Bird, written by Zetta Elliott and illustrated by Shadra Strickland. Lee & Low Books, 2008. $21.95 ages 8 and up

``I didn`t know how to fix Marcus, so I left my drawing on the floor and went back to my room. The only people I ever saw shaking and sweating like that were the crazy people in the park. Mama called them addicts. Grandad  called them junkies. Papa said to stay away from them `cause people like that would do just about anything to get more drugs.``

So much has changed for Mehkai and his family. He is called Bird because he reminded his family of one when he was a baby. Now, he spends his time drawing them. It is his brother Marcus who helped Bird learn to draw.  His grandfather died last year and Marcus is sick. It is Uncle Son, an old friend of his beloved Grandad who consoles him and helps him deal with his aching heart.

The drawing also helps:

"That's what I like about drawing -
you can fix stuff that's messed up
just by using your imagination
or rubbing your eraser
over the page."

 There is safety and security in doing what he does well; and, it connects him to Marcus. He does much learning about the world he lives in, and the people who make a difference in his life. Grandad was his rock, and now Uncle Son fills the same role, visiting weekly and taking Bird to the park:

"I like talking to Uncle Son
'cause he treats me like I'm grown,
not like I'm some little kid
who can't understand anything."

He begins to realize what is happening to his older brother and that he can do little to change the choices that Marcus makes. He loves him just the same, and misses him when he is gone. With the help of Uncle Son, his parents and his love for drawing, Bird is making his way in the world, wiser, stronger and ready to soar like the birds he so admires.

Of her book, Zetta Elliott says:

" We teach children to “just say no,” but we don’t always give them the tools they need to understand addiction. I felt a picture book could promote discussion between children and adults. I definitely see parents reading this book with a lot of conversation—it’s okay to stop reading and start talking! Give the child an opportunity to ask questions or express emotions. When we demystify things such as drug addiction, we empower children to make better choices."

Shadra Strickland brings Bird's world to us in her drawings of his urban environs. She infuses the pages with light and is attentive to detail that give readers an authentic feel for the joy and pain that Bird and his family experience. The birds soar, the trees sway, the pond provides refuge for Uncle Son and Bird as they discuss the worries and the wonders of their world.

One Thousand Tracings, written and illustrated by Lita Judge. Hyperion Books, 2007. $17.50 ages 6 and up

"Dr. Kramer included a list of ten families. He sent tracings of their feet. Mama and I found a pair of shoes for each one. I matched the shoes to the tracings.

Papa asked Dr. Kramer for more names. And soon names came like rain, pouring out of letters written in German. "

I had never heard anything of this story previously, and I am so happy that I ordered the book and got the chance to read it and to share it with you...just in case you don't know it either.

It is a wonderful nonfiction picture book whose story is taken from the author's own family history. Such an inspiring tale to tell, and Lita Judge tells it brilliantly. It begins with a box of old letters and foot tracings found in her grandparents' attic. When she asks her mother about them, she learns that her grandparents had taken a very active role following WWII in helping some of the families devastated by the effects of that war.

She tells the story from her mother's perspective. She is a young girl when it begins. Her father had joined the war effort and was gone for three years. Naive and innocent, it is her feeling that, with the war over, all is well. Until the letter arrives... it tells of starvation, worn clothing and no shoes. It doesn't take long for her mother to set about making a difference, with her young daughter's help.

A care package is quickly dispatched to Germany. In their return thank you note, their doctor friend asks for no further help for his family, rather that they help others who were facing terrible times. Ten families, all needing help and shoes! The foot tracings are there.  For two years, the family does its best to bring comfort to those in need. They ask friends and neighbors, family and strangers to get involved and help those European families who are struggling to live in the aftermath of the war. One thousand foot tracings, three thousand care packages sent...talk about heroes!

Eliza is just one of the children helped by the Hamerstrom family. Perhaps the fact that she is the same age as the young girl telling the story makes her special. Her father has not returned to the family and her mother is doing her best to keep her children safe and warm:

"My little girl and baby boy and I lived in a cellar with two other families for five weeks, with only beans to eat. My husband is still missing. Now we live with my father."

A special gift is sent to Eliza and the reader lives in hope that the kind and giving Hamerstrom family will hear from her in the near future. There is great joy and dancing when that letter arrives.

The illustrations that Lita Judge has created for this lovely story are the perfect accompaniment, with their soft edges and pastel colors. She intersperses them with authentic items found in the box. There are foot tracings, balls of wool used to make warm mittens, sweaters and socks. There are family photographs, letters and addressed envelopes. It is inspiring and uplifting to know that one family could, and did, make such a difference. She finishes her author's note with the following letter found among the foot tracings:

'We are full of thanks to our American colleagues; their friendship lets us believe once more in the future, which otherwise lay before us in frightful darkness."

Now, there's a legacy!

Jasper Jones, written by Craig Silvey. Alfred A Knopf, Random House. 2009. $18.99 ages 14 and up

"He is feared and revered, and he knows it. He has a tattoo. He is surly and volatile. I hate him like poison.
And,  probably due to the fact that most of his bodily resources are diverted directly to his pituitary gland, he's also an affront to academia. Seldom is this boasted about, but he also holds the record for most grades repeated (two). It's a little fact that renders me smug, but also sore, because his stupidity has placed him in my grade."


Charlie is the narrator of this coming-of-age story set in 1960s Australia. His father is a high school teacher of English literature. Charlie is a reader, and a bit of an outcast among his school mates. Jasper Jones, the young man tagged 'bad boy' in their small, insulated town, knocks at Charlie's lighted window one night. Accompanying Jasper in hopes of helping him turns Charlie's life upside down.

