This posting highlights some recent picture book publications that amused, informed and provided warm food for thought about being true to ourselves.
BEING HOME by Traci Sorell; illus. Michaela Goade
Illustrator, Michaela Goade came to my attention when she one the Caldecott Price for her book We Are Water Protectors for her staggering art work. I have since been drawn to her other illustrated picture books (Remember by Joy Harjo and Berry Song). Author Traci Sorell is an enrolled Cherokee Nation Citizen who is highly recognized for her fiction and nonfiction publications (We Are Greateful, We Are Still Here). Goade and Sorell worked together to create another picture book treasure, the story of a young Cherokee girl who says goodbye to the urban home she has known her whole life and now looks forward to living and clerating with her Native family in her new home. Readers are taken on a road trip with mother and daughter and are welcomed by her not-now faraway family “close enough to gather, eat, laugh, dance and share. This is a wonderful wonderful book of heart and home.
INTO THE UNCUT GRASS by Trevor Noah
Tired of following rules doing exactly what his mother says i.e., brush your teeth so our breath smells clean , make your bed even though it doesn’t want to be made), a young boy decides to venture out on his own to make his dreams come true and o learn about the world beyond home. He is accompanied by his bear friend, Walter and encounter a wise gnome, a pair of agreeable snails a windstorm, and a merry group of dancing coins. In the end the journey helps the boy discover the importance of finding peace with the people we love. Comedian Trevor Noah (author of the book Born a Crime) tells an engaging story about friendship, compromise and connections. This is a perfect read aloud one on one, or with a group of primary children gathering at the feet of their storytelling teacher. Trevor Noah dedicates the book to the ‘imagination that lives in all of us’ and in a forward to Into the Uncut Grass he writes, “Imagining has been one of my greatest joys. It’s the one thing we can do, no matter where we’re from or who we are. It allows us to explore worlds we’ve never seen and live as people we’ve never been.” This recent publication with whimsical illustrations by Sabina Hahn, is a testimony to childhood independence, to dreams, to imagination and to a place called home.
KISS ME! (I’m a Prince!) by Heather McLeod; illus. Brooke Kerrigan
The opening sentence of this picture book reads, “If you kiss me, I’ll turn into a prince.” Young Ella decides not to obey the frog’s wishes, even though her promises her a princess. Ella learns that life in a castle isn’t all that appealing (prince and princesses study all day, they don’t play, and they have to wear clothes that don’t get dirty. Ella says that she’d rather have a talking frog than live in a castle. When frog arrives at Ellas’ house, he discovers that he is now having more fun than castle life ever allowed him. Life is good, until a royal courtier comes to take the frog prince back to where he belongs! Kiss Me! is an amusing twist on a familiar fairy tale.
STEP INTO MY SHOES by Alkisti Halikia: illus. Fotini Tikkou (2019/ 2024)
When we say that we ‘step into the shoes of others’ we are working towards empathetic understanding as we consider diversity and equity learning. This picture book takes the expression literally as a young girl named Matou tries on shoes that she finds outside mosque she passes on her way from school. Curiosity leads Matou to imagine the lives of the shoe-wearers might lead. This thought-provoking storyhas been translated from the Greek (2019) and gently invites young readers to think about ‘otherness’. Lovely!
TONBO by Allen Say
While taking a morning walk, an elderly man is starttled by the appearance of a paper airplane (Tombo) that flies over his head. The man decides to follow the plane which takes him to familiar places and encounter familiar people from his past. On each page, the man is getting younger and younger until he returns to the present. Allen Say takes readers on a lyrical, memory journey through important events in a person’s life – his own life. As expected, Allen Say’s wonderful impressionistic illustrations capture moments of z story, enlighten character and stir emotion. Beautiful!
