Are you my friend?

Fergus, Maureen. Buddy and Earl. Toronto: Groundwood Books/House of Anansi Press, 2015.

Charlotte and Wilbur.
Frog and Toad.
George and Martha.
Snake and Lizard.
Winnie-the-Pooh and Christopher Robin.
And now there are Buddy and Earl: a dog and a hedgehog.

(Warning: the style and size of the font unfortunately do not enhance the humour of this story. But the evocative illustrations by Sookocheff and the endearing quality of the story make this a recommended picture book for children up to 8 years of age.)

More picture books HERE.

More dog stories HERE.

 

Why did you leave?

Kent, Trilby. Once in a Town Called Moth. Toronto: Tundra Books, 2016.
Why did Anneli’s mother abandon her and her father? Why has her father – 10 years later – brought her to Canada? Fifteen-year-old Anneli struggles to fit in at her new high school after growing up in a remote Mennonite colony in Bolivia. But with the help of a few friends, she learns more about herself and finds her mother. While the plot is a bit too predictable and the Mennonite setting a bit too stereotypical, the novel is nevertheless a smoothly written mystery. It is recommended for readers – 13 years old and up – who enjoy quiet stories about outsiders. [Bolivia; High schools; Mennonites; Missing persons; Mothers and daughters; Mothers and fathers; Moving, Household; Secrets; Toronto (Ont.)] 

More stories about moving HERE

More stories set in Canada HERE

More stories for teenagers HERE

Where are we going?

Skrypuch, Marsha Forchuk with Tuan Ho. Adrift At Sea: A Vietnamese Boy’s Story of Survival. Toronto: Pajama Press, 2016.
In 1981, six-year-old Tuan escaped with his mother and two of his sisters. In the middle of the night, they got on a boat which took them far out to sea where they were rescued by sailors on an American aircraft carrier. Illustrated by award-winning Brian Deines, this powerful picture book tells the true story of one child’s journey as a refugee from Vietnam to Canada. Accompanied by historical and biographical information, as well as numerous photographs, this informative and inspiring story is recommended for readers 8 years old and up.

More books by Canadian authors HERE

More books about refugees HERE

More picture book memoirs HERE

In the beginning,…

Rylant, Cynthia. Creation. New York: Beach Lane Books, 2016.
“In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth.” And so starts this picture book adapted from the book of Genesis and illustrated in a simple style with acrylic paints. Highly recommended for all ages.

(Actually, anything by Cynthia Rylant is recommended, although the intended audience varies. And any picture book by Beach Lane Books is sure to be outstanding.)

More books about faith HERE

More creation stories HERE  

More great publishers HERE

 

Canadian, eh?

Patterson, Heather. I Am Canada: A Celebration.Toronto: North Winds Press, 2017.
What does it mean to be a Canadian? This book joyously answers the question in simple language suitable for young children. The illustrations take the book to a whole new level: Marie-Louise Gay, Jon Klassen, Barbara Reid and other Canadian artists depict Canada, each in their own unique style. A wonderful book for art students and a great book as a read-aloud for children up to 8 years of age.

More books by Canadian authors HERE

Stories set in Canada HERE

Thank you!

Hopkinson, Deborah. A Letter to My Teacher. New York: Schwartz & Wade Books, 2017.
A young adult writes a letter to her second-grade teacher, recounting her memories and expressing her appreciation for all she learned during that inspiring year. The story is fun: flowing smoothly with conversation to enliven the narration. The pictures by Nancy Carpenter are lively: full of expression and a sense of spontaneity. Unfortunately, the style of the font and the layout of the text do not match the mood of the story. Despite that distraction, this picture book is still recommended for readers 8 years old and up. 

Find stories for Thanksgiving HERE

Find ideas for showing gratitude HERE

Find tips on critiquing stories HERE

What does it have to do with me?

Heos, Bridget. It’s Getting Hot in Here: The Past, Present, and Future of Climate Change. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2015.
Climate change is in the news every day. But is the earth really getting warmer? How do we know? And why is it happening? How will it affect us? Should we try and do something about it? Can we make a difference?
This 15-chapter, 231-page book – full of photographs, graphs, and drawings – is highly recommended for adults both young and old. You won’t want to just read it once and return it to your library. There is so much information that you’ll want to buy a copy for yourself so you can read it slowly, small sections at a time. Then you’ll be ready to answer when someone says, “Global warming? I don’t believe it.”

More books to expand your general knowledge HERE.