The discovery that Jasper has made is shocking, to say the least. The story revolves around the impact it has on Charlie, his family and his friends. It is not an easy story to read; but, it is compelling, hard hitting and it held my attention from the first page to the last. The writing is mesmerizing at times, and I found myself adding quotes by the score to my journal.

Here's an observation from Charlie:

"Sorry means you leave yourself open, to embrace or to ridicule or to revenge. Sorry is a question that begs forgiveness, because the metronome of a heart won't settle until things are set right and true. Sorry doesn't take things back, but it pushes things forward. It bridges the gap. Sorry is a sacrament. It's an offering. A gift."

I just love the relationship that Charlie has with his friend, Jeffrey Lu. Jeffrey has some problems of his own. His parents are Vietnamese, and targeted by the town bigots who blame his father for living there, while some townsfolk are off fighting the much maligned war in the Lu's home country.  These are two boys who are best friends, loyal and gregarious. Their banter made me laugh, and certainly rings true in my experience with teenage boys. They are not on the same page about girls and sports, but their friendship is real and supportive:

"See, Chuck, while you're mincing about saying clever things to girls, some of us are training themselves to the point of immaculate perfection for your protection. It must be nice for you to have a horse like me in your stable. You're a citizen. You can afford to rest on your laurels. Because you know that Jeffrey Lu is standing in the path of tyranny."
"Sir, your sacrifice means everything to me."
"It's hardly a sacrifice. I'd rather hone my superior skills to infallible sharpness than swan about smooching girls."

Always funny, and worthy of looking back to their repartee...they made me laugh out loud more than once! These characters are achingly real, the plot well-paced and the issues generated for discussion  numerous...loyalty, acceptance, friendship, family, romance, abuse, death and racism.

Entertaining, thoughtful and sure to capture the attention of young male readers, I will long remember these characters and the tender and tough circumstances that draw them together:

"We'd gone to confront Mad Jack Lionel about murdering Laura Wishart, only to find that he was driving the car that killed Jasper's mother. This world isn't right. It's small and it's nasty and it's lousy with sadness. Under every rock, hidden in every closet, shaken from every tree, it seems there's something horrible I don't want to see. I don't know. Maybe that's why this town is so content to face in on itself, to keep so settled and smooth and serene. And at the moment, I can't say as I blame them."

a stranger at home, written by Christy Jordan-Fenton and Margaret Pokiak-Fenton. Artworks by Liz Amini-Holmes. Annick Press, 2011. $12.95 ages 10 and up

"It was all too much: the way my little brother studied me as if I were a strange species of fish that had washed ashore, and the way my mother touched the ends of my hair and sobbed that her little girl had been turned into an outsider. I no longer belonged to my own family."

This poignant and heartbreaking look at the long-term effects for the children who were taken from their families to attend residential schools is the sequel to Fatty Legs (Annick Press, 2010). It continues Margaret's story of the isolation and hurt she felt while she was away from home. She is now 10  and her absence from family has been two long years. 


The family is not overjoyed to see her when they meet her at the boat. Her mother doesn't even recognize her. She can no longer speak to her siblings in the language of her people and she has lost her taste for traditional Inuit food.


This memoir recalls the horror of the school itself and the confusion and distress felt as Margaret realizes that she is now considered an 'outsider' by many. She cannot play with her best friend from school, she is unable to communicate within her own family, and her feelings of rejection are strong.


It takes time, patience, an understanding and helpful father. As she slowly and surely regains her place with family and community, she relearns the traditional ways and finds solace there. She is happy never to go back to the school that has so changed her. Then, her father asks for her help.


He is a forward-thinking man and knows that his other daughters need an education that will help them as the world around them changes. He needs his oldest daughter to return to school with her sisters, to keep them safe and assuage their fears and longing for home. The Margaret who returns to the residential school with her sisters is a changed young woman. She is stronger, more courageous and certainly more aware of the difficulties she will again face:


"Our journey wasn't going to be an easy one, but we would return, steeped in the outsiders' knowledge and also with the wisdom of our own people. I would make sure my sisters retained that wisdom, and that living with the outsiders would not make them forget what home meant. Home was not only where you were safe but also where your family was, and there was strength in having each other. I was Olemaun now, and I would keep us together, safe and strong."


The addition of archival photos and information boxes to help explain unfamiliar words add to the story's appeal. The stunning artwork affords the reader a chance to know the Inuit community, its people and customs. The expressive faces run the gamut from abject sorrow to growing joy, and finally, a sense of quiet confidence. The softness of Liz Amini-Holmes' dark palette made me feel present in the story and very aware of all that was happening there.

Today, Maybe, written by Dominique Demers and illustrated by Gabrielle Grimard. Translation by Sheila Fischman. Orca Book Publishers, 2010. $19.95 ages 5 and up

"For months, no one else came. Yet every morning, after she had said Good Morning to the sun, the trees and the wind, the little girl said to her bird: " Maybe today is the day when he'll come."


In this modern fairy tale we meet a lovely young girl who is independent, courageous and patient. This little girl made the decision at a young age to stop growing, to spend her life on her own at the edge of a forest. A bird keeps her company. She doesn't often welcome visitors, but the ones who drop by will be recognized by children who have some knowledge of folklore. She is full of confidence and serenity as she waits for 'someone' to come. She has no idea as to the identity of her much-anticipated visitor.

