The Imaginaries by Emily Winfield Martin (Middle-grade)

This unique book for tweens leaves stories for the imagination on every illustrated page. Emily Winfield Martin describes her paintings as “illustrations for stories that didn’t exist.” In The Imaginaries, she has collected her paintings throughout the years and united them with short, poetic thoughts. Her beautiful artwork is simply elegant with an old-fashioned quality. Her unique, imaginative style is reminiscent of Henri Rousseau’s colorful and magical paintings. You can’t look at her illustrations without your mind wandering to the secret stories.