WHEN YOU FIND THE RIGHT ROCK by Mary Lyn Ray; illus. Felicita Sala
One of my favourite poems that I shared with many students is David McCords “This is my Rock” (This is my rock/ And here I run/ to steal the secret of the sun). I was so pleased to discover this new picture book that celebrates the of rocks, large and small whether they are ‘best for the inside of mountains’ or be the most important becausse it ‘fits in your hand exactly. I celebrate books that make the ordinary seem extraordinary. When You Find the Right Rock is a treasure of a nonfiction title that invites readers to pay attention, to reflect upon, connect to and collect rocks that are be waiting for them to discover.
ZOOM IN ON ZOMBIES by Kari-Lynn Winters and Catherina Rodina
This informative nonfiction titles provides readers with everything you wanted to know about Zombies – and more. Such topics as natural habitats, zombie-like traits, how creatures become zombifies and zombie allies are sure to fascinate. An abundance of facts stories, jokes and experiments and photographs make this an appealing read for those curious about the life (and death) of the Zombie world.
SHOUT OUT
SKATING WILD ON AN INLAND SEA by Jean E. Pendziwol; illus. Stewart (2023)
Two children wake up to the winter song sung by Lake Superior. They venture out into the cold and encounter tracks set by fox, deer, hair, mink, otter and wolf. Ravens croak, a blue jay scolds before lacing up their skares and venture off to the surface of theice where the voice of Lake Superior vibrates beneath their feet and “hums a haunted meoldy, the song of water, held captive by winter, mysterious magical music as old as teh earth, rising up from her depths, echoing up and up”. This is a staggering picture book achievement, a hybrid of lyrical poetic writing, narrative, and informational text. The art work by printmaker Todd Stewart is the best of the best of recent picture book illustrations. Skating Wild on an Inland Sea is the perfect marriage of words and visuals. Staggering. Winner of the 2024 TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award.
SPOTLIGHT ON TD BOOK GIVEAWAY
Each year, The Canadian Children’s Book Centre (CCBC) has organize a giveay to deliver Canadian ppicgutre books toevery grade 1 student in Canada. More than 12 milion books have been distrubuted to Ganadian children since it’s inception in 2000. This year’s TD book Giveaway is VIOLET SHRINK by Christine Baldacchinio; illusrated by Carmen Mok (2020).
Violet Shrink is a story about understanding and acceptance. Violet has natural introversion and social anxiety and doesn’t like gatherings … but her whole family loves to always have people over. As the big family reunion approaches, Violet has to work up the courage to talk to her dad and come up with a solution to make the loud and boisterous day work for her as well.
SHOUT OUT
PLUMLEAF PRESS is dedicated to producing books to entertain and inform young readers, offering books to celebrate the wonders of nature as well as the diverse of our identities and interests. The following six 2024 titles serve as examples of the well-crafted, quality publications created by this special Canadian publishing house.
ANNE OF THE LIBRARY-ON-THE-HILL by Catherine Little; illus. Sae Kimura
Anyone who has felt themselves lost in a book will identify with Anne, a young girl who finds comfort when visiting her neighbourhood library. Anne’s favourite book hero is Anne of Anne of Green Gables. Imagine Anne’s excitement when she learns that the beloved author, Lucy Maud Montgomery will be visiting her town Catherine Little’s wonderful story is written in celebration of L.M , Montgomery’s 150th birthday (born on November 30, 1874 and died on April 24,1942). This book is a special shout out to an iconic fictional hero as well as a strong shout ot to book lovers everywhere. Hooray for Catherine Little!. Hooray for L.M.Montgomery. Hooray for Anne – and Anne!
BEA’S PAPER IMAGINARIUM by Rachael Spears
Some artists are very particular about the materials they work with. Bea, a young artist, only wants to work with pristine paper, When her supply of clean paper is depleted,her creative spirit seems to have left her. One day, however, the young girl discovers possibilities in other media and ‘her mind began to buzz with ideas, whir with excitement and spin with possibilitie’ as she worked on collages made from a variety of materials. . Hats off to Bea for helping readers thing about imagination and creativity and the art of being an artist!