Those visitors who do knock at her door may not be familiar to young readers; but they do hearken us back to earlier fairy tales. The three thieves who arrive with demands for treasure find that her real treasures are her books, and she is not willing to part with them. Luckily, the thieves cannot read and are content to take a large jar of jam. The wolf is ferocious but her gift of story provides pleasant dreams and a lightness of heart. When the young prince arrives, he falls in love with her and offers a grand life. She knows he is not the one. Finally, a witch threatens but a frightening story quickly sends her on her way, as well.

Nothing keeps her from believing that all will be well. She faces each new threat with ingenuity and courage. She keeps to her feeling that someone is coming. One fine spring day, when her feelings are clear and strong, her wait is over. Readers will very much enjoy the surprise ending.

Gabrielle Grimard's beautiful artwork perfectly matches the story with  moody colors and detail-rich images. Perspectives change often to add interest and hold the listener's attention.    

There is danger and fear, wit and courage, beauty and grace....and oh yes, a happy ending! 

Pussycat, Pussycat, where have you been? Written by Dan Bar-el and illustrated by Rae Mate. Simply Read, Raincoast Books. 2100. $18.95 ages 3 and up

"Pussycat, Pussycat,
What followed after?

A dream and a breeze,
A night full of laughter.
Pussycat, Pussycat,
How far did you go?

The length of a stage
And the span of a show."

I love the feline-inspired moon watching all the action as a young girl and her beloved cat play games of imagination and real pleasure in this most engaging adaptation of an old nursery rhyme. Young readers may not even know the original, but when the sharing is finished they will have a new book to love and to ask for again and again.

This is pussycat fears nothing...in rhyming couplets which follow the fairly traditional question posed by his lovely young companion, he regales her with tales of world travel and numerous new discoveries. Here is an invitation for readers to explore on their own those things that interest them, and to do so with relish and a zest for new adventures:

"Pussycat, Pussycat,
Who else did you meet?

The pageant performers
Along every street.

Pussycat, Pussycat,
Did you join in?

If life is a circus
Why wait to begin."

The oil paintings that accompany each of these questions and answers will inspire listeners to look carefully at the many double page spreads created to encourage careful thought and lively discussion. What a gift for children to discover new life in an old rhyme, and to know that writers are clever enough to do what this accomplished author had done!

Its gentle messages soothe and serve as a lovely lullaby and a warm invitation to do some personal exploring:

"Pussycat, Pussycat,
Will you stay home?

I always get restless.
I always will roam.

Pussycat, Pussycat,
I'll miss you again.

Then come travel with me,
My partner, my friend."

Lovely, just lovely!

Jack and the FlumFlum Tree, written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by David Roberts. Macmillan, Harper. 2011. $19.99 ages 3 and up

"The monkey crept closer.
He listened to the tunes.
He put down the flumflum
and he grabbed the wooden spoons.

Then back sailed Jack,
with Stu and Rose,
All the way home
from Blowyernose."

I really like it when an author keeps a promise made in the text....in this case, Julia Donaldson lets her readers in on the dilemma immediately and she also has Granny provide a patchwork sack filled with intriguing and unrelated objects. Why??

Granny has the moozles and there is only one cure! Her grandson Jack is determined to find just what the doctor ordered. To do that he must build a boat, find a crew and set sail for the far-off island that is home to the fruit of the tree that will save Granny from her illness. Off they go with Granny's bag full of goodies in tow,  not  knowing how valuable each one will be.

As they sail out over the bounding main, they meet with a series of possible voyage-ending predicaments. First, it's sharks, then a leak, followed by a man overboard. Each time one of Granny's offbeat objects helps to resolve the sticky situation. It's as if she had a premonition, or she knew what she was doing.

Finally, they find the island, and the tree. Once again, there is something in Granny's patchwork sack that helps with the retrieval of the flumflum fruit. But, that is not the end of their problems.

Kids will enjoy the lilt of the text and the oft-repeated phrase:

"Don't get your knickers in a twist," said Jack.
"Let's have a look in the patchwork sack."

There is lots to be enjoyed in the reading...rhyming text throughout, alarm as each new problem arises, humor in dealing with the difficulties, carefully considered word choice and fun, fun, fun! Readers will enjoy journeying with the three intrepid sea goers on their quest to save Granny from the dreaded moozles.

David Roberts adds to the magic with his artwork. It is filled with detail and action, an open invitation for listeners to pore over its pages. There is so much to see! The expressive faces of the savvy sailors, the rolling sea, and the lush tropical island that is their destination all make for a most enjoyable story to share.

The Watch That Ends the Night,written by Allan Wolf. Candlewick Press, Random House. 2011. $25.00 ages 12 annd up

"Of course I knew the precise number of people on board.
I had signed the paperwork myself. My responsibility.
Two thousand two hundred and eight souls.
Twenty boats.
The mathematical disparity stung my brain.
Regardless of how the rest of this story turned out,
I knew it must begin with filling the lifeboats with as many souls as possible."

I might say 'Impressive!' or 'Astounding!' or even 'Brilliant!'

I could fill this post with quotes from a series of voices that speak through the pages of this remarkable new book about the maiden voyage and the sinking of Titanic. But, I want you to read it for yourself and know the real pleasure of revisiting a time in history, and an event  that has been shared in a variety of books over the years. None that I have read approach the story as Allan Wolf has chosen to tell it...in poetry and honoring the voices of some of the ship's real passengers. Of course, it is fiction; but Allan Wolf has done his research and shares intimate knowledge of the tragedy in the voices of the people he has chosen to help him tell it.

