FROM THE ILLUSTRATOR OF THE AWARD-WINNING "NICHOLAS" SERIESA NEW PICTURE BOOK ABOUT MARTIN WHO BLUSHES, RODDY WHO SNEEZES ANDLIFE-LONG FRIENDSHIP. MARTIN PEBBLE is the delightful story of a little boy who blushes all thetime for no particular reason. Written and illustrated by the New Yorkercover artist Jean-Jacques Semp+-, MARTIN PEBBLE is now available in Englishfor the first time for an American audience.He is also the illustrator ofNicholas (Phaidon, 2005), the recent winner of the 2006 ALSC's Mildred L.Batchelder Honor Award for an outstanding children's book originallypublished in a foreign language.MARTIN PEBBLE is a timeless, touching and humorous book that brings to lifethe adventures of a little boy who blushes a lot, and who is happiest inthe summer, when everyone else has a red face too.He sets out to find areason for his strange affliction, and finds a friend instead - RoddyRackett, who keeps on sneezing, even when he doesn't have a cold.One day, his new best friend moves away and Martin Pebble is very sad.Hegoes on to make other friends, but doesn't have the same bond with any ofthem as he did with Roddy Rackett - the kind of friendship where you playgames and make jokes and never feel bored.Years pass and Martin grows up,and moves to the big city.One day they meet again, on a crowded bus, andthere's a lot of catching up to do.Soon they realize that some thingsnever change: Martin still blushes, Roddy still sneezes, and the two ofthem are still the best of friends.A French classic since 1969, MARTIN PEBBLE is now available in English forthe first time, in a translation by the award-winning translator AntheaBell.Illustrated with Jean-Jacques Sempe's colorful drawings, it theperfect gift for any child who has ever felt that they were a little bitdifferent and found a best friend that makes them, even for a little while,feel better.MARTIN PEBBLE will make the perfect holiday gift and is sureto become an instant classic.