Pajama Press

“In Skydiver, Celia Godkin tells the stories of peregrine falcons, the severe decline in their population caused by the pesticide DDT, and the human volunteers whose intervention is necessary if the population is to recover. Godkin follows the lives of both the wild and incubated birds, as well as providing background material on the fight to ban DDT.

…An accomplished artist, Godkin also gives us pictures of this extraordinarily swift bird swooping and playing in a sunlight sky, as well as endearing depictions of the awkward chicks with their fuzzy white down and the gawky juveniles with their mixture of adult plumage and baby fluff. It is these illustrations — as well as Godkin’s advice to “Look up!” — that will really inform and excite children about these beautiful birds.”

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“Choosing the peregrine falcon as the subject of her latest book is a wise, if not brilliant, choice. There is something about raptors that is particularly fascinating to the young. Perhaps it is their speed or their power or what appears to us as brutality that holds us in awe of these birds of prey.

Godkin’s writing is clear and concise and well-researched…..The author/illustrator’s dramatic full-colour paintings illuminate each page….Skydiver: Saving the Fastest Bird in the World is well worth a place on the shelves of the wildlife section in an elementary school library. Highly Recommended.”

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Pajama press is proud to announce that Cat Champions: Caring for our Feline Friends   by Rob Laidlaw has been nominated for the 2014/2015 Hackmatack Children’s Choice Book Award.

This award is an annual reading program that encourages literacy and the love of reading among children in grades 4, 5, and 6 in Atlantic Canada. The companion book to Cat Champions, No Shelter Here: Making the World a Kinder Place for Dogs, is nominated for the 2013/2014 award; those results will be announced later this spring. Learn more at www.hackmatack.ca.

Congratulations to Rob and to all of the nominated authors!

REVIEWS

“…the kids’ actions should inspire readers to get involved with rescue efforts in their own communities. This title would be useful for its information on young people and their determination to protect cats everywhere.”—School Library Journal

“The straightforward message, good examples and plentiful resources may well combine to inspire new advocates.”—Kirkus Reviews

“Written in a clear unpreachy style and brimming with lovely full-colour photos, this is an ideal volume for any young cat lover…”—Quill & Quire

“…the book’s centerpiece is the “cat champions,” or young people (some eight or nine years old) who have gone above and beyond to make life better for felines.…The list of organizations where kids can learn about ways they can help is extensive and useful.”—Booklist

“[A] book that will empower youth to help homeless cats… Attractive sidebars contain tidbits of information that will be of interest to cat lovers…Highly Recommended.”—CM Magazine ****/4

“The information is easily accessible and the stories are engaging and heart-warming… This is a wonderful book for any animal lover.”—Resource Links

Rob Laidlaw’s Cat Champions: Caring for our Feline Friends is getting attention on both sides of the border as the US publication date approaches. Here are some of the things reviewers have had to say:

“Far from being tragic,…the book offers a powerful message: that young people can make a difference…As a library worker, I want to put this book in the hands of every child who cares deeply about cats. Perhaps another “Cat Champion” will join the effort to make the world a better place for cats.”—Cynthia Parkhill, Information Professional

“A perfect balance between the sometimes tough ‘real-life’ aspects of animals’ lives, and the enjoyable and positive aspects of their lives, whether they be owned, rescued or feral. ‘Cat Champions: Caring for Our Feline Friends’ promises to be as awesome as [Rob Laidlaw’s] previous books.”—CatInformation.net

Click the links above to read the full reviews.

“As he did in No Shelter Here (2012), Laidlaw offers a brief history and basic details about a particular kind of companion animal (in this case, cats) and recognizes individuals and organizations who advocate and care for them.