We are less than four months from the 100th anniversary of the event, and there have been (and will be) new books published about it. This is a book that I could not just read and then move on to another. I read it, and reread passages and then stopped before I was done in order to prepare myself for its ending. Of course, we all know the ultimate result. Allan Wolf offers a guide at the back of the book to talk about the real story of the voices he has shared. I read the histories and then read them again. I was not ready to leave this book, and I know I will go back to read many parts again. 

To say he is adept at creating his characters in poetry is another one of those understatements. In fact, he has taken a familiar story and made it unique and sparkling. The verse is exemplary, the voices fully realized and powerful, the characters chosen from all walks of life and social strata (both for the passengers and the crew). The voices within these hierarchies parallel each other. Their reasons for boarding the ship are many, their experiences varied and there are 24 of them. I thought it might be difficult to keep track of so many, but each character is carefully drawn and the voice never wavers. The author even gave voice to an insatiable rat and the iceberg...disturbing and chilling, to say the least.

Of course, on the Titanic, even third class isn't too bad:

"Just two decks down, in ring number three:
watch as the third-class masses eat better aboard Titanic
than they ever have before or ever will again.
Ragout of beef, potatoes, pickles and apricots,
fresh bread and butter, currant buns and tea.
All of it on simple and durable earthenware, with no design,
as plain and blank as their unknown futures."

The tale is told in seven watches, each describing a part of the journey. At the end of each, the undertaker gives voice to the aftermath, the search for bodies, and the clinical data needed to identify those bodies found:

"Finally the dead have crossed the Atlantic.
Finally the dead have completed their journey. '
Finally the dead are allowed to disembark.
Thirty horse-drawn hearses, lined up at Purdy's Wharf,
patiently wait as the first-class bodies are brought off first.
Then second. Then third. Classified in death as in life.
Only the horses speak their solemn nickers
as they climb the steep ascent from the docks
up North Street to the Mayflower Curling Rink."

And I will leave you with Allan Wolf's reason for writing this wondrous book:

But my aim in writing The Watch That Ends the Night was not to present history. My aim was to present humanity. The people represented in this book lived and breathed and loved. They were as real as you and me. They could have been any one of us.
And that is why, after a century, the Titanic still fascinates."

Bravo, Mr. Wolf!

solace of the road, written by Siobhan Dowd. David Fickling Books, Random House. 2009. $9.99 ages 12 and up

"The man had long grey hair tied in a ponytail and thick brown arms. He had blue jeans and a T-shirt on and was whistling to a tune he could hear on his earphones. He was what I call a mogit in denial - somebody who's over forty, and acts like they're seventeen. You want to cringe and hide when they act like your best buddy, like they think they're still your age."

She has a powerful voice that Holly Hogan...it becomes even more powerful when she takes on the persona of Solace. Holly is a fourteen year old and we meet her in the care home where she is presently living. Her influences there are not always good. She does have a favorite care worker; but, he is leaving for another job. He feels her best chance of making her life better is to take a foster spot with a concerned and willing couple.

Fiona and Ray are good to her. She has her own room, good food, attention from her foster parents. But, she doesn't have her mom and she believes that finding her will be the answer to an even better life. She must get to Ireland. To that end, she takes Fiona's blond wig knowing it will make her look older than she is, and she becomes Solace.  Off she goes, with what she can carry and a vision of a happy life with Mam.

In her quest to find the A40 and a direct route to her mother, she meets a group of characters who affect her present and will influence her future. Holly is smart enough to plot her course, and innocent enough to think that it will be easy. Walking to Ireland....really? As Solace, she has confidence and is able to take risks that Holly might not. She speaks with people more easily, recalls the advice of her mates in the care home and finds ways to move forward with her plan.

I have to admit that I read her story with trepidation, always imagining something evil around each corner. She takes rides with strangers, meets some interesting and caring people. Suffice it to say that she handles each new development as best she can. While it is all very dangerous, she uses all of her skills to find the way. Through the kindness of strangers and her own ingenuity, she makes it to Ireland, only to find that Mam is not there waiting for her:

"You can't think all you memories at once or your head will burst. So you put them in a drawer in the back of your brain and close them away. Denny and Mam, that day in the sky house, they'd been hidden away for years. And I'd forgotten how the pieces fitted together. I'd fooled myself how it was all Denny's fault and how Mam had to run away from him to Ireland and how she was waiting for me to find her there."

The ending holds surprise, and grace. It is a journey that has worth and value to Holly:

"Other times I tell her (the therapist) about everyone I met on my travels. I show her the map and describe the good people on it who were like guardian angels because they did something to help me and asked for nothing back."

I think that is the way it generally is, and it is lovely to read a teen novel that shows the goodness that is alive in the world. Rest in peace, Siobhan Dowd. Your legacy is rich.

The Polar Bear Scientists, by Peter Lourie. Houghton Mifflin, Thomas Allen & Son, 2012.. $22.50 ages 10 and up

"Steve loves these animals because they're the largest bears in the world and they live in the most mysterious environment. "Plus," he says, "polar bears are the apex predator. If polar bears are doing well, probably the Arctic ecosystem is doing well." Studying these bears is like looking through a window into the entire ecosystem in which they live."

They only have six weeks each summer but the scientists who have been part of a long-term study of these majestic giants make the most of that time. In helicopters, they chase, dart, and capture the polar bears they find bent on studying their habits. It is a most interesting and humane way of tracking the bears they have tagged and watching to see how the bears and their families are thriving (or not) in the far northern landscape near Barrow, Alaska.

