But Hoggy is not the best when it comes to helping his teammates. To them, Hoggy showboats, over-dribbles, and doesn’t pass the ball. 


When Hoggy’s fed-up friends ask him to leave the game, Hoggy is faced with a big decision. Will he stay angry, or will he apologize and be a better teammate? 


Ethan Long’s expressive, slapstick-style art shines in this story about teamwork, cooperation, and friendship—great for early comics and social emotion learning collections.

When baseball-newbie Hoggy can’t get his head in the game, he learns that having fun is the way to win in this early reader comic.

Now that this former ball hog has learned to be a team player, Hoggy’s friends think he’s a real catch. But Hoggy feels more at home on the basketball court than he does on the baseball diamond. He wants to hit the ball so flawlessly that it soars over the fence. Instead, it’s a swing and a miss. When Hoggy strikes out, the pressure is on.

Can he learn to relax and enjoy a fun game with his friends? Or will the pressure to win keep him from stepping up to the plate?

Both of these Early Readers are Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selections!

Publisher: Holiday House, Editor: Mary Cash, Art Director: Kerry Martin

 
 

The Happy County Series (2020-2021)

Hello, World!: Book 1—From award-winning creator Ethan Long comes a vibrant, 48-page graphic picture book series for preschoolers set in a Richard Scarry-inspired world. In Hello, World!, the first book in the series, everyone is bustling about town in Happy County: from the Bright Brothers to Hannah the Handywoman, to Tina Tusker and Dottie the Dog Walker, and many more lovable characters!

Sun and Moon Together: Book 2—Welcome to another busy day in Happy County! The Sun is out and shining down on lots of friends. Grammy Tammy from Miami is doing grimey, slimey laundry. Sssonny Sssnakerton wants to grow sssunflowers. And when the Sun says goodbye for the day, the Moon pops up for a new set of adventures. Now Molly and her mom can make moon shadows and howl night noises.

Cars, Signs, and Porcupines: Book 3—Rise and shine for another bustling day in Happy County! The roads are filled with people in vehicles traveling through town. There are cars, trucks, buses, bicycles, and lots of signs to decipher on the road.

From Season To Season: Book 4—Adventure awaits in another exciting trip through Happy County―where each new season packs plenty of surprises! Farmer Dell rides his tractor through the crops all summer long; Jimmy and Sammy search for Grammy Tammy in the autumn corn maze; Dolly and Molly build an igloo with the fresh winter snow; and Miss Humdiddy’s flower garden buzzes with pollination when spring arrives.

Publisher: Holt Macmillan, Editor: Christy Ottaviano, Art Director: Sharismar Rodriguez

 
 

Fright Club, Valensteins & Fangsgiving (2015-2018)

Fright Club—Each year, on Halloween eve, Fright Club meets to go over their plan: Operation Kiddie Scare. Only the scariest of monsters can join Fright Club--Vladimir the Vampire, Fran K. Stein, Sandy Witch, and Virginia Wolf have all made the cut. They've been practicing their ghoulish faces, their scary moves, and their chilling sounds. But when a band of cute little critters comes along asking to join in the fun, the members of Fright Club will find out who really is the scariest of all!

Valensteins—Something strange is in the air on this dark, cold night. The members of Fright Club are always ready to scare, but tonight Fran K. Stein has something else on his mind. He's busy making something, and the other monsters want to know what it is. Could it be a mask with fangs? A big pink nose? Or maybe a paper butt? No . . . it's a Valentine! That means one thing . . . EEEEK!! Is Fran in love? What could be scarier than falling in love?!?

It's the fourth Thursday of November, and the members of Fright Club are cooking up something spooky . . . a Thanksgiving feast! But when Vlad's family arrives unexpectedly, they put their own spin on each of the dishes. Now, the rolls are as hard as headstones and the turkey has been cooked to death. Vlad loves his family, but they've made a mess of their meal! Can this monster-filled family come together to save their feast and celebrate what the holiday is truly about?

