I don’t usually give star ratings for the titles I recommend, but the picture books listed below are exquisite examples of the merit of picture books and each would get 5 stars from Dr. Larry. 

 

BARBED WIRE BETWEEN US by Mia Wenjin; Illus. Violeta Encarnacion / 2026 / The Immigrant Experience

The author chose to tell a circulatory story about experiences  behind barbed wire. We are presented with two stories of immigration: One set in. a Japanese internment camp in Oklahoma dring World War II, drawn from the author’s own Japanese American family experiences, The parallel story is a contemporary migrant story set in the same camp  The form of this book is a reverse poem which tells a story in verse and uses the same verses, but in reverse, to tell a different story. The context of the two  narratives changes with the illustrations that accompany them.  This choice of writing demands much care and editing to make it work and Mia Wenjin along withe her illustrator. Violeta Encarnacion,  have done a masterful job of crafting the circular format that serves as a metaphor for history repeating itself.  The Barbed Wire Between Us demands re-readings. inspiring thoughtful reflection of the immigrant experience., yesterday and today.I predict awards for this stellar picture book achievement achievement. 

Excerpt

“We created beauty with what little we had.

In this time of despair, we experienced the kindness of strangers.”

 

DEAR ACORN, LOVE OAK: Letter poems to friends by Joyse Sidman; Illus. Melissa Sweet / 2025 / Poetry

I’m always on the look-out for books of poetry that ignite the imagination and feeling and invite us to observe and appreciate things, large or small in the world around us. I am appreciative of the recommendation by a colleague to this wonderful book. In this publication, Joyce Sidman sends messages to such topics as bubbles, clouds, pebbles, buttons, toes and sea turtles.  The free verse poems are written as letters and what is especially clever is that the page that follows each artifact provides a back-and-forth mirror poem as a response to the letter. For example: ‘Toes’ sends a message to ‘Dear Child’ and in the subsequent spread, child writes To My Toes’. Any book illustrated by Melissa Sweet is worth paying attention to. Her fragmented, collage-like, brightlyy colured fragmented images are brilliant poems of art in themselves. A special bonus of this publication is a final page that invites students to write letter poems of their own. The step by step procedures is sure to lead to successful poetry writing in the classroom. 

Sample

 

Button:

Not sure what’s 

ahead

but I’m all about

warmth

and you 

hold things together

so let’s greet

what’s next

 

with open arms, 

Hugs

   Coat

 

THE SEA WE CALL HOME by Dominique Demers; Illus. Gabrielle Grimard

Little Gnouf and Mirabelle are off to the sea for the first time and upon arrival they were enchanted to witness “bright blue sky, silky blue water with golden sun sparkling on the waves.”  However, they were troubled when they encountered a baby whale lying in the sand trapped in a fishing net. Desperate to get the creature back into the water, the two friends and with the help of a sand crab, seagulls, the baby whale was returned to its mother. The reunion is celebrated with mother whale and baby taking both Gnoufs deep into  sea to encounter the enchantment of fish and sea creatures of all sizes.  Like the two characters in this story, young readers will consider the perils that creatures may encounter but also delight in the wonders of sea life.   Pardon the pun, but this is a ‘whale of a picture book’ that offers a powerful rescue story, information about whales and a journey into the world under the sea. Dominque Demers storytelling is told with simplicity, adventure and compassion. Gabrielle Grimard’s remarkable illustrations beautifully capture story events and present a beautiful catalogue of a sea environment.  This is a captivating picture book to treasure!

 

NOTE: Three  wonderful Pajama Press nonfiction picture book titles have recently been released in new formats

> SECRET GARDENS: Growing a Community and Healing the Earth by Maija Hurme and Lina Laurent / 2021/2025 / (paperback)

> WAIT LIKE. A SEED by Erin Alladin; illustrated by Tara Anderson / 2025 (paperback)

> A WORLD OF KINDNESS  from the editors and illustrators of Pajama Press / 2018 /2026

 

SOMETIMES I CRY x2

I am interested in collecting books that deal with Social Emotional Intelligence. The act of crying is the result of a range of emotions: sadness, joy, embarrassment, hurt, surprise frustration etc. The following three books offer stories and illustrations that help young readers consider the times they might shed tears whether they weep, bawl, howl, whimper, or sob. 

SOMETIMES I CRY… SOMETIMES I LAUGH by Kristin Mareilla Fridjonsdottir; Illus. Una Lorenzenm/ 2019

This is a back to front, front to back book that acknowledges and respects emotions that make us cry and/or laugh. 

 

SOMETIMES I CRY by Sherri Sutton-Johnson /  2024 / Death, Loss and Remembrance

This book chronicles the life of a young girl who reflects on the painful and joyful memories of her beloved mother who died.

 

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SHOUT OUT

Death Loss and Remembrance

‘Death Loss and Remembrance’ may be considered a tough topic to engage young readers with but there are many picture books and novels that have been written to help readers deal with loss and grief (see Teaching Tough Topics, Chapter 78). Award-winning British author Michael Rosen lost his son, Eddie.  The picture book The Sad Book was a way for Rosen to deal with and share the sorrow and sadness he experienced when his son died.  . Years have passed and Where Are You, Eddie?  provided the author to write another heartwarming story of remembrance and acceptance..

 

THE SAD BOOK by Michael Rosen; Illus. Quentin Blake / 2004

Michael Rosen’s son, Eddie suddenly died from menangitis in 1999 at the age of 18. The Sad Book is Michael Rosen’s artistic expression about the grief over Eddie’s passing. Though a personal story, the picture book speaks to everyone who knows what it’s like to feel deeply sad. This is an exceptional, heart-squeezing reflection about sadness, anger, and even laughter. Quentin Blake’s illustrations provide  a masterful representation of the author’s feelings and memories. 

Excerpts

“What makes me most sad is when I think about my son Eddie. He died. I loved him very, very much but he died anyway.

“Sometimes I ‘m sad and I don’t know why. Its just a clous that comes along and covers me up.”

“Sad is a place / that is deep and dark / like the space / under the bed.”

 

WHERE ARE YOU EDDIE? by Michael Rosen; Illus. Gill Smith / 2026

Michael Rosen’s son, Eddie died many years ago (1999) but has he really gone? In this exquisite picture book, the author visits places and people that were once part of Eddie’s life and in this way, Eddie is still here, alive in memories. Cleverly, the story is told as an imagined conversation with Rosen’s cat, Meg. I don’t think I will read a picture book this year that is filled with as much heart, page by page.  “Writing this book has helped me and my feelings. If you’re someone who is finding the loss of someone hard, I hope this book helps you.” (Author’s note). This is book is certain to ignite cherished memories and stories for any reader who has experienced loss  –  a book for everyone!

Excerpt

Eddies not coming back, is he Meg? Eddies not here. Here’s not there. He’s not anywhere. Is that the end?”

Meg looked up, “No, it’s the beginning,’ she said. “The beginning of what?” I asked

Meg replied, “Just wait and see. saying it’s the end will stop you seeing what’s there.”

… Meg went on. If you look for him, you’ll find him. Not the way he was, but he’ll be there.”

 

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SHOUT OUT

THE CANADIAN CHILDREN’S BOOK CENTRE

What are some of your favourite Canadian Picture Book titles published over the past five decades?

For 50 years, the Canadian Children’s Book Centre (CCBC) has celebrated stories that come from the minds and hearts of Canadian writers and illustrators. You will find many of them included in our 50 Must Read Canadian Picture Books: Recommended by the CCBC in Celebration of our 50th Anniversary

This posting offers suggstions of nonfiction and fiction books of various genres. I’ve delved into some titles that are stories as essays, essays as stories, short stories and scripts.

 

>>>STORIES AS ESSAYS / ESSAYS AS STORIES

 

MAKE BELIEVE: On Telling Stories to Children by Mac Barnett

Mac Barnett is a bestselling, award-winning author of over 70 picture books. He has recently been honoured with the position of National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature in the United States.  Some popular titles illustrated by Jon Klassen include, Sam & Dave Dig a Hole, Extra Yarn, The Shape Trilogy. His latest release, The Future Book illustrated by  Shawn Harris is a hoot, sue to bring delight and laughter to readers young and old.  The three essays that appear in Make Believe help us understand that children’s literature is ‘not only as an art form worthy of deep study and criticism, but as a portal to the lives of children. In the first essay ‘A Grand Unifying Theory of Children’s Literature’, Barnett describes, explains, defends, celebrates   the potential merits of children’s literature that deserves to be considered a highly regarded and significant field of writing. He offers the following definition, “A children’s book is a book written for children.” (p. 6). Get into groups and discuss. ‘Good Books for Bad Children’ is the title of the second essay> The title adopts the words said by he visionary edior Ursula Nordstrom who described her job as making “good books for bad children.” In this section, Barnett honours the work of the great Margaret Wise Brown (Goodnight Moon) and discusses the role that adults play in sharing books with children.Any artwork is a  conversation between the audience adn he artist. A children’s book, then, is a conversation between a child and an adult.” (p. 30.). ‘The Secret Door’ is the final essay, the author describes how books were central to his family life and his mission as an author to tap into the minds  and imaginations of children through the world of fiction. He writes:

“The sublimity of a sentence or a picture, the thrill of a plot, the intimacy of community with a character – the beauty of a good story adn the truth it contains can shock us into surrendering our certainties. And in that gloriously unsettled moment our sense of the possible is enlarged. Every story is a secret door, an invitation to imagine another world and, by believing so, make it real.” (p. 90)

 

MODERN LOVE: True Stories of Love, Loss, and Redemption edited by Daniel Jones / 2007 / 2019

“Modern Love” is a weekly feature column in the Sunday New York Times. Even though I’m a subscriber, i, for no particular reason  don’t choose to read these essays about love in its many forms.  However, I do find myself investigating the witty and poignant illustrations by the brilliant artistBrian Rea that accompany each piece. (He has  illustrated over 700 Modern Love essays.)  The essays that appear in this collection first published in 2007 and revised in 2019 captured my attention since, according to the introduction, these weren’t stories limited to romantic love :”We hoped to the stories wouild explore the darkness as much as the light, plumb both the joys and the pain that spring from our lifelong efforts to be intimate with other human beings.”  The forty-two essays in this book, each with approximately 1500 word count, (mostly written by published authors)   were featured in the NY Times were drawn from entries in the past few decades,  The book definitely gives broad and deep thought to stories of love, loss and redemption. Each story is unique told with heart and pain. Reading these accounts also tapS into the universal quest to find companionship, trust, frustration and joy of  someone to share our life with.   This book is definitely worth reading. Perhaps I’ll dip into the Styles section each week to read contemporary modern love stories. (also: an anthology Television series and a podcast)

A sampling:

A young woman sends her first mildly sexual text message o a a guy she started seeing and then waits ans wais in agony for him to respond. (“The Five Stages of Ghosting Grief’ by Rachel Fields (p. 28)

A gay man’s romanic evening, (with a guy he didn’t particularly like) is interrupted when he receives a phone call from his sister and learns that their father has died. (‘During a Night of Casual Sex, Urgent Messages Go Unanswered ‘ by Andrew Rannells (p. 55)

A woman accompanies her husband as he undergoes male to female surgery. (‘My Husband is Now My Wife’ by Diane Daniel, p. 202)

A couple travels to an orphanage in China where she is handed her adopted daughter, only to find that the babynhas damanged dnerves and will eventually be left disabled for life. (‘My First Lesson in Motherhood’ byElizabeth Fitzimons (p. 231)

An immigrant doorman gives sound advice to a woman who dates different men. (‘When the Dorrman is Your Main Man’ by Juie Margaret Hogben (p, 280)

Shout Out: “You May Want to Marry My Husband” written by author Amy Krouse Rosenthall and published ten days before she died of ovarian cancer. 

 

THE STORIES BEHIND THE STORIES: The Remarkable True Tales Behind Your Favourite Children’s Books by Danielle Higley / 2021

This publication is a wondrous treat for lovers of children’s literature. The author provides short essays that explain the fascinating behind-the-scenes creations of twenty-nine children’s classics (e.g., Curious George,  Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry,   Diary of a Wimpy Kid, A Wrinkle in Time.). Author, Danielle Higley’s research and storytelling helps us ‘”o see that our most treasured children’s books weren’t just built on creativiyand imagination – many were born from extraordinary persistence and grit” (Author’s Note).  The authors’ biographical information,  ‘did you know’ facts , remarkable stories, and  wonderful brighty coloured, detailed collage like- illustrations (including some photo imags)  make this publication a fascinating, informative celebration of enduring  children’s literature we have come to love. 

Some Did You Know examples:

Dav Pilkey was  a reluctant reader when he was a kid who had (and still has ADHD and dyslexia.  Pilkey was 7 years old when he wrote and illustrated his first Captain Underpants book.Unimpressed, his teacheerf  ripped Captain Underpants first comic book in half and told the young  author that he ‘couldn’t spend the rest of his life making silly books.”

The idea for The Very Hungry Caterpillar came to Eric Carl when he was playing a whole punch, putting holes in a stack of papers. Ethe author/ illustrator’s picture book hero, a hungry caterpillar was originally was a worm named Willy who became very fat at the end of the story. The infamous book ultimately became a story of transformation. 

Children’s book editor Ursula Nordstrom offered Maurice Sendak a contract for a book entitled “Where The WIld Horses Are.” For Sendak, this was a problem since he couldn’t draw horses and when Nordstrom asked, “Maurice, what can you draw?” Sendak answered “Things..” Thus was born  Where the Wild Things Are.

It’s sort of curious that  “Goodnight Cucumber. Goodnight fly” got removed from Margaret Wise Brown’s Goodnight Moon manuscript.

Christopher Paul Curtis took a year off from working on a General Motors assembly line in Flint, Michigan.  He hoped to write a book based on a car trip he took with his own family to visit family in Florida. When his sonb gave his father with the poem “The Ballad of Birmingham’ by Dudley Randall, about the chruch bombing. the Watsons’ travelled to Birmingham instead of Florida. and the author wove in  events that were inspired from his own life. When he submitted a manuscript for The Watsons Go To Birmingham – 1963 to two contests, he did not win either award but the book caught the attention of a publisher and the book went on to win the Newbery Honor Prize and the Coretta Scott King Award. 

 

LAST KNOWN ADDRESS: THE STUMBLING STONES OF EUROPE by Kathy Kacer / 2026

I wasn’t familiar with the Stolperstein (Stumbling Stones) monument, Some facts:

> The memorial project began in 1995 by artist Guner Demnig as a way to honour victims of the Holocaust.

> Stones are small brass plaques chiseled with names and dates  and fates and are placed outside the last address of the person  before being arrested and often taken to concentration camps.

> Plaques are dedicated not only to Jewish people but also those who were persecuted for being Romani, disabled, queer. Not all shared the same fate.

> Gunter Demnig, working with a partner Michael Friedrichs-Friedlander  has been placing plaques into cobblestone streets and concrete sidewalks in over seven hundred cities.

> as of early 2026, there have been 116,00 stones laid across 31 countries. About  6000 stones are added annually. 

After stumbling upon a stumbling stone in Rome, Kathy Kacer became intrigued to find out more about the largest monument of the Holocaust in the world. In Last Known Address the author  tells 13 stories of those whose names have been engraved in the memorial artifacts.  The stones bring humanity to those whose lives were lost. Moreover, each stone is a marker of a human story to those who perished and reading these stories brings honor to those who perished in the Second World War and the Holocaust. Gunter Dmnig believed that ‘ a person is forgotten only when their name is forgotten.’  There is sadness and awe in reading these stories of those who were arrested but learning about the families, the friends, the communities, the businesses,  the pleasures of those who once lived in freedom helps us to understand history and value that ‘if we do not learn from history we are doomed to repeat it.” (American philosopher George Santaya). 

Kathy Kacer is a hero for her writing for young people about antisemitism, the evil of the Nazi regime and the unbelievable stories of courage and resilience of those who lives who have been cut short. Any single historical fiction, nonfiction and picture book by Kathy Kacer helps young readers to grasp some understanding of the horrors of World War II.  Last Known Address is a must-read stellar collection of stories that help readers of all ages to dig into the lives of only a few of someone who lived and possibly perished in the Holocaust. Thank you, thank you for this remarkable , well-researched, heartfelt nonfiction title, Kathy. The sepia illusTrations of the monuments and artifacts by Julian Neufeld  add to the power of the book. and  has inspired me to stumble upon stumble stones should I travel to Europe.  Moreover each story in the book serves as a monument to a life lost by bringing authenticity to help me better understand those lives.  And as statistics inform us, there have been 116,000 stones laid in 31 countries. 116 000 stones represent 116 000 stories of those ‘who lived here’.   In the afterword, Kacer writes words of inspiration

Keep readng

Keep learning.

Pass the history on.

 

Remembering..

Leone Sabatello: Rome, Italy

Ann Frank: Amsterdam, Netherlands

Ettie Steinburg Gluck: Dublin Ireland

Willy Zimmerer:  Frankfurt, Germany

Ada Van Dantzig: London, England

Max Josef Freund: Munich, Germany

Jan and Amalie Daniel: Brno, Czech Republic

Carl Becker:Krefeld, Germany

Matvy, Ajzinberg: Belrade, Serbia

Vera Katch Shiff,: Prague, Czech Republic

Max Windermueller,: Emden, Germany

Salman Schocken:  Berlin, Germany

Attila Petschauer: Budapest, Hungry

 

SHOUT OUT!