We meet the scientists, the pilot, the mechanic who tracks the helicopter and former scientists who have worked on this far-reaching study. They have a carefully prepared plan and Peter Lourie shares two captures,sharing his photographs and a play-by-play description of the work as it is being carried out.  He takes his photos as they first search for the bears, then track and tranquilize them so that they can measure and mark them for the future.

The stunning captioned photographs are an integral part of each page of information, showing the bears, the scientists, their interactions and their actions throughout the entire process. A younger reader would learn a great deal about these scientists and their charges by reading those captions and carefully considering the remarkable photographs. I was intrigued with the comparative sizes of footprints and the clear, sunny images captured from the helicopter.

Dr. Steven Amstrup has spent thirty years working with polar bears and he is given a voice in this book, concerning the bears he loves and the state of their habitat. He reiterates a warning that we are hearing more and more:

"We became aware," Steve says, "of global warming and the threat it presents to polar bears - a far greater threat because of the extensive loss of  essential habitat. You can have a population that is overharvested, and by reducing the harvest you can allow the populations to rebound and grow again. But if a population of animals doesn't have appropriate habitat, then you're in trouble. Because the world is warming (and it's warming because of human influences), there's going to be less sea ice. Sea ice is the habitat of polar bears. The ice is where polar bears have access to their principal prey, which is ringed seals, bearded seals, and spotted and harp seals."

Many questions remain unanswered as the study goes forward; but the dedication of these scientists is admirable and their research  provides for interesting and informative reading. A final conversation with Steve, followed by a glossary, a polar bear field guide, suggested books and websites, and a useful index bring us to the end of this newest addition to the Scientists in the Field series and leaves its readers learning much about polar bears, through the eyes of those scientists whose love for these beautiful creatures brings them back to the sea ice each year. 

Hyena in Petticoats, a graphic novel by Willow Dawson. Puffin, Penguin. 2011. $15.00 ages

"Nellie credited her rural upbringing on the plains of Manitoba as one of the main reasons for her success. She grew up on a farm in a pioneer village where women worked equally as hard as the men, resources were often scarce, and the entire town would pitch in to help with community projects or a neighbour in need. Nellie understood how difficult life was for most people."

Nellie McClung is a true Canadian hero, and Willow Dawson captures her spirit, her accomplishments and her determined journey in this new graphic novel. She left her mark on Canadian history with her writing (sixteen books), her political stance, and her never-give-up attitude as she sought to make the world a better place for everyone, but especially for women and young children. She did not lack courage, maintained a quick wit despite the struggles to make a difference and leaves a legacy that is quite remarkable:

"It is the writer's place to bring romance to people, to turn the commonplace into the adventurous and the amusing, to bring out the pathos in a situation...Words are our tools and must be kept bright...I refuse to be carried through the sewers of life just for the ride...I write if I have something to say that will amuse, entertain, instruct, inform, comfort or guide the reader."

On the first page we meet the feisty, independent young girl punching a fellow classmate for being better at reading than she is. Turning to the first of nine chapters, we are privy to the move that takes the Mooney family from Ontario to the wilds of the Canadian prairies. A house is built in the Tiger Hills and the family prepares for the long trek from Winnipeg. Nellie's path is determined in this new village when she is discouraged from racing (it's not for girls) and learns what alcohol does to men who imbibe.

An understanding and generous teacher helps her realize the power that comes from learning as much as you can...she turns to books and writing to have a voice and vows to initiate change when she is old enough to vote. Her sister offers a startling revelation:

"Nellie, politics is for men. Women are not allowed to vote . Not here in Canada. Not even in the United States or Europe."

Each new chapter provides a look at the path her life will take. She attends normal school and becomes a teacher, meets and marries a fine man, gives birth to five children and crusades throughout her life for better conditions for women and children, the right of women to vote and various other social reforms. She is indefatigable, and delights in the many victories that have meant a lot to others.

There is so much about Nellie McClung that is inspirational. Thank you to Willow Dawson for creating this marvellous graphic biography so that young people will come to know her life, her accomplishments and the mark she has left on Canadian history:

"I believe in a progressive Canada  with fair laws for women and immigrants! I was a key player in the referendum on Prohibition and on getting women enfranchised. These are terrific successes, but there is still much work to be done. Vote for me and I promise to continue to fight for your rights!"

The Really Awful Musicans, story and pictures by John Manders. Clarion, Thomas Allen & Son, 2011. $18.99 ages 5 and up

"All afternoon they played as they rode. They played fast, slow, loud, and soft - all at the same time. Finally, Charlemagne couldn't stand it anymore. "Enough! You guys sound terrible! Why don't you all play together?"

Kids will be hopping out of their seats to help with the onomatopoeic sounds that arise when these 'really awful' musicians run away from the king's court. It seems that playing together makes for dismal music and the king has asked his men to round up the culprits and feed them to the crocodiles:

"The king couldn't face another evening of it. "Enough! No more LOUD, soft, fast-fast-fast!, slo-o-o-o-o-o-ow, screechy, bellowy, terrible musicians! Hire me some mimes!" he thundered."

It's a dilemma; but, the musicians have no intention of hanging around and becoming croc fodder. The young Piffaro is found by the king's men in a nearby village and beats a hasty retreat upon the broad back of an old horse named Charlemagne. They travel through the night. Just as dawn is  breaking they come upon another musician. Espresso is the fastest musician in the kingdom, able to play 'a three-minute waltz in just under twelve seconds' on his mandolin. He is keen to escape with Piffaro and Charlemagne. It isn't long until they hear a tiny tune that is nearly impossible to discern. Serena the Silent does her best to be quiet. She is invited to join the fleeing troupe. As they go, the sounds of their music surrounds them and is sure to delight young readers!

