Drew Beckmeyer received a Caldecott Honor for his picture book Stalactite & Stalagmite. He is an author-illustrator and schoolteacher based in Los Angeles. He is the author-illustrator of I Am a Tornado, The First Week of School, Stalactite & Stalagmite, and The Long Island, which was longlisted for the Klaus Flugge Prize, and the illustrator of Dear Wild Child. Visit him online at DrewBeckmeyer.com.
Drew Beckmeyer received a Caldecott Honor for his picture book Stalactite & Stalagmite. He is an author-illustrator and schoolteacher based in Los Angeles. He is the author-illustrator of I Am a Tornado, The First Week of School, Stalactite & Stalagmite, and The Long Island, which was longlisted for the Klaus Flugge Prize, and the illustrator of Dear Wild Child. Visit him online at DrewBeckmeyer.com.
“There are very few picture books capable of being both kid-friendly and life-changing to read, and this is one of them. Stalactite & Stalagmite changed my life. It made me laugh, feel, and think for weeks on end. It’s a book that’s for kids and also their grown-ups with gorgeous art for both to appreciate. No one else but Drew could have spun this highly original, funny, and profound tale about two anthropomorphic cave nubs. It’s a universal and timeless story in so many senses of the word.”
—Kristie C., Associate Editor, on Stalactite & Stalagmite
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*A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year*
*A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year*
*A March/April 2025 Indie Next Pick*
*JLG Gold Selection*
★ "The nubs have expressive faces, and the mixed-media artwork lends a comic quality to the wonderfully tactile, collagelike spreads. . . Beckmeyer has a gift for conveying heady doses of science with whimsy and humor; his wildly original tale is a poignant friendship tale, a master class in storytelling, and probing philosophy perfectly pitched to a young audience. Both gloriously expansive and goofy—in short, everything young readers could ask for."
– Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW
★ "Two charming anthropomorphic nubs of cave rock take center stage in [a] superbly funny and profound introduction to the history of the world thus far. . . an affecting, thought-provoking exchange in a book filled with opportunities for readers to ponder the wonder and beauty of our world—and the loveliness of having a trusted companion through it all."
– Bookpage, STARRED REVIEW
★ "Spirituality and valuable STEM lessons in a genuinely sweet and funny package? Yes, please, to this essential purchase."
– School Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW
★ "Loosely drawn and collaged multimedia spreads carry a light-hearted goofiness that chimes with the characters’ offhand view of earth-shattering events. . . The premise of a bond that lasts eras and epochs poses all kinds of possibilities, here pursued with wit, curiosity, and sparky energy."
– Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW
"A playfully inventive and quietly profound look at time, friendship, and change. . . Beckmeyer's richly textured, mixed-media spreads bring warmth and depth to this dynamic world. With just two eyes and a mouth, the formations feel full of personality--patient witnesses to the slow, wondrous passage of time. . . Stalactite and Stalagmite turns deep time into something poignant and full of wonder--perfect for sparking curiosity about the vastness of history and the quiet magic of slow, inevitable change."
– Shelf Awareness
"Through the eyes of two charming and goofy cave formations, this witty earth science picture book imparts a wealth of information stealthily cloaked in wonderfully droll humor."
– Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
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