Author Archive

“Summer vacation gets off to a rough start when Mom insists that Pistachio take her little sister Penny to the park. As she pulls Penny along in a wagon, Pistachio lets her mind wander off. Big mistake. Unsupervised, Penny pinches fruit from the grocer’s stand, wades in the park fountain, and climbs over a wall […]

“Ben is not big. He is just a preschooler. His big sister, Robin, gets a report card in fifth grade, and his big brother Joe, in third grade, gets one, too. Ben feels more and more sad throughout the day when he keeps focusing on all the things his siblings can do that he cannot. […]

“Ted Harrison, one of Canada’s most recognized and celebrated artists, died in January, 2015. Using a distinctive style that particularly resonates with children, he portrayed the Canadian west coast and Yukon landscapes in vibrant, non-traditional colours. A Brush Full of Colour follows the life and career of Harrison, from his youth in a coal-mining town […]

“German sailor Erich is not a Nazi, despite being part of the Third Reich’s military. Max, a Canadian boy from a German family, does not support Hitler, but peers in rural Alberta subject him to vicious torment anyway. When Erich is taken prisoner, he crosses paths with Max at a logging camp where several of […]

“Uncertain Soldier, by the award-winning author of Graffiti Knight, is a taut, adrenaline-fuelled novel of enmity and loyalty set in rural Alberta in the years 1943 and 1944. The conflicts and prejudices of World War II play out with violent consequences in Canada as well as overseas…. Bass writes with a visceral power. As she […]

“In this riveting love story based on true events, Deborah Ellis transports readers to Iran in 1988 just nine years after the Islamic Revolution. There readers meet fifteen-year-old Farrin, born into a wealthy aristocratic family. Farrin’s life is filled with great privilege except at her private high school for gifted girls where Pargol, a student […]

“Cat lovers around the world will celebrate this well-written nonfiction selection. Animal advocate Rob Laidlaw, weaves interesting facts, photographs, and profiles of the real cat champions. All around the globe, there are children and teens who volunteer and care for abandoned cats. For example, some of the cat champions include the students of Clay High […]

“It is the first day of summer vacation, and Pistachio has big plans with her friends. There are caverns to explore in the cemetery! But Pistachio’s plans are thwarted when her mom tells her she must take her baby sister Penny to the park instead. A grumpy Pistachio and an exuberant Penny, wearing a superman […]

“Among the sea dogs (literally dogs in pirate clothing) on her father’s ship, August Garrick is a very bad pirate. Her kind, polite, and helpful actions win her a lecture. “To be a good pirate, yez gots to be saucy,” says captain Garrick. “And yez gots to be bold. But most important, me sea pup, […]

“Young readers are going to love this amusing chapter book, which introduces us to a girl who is sure that she is a princess who is being raised by the wrong family. It is amusing to see how Pistachio deals with her naysayers, and how she learns that there are actually more important things in […]