Today’s Picture Book Postcard is from Jett of Ms. Swirly’s Compliment Machine.
There is something very special in Ms. Swirly’s class: a compliment machine that gives, you guessed it, compliments! But when the machine breaks and starts saying some uncomplimentary words instead, the students must find a way to cheer up before they are doomed to be one big gaggle of grumps all year!
MS. SWIRLY’S COMPLIMENT MACHINE is a silly-but-sweet story about the power of a kind word.
Ms. Swirly’s Compliment Machine
Author: Jana Mattern
Illustrator: Judit Orosz
Publisher: Marble Press
Publication Date: September 8, 2026
Ms. Swirly is inspired by an incredible teacher my daughter had a few years ago. I also wanted her and the classroom to have a Ms. Frizzle vibe (from the Magic School Bus).
– Author Jana Mattern
About Author Jana Mattern
Jana Mattern is passionate about writing picture books that delight children, stir their imagination, and encourage a lifelong love of reading. She lives in Texas with her husband and four children, and she drinks a lot of coffee. When she’s not spending time with family, she can be found playing pickleball, volunteering with children and teens at her church, or playing board games with friends. She has no plans to run a marathon.
Find out more about this author at https://janamatternwrites.wixsite.com/jana.
About Illustrator Judit Orosz
Judit Orosz is a Hungarian illustrator and paper engineer known for the Ruth Bader Ginsburg volume of the Little People, Big Dreams series. With a background in animation, she brings a unique sense of world-building to her storytelling. In recent years, her work has evolved from digital roots into a tactile, paper-based style featuring magical pop-ups. A mother of five inspired by nature and nostalgia, Judit blends traditional craft with digital soul, recharging through music and hiking.
Find out more about this illustrator at https://www.juditorosz.com/.
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