Sockflea: a Stuffie in the Wild

By: Laura Dockrill

Published by Candlewick Press (MA), 2026-04-21

Rollicking and irreverent, this any-time ode to independence--and parental innovation--doubles as the vacation read-aloud of the year. Don't leave home without it (spare socks optional)! This little elephant is going camping for the first time, and does not need to bring ANY STUFFIES. You don't need stuffies in the wild, OK? Not when you're FIVE! Not even when it's dark (very dark) and the sky is endless black, and there are crunchy scrunchy noises all around. Why didn't the grown-up insist on packing stuffies? Enter Sockflea, who may look like a rolled-up ball of grown-up socks, but NO. Sockflea has been sent by the stuffies back home to look after their friend on vacation. Bold, quirky character art by a New York Times-bestselling illustrator meets high action, slapstick humor, and genuine heart in a witty interactive romp. Brimming with personality, this playful picture book will charm young children test-driving their confidence while managing big emotions--and tickle their grown-ups to boot.