Fortissimo is the next musician to join them, and finally Lugubrio. As they seek refuge from the hungry crocodiles, they play music to accompany their escape. It was near to driving Charlemagne bonkers! They did sound terrible and the horse was about to change all that:

"They looked at Charlemagne’s hoofprints and followed his stick. While they played, each musician listened to the others. When they all played together, the music sounded beautiful, for the first time ever."

As they practice under Charlemagnes's tutelage, they get better. A chance passing-by of the King himself gets them a new gig at the castle....and the mimes? Well, the crocodiles are still hungry. (My son will be delighted by this turn of events.)

In an Author’s Note, Manders suggests that 'some things in this story are almost true', and goes on to explain the development of a shared songbook and musical notation to assure that everyone is singing the same song. He follows that with an introduction to the five instruments whose music graces his pages in disharmony in the beginning, and total harmony once the new lessons are learned.

In his brightly colored gouache and colored pencil illustrations we meet each new and distinct member of this really awful orchestra. Each scene is humorous and expressive and will afford readers a great guffaw as they follow the exploits of this motley crew of performers. There is a lesson here, but it is most certainly camouflaged by the great sense of fun to be had by all who share this unique and hilarious adventure.

Tadeo's Search for Circles, written by Marion Brooker and illustrated by Kyrsten Brooker. Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 2011. $18.95 ages 4 and up

"Tadeo travelled on and on,
fanning himself against the heat,
hugging himself against the cold
until...
...Tadeo spotted the perfect circle...
perhaps...
He circled lower to see
BUT"

A world map on the endpapers sets readers up for a trip that will take them to five numbered places in the world. A legend provides further information about the places we will visit, including the Canadian Arctic. Readers are then  asked to place themselves on the map, before moving on to read the story.

Tadeo is a small boy obsessed with circles. We meet him on the title page, drawing his favorite shape with a stick in the sand. Turns out he is always on the lookout for a perfect circle. He creates many of his own...bubblegum bubbles, windows in sand castles, mouth circles for yawning. None are  just right! So determined is he that he even dreams of circles. When he throws a rope hoping to create a circle with it, something exciting happens and Tadeo is off on a trip of discovery.

His journey lands him a snooze on the moon, a visit to the African Savannah, a stop at the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, a ride on the London Eye, and a touchdown in the land of the polar bear. As he returns home to Central America, he discovers that the perfect circle has been there all along. As he lands in his mother's arms, he finds the 'most wonderful, perfect circle of all!'

Kyrsten Brooker's textured collage artwork adds drama and bold color to this young man's journey from his Central American home and back again, to the comfort of familial love and understanding. Young readers will make many surprising discoveries as they share its pages.

At the Heart of It, written by Raymond Taniton and Mindy Willett with photographs by Tessa Macintosh. Fifth House Publisihers, Fizhenry & Whiteside. 2011. $16.95 ages 10 and up

"I tell people there are many reasons why we are a strong and healthy community. But one thing is for certain. We have never given up our responsibility to govern and look after ourselves. We are responsible for our healthy families and our connected community. We are responsible for ensuring that our youth know who they are as Dene people and for keeping our land and water clean."

I think that this series of books being published by Fifth House is a wonderful, and much needed, addition to the aboriginal literature we can share with all children. The Land is Our Storybook offers a clear look at contemporary First Nations in the Northwest Territories. This is the tenth book and each has provided a clear picture of the people, their culture and their day-to-day life in Canada's northland.

The format is familiar, using colour photographs, maps and personal stories. This one focuses on Raymond Taniton, a Dene drum maker and the community of Deline on the shore of Great Bear Lake where he lives a full and happy life with family and extended family. He is a leader in his community and a tough negotiator, which he proved while chief.

Raymond's family is large, his love of the land and his community is strong, and he is very proud of his heritage. He passes that love to other members of his community and to those of us who read this book. There is history here, as well as geography, spiritual teachings, instructions on drum making, stories and games.

Raymond is a gifted teacher and elder to his children and grandchildren. He wants them to know the struggles of those who came before them, and he wants them to know their land:

"The land is our storybook. It is our school, our library, our church. It is where we learn our stories and where we discover who we are as true Dene people."

An afterword contributes many interesting details, the meaning of the Dene Nation logo, and a timeline of events, as well as a map showing Canada's treaties and the years they were signed. This is a book worthy of your attention and of interest to many!

Hug Time, written and illustrated by Patrick McDonnell. Little Brown. Hachette. 2012. $7.99 ages 2 and up

"He hugged all the birds he could find in the park.
So many to hug before it got dark!"

Here's a little book that I will be ordering for new babies, or loved ones for Valentine's Day since Christmas has come and gone. Patrick McDonnell is so good with these adorable cartoon characters. I love seeing them!

Young ones will rock to the beat of  the rhythmic text and the accompanying love-infused artwork. What a great premise for changing our world for the better:

"There once was a kitten so filled with love
He wanted to give the whole world a hug."

Ah, I would take one of those anytime. The older I get the more important they become, and hugs mean a lot more to me now than gifts do. I have always been a hugger, to the great consternation of my kids when they were younger. They seem quite happy to accept them now. I love the close feeling you get when you give someone you care about a gentle reminder that they are loved.

As we say farewell to Christmas for another year and prepare to welcome a new year, the message of this little book has much to say about changing the world one hug at a time;

"There was no one this kitten wanted to miss,
So he made (and he checked twice) a Hug-To-Do List. "

I'm going to get at mine, and I hope you think about doing the same thing! The world is going to be a better place. Get yourself a couple of copies and be prepared the next time you think that someone might appreciate a hug....and a book!