Publisher: Bloomsbury Children’s Books, Editor: Mary Kate Castellani, Art Director: Donna Mark

This book trailer was fully created, animated, produced and directed by Ethan Long

 
 

Give Me Back My Book! (2017)

This book is full of wonderful WORDS and beautiful PICTURES! And it's EXCITING! And it's FUNNY! It might be the BEST BOOK EVER—if we could decide whose book it is. Redd and Bloo explore the way a book is made and accidentally build a friendship, too, in this tale told only in dialogue. Travis Foster and Ethan Long offer a hilarious story about the joy of reading, which brings people together in unexpected ways, proving that each book truly belongs to . . . the people who love it.

Note: The concept for this picture book was that one illustrator draw one character and another illustrator draw the other. Travis Foster drew Redd and all of his lettering/dialogue and Ethan drew Bloo and all his Dialogue/lettering. Travis also drew the Book Worm character. Ethan wrote the story and did the design. It was a true collaboration. Visit Travis at travisfoster.com.

Publisher: Chronicle Books, Editor: Melissa Manlove, Art Director: Kristine Brogno

An early version of Bloo and Redd.

Sketches created by Travis Foster

Photos courtesy of Chronicle Books

A spot in Entertainment Weekly!

Travis Foster and Ethan Long presenting Give Me Back My Book! at the National Book Festival, Washington DC, September 2nd, 2017

Spanish edition

French Edition

My son, Carson, in February 2024, reading Rends-moi mon livre! to his college French study group.

 

Also from Travis Foster and Ethan Long:

Take care, GRIZZLY BEAR! Stay loose, MOOSE! Buh-bye, BUTTERFLY! Join Miles and Spike as they take a hike...and a few provisions, as well, much to the vexation of their fellow forest creatures. Travis Foster and Ethan Long offer a hilarious picture book full of silly rhymes, outdoor adventures, and learning how to get along with others.

 
 

Chamelia (2011)

Meet Chamelia, the irrepressible chameleon who doesn't like to blend in—for fans of spirited characters like Olivia and Fancy Nancy!
Most chameleons are famous for their amazing camouflage skills and prefer to fit in, but Chamelia the chameleon prefers to stand out. She just loves being the center of attention. But when standing out means being left out, can Chamelia learn to share the spotlight?
Ethan Long's zippy text and playful collages using high-fashion fabric patterns and textures to create a bright, friendly tale just right for young kids developing interpersonal skills in social settings.

Fabric rights granted by Alexander Henry Fabrics, Inc.

Promotional material

The series was optioned by Technicolor and we developed a pitch for the series, including this animated sneak peek!

We even had a sample plush doll made!

Soft Goods Designer & Prototype Engineer: Seth Abrams

We got so close a few times with deals from Nick UK and other companies, but alas, sometimes these things take time. After interest started dying down, Steven Wendland (formerly of Technicolor) decided to purchase the rights from Technicolor and now we are in a partnership to find a home for it. Steven is closing in on a few offers, but time will tell how this plays out. We still believe in Chamelia! Keep your fingers crossed! P.S. There was a book sequel!

 

Up! Tall! and Hi! (2012)

2013 Recipient of the Theodor Seuss Geisel Award!

In three laugh-out-loud situations, an irresistible cast of colorful birds illustrate the concepts of "up," "tall" and "high." First, a short peacock proves that he may not be tall, but he definitely isn't small. Then, a resourceful bird helps his penguin friend find a way to fly. Finally, two birds want to live in the same tree, but what goes up must come down! Each short story features a flap that reveals a surprise twist.

With fun fold-outs, easy-to-read text, and a hilarious cast of characters, these stories beg preschoolers and emerging readers to act them out again and again.

Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, Editor: Tim Travaglini/Ari Lewin, Art Director: Cecilia Yung

Did you know there was a follow-up book to Up! Tall! and Hi! ?

Watch the trailer below!

This book trailer was fully created, animated, produced and directed by Ethan Long

Some other books you might recognize:

Search “Ethan Long Books” online to find all my titles (or most of them!)