Paul in the Frame
Adam Martin & Roser Cussó
Category: Children's Picture Book
Hardcover 979-8-90115-008-5
Trim Size: 8.5” H x 10.3” W
Publication Date: April 7th, 2026
List Price: $18.99 USD
Publisher: Starfish Bay® Publishing
Genre: Fantasy / Magical Realism
Reading Level: Grade 3-4
Interest Level: Grades PreK-5
Guided Reading Level: L
Lexile® Measure: 620L
Accelerated Reader® Level/Poin: 3.6/0.5

Paul in the Frame leaves his frame to find belonging in a vibrant museum and discovers his true worth.

In an old museum hangs a picture of a man in a suit and tie painted grey—Paul. While everyone around him looks happy and vibrant, Paul is rather plain and feels that he doesn’t belong. Deciding to leave his frame and search for a new home, Paul takes a journey through sketches, statues, and hieroglyphics, which only makes him feel more out of place. Will Paul ever find belonging, or will he discover that perhaps simplicity is often what makes things special? Paul in the Frame is an imaginative story—filled with expressive illustrations showing different artforms—about belonging, self-discovery, and individuality.

Adam Martin is an army veteran and full-time dad from New South Wales, Australia. He lives on a small farm, with a chicken who thinks it’s a duck, ducks who think they’re dogs, dogs who think they’re kids, and two kids who think they’re adults. He enjoys reading to his kids, making people laugh, and the idea of sleep.

Roser Cussó is a picture book illustrator from Barcelona. She creates colorful illustrations using analogue and digital techniques. Her unique universe is created by intuition, investigation, and storytelling through evocative images. She takes each project as a new opportunity to experiment and play with new artistic expressions.

Key Features:
  • A multi-layered story, in rhythmic rhyming verse, that explores different forms of art.
  • An engaging tale that explores the importance of belonging, self-identity, and celebrating individuality.
  • Inventive illustrations that highlight the contrasts between Paul in the Frame and the rich, imaginative setting.
Themes:
  • Belonging and finding your place (primary theme)
  • Self-worth and acceptance
  • Being valued for who you are
  • Everyone has unique value
  • Appreciating differences
  • Home and community
  • The grass isn't always greener
  • Friendship and acceptance
  • Identity and self-perception
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