Skip to content

A WALK IN THE WORDS

Hudson Talbott

Hudson Talbott's inspiring story vividly reveals the challenges--and ultimately the rewards--of being a non-mainstream kind of learner.
When Hudson Talbott was a little boy, he loved drawing, and it came naturally to him. But reading? No way! One at a time, words weren't a problem, but long sentences were a struggle. As his friends moved on to thicker books, he kept his slow reading a secret. But that got harder every year. He felt alone, lost, and afraid in a world of too many words.

Fortunately, his love of stories wouldn't let him give up. He started giving himself permission to read at his own pace, using the words he knew as stepping-stones to help draw him into a story. And he found he wasn't so alone--in fact, lots of brilliant people were slow readers, too. Learning to accept the fact that everyone does things in their own unique way, and that was okay, freed him up and ultimately helped Hudson thrive and become the fabulous storyteller he is today.

Hudson Talbott also wrote and illustrated Picturing America, River of Dreams, From Wolf to Woof, United Tweets of America, and It's All About Me-ow, and has illustrated numerous picture books, including Newbery Honor winner Show Way (by Jacqueline Woodson) and Leonardo's Horse (by Jean Fritz), an ALA Notable and VOYA Honor Book. He lives in the Hudson Valley of New York and New York City.
Available products
Book

Published 2021-09-14 by Nancy Paulsen Books

Book

Published 2021-09-14 by Nancy Paulsen Books

Comments

...a picture book that will help other 'slow readers' feel seen and, refreshingly, celebrated.

Talbott excels at evincing concepts visually, and this talent is in evidence here as his protagonist first struggles then gains mastery, surfing confidently down a wave of words. Patience and curiosity (along with some fierce determination) can unlock incredible stories. A striking visual representation of how the label "bad reader" can feel.

A WALK IN THE WORDS receives a Schneider Family Honor Book Award for Best Book for Young Children A 2023 IBBY Outstanding Book for Young People with Disabilities

An encouraging picture book for those who struggle with reading.

Chinese (compl.): Taosheng ; Chinese Simplified: Fuzhou Paradise ; Korean: Garamchild

A beautifully rendered and deeply inspiring book for everyone who has ever read slowly--myself included! Hudson shows us the beauty and magic that can come from taking our time. Brilliant.

Emphasizing sheer persistence as the way through, this is a personal, visually arresting read for those who may find themselves learning at a different pace.

With a directness similar to Jordan Scott's I Talk Like a River, this story addresses the stigma surrounding dyslexia... Leavened with humor, charm, and a child's self-empowerment, this is an important book both for struggling readers and for classmates who need to cultivate a dose of empathy.

...[a] fast-paced, highly visual autobiographical tale.