THANK YOU, TEACHERS: True Stories from America’s teachers, our last line of defense and our first line of hope by James Patterson & Matt Eversmann (editors)

Bestselling author, James Patterson is prolific, having published over 200 books.  He has written fiction, nonfiction and books for middle years readers.  Thank you,Teachers is a collection of essays written by from across the United States.  Stories come from the trenches of kindergarten, high school educators in both the public and private system.  Some writers are new to the profession others have been seasoned teachers approaching retirement.  Every story has something to inform readers about the challenging, aggravating, and rewarding aspects of working with young people. Teachers share stories about lack of supplies, frustrations with administration, encounters with parents, the need to balance family life (or needing to take more than one job. Many pieces recount experiences with specific learners who experience behavioural and/or academic challenges.  An overriding theme, seems to be that building caring RELATIONSHIPS matters. Amen!Teachers who read this book will connect to, or be motivated by, these true stories of perseverance and hope.  This collection confirms that every teacher deserves  recognition, a thank you and a hug. Thank You, Teachers is sure to be added to the list of James Patterson bestsellers. Those who aren’t in the profession will come to gain understanding about the commitment and passion of the world of teachers doing their best to foster the journey of lifelong learners.  Some sample statements include: 

 

“There are no bad students, just students who need to learn differently.”

“Experience and passion make a good teacher, not testing.”

“There is no such thing as a kid who hates reading. Here are kids who love reading and kids who are reading the wrong books,”

“If it could be just us and our kids, it would be the best job in the world.”

 

>>>SHORT STORIES

 

THE ELEVENTH HOUR: A Quintet of Stories by Salman Rushdie / 2025

I’ve read a few books by renowned author, Salman Rushdie and was recently knocked out by his memoir Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder (2025) a recount of the 2022 stabbing that left the author partially blind and his recovery and trauma of the experience..  This new release is a collection of five stories, (not particularly short stories: 20 pages; 80 pages, 74 pages, 60 pages, 19 pages).  I chose to read the shorter one’s first.  I think my favourite was ‘In the South’ the first one in the collection which introduces readers to a pair of cantankerous seniors, Junior and Senior, rather depend on each other from day to day, as they cautiously approach death. Senior. with two hundred and five younger family members question the value of life so full of love:, “His was a family of mosquitoes, he thought, a buzzing swarm, and love was their itchy bite.” .  ‘The Musician of Kahanai’ is centred on a musical prodigy, with a magical gift that allows her to cause destruction of the super rich family she married into. I’m not particularly fond of ghost stories but the afterlife of Cambridge don and his connection with a lonely student in the story ‘Lost’ was intriguing and ‘believable’ (as far as ghost stories go.). This story grabbed me from the opening sentence:  “When the Honorary Feloow S. M. Arthur woke up in his darkened College bedroom he was dead.  ‘Oklahoma’ describes the adventures of a young writer who tries to figure out whether his mentor killed himself.  Disclaimer: I abandoned this selection after reading only half of it. (Maybe I’ll give it another go! ). The final piece, ‘The Old Man in the Piazza’  is described as ”a powerful parable for out times about freedom of speech”. Language is a personified character in this narrative.  So like any story collection, this one was hit and miss for me – even if there was  a collection of only five tales where the 11th hour ending of life , and/or death is given thoughtful expression. 

THE NEWS FROM DUBLIN by Colm Toibin / 2026

This short story collection is by an  author who’s work I’m drawn to (Brooklyn, Long Island, Nora Webster).  I read the stories in the order that they appeared and as is often the case, enjoyed some more than others.  They differ in length (from 5 pages to 98 pages),  in first perso , second person, and third person voices, in setting (Ireland, San Francisco, New York, Argentina and Spain) and in time periods and with characters sraight and gay. Several stories are centred on family relationships (a mother grieving over her son who has been killed in the war (‘The Journey to Galway’ which is the strongest story in the anthology);  (the strongest story), an undocumented father, forced to head back to Ireland  who must say goodbye to his daughter (‘Five Bridges’), a brother who seeks a cure for his brother who has tuberculosis (‘The News from Dublin’) and three sisters who have just inherited a property that once belonged to an aunt (‘The Catalan Girls’).  There is an overall theme of having characters move on from events of their past, whether it’s a pedophile who has been released from prison who leaves is home to seek freedom in a place where folks don’t know his story (‘A Free Man’) or a boy who must live with the consequences of having stolen money at his boarding school (‘A Sum of Money’). There is a sadness to many stories of love, loss and change.  Ultimately, what the nine stories have in common is the fine writing by a gifted Irish writer.

 

>>>SCRIPTS

 

I often enjoy reading scripts of plays I’ve seen in production.  The following titles are three plays that I went to on a recent trip to New York. 

 

BECKY SHAW by Gina Gionfriddo / 2010

 

Becky Shaw has been advertised as a play about the perils of blind dating.  Disclaimer;  plays about blind dating don’t particularly interest me but this play , first produced in 2008 is not centred on dating, even though a key plot event, helps to unravel the challenges of friendship, of companionship, of family, of gender. Recent reviews of the Broadway production were raves* so I narrowed my choices of what to see on a Sunday afternoon and chose this play.  The audience around me roared with laughter. Not me. Disclaimer: For the most part. I’m not one to laugh out loud in the theatre. Humour is a funny thing. Yes, the play is funny in a rather wicked way.  Becky Shaw, nominated for the pulitzer prize in 2009 is a dark comedy about ambition, the cost of being truthful, and yes, the perils of a blind date. Central to the story is an unlikeable guy named Max who, when younger.  was adopted into a family  that is now facing problems (the father has died, the wife is found herself a younger man, the sister, now married is having some issues with her husband). Enter Becky Shaw, a beautiful young woman who is struggling with life and love,  was set up on a blind date with the egotistical, alpha Max. Can’t say that you rooted for any characters in this play but one’s moral and ethical beliefs are somewhat challenged as we witness how people treat each other for their own gains.  I like Act II better than Act One, the Broadway cast was terrific. After reading the sharp script, I think I liked the play better than I originally thought. 

Some knockout reviews*

” … ferociously funny. A tangled tale of love, sex, and ethics” (Laura Collins-Hughes, New York Times)

” an incisive, observant, scathing, and hilarious play…” (Hayley Levitt, Theatremania)

“Becky Shaw is a highly entertaining: a laugh-a-minute play whose comedic concerns are refreshingly up to date. What bumps it to the next level are the philosophical  questions behind the banter: Can love be bought> When does support become manipulation? How might what seems more or less a one-night stand come to mean more, or mean less?” (Adam Feldman, Time Out)

 

DEATH OF A SALESMAN by Arthur Miller / 1949

This play, written in 1949 (the year I was born) is  of course considered one of the most significant masterpieces of American theatre. The story of the aging, failing salesman, Willy Loman, who desperately has huge hopes of success for himself and his sons is an iconic character symbol of the American Dream.  The revival, now playing in New York ,stars Nathan Lane and Laurie Metcalf both giving mighty fine performances  under the direction of Joe Mantello. This production presented audiences with a masterful, modern production of a universal, sad story of  delusion, promise and loss that still resonates today. 

 

EVERY BRILLIANT THING by Duncan Macmillan with Jonny Donahoe / 2016

Since it’s first production at a UK Fringe Festival in 2013, this brilliant play has been performed world wide with the central character of a narrator played by a man or a woman. I’d seen (and loved) a couple of shows in small local venues and was a bit concerned that it was now going to be showing at a big broadway house. The draw for this production is the Daniel Radcliffe and after recently attending a performance, my concerns vanished. Mr. Radcliffe is a talented, charismatic, energetic actor and he enthusiastically hosts  audience members through this 75 minute scripted and improvised play. 

The story: At the age of six, a young man learns of his mother’s suicide attempt and so he decides to that a list of everything that’s brilliant about the world wold lived her series. The list begins:  1. Ice Cream 2. Water Fights 3. Staying up past your bedtime and being allowed to watch TV 4. The colour yellow. The premise of this show is that each time the actor calls out a number, the item is shouted out by an audience member spread throughout the auditorium. Cards with number and brilliant thing items are distributed to select members before the play begins. Improvised scenes with the boys’ father, a librarian, a veterinarian and a romantic partner add to the  fun of the evening  Though a play centred on depression, Every Brilliant Thing is a hilarious, entertaining journey into things in our lives that make us happy and need to be celebrated*. It is a play to be celebrated and with Daniel Radcliffe a performance to be celebrated. It is a play to help each audience member think about and appreciate the brilliant things in their lives. Brilliant!

*Some brilliant things

9. Chocolate / 24. Spagetti with meatballs / 26. Peeing in the sea and nobody knows / 315. The smell of old books./ 324./ Nina Simone’s voice / 516. Winning something / 517, Knowing someone well enought to get them to check your teeth for broccoli / 994. Hairdressers who listen to what you want / 999, Sunlight /1008. Dancing in Private / 9997. Being cooked for / 253263. The feeling of calm which follows the realization that although you may be in a regrettable situation, there’s nothing you can do about it. 99999 . Completing a task

Every novel can be considered to be ‘original’ but sometimes the content or format make a book different than others in the genre. Sometimes these books are particularly UNIQUE for the choice of story  and /or the way the story has been told. Several of the  2025 / 2026 books (and two from 2020) in this listing qualify for being ‘something completely different’ (e, g., a novel about hosting animals to the afterlife;  a graphic novel/ picgure book told, mostly told in full-spread monochromatic pages with real/surreal images;  a novel told with chapters in mixed up orders, a story preented in sijo, a tradiional Korean verse form).

 

 

JULIA AND ROMANO by Eric Walters / YA

When Julia’s mother moves her across the country,to Campbell River, B;.C,  teenager Julia Anderson is pissed off since she will be missing her friends, her boyfriend and the urban city of Toronto. Before long she meets charming, handsome Cody and they quicly develop a trusting amorous friendship., The problem: Julias’ mother, a lawyer is battling an environmental issue to preserve the cutting down of trees and Cody Romano’s  father runs the local mill and fights to preserve the logging industry which means saving jobs.. As Julia and Cody’s love grows, they realize that they must keep their relationship a secret but everybody knows everybody in the small coastal community and tensions mount as the court trial unfolds and protests and damage arise. Eric Walters knows how to tell a good story and he’s done another fine job of digging into the minds and hearts of young people.  Applause, too,  to Walters for capturing people and places of lfe in a small community as if he’s lived there all his life.  Of couse, as the title suggests, allusions to Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet story filter throughout the narrative, adding to the enjoyment of this engaging read. 

 

JUST ONE GIFT by Linda Sue Park; Illus. Robert Sae-Heng /  illustrated novella / Poetry

Make a list of all the people you are related to. Make a list of all your friends. Make a list of all other people in your life (neighbour store owner, baby sitter). Choose one of those poeple and imagine that you could give them a realistic gift (no unicorns or magic wands).  If you could give someone in your life the perfect present – just one gift – what would it be? A teacher gives her class the assignment by asking Linda Sue Park celebrates things large (the space to grow a garden; a restaurant) and not so large (a new pair of Nike shoes, a signed baseball, a thank you note to a bus driver; a parakeet) as students in their class share their poignant answers. The format of this book was inspired by sijo, a traditional Korean verse form which are short three-line poems, each line comprising thirteen to seventeen syllables, each line fulfilling a specific purpose. This short novella (71 pages), a companion to the author’s previous publication The One Thing You’d Save inspires readers to pay attention to the people of their lives. 

 

ONE TIME by Sharon Creech / 2020

Sharon Creech, you write great books. I have been a Creech fan since reading Love That Dog and particularly enjoyed other titles written in verse format (e.g., Hate that Cat, Heartbeat,Moo).  Though written in 2020, I was very pleased to encounter One Time. I so loved this book. Gina Filomena is has a mighty imagination that distinguishes her from other students in her class. She has met her match and connection with her new mysterious neighbour, Antonio, who braves the world with the a welcoming smile.  Miss Lightstone, an extraordinary teacher is just the person that Gina,and her classmates need as someone to ignite creativity  and enrich imagination. What an amazing teacher Miss Lightstone, is.  Her free writing ‘experiments’ with writing topics are to be admired (and copied). Such practices as collecting words, fictitious family trees, recording the first sentences of novels motivate students to freely xpress themselves.   The first message displayed on the board is the question “Who are you?” (and Later, Who could you be?’  inspires her students – and readers –  to reflect and wonder. Every kid needs a Miss Lightstone in their life and for Gina, this person is  the grown-up she needs as she learns to adjust to life. 

The story is presented in 50+ short chapters each with a title that encapsulates Gian Filomena’s experiences. (e..g, . The Blue Frog,  The Smile,  The Moon and the Lake, Crows, The Hole in the Room.) The chapters could in fact could have been written as ‘diary entries since each chapter serves as a vignette of the character’s life and  wise reflections of events that surround her.  Readers who require ‘plot’ development may not be as engaged with this book as I was. This novel is introduced with a quotation from poet Mary Oliver “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” and concludes with another Oliver snippet. I want to be improbable beautiful and afraid of nothing, as though I had wings.,” ‘Nuf said. Thank you, thank you Sharon Creech for One Time. 

 

NOTHING EVER HAPPENS HERE by Sarah Hagger-Holt / 2020 / Transgender parent

Everything is rather normal in Izzy’s family, except for one thing.  When her Dad announces that he is coming out as Danielle, Izzy is fearful of what may become of her family. How will the twelve-year old girl, her older sister and younger brother handle the changes as her father transitions from Dad to Danielle / Dee. How will the kids in the school and people in the community handle this news. Nothing Ever Happens Here is a poignant and honest handling of being transgender issues. The story also is a powerful story for standing up for family and for fighting for what is right ({You’re right, when something isn’t fair it is important to sadn up for what you believe in.” (p. 203). Though written in 2020, this novel is an important read about transphobia that connects to a number of personal narratives today = and tomorrow. 

 

THE UNLIKELY TALE OF CHASE & FINNEGAN by Jasmine Warga / Anthropomorphic narrative

It may seem unlikely that a dog and a cheetah would be best companions but when the two animals are brought together the dog (Finnegan) must help Chase (the cheetah) to gain confidence to perform for as part of an educational program for children at the zoo.  Finnegan and Chase are each dealing with loss in their lives but they find comfort and courage and safety in the training program led by the supportive and encouraging Basma. The story is told in short chapters with alternating perspectives. Jasmine Warga has done a fine job of gathering research. Moreover, she expertly captures the inner thoughts and feelings of dog and cheetah as they communicate with each other adn the humans who care from them. The Unlikely Tale of Chase and Finnegan is another remarkable anthropomorphic narrative, a genre that I’m quite fond of (e.g., The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate, The Wild Robot by Peter Brown, Pax by Sara Pennyacker, The Eyes of the Impossible by David  Eggers)

 

WHEN TOMORROW COMES by Tae Keller`

Newbery Medal winning author, Tae Kller (When You Trap a Tiger (2023) has written a new novel that is told through the voices of three seventh-grade characters as well as the perspective of a tree Naomi, Vi and Arthur used to be best pals but the triangle friendship has waned. are, for the most part good friends. When they were a bit younger discover a book of prophecies and now, a prophecy of fire and destruction brings them together on a quest.   There seem to be three essential plots 1) finding the second book of prophecy  to prevent calamity b) Vi’s new developing romantic relationship with the coolest dude in the school who sends out an embarrassing and inappropriate photo that Vi sent him 3) Wildfires are burning in the shadows of Seattle.  And oh yes, the tree has its’ own story to tell about how the book, the prophecies and the dangerous fires came to be.  I wish I liked this book more than some others have. Any one of these young teenager stories needs attention but the novel seems to meander make this a sprawling piece of fiction. I wasn’t particularly captured by the quest to find a second prophecy book that would  predict the future and I was expecting a story about the threat of fires in the community, but this issue didn’t seem to be the central issue of the novel. The passages of the tree as chorus bringing a historical background to events intrigued, but I gradually found them to be tedious entries. However, Keller does a fine job of inspecting middle-school relationships. There seems to be good intentions in telling an urgent story of important issues  of the environment and male toxicity and the potential danger of social media, but I found that too much breadth interfered with depth.  I feel that any one of these issues on its own would have made this a more compelling read. 

NOTE: Those kids on the cover seem far younger than grade seven tweenagers.

NOTE: A  jarring comment that appeared in a Goodreads review reads: “Unable to continue this book due to LGBTQ content. (Arthur has two dads).  “Oh my!” , says I. 

 

TWO NEWBERY HONOR WINNERS 2026

The following two titles were both Newbery Honor winners this year. 

 

THE INCREDIBLY HUMAN HENSON BLAZE by Derrick Barnes

Henson Blaze is the hero of Great Mountain Mississippi and in the first 100 pagess or so we learn how much he is admired and respected by the whitefolk citizens. After all, thirteen-year old Henson is a star football player and his prospects to play on he high school team are celebrated. When the narrative takes us to the season’s opening game where everyone cheers on the talented Henson, the young teenager learns of a horrific incident that involved police brutality over a young black boy who was a loyal friend to Henson. Henson is forced to make a decision: Football fame or fighting justice. While deciding to withdraw from the sport, the town is emphatically divided in their support.Henson’s father, a leader in the community helps his son think about his destiny and consider that greatness can mean different thing.  Also, the inclusion of heritage stories about  experiences from the past that appear throughout the book provide some meaningful contexts about the Black Experience and Anti-Black experiences.  Derrick Barnes tells a powerful story centred on a black ‘stars’ being responsible for the entertainment of others. (“This is a story about – along with other pertinent themes – America’s strange obsession with the Black body: for labor and entertainment” (author’s note, p. xi).  The Incredibly Human Henson Blaze  is more than a novel about community, self-discovery  and pursuing dreams. It is a  tale of “boyhood, manhood, sonhood and fatherhood and the blues.” (Sabaa Tahir). Derrick Barnes s picture books (Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut and I Am Every Good Thing) are rich tributes to the Black experience. Derrick Barnes you too are a hero. 

from the Author’s Note (p. xiv)

“Don’t force yourself to fit neatly and quietly into the perception of those who do not have your best interests at hear, in their narrow-minded definition of who they think you are supposed to be. Be who you want to be…Hopefully, Henson will live with you for a long time, and will motivate you to never stop growing, changing and being the best version of yourself every single day for the rest of your beautiful lives.”

