Penelope Pine is a delightful story that teaches young readers to be happy with who they are! Penelope is a pine tree. She lives in the forest with oaks, poplars, and maples, and enjoys playing with her tree friends. But when autumn rolls around and her friends turn beautiful colors, Penelope the evergreen believes that she doesn’t measure up. But when winter comes and her friends are suddenly very cold, without their leaves, Penelope learns that she is perfect just the way she is.

The story was crafted by the daughter and father team of Amelia and Evan Balkan. Amelia, 16, is a junior at Towson High School, in Towson, Maryland. Her father, Evan, has published seven books of nonfiction and three novels, as well as many essays and short stories. His screenplays have won numerous awards. He teaches writing at the Community College of Baltimore County and Johns Hopkins University. Penelope Pine is illustrated by talented, young Romanian artist, Alexandra Maxim, who lives and works in the Canary Islands in Spain.