Books by Cheryl Lawton Malone

Cheryl is the author of DARIO AND THE WHALE (2016), ELEPHANTS WALK TOGETHER (2017), and FEATHERITA (2024).

DARIO AND THE WHALE is a Shelf Awareness Best Children’s Book of 2016, a Cooperative Children’s Book Center Winner for 2017, a Book Best Debut Picture Books of 2016, and a 2018 Mass Book Awards Must Read. It is now in its fourth printing. Her newest picture book, LITTLE KIT’S WISH will publish in summer, 2026.

Dario and The Whale

When Dario and his mother move to Cape Cod from Brazil, Dario has a hard time making friends since he doesn’t speak English well. But one day Dario meets someone else who has just arrived in New England and he doesn’t speak any English at all…because he’s a right whale! Day after day Dario and the whale meet at the beach. But what will happen when it’s time for the whale to migrate?

Praise for DARIO AND THE WHALE

“A heartwarming paean to long walks along the beach.” – Kirkus Reviews

“Will spark rich conversations.” – School Library Journal

“Powerful yet buoyant.” – Shelf Awareness (starred)

DARIO AND THE WHALE was recently selected for the 2021 Library of Congress’ Great Reads From Great Places program.

Elephants Walk Together

As calves, Asian elephants Precious and Baba roam the wild together, curious and proud. But when they get captured and are split up, their time together seems like a distant memory. Still, separated by many miles and over many years, their friendship remains, and there’s hope they will once again roam wide open spaces together.

Praise for ELEPHANTS WALK TOGETHER

“Heartwarming . . . a sweet and sensitive encouragement of wildlife conservation.” – Kirkus Reviews

“This sweet story of enduring friendship should help create empathy and spark lots of questions.” – Booklist

Featherita

Say hello to Featherita, the littlest chick on the farm. When today starts out EXACTLY the same as yesterday, pint-sized Featherita decides to shake things up. Not only does she egg the farm puppies into line behind her own frazzled chicken mama, but she co-op-ts her fellow chicks into following the big farm dog. Neither mother notices the problem until a storm hits. Undaunted, the little chick tries to make things right Featherita-style proving that size doesn’t matter when it comes to chick-in-uity.

Little Kit’s Wish

A heartwarming new picture book published by Tiny Tree Books. Stay tuned for more info!

Summer 2026