 

THE UNDEAD FOX OF DEADWOOD FOREST by Aubrey Hartmena / Anthropomorphic narrative / Death, Loss and Remembrance

Judging the book by its cover , with an illustration of a one-eyed fox wearing aburgendy cape and the word ‘dead’ appearing twice in the title readers know that they are in for an intriguing read. What an original story this is! Clare (he/ him) is the undead fox who ‘lives’ in the state of the not quite dead, but not quite alive. His mission, as Usher,  is to guide souls to their final resting place. Did I mention that this was quite an ‘original’ tale? For six years, Clare has fulfilled  his responsibilities as much as he enjoys his mushroom garden. All is upset with the arrival of a badger named Gingersnipe who is unable to leave Deadwood and togther badger and fox journey to find a solution to why Gingernipe is not able to enter one of the four realms of The Afterlife:  Peace, Pleasure, Progress, Pain.  The WOW black and white full-page illustrations that accompany each chapter  bring the setting and characters to life. I really really enjoyed reading Aubrey Hartman’s  exquisitely crafted writing and her inventive uncovering of  death, loss and eternity is both delightful and grim. 

Excerpt

“He reached the tortoise, who like Hesterfowl’s shack, looked even older up close. Blooms of moss grew in patches on his time-smoothed shell. His cracked and scaly skin sagged in puzzling places. All in all, Clare supsected the rock belly would be welcomed into the Afterlife very, very soon.” (p.133)

 

AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT…

Each of these two books is unique a)  in its formatting and b) in its discombobulated, playful, absurd plunges into the world of an unbelievable  wild  adventure. Both books serve as remarkable creations from genius talents – not for everyone’s tastes, especially  for those seeking straightforward narrative.  I’d say that both Peter McCarty and Philip Stead’s work as author and illustrator  are for strong middle age and older readers. Those who choose to patiently embark on either of  these novels – and stick with it – are in for a daring, oh-so-clever rumpus of a read,   

 

THE FIVE WOLVES by Peter McCarty

The jacket blurb helps to conveniently summarize what this novel is about:” Across oceans, through fields, and down tunnels, five daering wolves traverse the planet in search of wonders to draw and paint.  All the while, a disemobied narrator spins he tale of heir absurdist adventure and asks big questions: What is art? And who does it belong to?

Peter McCarty’s book is part grand picture book and part graphic novel. The Arrival by Shaun Tan comes to mind, as does the graphic novels by Brian Selznick (The Invention of Hugo Cabret; The Marvels,)  Pages of wordless, grayscale, monochromatic, intricate art work fill the pages. Verbal text is executed with meticulous hand lettering, mostly in rectangular panels filled with a swirling montage of hundreds of words and phrases.  Each panel features narrative displayed in bold font. For most of the book verbal text is in  calligraphic blue font, but many pages later in the book  are presented in dull russet-like shades of  brown.This is hard to describe. You have to see it to believe it.  It’s important to read the bold print patiently and if you so choose,  let your eyes wander over the hundreds of words twisted in the background of each panel. The story isn’t told in a straightforward way and making sense of words and pictures may be taxing for many.  Each reader will bring their own meaning – and questions – to what they see/read (and don’t see/read on each spread – and that’s a good thing. This is an ideal book for re-visiting and re-reading to better connect the dots. 

The Five Wolves is a phantasmagoria of real and invented  creatures and surreal settings. Clam seascapes, a big fish attacking a boat, fancy cat in hats firing a horrible cannon, flying Yerbas, hundreds of intelligent rabbits, a young boy donning a sword and shield,  a princess plucked off her pony, an unbelievable cake and five artistic wolves traveling around the planet  make for a wild and weird adventure drawn from the mind of a brilliant author illustrator. ‘Weird’  be a good word to describe this book. It is certainly a marvels of a publication in its awesome execution.  For those seeking something completely different, daring, whacky, puzzling ,super- imaginative, mind-boggling and funny you’re in for a unique reading adventure. 

Excerpts

“Art is not funny if it is blowing away.” (p 47)

“Look! the cat painted a chicken! It is a very nice chicken. I think so. ” (p. 57)

“Before you go, ” says ghe smart ra bbig, “we shall replenish your ar supplies with the same materials used to paint hse walls. Brushes of the finest fur, pigments made from he mos precious minerals, plaster to make eternal frescoes, and I will come with you. I will be the first rabbit to paint outside in a thousand years.” (p. 135)

“… and the fire goes Fwah! Fire is  very bright (p. 179)

“Flap, flap, flab, flip, buzz, buzz, bizz, bizz, whip, whip, flip, flap, flap, flap, flap, flap, It’s The Flying Yerbas. Boooo! Nobody likes the Flying Yerbas!’ (p.244-5)

 

A POTION, A POWDER, A LITTLE BIT OF MAGIC or LIKE LIGHTNING IN AN UMBRELLA STORY: A story out of order by Philip Stead

The jacket blurb helps to conveniently summarize what this novel is about: “It is a tale of precisely twent-four goats and how they became free of heir tiresome burden. It is a tale of a twelve-year old goatkeeper on a quest to save the life of her greatest friend . It is a tale of bravery. It is a tale of luck. It is a tale out of order – a tale whose first chapter is lost insdie the noggin of a once-extraordinary magician, in accessible not only to him, butto the author as weell. We can only hope it will be revealed in time.”

Yes, the chapters are out of order (that didn’t bother me too much since each chapter was filled with adventure and wit), Yes, there are twenty-four goats (one of them a three-legged goat), who together are given the burden of being the foundation upholding the king’s castle.  An old tree, that grants wishes transforms itself into a wheelbarrow. The Forest of Disappointment, The Mountain of Regret, a tollbooth, swamps, vultures, alligators, sea creatures all play a part in  young Bernadette the Brave’s quest to capture her turtle (named Perseverance) before it is turned into a meal for the king.  Latin phrases are spread throughout (e..g.,  ‘Omni mea culpa’ (It’s all my fault); ‘In media res’ (In the middle of things); ‘Finis Felix’ (a happy ending);  Morals abound: “Most stories have only one moral.Some have none at all. This story has several – twenty-four to be exact” (p. 24) . Throughout the book, the author  sits in  hut in mountain wonders what he could write, should write to be helpful and specific (“When writing a story it is important to be specific. Otherwise, the reader will have no choice but to address any lack of specificity with their own imaginations. This can lead o disastrous results.” (p. 129).  Yes, author meets his own disastrous adventure.  A Potion, A powder, A Little Bit of Magic or Like Lightning in an Umbrella Storm: a  story out of order, stands on the shoulders of The Phantom Tollbooth (Norman Juster), A Barrel of Laughs, a Vale of Tears (Jules Feiffer) And A Series of Unfortunate Events (Lemony Snicket) and anything by David Walliams.   I myself got somewhat bogged down by all that happened from story that jumped from page to page, paragraph to paragraph but I sort of hung in there. Philip Stead’s black and white illustrations are sublime (I probably would have liked some more full-page images throughout).   For those seeking something completely different, daring, whacky, puzzling,super- imaginative, mind-boggling and funny you’re in for a unique reading adventure. 

Some morals:

There is no use paddling in a river that cannot decide which way it is going.

Imprecise wishes lead to imprecise results.

Never hold your umbrella aloft in a lightning storm

It is never lucky to be unkind. 

It is better to do one thing well than two things poorly.

The ten  (mostly 2026) titles listed below are rather diverse in content and theme, including informative, inspirational, historical  poetic, and even funny stories. 

 

ELLIS ON GUARD by Sal Sawler; Illus. Nandita Raanm / 2026

Lots of children like Ellis have worries. Ellis  has a worry list that ‘could wrap around the house three times.’ She worries about puddles, talking to new people,sidewalk speeders,  and especially  losing puppy, Peanut to dognappers. Ellis bravely comes to overcome her fears with the Creepy Closet and the Spiky Shrub and Noisy Neighbor  and comes to realize that not all things are loud or scary. Ellis on Guard is an engaging story about finding courage dealing with anxieties

 

OH DEAR, LOOK WHAT I GOT! by Michael Rosen; illus. Helen Oxenbury/ 2025

In April, 2026, it was announced that Michael Rosen was the recipient of the Hans Christian Anderson Award for his huge contribution to children’s literature. Well-deserved, I’d say!

The award-winning picture book, We’re Going on a Bear Hunt by the brilliant team, Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury was published in the year 1989 and has since sold more than 9 million copies worldwide. in 2025, author, Rosen and illustrated Helen Oxenbury teamed up once again to produce a terrific picture book that is a sensational  creation, is the perfect read-aloud story (that warrants many repeated re-visiting). The story involves a young boy who goes from shop hoping to get such ordinary items – a hat, a coat, a cake, a chair but each time is surprised (and disappointed) to be presented with an animal and the menagerie grows and grows, following the boy. This is another brilliant publication filled with the unexpected, told with a rollicking refrain pattern and filled with amusing illustrations. This title is ideal for the ‘me read to you’, ‘let’s read together’, ‘you read to me experience’ Rosen and Oxenbury have done it again with another perfect picture book.

 

I went to the shop

to get me a cake.

Oh dear, they gave me… 

a snake

Oh dear, 

look what I got!

Do I want that?

No, I do NOT.

 

THE FUTURE BOOK by Mac Barnett; Illus. Shawn HarrisThis

This book is from the future where the sun is called the moon and the moon is called the sun;  morning is called night and night is called morning; there are no apples, noses are called mushroom and when someone sneezes they say “Forgive me Susan!” and folks don’t say ‘You Smell Like a baby’ instead of ‘Goodbye!’. Sometimes silly is fun. And fun is sometimes funny. I’d say his is the silliest funniest book since The Book With No Pictures by B.J. Novak .  Mac Barnett.. you are silly and funny (and a  talented author). Shawn Harris you are silly and funny (and a brilliant illustrator).  

 

10 SHOCKING FACTS ABOUT CAPYBARAS  by Melanie Watt / 2026

What do you know about Capybaras? Talented Canadian author, Melanie Watt (Scaredy Squirrel series) presents ten shocking facts about the biggest rodent in the world. Capybaras can outrun their predators. can fall asleep in the water and communicate by making surprising sonds but can they talk on the phone?  can they order pizza? This book is an ideal nonfiction title with many surprising facts about this unique animal and one especially shocking truth that os revealed at the conclusion – and sure to amuse and amaze readers. This is a perfect book for educators to share with their students when exploring the characteristics and behaviours of animals. 

THE STORY HUNTER by Barbara Reid / 2026

Any new book by Barbara Reid is a treasure to add to any book collection.In tbis story a young child goes on a hunt grasslands, a cave, a dark tunnel.  Reid, through her masterful plasticine art signaure style, takes readers on a journey into the mysteries and stories of prehistoric times.  In preparation for this publication, the artist travelled to Vezere Valley in France to experience the drawings of  deer, bison, horses found in long-ago times when stories were danced, sung and illustrated. Hoorah! Hoorah!  for Barbara Reid, a story hunter, story carrier supreme.  WOW!

 

THIS IS A POEM THAT HEALS FISH by Jean-Pierre Simeon; Illus. Olivier Tallec / 2007

This title, originally published in French,  is both simple, and inspirational and a thoughtful quest to find an explanation for what a poem is. Arthur is afraid that his pet fish, Leon is going to die of boredom and his mother’s advice is to ‘give him a poem’. A poem? But what is a poem? Arthur searches his house and his neighbourhood to find an answer.  Each person he encounters in his community has an answer for him. A bicycle shop owner claims: “A poem, Arthur, is when you are in love and have the sky in your mouth.” The baker says is is “hot like fresh bread’ When you eat it. a little is always left over.” Mamoud who comes from the desert explains that “a poem is when you hear the heartbeat of a stone.” Each answer is both satisfying and a puzzle that leads Arthur to heal his fish.  This book designed to help readers, young and old, reflect on the importance and comfort of poems. I’m so very fond of the expressive art work by Olivier Tallec and his illustrations for This Is A Poem That Heals a Fish are lively, colourful and yes, so very poetic. I love this picture book. 

 

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>>>>>   ILLUSTRATED NONFICTION   <<<<<

 

SHIRLEY: An Indian Residential School Story, written and illustrated by Joanne Robertson with Shirley (Fletcher) Horn / 2026

Shirley is  presented as a first person account of Cree woman who, at five years of age ,was taken away from her family to attend St. John’s Indian Residential School and subsequently lived in Shingwauk Indian Residential School.  With the support of Joanne Robertson Shirley (Fletcher) Horn’s  life is outlined with clarity and heart and is accompanied throughout with illustrations created through photo and drawing collages. The details of Shirley’s experiences are framed in short sections with headings that encapsulate her life in Residential schools. Adventures such as  competing to do chores, sharing bedtime stories about life on the reserve, learning crafs at Brownies and Girl Guides, hiding a garger snak n her pocket, faking a fainting to be removed from a church service,  running away with friends and ending up in jail are the stuff of a memorable life. Shirley left school at fifteen years of age and she eventually ended up going to university and came tro be an accomplished artist. Now in her 80’s, she claims to be most proud of her work helping to create the Children of Shingwauk Alumni and the Reclaiming Shingwauk Hall exhibit. In the epilogue to book, Shirley remembers bing cold, afraid, hungry and alone but also having warm childhood memories of family.  Shirley is a very special  – significant – story since it comes from truth, helping readers to come to an understanding of the trauma that affects generations and for the journey towards healing and reconciliation. 

Excerpt

“Through sharing my story, it’s my hope that you begin to reflect on the deep and continuing impacts the residential schools had and have on survivors, their families, communities, and Canada’s reputation.It may negatively impact your understanding of Canada bu learning the truth is important. “(Author’s notes, p. 65)

 

THE STORIES BEHIND THE STORIES: The Remarkable True Tales Behind Your Favourite Children’s Books by Danielle Higley / 2021

This publication is a wondrous treat for lovers of children’s literature. The author provides short essays that explain the fascinating behind-the-scenes creations of twenty-nine children’s classics (e.g., Curious George,  Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry,   Diary of a Wimpy Kid, A Wrinkle in Time.). Author, Danielle Higley’s research and storytelling helps us ‘”o see that our most treasured children’s books weren’t just built on creativiyand imagination – many were born from extraordinary persistence and grit” (Author’s Note).  The authors’ biographical information,  ‘did you know’ facts , remarkable stories, and  wonderful brighty coloured, detailed collage like- illustrations (including some photo imags)  make this publication a fascinating, informative celebration of enduring  children’s literature we have come to love. 

Some Did You Know examples:

Dav Pilkey was  a reluctant reader when he was a kid who had (and still has ADHD and dyslexia.  Pilkey was 7 years old when he wrote and illustrated his first Captain Underpants book.Unimpressed, his teacheerf  ripped Captain Underpants first comic book in half and told the young  author that he ‘couldn’t spend the rest of his life making silly books.”

The idea for The Very Hungry Caterpillar came to Eric Carl when he was playing a whole punch, putting holes in a stack of papers. Ethe author/ illustrator’s picture book hero, a hungry caterpillar was originally was a worm named Willy who became very fat at the end of the story. The infamous book ultimately became a story of transformation. 

Children’s book editor Ursula Nordstrom offered Maurice Sendak a contract for a book entitled “Where The WIld Horses Are.” For Sendak, this was a problem since he couldn’t draw horses and when Nordstrom asked, “Maurice, what can you draw?” Sendak answered “Things..” Thus was born  Where the Wild Things Are.

It’s sort of curious that  “Goodnight Cucumber. Goodnight fly” got removed from Margaret Wise Brown’s Goodnight Moon manuscript.

Christopher Paul Curtis took a year off from working on a General Motors assembly line in Flint, Michigan.  He hoped to write a book based on a car trip he took with his own family to visit family in Florida. When his sonb gave his father with the poem “The Ballad of Birmingham’ by Dudley Randall, about the chruch bombing. the Watsons’ travelled to Birmingham instead of Florida. and the author wove in  events that were inspired from his own life. When he submitted a manuscript for The Watsons Go To Birmingham – 1963 to two contests, he did not win either award but the book caught the attention of a publisher and the book went on to win the Newbery Honor PRize and the Coretta Scott King Award. 

 

SHOUT OUT / Nonfiction

LAST KNOWN ADDRESS: THE STUMBLING STONES OF EUROPE

by Kathy Kacer (age 11+) / 2026

I wasn’t familiar with the Stolperstein (Stumbling Stones) monument, Some facts:

> The memorial project began in 1995 by artist Guner Demnig as a way to honour victims of the Holocaust.

> Stones are small brass plaques chiseled with names and dates  and fates and are placed outside the last address of the person  before being arrested and often taken to concentration camps.

> Plaques are dedicated not only to Jewish people but also those who were persecuted for being Romani, disabled, queer. Not all shared the same fate.

> Gunter Demnig, working with a partner Michael Friedrichs-Friedlander  has been placing plaques into cobblestone streets and concrete sidewalks in over seven hundred cities.

> as of early 2026, there have been 116,00 stones laid across 31 countries. About  6000 stones are added annually. 

After stumbling upon a stumbling stone in Rome, Kathy Kacer became intrigued to find out more about the largest monument of the Holocaust in the world. In Last Known Address the author  tells 13 stories of those whose names have been engraved in the memorial artifacts.  The stones bring humanity to those whose lives were lost. Moreover, each stone is a marker of a human story to those who perished and reading these stories brings honor to those who perished in the Second World War and the Holocaust. Gunter Dmnig believed that ‘ a person is forgotten only when their name is forgotten.’  There is sadness and awe in reading these stories of those who were arrested but learning about the families, the friends, the communities, the businesses,  the pleasures of those who once lived in freedom helps us to understand history and value that ‘if we do not learn from history we are doomed to repeat it.” (American philosopher George Santaya). 

