When Lulu the cat asks to join Mrs. Badger on her weekly solo hike up to Sugarloaf Peak, she learns a lot from the more experienced hiker, and not just about hiking. Detailed illustrations offer an even bigger picture of all that’s going on in Mrs. Badger’s world while the wry, understated text leaves room for the child’s mind to figure out all that’s happening by linking the words to the pictures. Like Lulu, readers and listeners will see the small acts of kindness that define how Mrs. Badger lives her life. Animals who should be enemies/ predators make quiet, conscious choices here to co-exist. The friendship that develops between Mrs. Badger and Lulu is depicted by showing, not telling. The same goes for Mrs. Badger’s aging process and inevitable death (keep your eye on the vulture) in this gentle storybook that doesn’t sugarcoat its message but is comforting nonetheless. (Ages 3–7)

Every Sunday, Mrs. Badger, who is quite old, walks up the mountain path to the peak. One Sunday she meets a cat, Lulu, who joins her. Mrs. Badger teaches Lulu about walking up the path carefully, introduces Lulu to other animals along the way, and they enjoy the view from the peak. They make the trek together on subsequent Sundays, until Mrs. Badger is unable to continue making the hikes. Lulu continues to enjoy the pleasures of the path and remembers what Mrs. Badger taught her about nature, and eventually a rabbit joins Lulu to continue the outdoor ritual.

Publishers Weekly, Best Picture Books 2018, 2018 USBBY Outstanding International Books, Bank Street Best Children's Books for 2019 (Outstanding Merit), Kirkus Best Books of 2018.

Author/illustrator lives in Montreal, Quebec.

France. Originally published in France as Le chamin de la montagne by Éditions Album in 2017. Published in the United States by Princeton Architectural Press in 2018.

Mrs. Badger, an avid collector and naturalist, takes a weekly journey up to Sugarloaf Peak, greeting her friends on the way and sharing her discoveries with them. One day she meets Lulu, a very small cat, who wants to go with her to the top of the mountain. On the way, Lulu learns to take care of the natural world, help those in need, and listen to her intuition. Rich in wisdom and beautifully illustrated, Up the Mountain Path offers a profound story full of lessons about love, generosity, and following one's heart.