Orani, written and illustrated by Claire A. Nivola. Farrar Straus Giroux, Douglas & McIntyre. 2011. $18.95 ages 5 and up

"How long it took to get there! Hour after hour we drove under a scorching sun, until suddenly the curving road plunged down into the valley, and the houses, low and dark on either side,  held us close.

The car stopped abruptly and relatives appeared from all around."

And while we are speaking of memoirs, here is another lovely book that evolved from childhood memories. Often children know little about history. They live in the now, and have difficulty attaching meaning to what has happened in the past, especially past last week! We were often amazed to hear our parents' stories of their young lives, and the work that they were expected to do in order to help the family survive and thrive. In Manitoba, we have all heard the stories of walking to school (uphill for miles in blinding storms and barefoot)...yeah, right! But, we even passed those stories to our own kids and they swear that I was here BEFORE dirt....as in, 'you're older than dirt, Mom!' HA!

 

In this wondrous memoir, Claire Nivola invites her readers to take a step back in time and visit the town in Sardinia where her extended family made their home. It is a very different world than the New York neighborhood she now calls home, and she writes about it with humor and admiration:

 

"Above, on the rugged cliffs, tiny goats picked their way among the rocks and thistles and wild scented thyme. The fruit on the island tasted like the fruit of paradise, but wild boars roamed the mountains. There were nettles that stung, scorpions with poisonous tails, and bandits who stole sheep and sometimes kidnapped people."

 

A near yearly visit offered repeated experiences...from New York across the vast ocean, an overnight boat trip to the island, a long car ride into the mountains and finally, arrival in the small valley town where relatives descended to welcome the wanderers home. The cousins always had questions about life in America; the author assured life was better on the island.

 

As the days passed, new groups of cousins would align themselves to partake of the flurry of activity that was a constant in Orani:

 

"Old women everywhere offered us holiday biscuits and chocolates. The roadside trees bent to hand us their fruit. All the village, it seemed, was ours."

 

 I love the lilt of the text and the feeling you get while reading of the adventures so enjoyed by this young girl and her many cousins. It is the art that will transport every reader to her island home and the joy she found in being there. You will want to take a gentle peaceful time looking at each and every page to ensure that you know all you can learn about it, and to feel the love that brought the family back year after year, and even today:

 

``I continue to go back to Orani. My cousins and I are older, and the village too has grown up. That moment has passed - when I was a child; when Orani was shaking free of abject poverty, yet no one had too much; when new ways had not yet torn it away from what was rich in the past.``

 

 The village and people come alive in the carefully drawn artwork, with red clay rooftops and pebbled streets, buildings placed so close to each other, and the daily activities of all who live there. The emdpapers place Sardinia and Orani clearly on a map of the Mediterranean area at the front, then with a close-up labelled map of Sardinia at the back. To add to the fun take the time to find young Claire in each of the illustrations. What lessons were learned, what life-altering experiences shared!

 

Look for this book when the Caldecott winner and honor books are named.

Drawing From Memory, written and illustrated by Allen Say. Scholastic, 2011. $19.99 ages 12 and up

"Even though many of them looked like characters out of comic books, it was hard to capture them in our sketchbooks. I felt jealous of photographers who could sneak up on strangers and snap their pictures on the run. But that seemed like hunting and stealing."

While resting from the first visit of the day and awaiting my friends who are taking me to the next Christmas celebration, I thought I would thank Allen Say for his very special gift to his fans, both past and future. To read Allen Say's memoir of his life as an artist is, to say the least, a most informative and engrossing journey. For me, it begins with the title. The memories he shares are so clear and strong that he gives his audience an authentic glimpse of an artist at work from a very young age. Art is central to his ability to live his life to the fullest. That he shares many personal and intimate moments in his newest book is a testament to that creative life.

Life for Allen and his family held trials and tribulations. His father was not with the family for much of his early life. But, he appears to hold no grudges in his sharing of that time with a young audience. Always an artist, despite his parents' disapproval, he illustrates a remembered time when he could not help but draw what was in his heart and head....on the wall. We watch him walk away from his beguiling and childlike mural as his parents see it through their own anger and horror. His father will not approve of his desire to be an artist. His mother, once separated from his father, finds a way for him to pursue it.

Allen is on his own at twelve, living in a small apartment that will afford him the opportunity to hone his talents under the tutelage of Sensei Noro Shinpei, a famous and much honored cartoonist. The author provides a personal look at the master, his work and his support for his few students. He also provides further information about their relationship in a valuable afterword. There are vintage photographs, words of advice and examples of Noro Shinpei's work, including the cartoons he drew of his two students getting into all manner of mischief.

Allen Say gifts us with a clear picture of many of the important people in is life: his family, Sensei, his fellow student Tokida, some of his most important teachers, and himself as a young and gifted man willing to do anything to be the artist he is meant to be. Using pictures and words he tells his story with poignancy, determination and amazing skill.

He has lived in the United States since 1953 and, if you know his other fine works, his heart remains firmly planted in Japan as well. My introduction to Allen's work was the Caldecott Award winning
Grandfather's Journey and I have gone on to read and cherish every new book that he has written. Now, I feel I know so much more about his own journey from tiny, ever-drawing, Japanese boy to acclaimed Japanese American author and illustrator. Thank you for sharing your remarkable journey, Mr. Say! I am ever grateful.