THE COMFORT TREE by Holly Carr
A number of forest animals find comfort around magnificent oak tree that stands deep in the forest. Throughout the four seasons, each animal (e.g. Raven, Fox, Squirrel, Bear, Blue Jay) finds a special kind of solace and comfort amidst the tall tree. In the later part of the book, the animals can be heard calling good night to each other from the boughs of the tree giving each other company and comfort. Holly Carr’s text is spare and succinct each of the animals’ actions. Her staggering silk paintings with vivid jewel-like colours and patterns gloriously fill each spread. The Comfort Tree is a rich contribution to books on positive mental health; beautiful told story centred on healing and community. The story acknowledges that this picture book was created from the spirit of “The Portapique Story Trails Project” and was written for the community of Portapique, Nova Scotia.
JACINTA’S ORDERLY WORLD by Margaret Sullivan; illus. Scot Ritchie
For Jacinta, all her belongings need to be placed ‘just right’ in the right place. Her vbooks and toys, her seashell collection and the pairs of socks she owned were each organized into a special place. Jacinta liked to be in control of things but the world doesn’t always work to accommodate her wishes. During an outing with her father to the local car mechanic, Jacinta sees a rainbow hidden in an overturned oil can and discovers that what first appears to be chaotic can be beautiful. Jacinta’s understanding of how some things in the world may seem messy – and beyond our control. Knowing that nothing is perfect, I think Jacinta would be good friends with Bea in Bea’s Paper Imaginarium since each of these characters discover possibilities and wonders of things that may be beyond our expectations.
SOCCER SCARIES by Sunshine Punzulan; illus, Mike Deas
Being part of a sports team is so very important to boys and girls young and old. By participating in a competitive sport, children are provided a signficant medium for physical, social and emotional development. Students attitudes towards winning or losing are may be dependent on their upbringing or be influenced by their teammates. Anxieties may be part of playing in a sport. For sound mental health, it is important for children to talk about their fears and learn to accept both setbacks and victories. In Soccer Scaries, Sunshine Punzulan tells a story about the pressure a young boy feels when being faced with the important soccer game against the Warriors. Being the goalie is a big responsibility for Brandon, a responsibility that brings worry and a queasy stomach. The book puts readers inside the action of the sport as they cheer Brendan and his teammates through the ups and downs of a championship soccer game.,
A SONG FOR THE PAPER CHILDREN by Christopher Tse (poem)
This picture book presents a published version the poem written to commemorate the centenary of the Chinese Exclusion Act. It was performed by poet Christopher Tse in the Senate of Canada on June 23, 2023. The poem is a tribute to Chinese immigrants, some of whom arrived in Canada after the Chinese Exclusion Act was passed to harshly restrict their entry. The ‘paper children’ were courageous men and women who endured legislated racism, financial hardship. and acts of violence and discrimination, It is also a tribute to the vibrant, resilient Chinese Canadian community who continue to contribute significantly our nation. Visually, the words and illustrations are mostly presented in black, white and red. Archived photographs are spread throughout to accompany the text. This picture book for older readers is a remarkable artifact of poem, and historical account, as picture book.children si
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THE BEST ILLUSTRATED BOOKS, 2024, New York Times, Sunday Novvember 10, 2024
> ANIMAL ALBUMS FROM A TO Z by Cece Bell
> AS EDWARD IMAGINED: A Story Of Edward Gorey in Three Acts by Matthew Burgess; illus. Mark Majewsk
> THE CAT WAY by Sara Lundberg
> HERE AND THERE by Thea Lu
> LITTLE SHREW by Akiko Miyakoshi
> THE MAN WHO DIDN’T LIKE ANIMALS by Deborah Underwood; illus. LeUyen Pham
> PLANTING HOPE: A portrait of photographer Sebastido Salgado by Philip Hoelzel; illus. Renato Alarcao
>THERE’S A GHOST IN THE GARDEN by Kyo Maclear; illus. Katty Maurey
> UP,UP EVERY UP: Junko Tabsi; A Life in the Mountains by Anita Yasuda; illus Yuko Shimizu
> YAYA AND THE SEA by Karen Good Marable; illus. Tony Engel