Kathy Kacer is a hero for her writing for young people about antisemitism, the evil of the Nazi regime and the unbelievable stories of courage and resilience of those who lives who have been cut short. Any single historical fiction, nonfiction and picture book by Kathy Kacer helps young readers to grasp some understanding of the horrors of World War II.  Last Known Address is a must-read stellar collection of stories that help readers of all ages to dig into the lives of only a few of someone who lived and possibly perished in the Holocaust. Thank you, thank you for this remarkable , well-researched, heartfelt nonfiction title, Kathy. The sepia illusTrations of the monuments and artifacts by Julian Neufeld  add to the power of the book. and  has inspired me to stumble upon stumble stones should I travel to Europe.  Moreover each story in the book serves as a monument to a life lost by bringing authenticity to help me better understand those lives.  And as statistics inform us, there have been 116,000 stones laid in 31 countries. 116 000 stones represent 116 000 stories of those ‘who lived here’.   In the afterword, Kacer writes words of inspiration

Keep readng

Keep learning.

Pass the history on.

 

Remembering..

Leone Sabatello: Rome, Italy

Ann Frank: Amsterdam, Netherlands

Ettie Steinburg Gluck: Dublin Ireland

Willy Zimmerer:  Frankfurt, Germany

Ada Van Dantzig: London, England

Max Josef Freund: Munich, Germany

Jan and Amalie Daniel: Brno, Czech Republic

Carl Becker:Krefeld, Germany

Matvy, Ajzinberg: Belrade, Serbia

Vera Katch Shiff,: Prague, Czech Republic

Max Windermueller,: Emden, Germany

Salman Schocken:  Berlin, Germany

Attila Petschauer: Budapest, Hungry

 

 

 

 

>>>>>>>>> <<<<<<<

SHOUT OUT

ALWAYS REMEMBER
The Boy, The Mole, The Fox, the Horse and the Storm

                                                                                         by Charles Mackesy / 2025

This publication is a wonderful wonderful companion to Charles Mackesy’s’s masterpiece The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse an illustrated book that is suitable for readers young and old (i.e., grown-ups) which was released in. I gave this philosophical, comforting book as a gift over a dozen of times for the wisdom that is offered page by page, An example:  when Mole asks “What do you want to be when you grow up, the boy answers “Kind”.   Enough said. 

Now the author has added the word ‘the Storm’ to the original title published in 2019,  helping readers contemplate how to survive all kinds of storms that may emerge in anyone’s life. In the preface to this book, the author writes “This book is for everyone, whatever age you are, and I hope it helps you remember that you are loved, and you matter. You are brave and magnificent.” The opening sentence reads “One day you’ll look back and realize how hard it was and just how well you did.”. Any life has its obstacles, and problems and storms but sometimes, as mole advises “every step you take is a victory”. This is a book that ignites reflection and invites repeated visits. The ink drawings and watercolour paintings are sublime. Yes, this book is a treasure, a masterpiece. 

Excerpt

 

       Mole’s Cake Recipe for The Cake of Love

 

A kilo of kindness

A ladle of letting go

A pinch of patience

A gram of gratitude

Heeps of hope

A handful of humility

A jug of joy

(This recipe never fails). 

In celebration of the publication of my new book, Yes, Genre Makes A Difference, this posting lists a range of genres titles that I recently enjoyed.  Many of these books are recent publications. 

Most often, i prefer to read a book before seeing a movie, play or television series, but i chose to read several books after seeing plays, movies and television series I liked a lot. 

 

>>>  FICTION

 

HEATED RIVALRY by Rachel Reid / 2019/2024

The television series, Heated Rivalry has become, to say the least a huge phenomenum. Like thousands of others, I ratehr liked this 6 part series about two rival hockey players, who privately lust after each other. Canadian  Shane Hollander and Russian Ilya Rozanov are both star hockey players competing and combatting on the ice.  They find ways to sneak off together and know how important it is to keep their relationship and gay identity a secret.  There is lots and lots and lots of sex in the streaming series and the book. I read Heated Rivalry with interest to see how page transferred to screen and concluded that the print form is practically 100% faithful to the TV series and the TV series is practically 100% faithful to the the book. Walking into a book store these days, once can notice book displays devoted to the “Game Changer” Series. There are currently 6 titles and one more to be released sometime in the near future. My curiosity has been satsified by knowing how the book has been adapted but I  dont think I’ll choose to read the other titles. 

Excerpt (p. 151)

Excerpt Shane and Ilya were”opposites in almost every way imaginable, but it was getting harder for Illya to deny tht there was somethign in his core that was drawn to Hollander. Instead of getting him out of his system with their hookups, each one just made them want more. It was dangerous fucking stuff.

 

>>>   NOVELLAS

 

BOX HILL: A story of low self-esteem  by Adam Mars-Jones / 2020

Seeing the movie Pillion prompted me to read the short book (114 pages) that this was based on. The story is centred on a dominant-submissive gay relationship which made for some intriguing insights into leader-follower narrative and ‘raw’ (explicit) movie viewing. The book is told from Colin’s point of view looking back on his past when he first, on his eighteenth birthday stumbled (literally) upon Ray, a six-foot five Adonis dressed in leather. Black Hill / Pillion are immersed in biker culture and takes Colin in a wild ride into the life of being devoted and submissive as a gay young man caught in the ‘swim of sex’. Colin is an endearing character but being under Ray’s spell makes for a desperate soul seeking acceptance  (the book is subtitled ‘A story of low self-esteem’.) The movie’s plot diverges from the novella’s premise but both medium takes us into a culture that is both exciting and shocking. The first person narrative offers readers insights into an unforgettable, sad, funny character who over the decades is immersed in sexual education and yes, love. 

Excerpts

“If somebody had held up a mirror on front of me at the moment, I would immediately realize i had nothing to offer Ray. Ray had no possible need of this blob.” (p, 16)

“I left school because I was short and fat and tired of being bullied.” (p. 33)

 

SEASCRAPER by Benjamin Wood / 2025

I’m quite fond of books (especially novellas) where settings are very much featured characters in the story and where people who live a quiet existence in fairly remote areas live with hope and yearning. The novellas Claire Keegan (Small Things Like These; Foster) come to mind as well Clear by  Carys Davies and Water by John Boyne. British author, Benjamin Wood tells the story of twenty-year-old Thomas Flett, who lives with his mother in Longferry, Northern England. He is devoted to his job as a shanker, an occupation inherited from his grandpa. In recent days, the gathering and selling of shrimp has become a struggle, but Thomas dutifully carries on, even thoguht he has a dream of being a folk musician, a secret he keeps from his mother. With the arrival of an American film director, Edgar, who wants to produce a film in the seascape community that Thomas knows like the back of his hand, he hires Thomas as a guide.  Can Thomas trust this stranger? Does Edgar offer Thomas a glimmer of hope to take him out of the drudgery of his days into a better future? The story takes place over the span of one day in this highly atmospheric, compelling tale. I am so very pleased to have discovered another fine fine British writer to dig into. 

Excerpt

“What ties him to the shanker’s life is not necessity, as such – a steady wage could be acquired by other means – and nor is it a sentimental gesture to the man who raised him. No, there is something more essential to it, simpler, but he can’t quite isolate the reason well enough to understand it. Ther’s a kind of gravity that holds him her, for definite, but most days he spends yearning to be free of it.” (p., 89)

 

           >>>   NONFICTION

 

LAST KNOWN ADDRESS: THE STUMBLING STONES OF EUROPE  by Kathy Kacer  / 2026

I wasn’t familiar with the Stolperstein (Stumbling Stones) monument, Some facts:

> The memorial project began in 1995 by artist Guner Demnig as a way to honour victims of the Holocaust.

> Stones are small brass plaques chiseled with names and dates  and fates and are placed outside the last address of the person  before being arrested and often taken to concentration camps.

> Plaques are dedicated not only to Jewish people but also those who were persecuted for being Romani, disabled, queer. Not all shared the same fate.

> Gunter Demnig, working with a partner Michael Friedrichs-Friedlander  has been placing plaques into cobblestone streets and concrete sidewalks in over seven hundred cities.

> as of early 2026, there have been 116,00 stones laid across 31 countries. About  6000 stones are added annually. 

After stumbling upon a stumbling stone in Rome, Kathy Kacer became intrigued to find out more about the largest monument of the Holocaust in the world. In Last Known Address the author  tells 13 stories of those whose names have been engraved in the memorial artifacts.  The stones bring humanity to those whose lives were lost. Moreover, each stone is a marker of a human story to those who perished and reading these stories brings honor to those who perished in the Second World War and the Holocaust. Gunter Dmnig believed that ‘ a person is forgotten only when their name is forgotten.’  There is sadness and awe in reading these stories of those who were arrested but learning about the families, the friends, the communities, the businesses,  the pleasures of those who once lived in freedom helps us to understand history and value that ‘if we do not learn from history we are doomed to repeat it.” (American philosopher George Santaya). 

Kathy Kacer is a hero for her writing for young people about antisemitism, the evil of the Nazi regime and the unbelievable stories of courage and resilience of those who lives who have been cut short. Any single historical fiction, nonfiction and picture book by Kathy Kacer helps young readers to grasp some understanding of the horrors of World War II.  Last Known Address is a must-read stellar collection of stories that help readers of all ages to dig into the lives of only a few of someone who lived and possibly perished in the Holocaust. Thank you, thank you for this remarkable , well-researched, heartfelt nonfiction title, Kathy. The sepia illusTrations of the monuments and artifacts by Julian Neufeld  add to the power of the book. and  has inspired me to stumble upon stumble stones should I travel to Europe.  Moreover each story in the book serves as a monument to a life lost by bringing authenticity to help me better understand those lives.  And as statistics inform us, there have been 116,000 stones laid in 31 countries. 116 000 stones represent 116 000 stories of those ‘who lived here’.   In the afterword, Kacer writes words of inspiration

Keep readng

Keep learning.

Pass the history on.

 

Remembering..

Leone Sabatello: Rome, Italy

Ann Frank: Amsterdam, Netherlands

Ettie Steinburg Gluck: Dublin Ireland

Willy Zimmerer:  Frankfurt, Germany

Ada Van Dantzig: London, England

Max Josef Freund: Munich, Germany

Jan and Amalie Daniel: Brno, Czech Republic

Carl Becker:Krefeld, Germany

Matvy, Ajzinberg: Belrade, Serbia

Vera Katch Shiff,: Prague, Czech Republic

Max Windermueller,: Emden, Germany

Salman Schocken:  Berlin, Germany

Attila Petschauer: Budapest, Hungry

 

>>> STORIES

 

THE ELEVENTH HOUR: A Quintet of Stories by Salman Rushdie / 2025

I’ve read a few books by renowned author, Salman Rushdie and was recently knocked out by his memoir Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder (2025) a recount of the 2022 stabbing that left the author partially blind and his recovery and trauma of the experience..  This new release is a collection of five stories, (not particularly short stories: 20 pages; 80 pages, 74 pages, 60 pages, 19 pages).  I chose to read the shorter one’s first.  I think my favourite was ‘In the South’ the first one in the collection which introduces readers to a pair of cantankerous seniors, Junior and Senior, rather depend on each other from day to day, as they cautiously approach death. Senior. with two hundred and five younger family members question the value of life so full of love:, “His was a family of mosquitoes, he thought, a buzzing swarm, and love was their itchy bite.” .  ‘The Musician of Kahanai’ is centred on a musical prodigy, with a magical gift that allows her to cause destruction of the super rich family she married into. I’m not particularly fond of ghost stories but the afterlife of Cambridge don and his connection with a lonely student in the story ‘Lost’ was intriguing and ‘believable’ (as far as ghost stories go.). This story grabbed me from the opening sentence:  “When the Honorary Feloow S. M. Arthur woke up in his darkened College bedroom he was dead.  ‘Oklahoma’ describes the adventurees of a young writer who tries to figure out whether his mentor killed himself.  Disclaimer: I abandoned this selection after reading only half of it. (Maybe I’ll give it another go! ),The final piece, ‘The Old Man in the Piazza’  is described as ”a powerful parable for out times about freedom of speech”. Language is a personified character in this narrative.  So like any story collection, this one was hit and miss for me – even if there was  a collection of only five tales where the 11th hour ending of life , and/or death is given thoughtful expression. 

 

>>>  PICTURE BOOK

 

THIS IS A POEM THAT HEALS FISH by Jean-Pierre Simeon; Illus. Olivier Tallec / 2007

Picture books aren’t just for young people (you can quote me on that). I chose to include this title, originally published in French because it is both simple, and inspirational and a thoughtful quest to find an explanation for what a poem is. Arthur is afraid that his pet fish, Leon is going to die of boredom and his mother’s advice is to ‘give him a poem’. A poem? But what is a poem? Arthur searches his house and his neighbourhood to find an answer.  Each person he encounters in his community has an answer for him. A bicycle shop owner claijms: “A poem, Arthur, is when you are in love and have the sky in your mouth.” The baker says is is “hot like fresh bread’ When you eat it. a little is always left over.” Mamoud who comes from the desert explains that “a poem is when you hear the heartbeat of a stone.” Each answer is both satisfying and a puzzle that leads Arthur to heal his fish.  This book designed to help readers, young and old, reflect on the importance and comfort of poems. I’m so very fond of the expressive art work by Olivier Tallec and his illustrations for This Is A Poem That Heals a Fish are lively, colourful and yes, so very poetic. I love this picture book. 

 

>>> POETRY

THE LOST SPELLS by Robert Macfarlane; Illus. Jackie Morris / 2020

I intentionally seek out new poetry publications, mostly titles that would be connected to the world of children’s literature. Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris collaborated on an outstanding book entitled The Lost Words – “a dazzling original celebration of language and nature”  – and I was so pleased to discover The Lost Spells (2020) sitting by the check out counter at a local book store. What a gem of a collection! In the introduction to the book tells us that ‘This is a book of spells to be spoken aloud. It tells its stories and sings its songs in paint in word.’  Robert Macfarlane is a genius with wordsmithing exquisitely capture the world of creatures and places in staggering word images.  Jackie Morris is a genius artist,  exquisitely  capturing the world of two-legged, four-legged, six-legged  creatures (moths)  portrayed in close-up and detailed watercolour images that often fill the pages.  The introduction  also offers an invitation to readers: “So let the spells ring far and wide; speak their words and seek their art; let the world world into your yes, your voice, your heart.”

 Snippets

 

Whirl, birds, whirl!

You havoc-wreakers,

thrill-seekers you. 

 

Over rushes, across marshes,

    Owl hushes – 

Will you listen with Owl ears

    for a while?

 

Circles, crouches, clutches, lunges – 

but breaks its power on birches’ branches.

 

>>   SCRIPTS

 

The scripts listed below are three plays that were my very favourite theatre experiences I had last year. When reading the words, I still had impressions of the terrific actors, the stage setting and the voices given to the dialogue.  I would see any of these plays again and would re-read the script to better consider the plot, characters, and themes of each of these brilliant creations.

GIANT by Mark Rosenblatt / 2025

Giant was one of the best plays I’ve seen in 2025. There is no doubt that Roald Dahl is an iconic figure in the world of children’s literature. In 1983, Dahl made explicitly wrote an antiseptic review that the author is not prepared to back down on, even though it might impact the sales of his books. The play drawn on real events is set in a single afternoon in Roald Dahl’s home. Rosenblatt, in his first play,  presents an imagined scenario set the author’s British publisher and American publisher meet and try to convince Dahl to make a public apology or risk his name and reputation.  The profound irony of this play, published in 2024,  is that it presents views of Israel and Jews that are part of today’s news. John Lithgow gave an astonishing performance  in this award-winning production in London. Giant is a giant of a play – absorbing, powerful and shocking.  It is currently (spring 2026) playing on Broadway. 

Excerpts

“I think the only way I’d ever feel truly safe is if I could absorb people. If I could just swallow them and keep them inside me or something.” 

“It took a long time for Finlay to recognize that the silent version of Banjo was hurt, not angry. Banjo could be every emotion in the span of a sentence, but when he was hurt he carried it around and held it close.” (p. 312)

“OH, MARY!” by Cole Escola / 2025

Mary Todd Lincoln finds  life in the White House – and her husband – to be to be oh-so-boring. Booze and a dream of starring in a cabaret keeps her going,  Mary is hysterically funny  Cole Escola is hysterically funny, “Oh, Mary!” is hysterically funny on stage and on the page. I laughed out loud when I read this 48 page script.  I was lucky to have seen this show on Broadway  and witness the unique talent of Cole Escola  Yes, the brilliant live  performances (and the sensational costume) make thisa unique theatre-going experience. – the funniest play I’ve seen in years!   I was thrilled to see another production of the play in London starring  the terrific Mason Alexander Park and I still laughed and laughed. The play continues to be performed on Broadway with different performers cast in the lead (e.g., Maya Rudolph, Jane Krakowski).  “Oh, Mary!” and Oh, Escola have a great future in world of theatre, with this riotous play, which even the author has called ‘stupid’.  Hysterical! 

Excerpt

Abraham: Because actually a dead wife would do wonders for the president’s reputation in the South right now. Take the acting lessons, you fucking moron.

Mary: The South of what?

 

PRINCE FAGGOT by Jordan Tannahill / 2025

From the back cover: “A poppers-fuelled phantamgoaia interwoven with personal and ecstatic fantasies.”

Acclaimed Canadian playwright, Jordan Tannahill received some knockout reviews for his daring play Prince Faggot that speculates that the future heir to the British throne is gay. A precious photograph of Prince George at age 5 with a slight hip thrust pose seemed to inspire this imagining of what would happen if the he indeed came out as being gay and decided to marry.  How would William and Kate handle the news? What about the public? How will the monarchy and the world react to a family member who  loves partying and drugs and bondage and is in love with a brown man. The play assembles an ensemble of queer and trans performers, each with their story. One can wonder (gasp?) at how Tannahill got away with such an audacious, shocking  premise but Tannahill is a gifted, brave playwright and Prince Faggot is clever  in its portrayal of class, privilege, race and queerness.  What’s missing from the reading of the play are the daring sex scenes, display of nudity and clever transformation of performers playing different parts. The play received enthusiastic reviews in New York in 2025. Will it/ can this oh-so-daring play  with its oh-so-daring title be produced elsewhere?  I vote yes. 

