Pendziwol, Jean E. Me and You and the Red Canoe. Toronto: Groundwood, 2017.
Early in the morning, two siblings make a fire and sit together, sipping hot chocolate. Leaving everyone else still asleep, they gather their fishing gear and set off in a red canoe. Told in free verse and illustrated in acrylic on panel, this picture book is recommended for readers 7 to 14 years old. Teachers might enjoy using it to show students how to turn their own experiences into stories.Â
Markel, Michelle. Balderdash! John Newbery and the Boisterous Birth of Children’s Books. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 2017.
Wow! This quietly rambunctious biography – created by award winning author Michelle Markel and illustrator Nancy Carpenter – tells the story of an English farm boy who grew up to create the first magazines and novels especially for children. Readers of graphic novels will enjoy the details in the illustrations. Avid readers will find the story fascinating. Additional information and a bibliography are provided at the end. Highly recommended!
Weatherford, Carole Boston. In Your Hands. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2017.
A mother tenderly speaks to her young son, telling him of her dreams and her prayers for his future. This exquisitely designed picture book – with soft illustrations and a beautiful font – ends with these words: “Black lives matter. Your life matters. I pray to God each day: Hold my son in your hands.” Author Carole Weatherford and illustrator Brian Pinkney have created a masterpiece that will touch the hearts of all readers. Highly recommended for people of faith.Â
“He will cover you with his feathers,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.” Psalm 91.4
“I keep my eyes always on the Lord.
With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.” Psalm 16.8
“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” John 14.27Â
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