Month: July 2021

A Map Into the World

Sophie Rosen , ,

Yang, Kao Kalia. A Map Into the World. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Carolrhoda Books, 2019.
How do you find your way in a new world? A little girl settles into a new home with her parents and grandmother in this quietly hopeful picture book by an award-winning Hmong American writer living in Minnesota. As the seasons pass, Paj Ntaub welcomes her twin brothers into the world, befriends a grieving neighbour, and enjoys the beauties of nature in her neighbourhood. Softly coloured, full-page illustrations by Seo Kim help tell this story recommended for readers 7 to 11 years old.  

More stories of immigrants

More stories of grief

Skunk and Badger

Sophie Rosen , , , ,

Timberlake, Amy. Skunk and Badger. Toronto: HarperCollins, 2020.
There is Frog and Toad by Arnold Lobel. George and Martha by James Marshall. Snake and Lizard by Joy Cowley. And now there is Skunk and Badger! Two mismatched roommates become the best of friends in this hilarious story illustrated by Jon Klassen. Badger is happy living alone – working on his important rock collection – until Skunk appears at the door, apparently permitted to move into the brownstone by Badger’s Aunt Lula. Badger’s quiet orderly life is abruptly upended by this noisy messy Skunk. What is to be done? How are the two going to resolve their differences? This 122-page little novel is most highly recommended for readers 7 years old and up. Especially readers who like to laugh. Especially readers who appreciate the joys of unexpected friendships.

More stories of friendships

Do Not Rake Your Garden in a Party Dress

Sophie Rosen ,

Bissonette, Aimée. Do Not Rake Your Garden in a Party Dress. Petaluma, California: Cameron Kids, 2020.
A young girl is swept away into an adventure in this gently imaginative tale. A circular story somewhat similar in style to If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, this softly illustrated picture book is recommended for readers 6 to 9 years old who enjoy quiet humour.

More garden stories

More humorous stories

Let’s Get Gardening

Sophie Rosen ,

Let’s Get Gardening: 30 Easy Gardening Projects for Children. New York: DK Publishing, 2019.
Nonfiction books by DK are always beautifully designed and this 128-page hardcover book is no expection. It’s a joyous introduction to planting vegetables, designing containers and welcoming nature into the garden. From growing herbs and sunflowers to building planters from eggshells and creating bee hotels, a multitude of ideas are illustrated with step-by-step coloured photos in this cheerful book for readers 8 to 12 years old.

Nicky & Vera

Sophie Rosen , , , ,

Sis, Peter. Nicky & Vera: A Quiet Hero of the Holocaust and the Children He Rescued. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc., 2021.
Twenty-nine-year-old Nicholas Winton saved almost 700 children from Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia in 1938. Ten-year-old Vera was one of those children. Written and illustrated by the inimitable Peter Sis, this true story describes the astonishingly daring rescue during the war and the unexpected reunion fifty years later. Accompanied by an extensive afterward, this picture book is highly recommended for readers eight years old and up.

More stories of WW 2 

More stories of refugees 

More stories set in Europe 

What Grew in Larry’s Garden

Sophie Rosen , ,

Alary, Laura. What Grew in Larry’s Garden. Toronto: Kids Can Press, 2020.
Gardens bring friendship and understanding. They build goodwill in a world often filled with fear and loneliness. This quietly gentle picture book illustrated by Kass Reich is based on the true story of a Toronto schoolteacher who showed his students how to grow tomato plants and share them with others. “We can figure this out,” he says over and over again to his young neighbour Grace when problems arise. Highly recommended for gardeners of all ages.

More stories of gardens 

More stories about our natural world

More stories of friendship

Picture book memoirs

The Lady with the Books

Sophie Rosen , ,

Stinson, Kathy. The Lady with the Books: A Story Inspired by the Remarkable Work of Jella Lepman. Toronto: Kids Can Press, 2020.
Set in Germany, just after WW2, this extraordinary picture book tells a story about the founder of IBBY, the International Board on Books for Young People. Anneliese and her younger brother Peter discover a book exhibit while wandering the damaged city of Munich. Their imagination is awakened and their hearts take courage after seeing books from around the world. Accompanied by an extensive illustrated history at the end of the story, this book will be greatly appreciated by all readers interested in history. Highly recommended. 

More stories of WW2 

More stories about books and libraries

More stories set in Germany