Excerpt (pages 58-59)

Dev: Because you’re protected. No matter what they say or do to you, at the end of the day, you’re still a prince. And at the end of the day, I’m a Brown faggot.

George: I’m a fag too. 

Dev. No babe, You’re not. Your a white gay prince. You will never be a faggot. 

 

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>.     SHOUT OUT.     <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

PROFESSIONAL  TITLE

YES, GENRE MAKES A DIFFERENCE by Larry Swartz

Pembroke Publishers, 2026

 

The opening statement to my new book reads: “Perhaps the epitaph on my tombstone will read Good Books Matter on one side and  Read Anything Good Lately on the other. For the past  50 years as a classroom, teacher, university instructor, consultant, conference speaker and uncle, i have been passionate about sharing literature with people young and old.  This new publication is designed to help teachers introduce students toall genre forms as they build skills in reading and writing. This resource can be considered  the ultimate guide to choosing and using books to actively turn kids on to reading by exploring picture books, novels, nonfiction and poetry. I offer comprehensive lists of books and present over 150 ready-to-use activities (including reproducibles that will inspire students to experience and respond to literature. Ultimately, my goal is to provide information and techniques to deepen understanding and appreciation of all kinds of texts.  Leading Literacy educator, Regie Routman, author of The Heart-Centred Teacher writes; “You can’t make a great fruit tart from a second-rate fruit, just as you can’t teach reading well without first-rate literature.”  Yes, Genre Makes a Difference is intended to inspire, guide, motivate and have teachers consider that Good Books Matter. 

Looking over the list of fiction I’ve read this past month, I realized that I could pair up these titles by connecting them by theme or by characters.  Some 2026 publications are starting to emerge in my recent reading choices.   A special shout out goes to Kathy Kacer for a special nonfiction title. 

 

>>>    2 CHAPTER BOOK TITLES BY 2 CANADIAN AUTHORS

TAKE A DEEP BREATH OLIVE TRAN by Phuong Truong; ill. Christine Wei (ages 8 – 10) / 2025

Ten-year-old Olive Tran is full of spunk and determination. She is eager to win the school talent show and be thanked for winning a pizza party for her  class.  The problem: Olive doesn’t know what her talent really is that could win the competition. , especially knowing that her brother Ben is a piano prodigy.  Olive considers a juggling act, a comedy act, jumping rope, hula-hooping.  What hidden talent does the grade four, Olivia have?  Many young readers will relate to the world of Olivia  Tran – and cheer her on! Take A Deep Breath Olive Tran is the second book in the Olive Tran series.  Book #3, Luckily Ever After Olive Tran will be released in the fall of 2026.

 

THE WORST SURPRISE EVER + HELPER OF THE DAY by Lana Button; illus. Suharu Ogawa  (ages 7 – 9) / 2025

Brianna Banana is a feisty grade 3 student who has some difficulty controlling her emotions. She has great expectations when she is assigned to be class helper of the day but when she arrives at school and finds that her teacher is absent, Brianna’s hopes are dashed and she has trouble handling surprises throughout the day.  Lana Button has introduced readers to a lively endearing character who is learning to control her emotions and cope with life’s unexpected mishaps. Like Ramona Quimby and Junie B. Jones, Brianna Banana is a spunky character who helps readers understand that making friends, being a friend and self-regulating our emotions isn’t always easy. This is an engaging, amusing story centred on emotional health. Lana Button sure knows kids who often struggle to fit in. Sequel: Helper of the Day.

 

>>>   2 BRITISH TREASURES: Something old, something new

A BEAR CALLED PADDINGTON by Michael Bond; Illus. Peggy Fortnum (ages 7 – 9) / 1958

This novel is the first in a series about a beloved bear who arrived from Darkest Peru at Paddington Station in London and came to be part of the Brown household.  There are about 13 to 15 core books in the series. This classic piece of literature  in various iterations has sold over 30 million copies and has been translated into 30 languages. Three terrific Paddington movies have added to the bear’s popularity in recent years.I chose to re-read this book in preparation to see the hugely successful musical Paddington, now playing in London. It’s a smash hit that will surely be playing for decades! The creation of the bear character for the stage is a marvel.  And of course there’s a lively song about Ma Ma Ma Ma Ma Marmalade.  What the musical does well is depict Paddington Bear as ‘other ‘ an immigrant stranger in a strange land  trying to find his way in a new home which helps to make this a timely universal story.  

 

SMALL WONDER by Ross Montgomery / 2025

For those who like exciting adventure stories, British author, Ross Montgomery’s books provide captivating, heart-racing narratives to dig into. I first encountered Montgomery’s work with I Am Rebel, the story of a faithful dog who who will stop at nothing to save the human he loves when the farm boy chooses to join a rebellion.  That novel won Waterstone’s Book of the Year in 2024. I loved that book – one of my favourites of 2025. Small Wonder has all the ingredients for an exciting adventure that includes  a dark forest, perilous mountains, bandits, knights, a deadly assassin and a quest to find safety at a place called King’s Keep and warn the ruler of the kingdom of the enemies approaching.  With only six moons to reach their destination, orphaned Tick and his younger brother, Leaf – and a loyal horse named Pebble – bravely conquer each danger that comes their way.  The words of advice from his grandfather who died, spur Tick on to survive and make each brave dead count.  cliffhangers that end each chapter help to make this thrilling narrative that moves at a pace to quicken the adventurous reader’s heart. 

 

>>>   2 CHARACTERS WHO ARE PASSIONATE READERS  SEEKING COMPANIONSHIP (by 2 Queer Authors)

 

CHRIS MAKES A FRIEND by Alex Gino / (ages 9 – 12)  /2025

Alex Gino is a genderqueer author of middle years novels. The book Melissa (originally published as George (2016) ) was the winnr of The Stonewall Book Award,  and Lambda Literary Award,  is an important story about a fourth-grade  transgender girl. It is  abook that has been challenged for its sexual references and for being against ‘traditional’ family structures. It is a seminal contemporary story to help readers of all ages understand issues of gender identity. Other titles by Gino are must reads: You Don’t Know Everything Jilly Pi (deaf culture and Black Lives Matter); Rick (a student comes to terms with asexuality), Alice Austen Lived Here (queer history) and Green (non-binary middle-schooler who fights for gender free casting).  Chris Makes a Friend introduces readers to a girl who is passionate about reading . When Chris’s mother is scheduled to have surgery, Chris and her younger annoying sister, Becky, are forced to spend the summer with their grandparents.  For Chris, it means not being part of the GS72BC project (Great Summer 72 Book Challenge (i.e. 72 days of school break)) with her friend, Vicky,  but Chris rather enjoys alone time, as long as she can read, read, read.  The title of the book is a spoiler alert of some sort as introverted Chris  finds someone named Mia to spend time with, but is Mia the true friend that Chris needs. This is another great novel by the award-winning author. . Sexuality is not front and centre with this novel (Chris’s mother has a lesbian partner) . This is a another thought-provoking story  by the award-winning author/ How bad can a book be about a kid comes to understand the importance of having a loving family, a caring sibling and a true friend.  How bad can a book be about a kid who is addicted to reading books

Applause for the appendix that presents Chris’s Log listing the titles of 72 great summer reads. 

 

RECOMMENDED READING by Paul Coccia / YA / 2025

Eighteen-year-old Bobby Ashton loves books. Bobby seems to be realistic about how others see him (…”they’ll see me as a poor unwanted, unloved Bobby Ashton, the chubby gay who helps everyone else find love but gets his own heart broken.”)  Hopelessly romantic, he enjoys being a matchmaker and helping people find each other. In the preface to the book, we learn of an embarrassing incident where Bobby’s plan for a romantic proposal on a his current crush, ends up in an unfortunate scene of rejection. Bobby is determined to carry on. Bobby is also eager to find a boyfriend for himself and when hunky-looking Luke enters his world, he is eager to pursue a relationship. But although Bobby and Luke seem to know their own selves, they don’t  seem to know what they want from each other. It is the summer before college and Bobby ends up working in his uncle’s run-down book store providing his with the opportunity to be the local Book Whisperer, connecting readers to the right book to uplift them.   A cast of interesting characters add to the appeal of this book (Bobby’s co-worker, the crotchety Gladys, is a hoot!). Reviewers of this novel have praised the book for being ‘cute’ and ‘sweet’.  I’m not sure that I would pick up a novel that is described as ‘cute’. However, like many readers, I found myself cheering on  the romantic, witty Bobby Ashton in his pursuit of finding love with a guy who he claims is a ‘love Grinch’. Yes, Coccia tells a sweet, harmless, Rom-Com story of homosexual romance, where sex and lust do not play a part in the checklist of  ‘Bobby Ashton’s plans for the Perfect Summer Before College. .’  

>>>  2 NOVELS WITH THE WORD “LION” IN THE TITLE / Antisemitism + The Holocaust

 

 DON’T FEED THE LION by Bianna Golodryga and Yonit Levi  / Antisemtism  (age 11+) / 2025 

Journalists Goldodryga and Levi recognized a significant need to write a novel that helps young teenage readers come to understand the impact of antisemitism and the urgent need to combat hate.  The book is centred on Theo Kaplan, a middle school student who loves being on his school soccer team. He is enamoured with a soccer hero Wes Mitchell who starts a fury when he makes a derogatory remark agains Jews. Some of Theo’s classmates (and school staff) claim that the slur was ‘no big deal’. but when Theo discovers a swastika drawn on his locker he is caught in a web of moral ethics. Theo’s younger sister, however, decides to take action and secretly gets involved with social media until her plan to speak out backfires on her. Family and friendship (and his approaching Bar Mitzvah) moves Theo  find courage to speak up and speak up for what’s morally and ethically right. The compelling story book is presented in chapters centred on different characters and conveys authentic insights into school life, team obligations and tweenage social interactions. The two journalists have written a  necessary story about resilience in the face of hate and the importance of confronting personal and social agency and the quest to find the courage to not feed the lions. It is a story to help readers Stop the Hate and to bravely fight antisemitism – and all forms of bigotry – .  This book is needed NOW! 

Excerpt

“Listen, the full quote from Hillel (Jewish sage and scholar) is, “If I am not for myself, who will be for me if I am not for others, what am I? And if not now, when, when?

 

THE LION’S RUN by Sara Pennypacker / (ages 11 +) /  2026

Lucas Dubois is the hero of this historical fiction novel that takes place during WW II in France which is under the occupation of Nazi Germany. We first meet the orphaned “Petit Eclair Lucas when he is being picked on by other boys and quickly learn how resilient and resourceful the thirteen-year-old boy is when he rescues a a group of newborn kittens from being drowned and then hides them in an old stable. But kittens aren’t the only one’s in hiding. A teenage girl named Alice who is using the stable to keep her filly from being taken by German soldiers.  There have been many novels for young people about this period in history, but Pennypacker introduces a significant piece of history by introducing readers to ‘Lebensborn’, a birth house controlled by  the Nazies where woman are forced to birth racially pure babies. Lucas is responsible for delivering for local greengrocers thus giving him reason to move throughout the community. Secret stories of hidden kittens, a hidden race horse, a young mother who desperately wants to keep her baby and the possibilities of joining the resistance movement intertwine in this richly told narrative of courage, chance, and hope. Each of the 58 chapters in this novel are rather short, adding a sense of tension to the storytelling. Hats of to Sara Pennypacker for brilliantly weaving in true events into a fictional  emotional account of war through the adventures  of a brave, resourceful protagonist. The Lion’s Run is outstanding novel, full of intrigue,  sure to engage – and inform -` readers. 

>>>.  2 BOOKS ABOUT BOOK BANNING

 

NOT ANOTHER BANNED BOOK by Dana Alison Levy

Molly is a grade eight student who is grieving over  the death of her older brother. Being a member of Ms. Lewiston’s  Book Club (LBC) brings her comfort through weekly meetings that allow her and  her friends to talk about books. Early in the novel, Ms Lewiston is approached by the principal of the school who informs her that she is being suspended and that the book club needs to come to an end because of books that have been discussed that are ‘not appropriate’ for young readers. . Molly and her friends take action  to investigate why this has happened and fight back to fight for the freedom to read.  Stories like this are so  important, especially in current times, helping young people to consider injustices and find the truth about book challenges, censorship and banning. Dana Alison Levy tells a compelling, serious, and even humourous story about middle years students standing up for what is right. 

 

WAKE NOW IN THE FIRE: A story of Censorship, Action, Love and Hope by Jarrett Dapier; Art by AJ Dungo / fictionalized true story/ graphic (Ages 12+)  / 2026

In 1963, copies of the book Persepolis byMarjane Satrapi was ordered to be removed from the classrooms and library in Chicago High Schools.  This graphic memoir is a coming-of-age story of a Satrapis personal struggles with politican oppression and cultural changes in Iran in the 1980’s. Some thought this book with its graphic depictions of torture, violence and sexual content was inappropriate for teenage readers. Librarian, Jarrett Dapier examines this piece of history and tells the story of the students at one school who fought to overcome those in power who challenged and banned books.  This fictionalized account of a true event is  told as a graphic novel. The author had done extensive research including conducting interviews with the real-life students and using transcripts to tells the history of one book ban that took place over a decade ago but absolutely resonates with institutional censorship that has emerged in recent years. Wake Now in the Fire recounts the incident from multiple perspective examining the lives of teenagers, taking action, loving and hoping. The art work is in monochromatic shades of teal, with no more than 6 panels per page. The color red only appears when the book Persepolis predominates the action. There are several examples of fiction that dig into the quest to defend books and free speech (Answers in the Pages by David Levithan; Ban This Book by Alan Gratz; This Book Won’t Burn by Samira Ahmed) . Dapeir and Dungo’s book is another  significant  testimony to the courage and resilience to fight for what is right. 

 

>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<

SHOUT OUT / Nonfiction

LAST KNOWN ADDRESS: THE STUMBLING STONES OF EUROPE

by Kathy Kacer (age 12+) / 2026

I wasn’t familiar with the Stolperstein (Stumbling Stones) monument, Some facts:

> The memorial project began in 1995 by artist Guner Demnig as a way to honour victims of the Holocaust.

> Stones are small brass plaques chiseled with names and dates  and fates and are placed outside the last address of the person  before being arrested and often taken to concentration camps.

> Plaques are dedicated not only to Jewish people but also those who were persecuted for being Romani, disabled, queer. Not all shared the same fate.

> Gunter Demnig, working with a partner Michael Friedrichs-Friedlander  has been placing plaques into cobblestone streets and concrete sidewalks in over seven hundred cities.

> as of early 2026, there have been 116,00 stones laid across 31 countries. About  6000 stones are added annually. 

After stumbling upon a stumbling stone in Rome, Kathy Kacer became intrigued to find out more about the largest monument of the Holocaust in the world. In Last Known Address the author  tells 13 stories of those whose names have been engraved in the memorial artifacts.  The stones bring humanity to those whose lives were lost. Moreover, each stone is a marker of a human story to those who perished and reading these stories brings honor to those who perished in the Second World War and the Holocaust. Gunter Demnig believed that ‘ a person is forgotten only when their name is forgotten.’  There is sadness and awe in reading these stories of those who were arrested but learning about the families, the friends, the communities, the businesses,  the pleasures of those who once lived in freedom helps us to understand history and value that ‘if we do not learn from history we are doomed to repeat it.” (American philosopher George Santaya). 

Kathy Kacer is a hero for her writing for young people about antisemitism, the evil of the Nazi regime and the unbelievable stories of courage and resilience of those who lives who have been cut short. Any single historical fiction, nonfiction and picture book by Kathy Kacer helps young readers to grasp some understanding of the horrors of World War II.  Last Known Address is a must-read stellar collection of stories that help readers of all ages to dig into the lives of only a few of someone who lived and possibly perished in the Holocaust. Thank you, thank you for this remarkable, well-researched, heartfelt nonfiction title, Kathy. The sepia-toned  illustrations of the monuments and artifacts by Julian Neufeld  add to the power of the book. and  has inspired me to stumble upon stumble stones should I travel to Europe.  Moreover each story in the book serves as a monument to a life lost by bringing authenticity to help me better understand those lives.  And as statistics inform us, there have been 116,000 stones laid in 31 countries. 116 000 stones represent 116 000 stories of those ‘who lived here’.   In the afterword, Kacer writes words of inspiration:

Keep readng

Keep learning.

Pass the history on.

 

Remembering

Leone Sabatello: Rome, Italy

Ann Frank: Amsterdam, Netherlands

Ettie Steinburg Gluck: Dublin Ireland

Willy Zimmerer:  Frankfurt, Germany

Ada Van Dantzig: London, England

Max Josef Freund: Munich, Germany

Jan and Amalie Daniel: Brno, Czech Republic

Carl Becker:Krefeld, Germany

Matvy, Ajzinberg: Belrade, Serbia

Vera Katch Shiff,: Prague, Czech Republic

Max Windermueller,: Emden, Germany

Salman Schocken:  Berlin, Germany

Attila Petschauer: Budapest, Hungry

 

 

Three piles of books (fiction, nonfiction, middle years novels)  are staring at my from my bookshelves. Reading memoirs is a genre of choice I particularly enjoy these days and on a recent trip to London i acquired some titles by some distinguished authors.  Other nonfiction titles seemed to appear on top ten lists at the end of the year.  Moving into 2026 had me immersed in nonfiction and I still have ten other nonfiction titles awaiting me when spring comes. Spring is coming… Yes?