Feline fanciers and casual browsers alike will be attracted by the numerous photos—generally three to seven per double-page spread. Posed or candid, stock photos or personalized portraits, the pictures vary in size and placement but are crisp and colorful for the most part. They showcase oodles of cute cats and playful kittens, some accompanied by the humans who love them. The text, meanwhile, explores a variety of related topics, each covered in a few short paragraphs. From a young girl in China who speaks up against animal exploitation to Canadian and U.S. citizens, primarily children and teens, who volunteer in shelters, raise funds or tend to feral cats, the author profiles people making a difference. He also explains how cats behave, what they need and how readers can help. The friendly, conversational tone begins in the first few pages with a personal note that addresses readers directly and continues throughout. Backmatter includes a “Cat Lover’s Pledge” as well as a page of Web resources, a glossary and an index.

The straightforward message, good examples and plentiful resources may well combine to inspire new advocates. (Nonfiction. 9-12)”

Click here to learn more about Kirkus Reviews

We are pleased to announce that No Shelter Here: Making the World a Kinder Place for Dogs by Rob Laidlaw has been nominated for the 2013-2014 Hackmatack Awards.

The Hackmatack Awards are Atlantic Canada’s children’s choice reading awards for students in grades four to six. For more information about the program, visit www.hackmatack.ca.

Congratulations to Rob Laidlaw for this nomination. Young “Dog Champions” across the country will be celebrating this news.

No Shelter Here: Making the World a Kinder Place for Dogs has been released in new a Canadian paperback edition. The dog welfare book, which talks about issues facing dogs worldwide as well as the inspiring people who are working to help them, is sporting a brand new cover image. Why switch up cover images between editions? Author Rob Laidlaw is here to share some background information about the change.

The new cover

The original cover

“While many of the wonderful images in No Shelter Here: Making the World a Kinder Place for Dogs are my own, taken during my travels to various regions of the world, I can’t take credit for the remarkable photo gracing the cover of the book’s paperback edition. That image was captured by my friend Jo-Anne McArthur during a visit she made to a dog shelter just outside of Nairobi, Kenya. I expect the two dogs in the photo didn’t have a pleasant past and that’s why they were in the shelter, but they’re obviously still friendly, curious, and full of enthusiasm for life. I think their photo represents the core idea behind No Shelter Here. The book deals with the issues and challenges that dogs around the world have experienced in the past and continue to experience today, but it’s also an enthusiast, optimistic, hopeful book that should inspire young readers to take action. I hope the cover photo is as meaningful to kids and adults and strikes a chord with them as much as it did with me.”

Rob Laidlaw is the author of several animal welfare books for kids. He is also a chartered biologist and the founder of Zoocheck Canada, a wildlife protection agency.

Whether you are a young activist wanting to help dogs or a family considering adopting a canine family member No Shelter Here is a good book to read. Since it deals with issues affecting dogs, how to make things better for our four-legged friends, things to consider before adopting a dog as well as ways to ensure a good life for an adopted dog, this book should be available in libraries – including school libraries.
–Glen Perrett

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Are you a dog lover?  Learn about what life is like for a shelter dog and how you can help.  Kids like you all over the world are doing what they can to make the world a better place for dogs everywhere.  If you’re thinking about getting a dog, this book has lots of helpful information to guide you in choosing the perfect pet for you.  Learn the sad truth about pet stores and puppy mills and what goes on behind closed doors at some shelters.  Author Rob Laidlaw wants to spread the word about helping dogs, and he hopes you will listen!  Request this book today and learn what you can do to help dogs.
–Whitney Library

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Animal advocate [Rob] Laidlaw has a bone to pick with the way some of the world’s 500 million dogs are treated. After identifying what all dogs need, the author takes a hard look at puppy mills, free-ranging dogs, dogs that are constantly chained, and dogs submitted to devocalizing and appearance-altering surgeries. While some dogs have healthy “careers” as dog sniffers, rescue dogs, and therapy dogs, the engaging text explains the perils for greyhound and sled-dog racers, as well as dogs used for scientific research. But not all dogs have it bad. Numerous profiles reveal how “Dog Champions” have initiated grassroots efforts to provide better services and protection to canines. For readers looking for their next best friend, Laidlaw explains how and why to adopt a dog and the various kinds of shelters available. Abundantly stocked with color photographs and supplemented with online resources and a glossary, this book invites children to pause and consider our friends who have paws.
— Angela Leeper, Booklist