Nikki McClure’s new picture book uses papercut art to explore childhood, parenthood, and the Pacific Northwest landscape. The Children’s Book Review hosts a virtual awareness tour and a giveaway tied to the release from Norton Young Readers.
The book is a 48-page picture book for ages 4–8, published by Norton Young Readers in 2026, pairing McClure’s papercut illustrations with themes of home, nature, and family.
The Children’s Book Review ran an Awareness Tour with multiple partner sites and scheduled posts, and offered a paperback giveaway of the hardcover edition.
Kirkus gave the book a starred review, describing it as a quiet meditation with signature cut-paper imagery in blues and greens.
# What the book is
A Forest, A Family, A Harbor, A Home is a picture book created by Nikki McClure, published in 2026 by Norton Young Readers. It runs 48 pages and targets readers ages 4–8. The publisher describes the book as a handcrafted, nature-rooted meditation on home, the experience of child- and parenthood, and the small discoveries that make a place feel intimate.
# Visual and thematic approach
McClure uses papercut illustrations as the primary visual language. Reviews highlighted by the tour note her "signature cut-paper illustrations" that combine bold silhouettes with luminous washes of blue and green to form detailed scenescapes. The art focuses on everyday moments: childhood play, family interaction, exploration of outdoor spaces, and quiet observation. The result is presented as contemplative and suitable for repeated sharing and lingering over.
# Publisher, format, and availability
The book is published by Norton Young Readers (ISBN-13: 978-1324125105). Retail links included in the tour point to common outlets such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Bookshop.org. The tour offered a chance to win a hardcover copy through The Children's Book Review's giveaway.
# Nikki McClure — background relevant to this title
McClure is a papercut artist and children's book creator based in Olympia, Washington. Her past work includes titles such as Old Wood Boat (a Washington State Book Awards finalist) and Rachel Carson's About the Sky, which was a New York Times Best Illustrated Book. The tour directs readers to McClure's website (nikkimcclure.com) and her Instagram for more of her work and updates.
# Tour and partner coverage
Readers. The tour schedule listed daily and weekly stops on book blogs, Instagram accounts, YouTube channels, and reviewer sites between September 28 and October 23, 2026. Participating stops included Get Outside And Read, MaryLanniReads (YouTube), Glass of Wine, Glass of Milk, Crafty Moms Share, Cover Lover Book Review, and multiple Instagram features among others. The tour included two planned Q&A/author interview dates with Nikki McClure and another Q&A by Deborah Kalb.
# Critical reception excerpt
Kirkus Reviews (starred) is quoted in the tour copy calling the book "a quiet meditation on home, memory, and the places that shape us," and praising McClure's cut-paper technique and evocative use of color.
# Who will appreciate this book
Parents, teachers, and caregivers seeking picture books that center nature, family rhythms, and contemplative visuals will find this suited to read-aloud moments and quiet looking. Fans of papercut illustration or of McClure's previous titles will recognize her artistic approach and thematic concerns.
# Practical next steps
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