 

MEMOIRS

 

DEPARTURE(S) by Julian Barnes

At 80 years of age (born 1946), distinguished British author Julian Barnes (The Sense of an Ending, Flaubert’s Parrot) declares that Departures will be the last book he will publish in his lifetime. In the opening section, ‘The Great I Am’  Barnes talks about  about memories, specifically involuntary autobiographical memory (IAM) where a single memory triggers memories of all experiences connected to that memory. For example,  tasting apple pie would trigger memories of all pies that have been tasted.  The second section of the  book is a story “lived in two parts, with a long gap beween them.” Barnes tells the story of a man called Stephen and a woman called Jean, who fell in love when they were young and again when they are old. The author played a part in both episodes of the couple’s lives.  In the later part of he slim book (158 pages), the author shares his experiences of aging where illness and fading memories ultimately help he author – and the reader – to consider what really matters in life and what the meaning of happiness and fulfillment might mean.  The book jacket tells us that “Departure(s) is a work of fiction – but that doesn’t mean it’s not true.” This clever  book seems to be a blend of novel, autofiction, and philosophy, narrated by a clever man named Julian. 

Excerpts

“I have been keeping back something Jean said to Stepheb, she never spoke these words o me, but I very much doubt he misheard them, or misreported them. Here we go; ‘Happiness,’ Jean said, ‘doesn’t make me happy.’ It is a thought – also a rebuke to centuries of ficion, = which I have been turning over in my mind ever since.” (p. 109)

“There is memory, and then there is death, which erases all memory. Leaving survivors with memories of the dead, which seem at fist as vivid and full of motion as when the person was alive. Btut this is a brief illusion.” (p. 144)

 

FUNNY THING, GETTING OLDER by Michael Morpurgo

I am a Michael Morpurgo fan. So are hundreds of thousands of others. I haven’t read teh 100+ titles by the award-winning, British Children’s Laureate author, but after being knocked out by War Horse, i sought out many other titles by this remarkable author. His new book is a gathering of essays, public speeches and reflections from a lifetime of writing. This book is a collection of thoughts about nature, childhood and old age, writing and reading, peace and war. The collection includes essays, poems, a play and stories that shine a shine a light on Morpurgo’s personal, political and life as an author. The book is divided into five sections: Childhood, Peace and War, Telling Tales, Searching for Wonder. The following quote is one to savour – and act upon.

“To give up on books is to give up on education, and if you give up on education then you can easily give up on hope, give up on your future. This way, you can so easily urn children away from books and feading, and that can be a life sentence, a life without books. So many avenues are barred, so many possibilities never imagined, so many discoveries never made, so much understanding of yourself, of others stunted for ever. “(p. 201)

 

LEAVING HOME: A memoir in full colour by Mark Haddon

Mark Haddon’s claim to fame was the publication of the brilliant award-winning 2003 book “The Curious Incident of the Dog In he Night-Time’. He has since published other books (A Spot of Bother  (2007), The Porpoise (2019), Dogs and Monsters (stories) (2024)) .  Leaving Home offers a unique approach to memoir publications. It is filled with over 100 drawings and photograph and images from the author’s. childhood and artistry. Haddon presents an honest account of a remarkable life lived as an independent creative spirit who seems to have survived living under a mother and father who didn’t really know how to love their children.  Haddon also recounts his experiences as a cartoonist, a care assistant, a teacher, a runner, someone who is afraid of flying,  a person who survived heart surgery and a brother, father and husband. Leaving Home is not a ‘typical’ chronological account of a life, but is presented as 87 passages (vignettes) that tell fascinating stories of a fascinating creative author and artist. 

Excerpts

“The people we interact with every day aren ‘t just actors in our lives; they are, for better, or worse, the means by which our names will loive on in the world. And it’s especially true of parents.” (p.74)

“Blessed as I am, I can’t help but think it’s intimately connected to our ability to tell stories, not primarily about gods and heroes but those about ourselves, hwat we might do tomorrow, what we should or could have done yesterday… As soon as we are able to tell these kinds of stories we all enter the Garden of Forking Paths. Life is no longer a single track but a journey through branching junction after branching junctiion, towards multiple unpredictable futures…” (p. 118)

 

POWSELLS AND THRUMS: Tales from a Creative Life  by Alan Garner

Alan Gsrner is a British author of distinction whose books (The Owl Service, Treacle Walker). In this distinguished memoir, the author reflects on the creative journey and the influences that have shaped his life. The title of the book is a salute to his great-great-grranfather’s trade of handloom weaving. Powsells and Thrums are the snippets of leftover fabric and threads that can be brought together “to make something whole and new. As with weaving, so is writing.”  Garner shares experiences growing up as a working-class child during World War II, being educated at Oxford University, an encounter with a mathematician (Alan Turing) and life at Blackden, a medieval hall nestled beside a giant telescope and shares how this ancestor’s craftsmanship and folklore influenced his life.  As good memoirs  about creative artists do, this book provides Alan Garner to share his process, his influences and his tales from a creative life. 

Excerpts

“Creativity, whether in the humanities or in the sciences is play. The creative mind keeps hold of childhood.” (p.151)

“I remember a single instance of conversation about his (Turing) work. He asked me whether, in my opinion as a classical linguist, artificial inelligence was possible. Could a mchine be made to think? I said that, in my opibionb, it could no. And that was that, He said no more.” (p. 44)

 

TELL MY MOTHER I LIKE BOYS by Suvir Saran

Im not a foodie, so I’ve never actually heard of Suvir Saran, particularly known for his owning Devi, the firt Indian restaurant in North America to earn a Michelin star.  In my quest to find some intriguing memoirs, the title of Saran’s autobiography drew my attention. However, I would say that the title Tell My Mother I Like Boys does not exactly tell the truth of the book.  Though the author speaks of his coming out, it doesn’t seem to have been troublesome for his mother, nor his family. The author recounts experiences of living in New Delhi, Bombai, Brooklyn and Manhattan and conveys how each of  thse settings influenced him. He aptly recounts his journey of becoming a celebrated chef who took great care to prepare Indian dishes often influenced by the mentorship of others. Along the way, Saran speaks of his gay relationships, in particular, his life with Max, completely devoted to him as they shared  life on a farm. Gazing into a mirror is an image sustained throughout as the author questions his identity, his talents, his relationships, his desires as a citizen of India and as a U.S. Immigrant. I found, however, that Suvir Saran’s narrative has as more holes than a colander. Characters and events are often introduced but they seem to be pieces of a life, without unpacking the story behind these people and events.  Mention is made of a passionate relationship with Robert but this merely takes up one page and we don’t much about their time together. He introduces people that were important to him personally and professionally but doesn’t give much story about their connection. Saran tells but doesn’t show and I was often left wondering about the mention of fragments that helped shaped his life.  We are provided details of his partnership with Charlie, but when the author (spoiler alert) heads back to India it seems that he merely abandoned Charlie. An epilogue does not wrap up or extend Suvir’s life story. Interesting enough, an acknowledgement section is almost 20 pages. It seems that Suvir owes a lot to friends and family. I don’t think his mother needs to be told that he likes boys.

Excerpt

“And so, I walked on, one step at a time, willing to live, willing to grow, willing to dream. Becaue if Manhattan had taiught me anthing it ws this: the rhythm of life is relentless, but if you learn to dance to its beat, the possibilities are endless.” (p. 100)

 

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NONFICTION

 

EVERYDAY I READ: 53 ways to get closer to books by Hwang  Bo-Reum, Translated from the Korean by Shanna Tan

I brush my teeth everyday I read every day  Those in schools and businesses  certainly read every day. However statistics inform us that the habit of reading for pleasure is declining both for both adults and young people. Research studies claim that daily reading as a primary leisure is declining year by year and fell by 40% in the past twenty years. (Note: data was taken from more than 236 000 Americans who participated in the American Time Use survey. The 2023 study was published in the journal of iScience) .Hwang  B0-Reum offers a list of 53 strategies presented as mini essays to help us consider how to move towards a life habit of daily leisure reading, no matter the genre. Sample tips include: Read Bestsellers (1) , You Don’t Have to Finish It (17); Read to Seek Answers (22);Read Widely, Then Deeply (39)Read Book Reviews  (42) Write Book Reviews (43); Read Books That Preserve Your Sense of Self (51). Notable too, are book recommendations are blended within each piece. Each essay invites readers to reflect on their reading habit and explore ways to encourage bookloving. 

 

EVERYTHING IS TUBERCULOSIS: The History and Persistence of Our Deadliest Infection by John Green

The title of this book the precise truth of what this this remarkable nonfiction publication is about. For John Green, “everything is tuberculosis, and tuberculosis is about everything.”. This is an A+ thesis about a disease that has resulted in death for millions of victims  throughout the world, for many centuries.  The thoroughly researched book expertly tells scientific facts about the history of the disease and it’s impact on humanity.  Green delves into such topics as TB being a malady of poets, a disease of poverty, diagnosing the disease, the significance of having sanitoria, the quest for a cure, the stigma of having TB, noncompliancy of taking drugs,  classism,  racism, inequality associated with the disease.  In 2019, The author became acquainted with A young tuberculosis patient named Henry Reider that he met in Sierra Leone and it is Henry’s story, woven throughout that brings a certain humanity to Green’s account. Curable, preventable and deadly, tuberculosis continues to kill over a million people each year. John Green is a renowned author of Ya books (Looking for Alaska; Turtles All the Way Down and the Fault in Our Stars).  His 2021book The Anthropocene Reviewed: Essays on a Human-Centred Planet was a a terrific read shining a light on human behaviours and interests. The book showed John Green to be a master at tackling nonfiction topics.  High praise now goes to this for an astonishing book about the past, present and future where “everything is tuberculosis.” 

Excerpts

“People who are treated less than fully human by the social order are more susceptible to tuberculosis. But it’s not because of ther moral codes or choices or genetics; it’s because they are treated as les than fully human by the social order.” (p. 86).

“In the long history of tuberculosis in man, despair follows hope, triumph and tragedies succeed each other (Annik Rouillon, researcher, 1991) Here again we see the cost of human biases, and how the repercussions of hose biases are borne by the poorest and most marginalized among us. Even as TB became curable, he cure oftendid not reach the places that needed it the most.” (p,. 116)

 

HIDDEN LIVES: Stories from Child Survivors of the Holocaust, Second Story Press

Since its inception in May 1971, “The Hidden Child Foundation” has been committed to adding the accoutns of Child survivors to the annals of Holocaust history. From 1991-2020l an annual bulletin, THe Hidden Child has published articles that have been contributed by Child survivors. Hidden Lives is a collection of stories from Hewish children who escaped death and survived after being hidden in such places as convents, orphanages, haylofts and forests. These remarkable stories are testimonials of perseverance, resilience and courage painting a strong picture of desperation which compelled parents to make the agonizing decision to leave their children with strangers or left them to fend on their own. Most children were orphaned, nay were reunited with family. The book is divided into ten sections (e.g. ‘Separation and Displacement’; ‘The Youngest Survivors’, ‘The Teenagers’, The Liberation’, ‘The Rescuers’). Each of the 50+ harrowing accounts is led by a title that encapsulates how these Jewish men and women came to survive: Am I Still a Little Catholic Inside?; Still Searching for the Hidden Child; A Survivor’s Affirmation of Life, Jews Rescuing Jews; Escape to Russia and Beyond etc. One and a half million were murdered in the Holocaust. The recorded memories that appear in this collection honour a commitment to remembrance and commemoration.

 

A MARRIAGE AT SEA by Sophie Elmhirst

The words on the cover of his book read “A true love of love, obsession, and a shipwreck.” What a story this is,  a harrowing story of a man and wife survival in the depths of the Pacific. The reporter, Sophie Elmhurst has done extensive research to tell Maurice and Maralyn’s perilous adventures at sea for 117-118 days (March 4 – June 30, 1973). When a whale strikes the British couple’s  boat, it slowly sank and the husband and wife are adrift in the deep Pacific, hoping that one day they will be rescued from their tiny rubber raft.  How they  survived makes for a compelling, mind-boggling read. This is not just the story of a battle against nature, but is tale of a husband and wife’s marriage put to the test. Maurice is a loner and obsessive, Maralyn is resourceful and ambitious. That they found each other is a marvel.  But there is no doubt that they depended on each other with  deep devotion as they fulfilled a daydream to sail across the world and were put under horrifying circumstances.  We know that they survived and the aftermath of the experience, the publicity, social interactions, health and continuous pursuit of dreams is the stuff of a ‘true story of love.’ A Marriage at Sea is a staggering strange but true, tale of interdependency, courage, and Tenacity, with a capital T. 

 

SHOUT OUT

GOOD DAYS: An ABC of Hope and Happiness by Michael Rosen (26 essays)

From the introduction (p. 3)

“I’m going to make a big claim: we can’t do anything about the things that brign us don., if we are oppressed and depressed by hem. We have to have hope. We need to be hopeful creatures in order o live…

“I can’t make you feel hopeful. I can’t guarantee that you’ll be happy. What I can do (and it’s what ive tried to do is tell some stories and give some thoughts, which i hope, in themselves will give you a moment of cheer… I think having moments of cheer is one of the ways we can have hope. Happiness and hope are linked.” 

This is a book filled with wisdom, inspiration and biography.  Through 26 essays, Michael Rosen helps readers to consider how there is joy in living each day of our lives. Rosen’s musings are drawn from his experiences as a writer, teacher, father, brother, son, husband, academic and as a regular guy living from day to day. , The book is arranged alphabetically and to say the least the topics for each piece are unexpected. . (e.g. ‘A is for Arouet’ , apparently Voltaire’s real name ‘H is for Hummus’, ‘K is fof Kvell and Kvetch’, ‘V is for Van Morrison’.). Each essay stimulates reflection (Would that work for me?).  I chose to read the book in chronological order but such titles as ‘ I is for If’;   ‘G is for Grounded’,  ‘L is for LIttle by Little’,. ‘M is for Memory’, ‘N is for Nights’ may seduce readers into dipping into a single essay. On a practical level, Rosen offers suggestions a the end of each essay for readers to consider: (e.g., “As an experiment, you can try writing a line hat begins ‘Every day is…” (p. 19) “Find time to play -trial and error withoug fear of failure. Something joyful, or silly or purposeless in any medium you like.” (p. 159); “The basic one is in his section – make your own lists. Then there’s the motehr of all lists, the list of lists: explore the possibility that life is a list.” (p. 169). Whether we (I) take action to implement each of Rosen’s treasures, the book does help us (me) consider that each day is filled with treasure (s) that can make lift the spirits and make us believe in hope – and happiness. Rosen claims that his book is not a guide but is designed to spark inspiration and help us consider, “I cold give that a go’ or ‘I could do something like that.’  Good Days is a  wise and entertaining and funny book to make us appreciate what we have and do and to prod us into being optimistic and more fulfilled  by small things.  Shout out goes to Andrzej Krauze’s brilliant illustration that introduced each easy. 

Excerpts

“…To experiment, is to do something new, its to discover someEvents themselves dont’ have feelings attached to them. What makes us human is that we have those feelings. When we something in the world around us, it’s to discover something about A yourself.”And a big discovery (or it may be a reminder) is that we don’t have to be passive receivers of what the world thross at us. We can take any part of the world and experiment with it, see what happens if…” (p. 48)

metme together and start taoking, we are in a way researching whehter my feelings are like your feelings are like his feelings are like her feelings. It’s a very tentative experimental time. This means that talking is a way in which we acquire a bit of wisdom.” (p. 187)

 

Hooray for Michael Rosen

Perhaps not as well known in North America, British author Michael Rosen is a star. He is smartHe has written over 200 books including titles for children and adults. My first introduction to the author was his first poetry anthology for young people entitled Mind Your Own Business followed by Wouldn’t You Like to Know. The picture book We’re Going on a Bear Hunt, illustrated by Helen Oxenbury (1989) would likely be considered hs most popular book. From 2007 to 2009 he was appointed Children’s Laureate. Some recent publications that I acquired convey the range of his talent: One Day: A True story of courage and survival in the Holocaust, illustrated by Benjamin Phjillips (picture book); Out of this World (poems to make uyou laugh, smile and think) and two staggering autobiographical  accounts about his near death experiences surviving coronavirus; Getting Better: Life Lessons On,  Going Under, Getting Over it and Working through It and Many Kinds of Love: a story of life, death and the NHS.  Rosen is a journalist, a BBC broadcaster, a professor of Children’s Literature at Goldsmiths (University of London), an activist.   I can’t keep up with the author’s R prolific oeuvre and would  sure like like to have any/all of Rosen’s work in my reading brain, but I am so grateful to be able dig into any new releases such as Good Days. Years ago, I met Michael Rosen on a trip to Toronto when he came to participate in the Ontario Ministry’s rich Oracy Research project (David Booth, Richard Courtney, Gordon Wells).  I enthusiastically applaud Michael Rosen’s talent, storytelling, perseverance, intelligence, and humanity. And heart. You are a hero, Mr. Rosen.

P.S.I just ordered anoher batch of Michael Rosen titles.  

This posting lists some fiction titles published in 2025 (unless designated otherwise).  A batch of graphic novels have come my way and I was pleased to see some titles that have transformed noteworthy prose fiction into graphic format.  Each of the publications listed below can be connected to a multicultural tough topics theme. 

 

ALL THE BLUES IN THE SKY by Renee Watson (Verse novel) / Death Loss and Remembrance

The opening lines of this novel read: “I didn’t know / best friends could die.”  On 13 year old Sage’s 13th birthday, he best fiend was killed by a drunken driver. Sage is overcome with grief and when she chooses to join a counselling group, she comes to learn that all losses are not the same and dealing with grief is filled with sadness, guilt and slow healing. She must also deal with carrying on, knowing that each day is filled with coping with feelings of anger and joy (a first kiss). “Death Loss and Remembrance” is a chapter  I present in my book Teaching Tough Topics and it is a topic that many teachers feel uncomfortable about unpacking in their classrooms because it can trigger deep feelings. Still, children’s literature is a special way to help young people deal with any loss in their life and there are a number of picture books (Our Lake by Angie Kang, Always with You by Eric Walters) and novels The Final Year, by Matt Goodfellow A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness that provide narratives about students coping with grief. Such literature can be bibliotheraputic for some readers. Many students hearts will be filled with emotion and perhaps comfort with in Renee Watson’s fine verse novel, winner of the Caldecott Medal, 2026.

