Illustrated by Stephanie Graegin

On Sale: Sep 8, 2026
Page Count: 704 pages
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
ISBN-13: 9780316602808

$28.00

Format

Trade Paperback

Format:

Trade Paperback $28.00

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Courage, kindness, and adventure abound in the first four books of this charming, illustrated chapter book series! Journey to the cozy Heartwood Hotel with Mona the Mouse and her fellow woodland friends in these sweet and classic forest stories, perfect for fans of Beatrix Potter and Frog and Toad.

★A True Home: Follow Mona the Mouse as she explores the enchanted Heartwood Hotel for the first time in this sweet series opener set in fall.
★The Greatest Gift: Follow Mona and her best friend Tilly the squirrel as they investigate the case of the missing food stashes in this cozy story set in winter.
★Better Together: Join Mona as she hosts the Heartwood’s spring splash, in this charming story set in spring.
★Home Again: Journey with Mona as she tries to save Fernwood Forest amidst a wildfire, in this thrilling story set in summer.

With four heartfelt stories of friendship and found family, this series is perfect for early readers, animal lovers, and adventurers alike!

Don’t miss more adventures at the Heartwood Hotel!
A True Home (#1)
The Greatest Gift (#2)
Better Together (#3)
Home Again (#4)
Family Forever (#5)
A Brave Beginning (#6)

Genre:

Series:

Heartwood Hotel

Kallie George is the author of the Heartwood Hotel series and the Magical Animal Adoption Agency series as well as other books. She works as an author and editor on the Sunshine Coast, Canada, and she holds a master's in children's literature from the University of British Columbia. In addition to writing and editing, Kallie is a speaker and leads workshops for aspiring writers. She happened across the Heartwood Hotel on a hike with her husband and wishes she were a mouse like Mona so she could stay there, too. She invites you to visit her online at kalliegeorge.com.

Stephanie Graegin was born during a blizzard on Groundhog Day in Chicago, Illinois. Stephanie spent her childhood drawing and collecting fauna in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and Houston, Texas. She received her BFA in Fine Arts from the Maryland Institute College of Art and later attended Pratt Institute obtaining a Master of Fine Arts in Printmaking. Stephanie now lives in Brooklyn, is still drawing, and has managed to keep her collection down to one orange cat. She invites you to visit her online at www.graegin.com.

Praise for the Heartwood Hotel series:

"[A] warm, winning tale."―Kirkus

"Easy to love."―Booklist

“Charming and imaginative, and full of endearing characters who excel at kindness as only animals can. With stories that highlights the power of friendship, the Heartwood Hotel is sure to leave readers eager to visit again.” ―Ashley Spires, author and illustrator of The Most Magnificent Thing

“If there’s one thing...Kallie George knows, it’s how to create a tale full of whimsy.” ―Quill & Quire

"Settle in a cozy chair and pass the cheese crumble! Mona’s adventures…will pull at your heartstrings as well as your funny bone.”―Cyndi Marko, author and illustrator of the Kung Pow Chicken series

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Kallie George

About the Author

Kallie George is the author of the Heartwood Hotel series and the Magical Animal Adoption Agency series as well as other books. She works as an author and editor on the Sunshine Coast, Canada, and she holds a master’s in children’s literature from the University of British Columbia. In addition to writing and editing, Kallie is a speaker and leads workshops for aspiring writers. She happened across the Heartwood Hotel on a hike with her husband and wishes she were a mouse like Mona so she could stay there, too. She invites you to visit her online at kalliegeorge.com.

Stephanie Graegin was born during a blizzard on Groundhog Day in Chicago, Illinois. Stephanie spent her childhood drawing and collecting fauna in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and Houston, Texas. She received her BFA in Fine Arts from the Maryland Institute College of Art and later attended Pratt Institute obtaining a Master of Fine Arts in Printmaking. Stephanie now lives in Brooklyn, is still drawing, and has managed to keep her collection down to one orange cat. She invites you to visit her online at http://www.graegin.com.

Learn more about this author

Stephanie Graegin

About the Illustrator

Patricia Maclachlan is the author of many beloved children’s books, including Sarah, Plain and Tall, which won the Newbery Medal in 1986, several other bestselling books in the Sarah series, and picture books including All the Places to Love, What You Know First, Your Moon, My Moon, and Before You Came, co-authored with her daughter. A board member of the National Children’s Book and Literacy Alliance, she lives with her husband in Massachusetts. They have five grandchildren-all of whom are firsts in her heart.

Stephanie Graegin is the illustrator of Don’t Feed the Baby, Water in the Park, Happy Birthday, Bunny! and several other books. She studied fine arts at the Maryland Institute College of Art, and went on to attend the Pratt Institute, where she received a master of fine arts in printmaking. She lives in Brooklyn, New York. You can visit her online at http://www.graegin.com.

Learn more about this illustrator