Isaac and Pearl are siblings. Isaac and Pearl are cats. Other than that, they don’t have much in common.
For Isaac, life can be overwhelming. Sometimes it’s hard for him to find his voice, especially when Nat’s around—she’s the cool kid who just moved to town. Isaac’s little sister, Pearl, can talk to anyone—a tree, a cloud, even a praying mantis. And she always says exactly what’s on her mind.
When Nat convinces Isaac to turn his garage into a haunted house, Pearl is all kinds of excited. Isaac really wants to take part, but he’s struggling. How can he come up with a spooky idea when the thing that really scares him is speaking up? And will Pearl help with this big-kid project, or will she just make things worse?
ISAAC AND PEARL is the first book in a new early reader series from First Second, and it comes out June 15, 2027!
I’m so excited for readers to meet Isaac and Pearl. I started writing and drawing short stories about them when my sister-in-law had twins. My niece now had siblings much younger than her. How would they get along? I am a younger sibling, and I remember how much I lovingly annoyed my big brother. Isaac is a bit like him!
There are five chapters with their own plots: Isaac and Pearl Get Lost, Horsing Around, Fair and Square, Glowing Eyes, and Isaac and Pearl Play House. (But not the kind of “playing house” you might be thinking of! This one has ZOMBIES!!!) I drew the pages with markers on paper- and you can tell! There are no robots involved here. Just a lot of love for these characters, and the kids who are being the best siblings they can be.
Rachel Elliott 