 

A BIRD IN THE AIR MEANS WE CAN STILL BREATHE by Mahogany L. Browne / Poverty / Mental Health (YA)

A Bird in the Air Means We Can Still Breathe (beautiful title) digs into stories of teen characters, their families and communities who grapple with the of surviving the pandemic, living with fear, poverty and isolation. The short novel (145 pages)  is presented through mixed voices and mixed forms (i.e., story, letter, list, poetry). The book  is set in New York city  and each of the character’s stories offers insight into the loss and pain, resilience and hope of teenagers trapped by the perils of COVID-19 lockdowns. The book’s style is rather poetic inviting readers (of any age) to look back on the pandemic (or learn about it) and the seperation as well  as the coming together of the time. 

Excerpt (p. 143)

“Listen to young people, we know more than you can realize. We have ideas about what is next. And we’ve been taking notes from adults for years. Which is to say, you can learn a thing or two from us!

 

A WORLD WORTH SAVING by Kyle Lukoff / Gender Identity/ Transgender (YA)

This novel intertwines elements of Jewish mythology with an examination of transphobia. Lukoff presents a unique narrative of a 14- year old trans character named ‘A’ whose coming out experience was tenuous at best, especially cames to the forced attendance to Save Our Sons and Daughters (SOSAD) meetings his parents drag him to. A’s best friend Yarrow disappears after one of the SOSAD sessions run by bigoted demon.  Kyle Lukoff cleverly weaves in the character of the golem  to save Yarrow  and the use of judaic mythology to overcome bigotry as demons.  (Note: A golem is an animated anthromporphic character from Jewish folklore,  traditionally created from caly or mud to act as a protector or servant).Not being a lover of fantasy narratives, full disclosure, I did ended up losing interest in the story and stopped reading. The Jewish content of the story, important though it is, may baffle some YA readers but any piece of fiction that uncovers the  trans experience and addresses anti-trans legislation is worthy of attention. A World Worth Saving was a 2025 National  Book Award finalist. 

 

SHOUT OUT

BUNNS RABBIT  by Alan Barillaro  / Physical Challenges / Kindness

C.S. Lewis, author of the Narnia series claimed: “A children’s story that can only be enjoyed by children is not a good children’s story in the slightest.”   Bunns Rabbit is a book for any age of reader. Middle Years readers may read this title independently. Adults may choose to read this aloud to an audience of young listeners II’d say that this is an ideal read aloud for junior classrooms),. Teenage readers might be somewhat reluctant to read a book with the title Bunns Rabbit or pick up a book that is heavily illusrated, but they should get much reading pleasure from experiencing a story filled with adventure, allegory and heart.   I am fond of fiction with animal characters (Dominic by William Steig, The Tale of Desperaux by Kate DiCamillo, The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate). Those who enjoyed the 2024 Newbery award-winning book The Eyes and  the Possible by David Eggers , illustrated by Shawn Harris are certain to be taken away with Barillaro’s book.

Alan Barillaro is an Academy Award winning creator of animated films and his studies in animation and twenty-five year experience at Pixar Animation Studio confirm him to be an artist of high quality. The art work in Bunns Rabbit is staggering. Each spread features awesome visual images of animals and landscapes presented in a painterly style.  Holding this book is like having an art gallery exhibit in your hand.  

Bunns Rabbit is a special kit born with small blunt ears. Although his family gives him warmth and affection, the elder superstitious  rabbits of the warren assume that Bunns is responsible for the appearance of Spirit Fox and imminent danger and so he must he disfigured rabbit must be banished. Bunns Rabbit sets of on her own to find Spirit Fox who supposedly grant a wish and transform Bunns into a ‘normal rabbit’. The young rabbit’s journey is filled with perilous adventure shared by animal characters she meets along the way, a hummingbird, a loon, and hundreds of butterflies  The author brilliantly weaves in tales of mythological folklore,  (presented in graphic format style).  Bunns Rabbit works on many levels. Being physically challenged and not ‘fitting in’ is at the centre of the narrative. It is also a story of kindness, perseverance and the quest to find a place of belonging.   Wishes, dreams, entrapments, spirits, survival  and heartsong are all part of the compelling telling  A visual and verbal treasure, this book gets a five star rating from Dr. Larry. Spoiler; I’m not fond of books that ‘scream’ sequel upon book’s end, but I look forward to reading more about this heroic rabbit in future sequels. 

Excerpts

Bunns tossed in the night. “I don’t belong.” she whispered in her sleep until a darkness grew in the pit of her stomach like a deep-holed ringed with sharp, thorn-like pinches… ThA-thum, thump thump… thA-thump, thump, thump… (p. 60)

“The two birds suddenly caught sight of Bunns and cocked their heads in unison. “My, my,” they chirped. “Look at those short ugly ears! How horribly different! How differently horrible.” (p. 85)

“A red glow appeared on the horizon. Cinders danced up into the sky, becoming the stars above. The night wind became the Fox’s breath, the moon a milky blind eye. Bunns no longer knew whether she was awake or if she was falling deeper and deeper into a dream.” (P. 227)

 

SHOUT OUT

THE KITES ARE FLYING by Michael Morpurgo; Illus. Laura Carlin

/ Diversity, Kindness

I read this book after it was first published in 2009. With the Israel / Palestine Gaza conflict in recent years,  this story seems to have a stronger impact. For centuries, Arabs and Jews have been fighting over this small piece of land and the conflict has aroused political and humanitarian upsets, especially since so many children have been wounded and killed. Michael Morpurgo wrote this story to uncover how children’s hopes and dreams for peace fly above walls that divide communities and religions. In this slim novella (my version I have is 77 pages), the author tells the story from the point of view of Said. a young fatherless boy whose brother was killed in the conflict. Said, now a select mute, has terrible  nightmares that express his fears. Still, the boy  is committed to carrying on the tradition that his brother, Mahmoud ,once had of  carrying for the sheep and flying kites to the other side.  Interspersed throughout the narrative is a reporter’s accounts that capture the culture, the tension and the hopes of Palestinian citizens as he inspects and reflects on the life of ‘the best shepherd boy in all of Palestine. Stories can help  make sense of the world around us. The tale that Morpurgo tells in The Kites Are Flying may now, 16 years after it was written bring readers  understanding and questions of a complex and divisive conflict and why it doesn’t stop.  Laura Carlin’s astonishing art work conveys a powerful sense of character and setting through evocative and expressive images. On the front cover of the book, we read the words “Friendship Knows No Barriers”. Stories like this one can help to reflect on friendship, barriers and dreams for a better, safer tomorrow. Staggering! 

Excerpt

“Every time I fly a kite, little brother, I’m thinking it’s me up there, and that I’m far away from all this down here, far away from the soldiers and the checkpoints and the tanks. Up there I’m out of it. I go wherever the wind takes me, and no one can stop me. No soldiers, no checkpoints, no tanks,’  you said (p. 16)

 

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GRAPHIC NOVELS

The first 3  titles are ones that have. been transformed from prose to graphic format. I’m in favour of seeing a movie or reading other interpretations of popular books that have engaged and informed readers.  I would argue, however, that the original text should be read first. Just sayin’. 

 

GHOST BOYS: The Graphic Novel  by Jewell Parker Rhodes; Illus. Setor Fiadzigbey 2018 / 2025 / Anti-Black Racism

In he opening pages of Ghost Boys, Jerome,  a twelve year old Black boy is shot by a white police officer. As a ghost, Jerome is given the chance to learn how the community and the family is dealing with his death but also to observe the unjust killing is being handled in the courts.  Along he way another Ghost Boy named Emmet Till is introduced and Jerome (and readers) learn about a profound event in racist history.  Jerome also encounters, Sarah the daughter of the police officer on trial and as she grapples with her father’s actions, readers are given a perspective that further reveal the complexities of American Blackness in a contemporary world. This novel helps to illuminate too many stories that have emerged over the past decades in the United States. Ghost Boys is a powerful,novel and the graphic version offers readers a rather cinematic approach to what is happening through dynamic and gripping art work.  Jewell Parker Rhodes’s book, in both versions, is a poignant, must read experience for middle age readers. 

 

REFUGEE: The Graphic Novel  by Alan Gratz, art by Syd Fini /  2017 / 2025 /Refugee Experience

Alan Gratz is the master of historical fiction for young people (e.g., Ground Zero, Allies, Grenade, Prisoner 8-3087). His novel Refugee, published in  2017, has been read in classrooms all over he world and is a must read.  Gratz often presents his  novels through two or more voices. Refugee is in fact the story of three refugees: Joseph a Jewish boy escaping Nazi Germany in the 1930’s who’s family boards the MS St. Louis ocean liner in order to escape the threat of being sent to a concentration camp; In 1994, Isabel’s family sets out on a raft from Cuba with hopes of finding find safety in America; In 2025, Mahmoud’s family escapes  war-torn Syrian homeland hoping to find refuge in Europe. Though set in different time periods,  the three refugees are connected  by stories of escape, danger and  dreams. The novel has been transformed into a graphic novel with stark visual images that bring the original novel to life.  Though some narrative captions appear throughout much of the print is presented as speech bubble dialogue. Josef, Isabel’s and Mahmoud’s  perilous journeys are presented in brief, five or six page episodes. Each page is splashed with trauma – and resilience.This grapic version is a brilliant companion to the Alan Gratz’s original brilliant masterpiece. 

 

TUCK EVERLASTING : The Graphic Novel by Natalie Babbitt /  1975 / 2025 / Kindness

I would say that Tuck Everlasting is one of the best novels that I chose to read aloud to my students decades ago. It begs the question (and the dilemma), if you could drink water from a hidden spring that would make you live forever, would you choose to do so. Natalie Babbitt’s book was first released in 1975 and this graphic novel interpretation is a worthy companion to the original text. The art work brings the characters to life and provides a wonderful sense of atmosphere in pages that are often monochromatic to enhance each part of the story. Tuck Everlasting is an intriguing adventure story about immortality, kindness and growing up.  This novel is an everlasting treasure!.

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HALFWAY TO SOMEWHERE by Jose Pimienta / Diverse Cultures / Gender Identity

Halfway to Somewhere is a strong sroy about divorced families,  moving to a new country and coming of age and trying to fit in to new community. Ave was  born in Mexacali but when her mother acquires a new teaching position at the University of Kansas, she and her younger brother are forced to leave he past and find a place of belonging in a new school with some classmates who are like her and many who don’t. Pimienta’s story is a strong narrative about cultural displacement, particularly from the perspective of a Mexican family.  Although Ave’s English isn’t fluent, the speech bubble captions, except in a few cases, don’t highlight Ave’s discomfort. Somewhat mystifying is the fact that this graphic novel was awarded the Stonewall Book prize given to a book that recognizes exceptional merit related to LGBTQIA+ identity.  There is only a glimpse of Ave’s nonbinary world early in the book (“.. they weren’t expecting a nonbinary child. They’ve always accept you. Even before you told them.”?  Ave is fortunate to have been ‘accepted’ by family and it doesn’t seem to be an issue when she becomes enrolled in her knew school. Being nonbinary might have been explored further (to warrant a Stonewall award).  Still, Ave’s worries about adjusting to a new life are presented with empathy and authenticity and fulfills’ he authors goal of exploring the question “If I don’t live in Mexico, what makes me Mexican.”  This is an important  question that could be asked by any newcomer, no matter their country of origin. 

 

SONG OF A BLACKBIRD by Maria van Lieshout  / Historical Fiction / The Holocaust (YA)

This book is a stellar examples of graphic novel publication. The story, art work and skill at weaving past and present together made for an intriguing specimen of historical fiction. The novel is set in two time periods. In 1943 Amsterdam, Emma Bergema witnesses Jewish families beding deported to concentration camps. In this setting, we learn of Emma’s choice to join the Dutch Resistance that includes smuggling Jewish children, forging ration coupons and a bank heist. In 2011 Amsterdam, Annick’s search of a bone marrow for her beloved oma leads to discovery about her grandmother’s past as an adopted child. Art prints, with the signature “Emma B” link both narratives. Most of the illustrations are in black, white and gray with splashes of flat red or sienna on each page (mostly character’s clothing). The arrangement of panels and panels within panels bring a unique style to the graphic format. Special, too, is the inclusion of black and white historical photographs that appear as background setting to life in Amsterdam. A blackbird takes wing throughout the novel whose song serves narration and philosophical commentary and a symbol of freedom. (“Have I mentioned my work is a LIFELINE sometimes? I believe I have, but let me repeat it. When nothing goes right, listen for my SONG, so that things wil begin to bend right again.” (p. 169.  Maria van Lieshout has created a remarkable piece of historical fiction of memories of loved ones and memories of events drawn from her own family’s story.

 

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NEWBERY AWARDS 2026

Newbery Medal Winner

All the Blues in the Sky by Renee Watson

 

Newbery Honor Books

A Seas of Lemon Trees: The Corrido of Roberto Alvaez by Maria Dolores Aguila

The Nine Moons of Han Yu and Luli  written and illustrated by Karina Van Glaser

The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest by Aubrey Hartmen; Ill. Marcin Minor

The Teacher of Nomad Land: A World War II Story by Daniel Nayeri

 

 

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Some very beautiful picture book titles have recently been released, several of which are centred on emotioins and how to deal with them. 

 

CHIDORI: A Story of one thousand birds by Jennifer Maruno; Ill. Miki Sato / Death, Loss and Remembrance

This is the story of the arrival of a Tsunami  in a small village in Japan and the impact it had on your Hana as she watches the storm in horror.  Hana is finally reunited with her father and grandmother and she eagerly takes up painting the the birds to honour her mother. Jennifer Murano is spot on with her storytelling using concise language to describe devastating events and at the same time evoking feelings of endurance and broken hearts. Miki Sato’s collage art using paper textiles and watercolour paint vivid pictures of the village community during destruction and at peace. Bravo to Murano and Sato for a beautiful heartwarming story. 

Excerpt

“A wave, darker than the one that had taken their village, washed over Hana’s heart.” 

 

THE DRAGON’S EYES by Megan Chew

While helping to prepare for the Lunar New Year, a young Chinese girl named Li-Anne finds a box of stuff in the basement of her house and comes upon her grandmother’s ‘kong ming’ lantern and is eager to restore it to better condition. The lantern is lit and flotas up in the air when it is lit. Li-Anne attends to her grandmother’s lantern with care, tracing the dragon’s original form. When she carefully paints the eyes, the dragon comes to life and transports Li-Anne to China where she meets several  relatives she had only nown from their photos.  During her visit, Li-Anne attends a reunion dinner, an important family tradition. The Dragon’s Eyes is not only a magical adventure story, but it celebrates Chinese cultural roots,  customs and connections through the eyes of second-generation immigrant child. Megan Chew tells an engaging and informative story accompanied by bold illustrations often accompanied with graphic speech bubbles. Lovely!

 

NO MORE CHAIRS by Dan Gill; ill. Susan Gal / Racism; Kindness

 Dan Gill recounts a touching story about a teacher (himself)  who chose to display an empty chair in front of his classroom. His students are curious about the story about the chair and Mr. Gill recounts a true experience from his childhood about a turning point in his life with his friend Archie. Archie and Dan were invited to a party at an upper scale apartment and when they arrived, the mother who was hosting the party turned the two boys away saying there were ‘no more chairs’.  Archie is black, Gill is white. The author invites readers to share stories of allyship: “May you have a chair in your heart for anyone who comes knocking at your door filled with anticipation.” The lively art work is appealingly presented in bright vibrant colours. NOTE: The Day War Came by Nicola Davies  is another special picture book about ‘sharing chairs’. 

 

POPO THE XOLO by Paloma Angelina Lopez; ill. Abraham Matias / Death, Loss and Remembrance

The issue of Death, Loss and Remembrance seems to be a tough topic for many teachers. It is a sensitive topic that may trigger strong emotions with students. Children’s literature can help bring connection, compassion and empathy to those who have experienced loss and grief. There are many picture books, novels and nonfiction titles and strategies to support educators with teaching this tough topic (see: Chapter V ). Popo the Yolo is a story of losing a loved one and the rituals are rooted in Indigenous cultural understandings of Mexico. Popo is Nana’s beloved pet, and when she passes, Popo takes her on a journey where they pass a river and hills, s. a black stone, of molten lava, a snowstorm, a jaguar etc. all part of the Nine Levels of Mielan where the people go when the day.  Spanish words are filtered throughout. Brightly-coloured  Illustrations ideally capture the realism and mysticism of souls passing on and of memories kept alive. What a unique picture book and a rich resource to discuss cultural customs of honouring lost loved ones.  Popo the Xolo is a beautiful beautiful book of remembrance and love. 

 

TAP! TAP! TAP! by Herve Tullet (2022/ 2023)

Tullet has created some wonderful picture books (Press Here;  Mix It Up) that require action and interaction as readers follow instructions and play with the images on the page  Tap! Tap! Tap! is another entertaining book that is full of energy, whimsy, and art. Readers fingers and hands move and dance on each page that burst with dynamic lines and shapes in primary colours. The simple expository text that appears in each spread invite readers (of any age) to Tap, Tap, Tap and Dance, Dance Dance. (e.g. “Put your hand here and Whoooosh!, Circle  around the page three times – First one direction – Ziiiip then the other, Zooop!”.) Fun !Fun! Fun! that encourages repeated , let’s do it again, visits. 