The Money We'll Save, written and illustrated by Brock Cole. Farrar Straus Girooux, Douglas & McIntyre. 2011. $18.95 ages 4 and up

"Now, Ma," said Pa. "It's not long until Christmas. I'll tell you what I'll do. I'll make him a pen on the fire escape and then he'll be out of the way, and remember the money we're saving." So Pa built a pen on the fire escape, and for a time everything was peaceful in the flat."

Are you looking for a new family Christmas story to go under the tree this year? I might have just the thing. It comes from the deft hand and masterful mind of Brock Cole. I have admired his work since first reading The Goats (Douglas & McIntyre, 1987). I am always thrilled to see that he he is gracing us with something new and worth coveting.

All that leads me to tell you about his new book. The children are busy with their chores. Ma's hands are full. So, it's Pa who makes the trip to market with a list of needed items. Before he leaves she issues a warning:  "Christmas is not far off, and we must save every penny." Apparently Pa takes her warning to heart (or so he thinks) and rejects all offers of anything that is not specifically on Ma's short list. It is the chicken man who finally convinces him that he has a great deal for him, and Pa comes home with a live turkey poult to be fattened prior to Christmas. If they raise it themselves, they won't have to buy a turkey for the festive celebration.

And so begins this timely tale of a turkey who takes a long more care than Pa had in mind, when deciding to bring Alfred home. It is not an easy existence!  How do you keep a turkey in tow? The family tries a variety of ways to keep Alfred in check. None work well. Then Pa puts Alfred out on the fire escape; it seems the problem is solved.

Mrs. Schumacher is not so sure:

"Now where am I to get a breath of fresh air with that great bird doing his business all over the fire escape and gobbling night and day so no one can sleep?" she demanded."

Will hanging Alfred's pen on the clothesline work? Not for the neighbors who must walk below him each day.  What if the line were to break? How long can they continue? How will they be able to keep everyone safe until Christmas Eve? Can Christmas come soon enough?

The scenes created to tell this story are vintage Brock Cole: perfect setting, wonderful characters, full of joy and humorous attempts to solve the problems of raising your own turkey dinner. The family does so with creativity, humor and warmth. A lively and lovely read for the holiday season.

Chickens to the Rescue, written and illustrated by John Himmelman. Henry Holt & Company. 2006. $21.00 ages 3 and up

"On Wednesday, the dog ate Jeffrey Greenstalk's book report that was due the next morning.

Chickens to the rescue!

"Smart chickens," said Jeffrey Greenstalk."

Those little ones who are just learning to read are going to love this book! The pattern matches the delight in Pigs to the Rescue (Henry Holt, 2010) and is full of fun and wondrous illustrations. Days of the week, difficulties to deal with in the Greenstalk family...all are familiar and that is what makes this book one that children will want to try reading on their own.

The text is in a repetitive form, and is accompanied by pencil and watercolor illustrations that are hilarious and filled with spirit and vigorous activity. None of it will overwhelm the child reader, but will surely draw their attention to every remarkable detail. I pored over the pages always, finding something new to cause me to snicker.

Oh, those chickens! They arrive in a flurry, wings flapping and white feathered bodies tumbling. All they want to do is help, and help they do! Whether dressed in swimsuits for well diving, sporting aprons for dinner making, sign-equipped for truck stopping or collectively holding a trampoline to catch a wind-blown cow, their bodies express all of the lengths they are willing to go to make everything better. What true enjoyment they bring! They show such pride in their efforts....don't be fooled, they are very pleased with themselves.

Having met the chickens prior to the opening page of text, we know a lot about them before they begin their quest to be the saviors for all things Greenstalk. There is so much to look at, and such feelings to explore. One chicken is always on the lookout for the next catastrophe...and a new one crops up each day. The book ends with a surprise on Sunday, and offers a hint at what the future might hold.

Dog Breath, written by Carolyn Beck and illustrated by Brooke Kerrigan. Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 2011. $18.95 ages 5 and up

"You escaped any chance you got. If the door opened a crack, if for one second we forgot how crafty you were, out you went - raiding garbage cans, finding stinks to roll in, following your nose for hours and hours while we called and called, thinking the worst."

Dog lovers and memoirists unite! Carolyn Beck is one of us...well, I like my granddogs but have no desire to have my own. I know all the arguments, and the comfort that the love of a dog has brought to so many, but I remain steadfast in my resolve to be able to enjoy my granddogs and then send them home, leaving me free to go to work, or for lunch, or to Victoria, or to Winnipeg without concerning myself over care for my four-legged companion!

I read this book this morning and now know the joy that dogs bring to Carolyn Beck's life. It says on the back flyleaf that she presently does not have a dog, but the memories of Brandy that this book evokes assures me that there is another dog in her future. She writes with such love.

"Sometimes
I woke
not knowing
what was real
till your nose
touched my face.

Dog breath."

Each turn of the page holds a new memory of time spent together and the love shared. It is full of laughs and little scenes that steal your heart. If you have ever owned a dog, I'm sure you share some of the same silly scenes.

Brooke Kerrigan uses her talents to great effect here, filling the pages with color and poignant images,  and using the text to help add the small details of a life shared. The drooling dog is a delight despite its mischievous ways, and has an open, almost gleeful face.

And when she dies, there is sadness...a gentle look at the bed table photo following a the mere mention of her passing:  

"Last week  you really did it:
you ate my birthday cake -
the whole thing,
candles, too -
and got yourself so stuffed
you threw it up.

I was so mad I yelled,
"I hate you!"
not knowing
you'd never steal
another birthday cake."

As with all who are loved and lost, there is much to keep their memory alive and this lovely, funny story helps readers see that. I will be sharing it over and over again. Thank you, Carolyn Beck!