 

SOMETIMES I FEEL THAT WAY TOO by Hannah Beach; ill. Rebecca Bender / Emotions

This book recounts the day in the life of a young boy who’s every day encounters brings a range of emotions: the coziness of a teddy bear; the excitement of a balloon in flight; the silliness of a playful hamster; the loneliness of an orange that didn’t get picked for a snack; the frightened feeling of a snail tucked in its shell; the love of family. Each interaction reminds the youngster that ‘sometimes he feels that way too’ which provides an ideal resource  for young readers, to share their own   stories and feelings.  Rebecca Bender’s wonderful illustrations beautifully help to bring each event to life and help to inspire students’ personal connections to the these events. 

Excerpt

“Hello boots, all together just right. I see you happily belonging.

Sometimes I feel that way too.’

 

TIME TO LEAVE, LAVERNE! by Lana Button; Illus. Yong Ling Kang / Emotions

Laverne is an exuberant young girl who bursts into a room “like a sunbeam”. However, when it’s time to leave the library, the park, a restaurant, a birthday pary she is sad and mad  and “nohing seemed o calm Laverne’s thunderstorms.”  When bad weather forces Laverne to stay inside one day, she holds a family meeting and explains that each of her sguffies have some sad, bad, disappointed feelings. Eventually, Laverne comes to deal with her emotions and with one foot in front of the other, the storm inside her start to subside. Many young readers will identify with Laverne’s strong feelings and learn wys to “weather all kinds of storms.” Any book that deals with identifying and controlling feelings is worth sharing and Time To Leave, Laverne, with an engaging narrative and expressive illustrations is a gem. 

 

THE WOMAN WHO TURNED CHILDREN INTO BIRDS by David Almond; ill.. Laura Carlin (2022)

When Nant Solo comes to town, she claims she can turn children into birds. The adults in the community thinks that this is plain daft. (“It’s total trash. It’s piffle, twaddle, balderdash.”) and they warn the children to stay away. But children, being children can’t resist and when Nancy Solo whispers words into  young Dorothy’e ears, the young girl becomes a swallow ‘swooping into the blue.’ but only for a few minutes before returning home.  The whispers continue and Colin transforms into a sparrow, Susan a goldfinch, Walter a rook and Wolfgang a a parakeet.  The sky became filled with children who had turned into birds. Will the adults join in the fun and dare to fly? What an exhilarating  whimsical story. David Almonds tells a simple, funny and a flight of imagination. Laura Carlin (a favourite illustrator of mine) art work soars. The Woman Who Turned Children Into Birds is a joyous reading adventure. that takes flight from beginning to end. 

 

SHOUT OUT

OUR LAKE by Angie Kang / Death, Loss and Remebrance

A young boy and his brother head off to swim in the cool waters of the lake on a hot sweltering day. The experience helps the boys connect to special times they spent with there father who is no longer with them. The simple, poetic language and the astonishing gouache illustrations depicting various perspectives work together to tell a heartwarming story of healing, comfort and remembrance. I was so pleased to read that this picture book was recently declared to be a Caldecott Honor book. I look forward to sharing this beautiful beautiful book with young readers. Five stars from me!

Excerpts

“At the peak, the domed sky swaddles us in heat and the water glistens below.”

“The wind whistles it’s approal as I head back to earth.” 

NOTE: Our Lake is a perfect companion to the Governor General and Marilyn Baillie award-winning book When You Can Swim by Jack Wong. This is a glorious book that celebrates the joy of swimming and invites readers of all age to thnk about memories of learning to swim, competitive swimming, and swimming adventures they’ve had in pools, lakes, oceans and seas. 

 

SHOUT OUT

BROKEN by X. Fang / Emotions

A young girl named Mei Mei accidentally broke Ama’s cup.  Oh the guilt.?Oh the blame! (it was the at, Mimi’s fault). Will Ama get mad at her granddaughter, yell at her, abandon her or love her like Ama always does.  The story is told in simple text. The illustrations are full of expression; I particularly admire the way several images fill and explode on the page.  Broken is a great story, a great marriage of text and great art and a wonderful message – “Every patch and every repair tells a story.” It is a story about worry and shame balanced out with forgiveness and comfort.  It is a story that is sure to evoke different emotions with readers (i.e, worry, sadness, relief, compassion, love). There was a buzz that this title was a strong contender for the Caldecott Medal. I’d hve been quite  happy if it won. 

 

 CALDECOTT WINNERS 2026

Medal winner

• Fireworks by Matthew Burgess; illustrated by Catia Chien

 Honor Winners

• Every  Monday Mabel by Jashar Anwan
• Stalacitte & Stalagmite: A Big Tale from a Little Cave by  Drew Beckmeyer
• Our Lake by Angie Kang
• Sundust by Zeke Pena

Book by book, I was hoping to get through my 2025 purchases. As the year ends there are several top ten lists that appear online and in newspapers. I was curious about several titles that received rave reviews and were considered favourites and are now added to my ‘to read’ piles. Many of these books are 2025 publications so this posting gives attention to them. I wouldn’t consider all of these titles to be as great as others thought. That’s OK. I hibernated a little over the holiday weeks and am catching up with fiction titles. I’m not sure that any of these titles will be on my 2026 list of favourites. These books are mostly hardback, mostly published in the last year. I have a batch of some appealing nonfiction books to get to next.

 

The Ultimate Best Books of 2025 List

The following link presents a round-up of the most favourite book titles of 2025, by listing the number of times a book appeared on a top ten list from different reviewers.

Source: Literary Hub
https://share.google/594trnFL7iTUwrxIw

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AUDITION by Katie Kitamura

The novel is presented through the voice of an unnamed narrator, an accomplished actress. The book is divided into two parts. in the first section , we learn about her life as a loving wife to Tomas  and her dedication to bringing truth to a role she is rehearsing for a new play. We also meet Xavier,  a young man who is old enough to be her son and even approaches the actress to find out if she is indeed his mother. She is not. In part two, a new narrative unfolds where Xavier is her son and he returns home to live with his parents. They welcome him, even though his living in the apartment is somewhat intrusive (especially when he brings a girlfriend to live with there too. Kitamura’s is a fine writer but I can’t say that this was ultimately a satisfying read for me. The narrative is more or less a monologue and there were some gaps in the storytelling, especially with the context of the play that is being performed and the transition from part one to part two. Lots of questions. Ultimately, this seems to be a book about relationships, about the roles we play in theatre and in life. Are we all putting on a performance for others? A mask? The actress/ narrator is ultimately her own therapist throughout observing and questioning the behaviours and actions of herself and others. She is her own audience looking at her performance of creating and performing of, living and loving. Audition was shortlisted for The Booker Prize 2025.  

Excerpt

“You can be entranced by an idea, I said, and at a certain point you can no longer see the edges of it…. I’ve experienced it myself. I continued, it’s something that happens every time I prepare for a role. In some ways the part is only working if I lose sight of the shore. But by the same time, it’s important to be able to come to the toehr side, you have to be able to come u

 

BRING THE HOUSE DOWN by Charlotte Runcie

The setting is the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Critic, Alex Lyon, son of a famous actress, is known for giving either one star or five star reviews attends an opening night performance of Hayley Sinclair’s show and Lyon ends up writing a scathing one-star review.  But – there’s a always a but – on the night following the performance Alex picks  Hayley up and they end up having sex. Hayley was unaware of what Alex had written by her and when she does she is of course furious. How could this guy be so evil, so unscrupulous? The actress then chooses to revamp her show critiquing Alex Lyons and inviting any woman who attend her performance to lay bare their souls about times that they’ve been jaded or harassed. Through her vindictiveness, Hayley becomes a festival and viral sensation. Lyons reputation is destroyed and he will not apologize. He himself claims: “I’m a massive sexist misogynist, terrible person.”  Readers are bound to make judgments about which of these  two ‘victims’ is in the right. . The story is told from the point of view Sophie of who works in cultural journalism (and dealing with her own issues of marriage and motherhood). She shares a flat with Alex and observe her colleague’s downfall, sometime intervening to console. Charlotte Runcie tells a dynamo story about being an artist, being a critic and the peril of being honest even at the expense of others.  It is a story about ethics, gender power relations and the challenges and realities of artists whether they are performers or journalists. Bring the House Down is an electric “Me Too” story. Brutal and funny, this novel was a great read!

 

HEART THE LOVER by Lily King

This is a book that received several rave reviews. I did not read Lily King’s Writers and Lovers, a precursor to her new novel. This one is a stand-alone. The book is framed in three sections. First, we are introduced to the narrator a college senior who comes to be friends with Sam and Yash, two honour students in the English Department. Jordan (as she came to be called by the two men) serve as a guide to both her college and relationship experiences. The narrator loved Sam but now loves Yash. In the second part, we learn that ‘Jordan’ has had thriving writing career. She is now a wife and mother. In this section she is visited by Yash, a man she was deeply in love with until he abandoned her. This narrative is told in the 2nd person as Jordan addresses Yash, questioning who what became of his life and what it will become. Happily married, Jordan still has deep love for Yash and this love is deepened when Jordan, in the third section goes to visit Yash who is dying of cancer in the hospital. Her feelings are further complicated with the illness of her young son who is awaiting brain surgery.  For me, the narrative got richer and deeper in the later part of the book, as the author explores the tangles of friendship and the journey of the heart. Four, not five stars, from me. 

 

MAZELTOV by Eli Zozovksy

The cover  of this debut novel captured my attention on a recent visit to a book store. The title intrigued. The book blurb motivated me into buying this book about  Jewish boy confronting his sexuality as about to have his bar mitzvah. The jacket description suggested that this would be a novel i’d enjoy: An adolescent character, a Jewish family, a chorus of different voices, the threat of war, ‘queer lust’ and a book less than 200 pages.  I only got to 100 pages. In recent years I’ve given myself permission to abandon books and I though 100 pages would be a fair chance. We are told about Adam Weismann’s life from different perspectives but even at reaching half  the book presented in short story manner, I didn’t get to know this young adolescent and  found only glimpses of the narrative promised in the book blurb. A disappointment. Oh well!  

 

THE SAFEKEEP by Yael Van Der Wouden

This story set in takes place in the Dutch countryside fifteen years after World War II. Isabel lives a rigid life in her late mother’s country home. She is disciplined, cantankerous following a strict routine where everything needs to be in its place. All is disturbed, when Isabel’s older brother arrives demanding that his newest girlfriend, Eva,  come to stay in the home until he returns from a work mission that takes him far away. Isabel and Eve’s relationship is tenuous at best but eventually  the two women connect and find love for each other. Hidden secrets about Eva’s past offer a stark revelation about struggles, displacement  and trauma of wartime. This debut novel, shortlisted for The Booker Prize, 2024 and was the  2025, Women’s Prize Winner for fiction is an extraordinary love story.  I knew (from a friend) that a twist was coming and about 2/3 of the way through I was growing impatient but in the end Van Der Wouden’s novel is suspenseful, dramatic and passionate love story. 

 

SNAP by Susin Nielsen

Canadian autyhor, Susin Nielsen has written seven terrific middle grade novels about young teenagers facing some problems large and small (i.e., We Are All Made of Molecules; The Reluctant Journal of Henry K , Larsen, No Fixed Address)  Words on the cover of the book lets readers know that they are in for a story about “Three Good People/ Three Big Mistakes.” Frances Partridge is a beloved childrens author who gets in trouble for presumingly assaulting a student during one of her book talk visits. Geraint Blevins, an auto mechanic  whose life is upturned when he attacks his boss for having an affair with his wife. Parker Poplawski, is just staring her career as a wardrobe assistant and is guilty of attacking an elderly actor who tried to seduce her. The three characters lives intertwine when they are forced to enrol in court-mandated anger management class.  How will this trio  each other? Each seek justice and revenge? Learn to cope with being pushed to edge with life’s unfortunate turn of events?  Susin Nielsen is a great storyteller whose books are filled with humour and insight into the foibles and adventures of getting through each day as best we can.. Snap is the author’s first ‘grown-up’ novel and is told with the verve, quirkiness and yes, snap. his was a fast-paced, funny read about anger and redemption.

 

THE SLIP by Lucas Schaeffer

On the first page of this novel, we learn hat Nathaniel Rothstein, a sixteen year old boy who had been living with his aunt and uncle in Austin for the summer had disappeared. You’d think that at 484 pages readers would come to eventually would learn about how this mysterious vanishing but the novel unfolds in spirals within spirals and a cast of somewhat wonky characters and wonky events that involve a sex hotline, a transgender love relationship,  fake passport, an illegal immigrant, a rookie cop, working  at senior’s residence, stolen pills, a guy’s quest to transform his skin colour, an arrest, a wayward coyote, a police course in crime attended by Jewish ladies and a boxing match. Lots of boxing. Much of the setting takes place in Terry Tucker’s Boxing Gym where we meet a rather bizarre cast of intriguing characters, all shapes and sizes and ages. One review I read called The Slip ‘whackadoodle’ which I think is an apt choice of words  to describe this audacious, non-linear, adventure-packed novel where both character and setting create a strong picture of America in the early decades of the 21st century. A friend recommended this novel to me, declaring that it was his #1 favourite of the year, but even though I found the writing to be quite original and funny stuff, I can’t say that this was a five star read for me. The spiral within a spiral unspiraled for me in the last 1/4 of the book which was a bit of a slog for me.  There are lots of fans for this novel and applause goes to Lucas Schaeffer for this  fascinating outrageous debut.. The Slip was the Kirkus fiction prize 2025 winner.

Excerpts

“At Terry Tucker’s’Boxing Gym, the after-work influx had begun. Now other sounds subsumed the staccato smack of the speed bag, the pa! pa! pa!s Felix Barrowmen let loose inthe ring. The rowdy salaams of bros reunited, the slightly unhinged chatter of the deskbound finally unleashed.” (p. 50)

“She’d grown up in West Texas endowed with sparkle and skepticism and, though they wouldn’t bloom unil her late teens, two breast so perfectly round that more than one man would compare them to the map theyd seen in their grade school geographyprimers of the western and eastern hemispheres side by side.” (p. 163)

 

THE TIGER AND THE COSMONAUT by Eddy Boudel Tan

Casper and Sam Han are the twin sons of Chinese immigrants who grew up in a remote town in British Columbia.Casper, now an adult is in a loving gay relationship returns home when he learn as that his father had gone missing.  Memories from the past haunt Casper, especially since his twin brother went missing twenty years ago and the mystery of his disappearance has never been solved. Casper is also tortured by the quiet, obedient ways his parents chose to live without confronting the Anti-Asian racism and homophobia that they encountered. The Tiger and the Cosmonaut is a compelling, heartbreaking  account of the secrets and dreams of each of the members of an immigrant family. It is also  as a suspenseful narrative that unravels with unexpected twists. Eddy Boudel Tan is a beautiful storyteller  guiding readers into the heart and  strength, love and anger of  of each character. The book was shortlisted for the 2025 Giller Prize. 

 

TRAIN DREAMS by Denis Johnson / Novella / 2002 / 2011

The movie, Train Dreams was on many top ten lists and it certainly was one of my favourites of 2025. The movie is based on the novella by Denis Johnson which first appeared in 2002 (Paris Review) but was then published in 2011,  It is the start of the twentieth century and  Robert Grainier is a day laborer in the American West. His job entails felling trees helping to build bridges and railroads that will stretch across the country. Grainier is committed to his work but when tragedy strikes and he loses his wife and daughter he is haunted by his past. Grainier is not defeated and carries on to contribute to  help build the landscape of America. The book is 116 pages and Johnson writes rather spare passages that are indeed cinematic capturing the both the reality of the logger’s life and the inner turmoil of an unsung hero, living the life of a hermit,  coping with sadness and fate. Episodes of supernaturalism and hallucinations (e.g., the appearance of wolf-boy, train dreams) are filtered throughout. I look forward to seeing the movie once again. The book – and the film – are highly recommended. 

Excerpt

“By most Januaries, when the snow had deepened, the valley seemed stopped with perpetual silence, but as a matter of fact it was often filled with the rumble of trains and the choirs of distant wolves and he nearer mad jabbering of coyotes. Also his own howling, as he’d taken it up as a kind of sport.” (p. 81) 

 

WILD DARK SHORE by Charlotte McConaghy

  A woman  named Rowan is washed up on the shores of Shearswater, a tiny islnad far from Antarctica, an island, home of the world’s largest seed bank. Many researchers lived there but threats of rising sea levels forced them to leave. The soul remaining  inhabitants are Dominic Salt and his children Fen, Raff and Orly each with their strong attachment to the island. Rowan is rescued by the family and secrets of why she set out for Shearwater slowly unfold.  The precious seeds need extreme  protection. Otherwise, all life is ‘drowned, burned or starved.’ The novel is presented in different voices, Rowan and Dominic passages told in the first person, Fen, Raff, Orly’s narratives are in the third person. Charlotte McConaghy’s research is astonishing as she presents precise knowledge of the Arctic environment and its wildlife.  The book reads as nonfiction, even though here is a gripping mystery that unfolds.  The exotic setting and an extraordinary tale of climate change makes this a fascinating read.  I bought this book because it was on many top ten lists. Reading Goodreads reviews gave much praise that Wild Dark Shore was absolutely the ‘best read of the year. And of course several comments argued otherwise. It was not my favourite read of 2025. I guess I’m somewhere in the middle. No doubt McConaghy’s writing is remarkable and the relationships amongst the three characters was intriguing.  The quest to survive the brutal conditions was so stark and the scientific facts so precise, I sometimes found the narrative hard to grasp and ultimately this wasn’t the gripping thriller that many felt it was.

Excerpts

“These seeds given a chance, would all be able to work out how to coexist across the globe, how to feed and help and sustain each other, and there is something truly wonderful about that.” (p.118)

“It is the storm again. The churn of the sea dragging me under. My body battered. My lungs exploding. I am tumbled head over tail and have no sense of up or down, it takes an eternity for me to grasp any stillness, any hgint of calm among the maelstrom, enough to right myself and kick, reach, gasp the air of the roaring surface?” (p. 172)