Pajama Press

“This book is a good example of how spare language and imagery can highlight social issues in a way that young children can understand. I’d read this book again to study how the author uses words to create compelling images. The illustrations evoke a strong sense of atmosphere, as well as providing more to think about in showing details of Kato’s life in Africa.”

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“…Deborah Ellis is Canada’s most modest and accomplished author of social justice stories for young people, and Moon at Nine can be added to that auspicious collection.  Based on a true story, the girls’ relationship in Moon at Nine is personal and precious but never explicit, unlike the merciless response of others to it.  Prohibited love may be ill-fated, but in the 1980’s Iran of secrets, surveillance and suppression,  it was perilous.  Still, in Moon at Nine, Deborah Ellis thoughtfully embeds a sliver of chaste love into that dispiriting world and, without contriving an unrealistic happy ending, offers a glimmer of possibility.”

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“I thoroughly enjoyed the pace and historical details in this novel.  Karen Bass—the author, gave me a sense of the difficulties of living in a communist, post war Germany in 1947.  I learned many details and now I have even more questions about life after World War 2.”

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“Not only will the message in this cute story win over the youngsters in your life, but the  illustrations are sure to capture their attention and imaginations. Bursting with colour and movement, the pictures of the monster family are a lot of fun. I love how bright they are!

…Tweezle into Everything is a wonderful family read, especially for young children who may be struggling with either being the youngest, or having a young sibling who always seems to be getting into everything.”

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“The story is fun and lively, but the art draws you in to look closer and see what may be – that lea[f], hmm, it looks like a silk leaf.  The ground and dirt look like real ground or dirt, the trees look like they have been scratched in to plaster.  The painted faces of children are precious.  I’ll use this with Storytime preschoolers up to second or third grade.”

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“…Namesake by Sue MacLeod (Pajama Press) is one of those rare time-travel books that doesn’t fall into the common pit-falls associated the time-travel genre. MacLeod manages to weave together these two very different stories, one from the present and one from the 16th century, without the story being bogged down by questionable logistics. The “portal”, a prayer book that once belonged to the ill-fated queen, is a simple and effective tool that binds the two girls together and allows the focus to be on how the girls stories affect one another…”

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“Last Airlift is a great addition to the classroom library because it is non-fiction, which I would promote as much as possible.  The story provides integration with history as it will provoke discussion of the Vietnam War.”

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-Leslie Mayer

“This is not the story of what once was, what could have been and what will be with wishes becoming horses and the less fortunate riding.  This is a story of the crud that life can deal us and how our story is not written by its appearance but by our reaction to it.  The author does a good job of getting us inside the heads of Emily and Leo…With the somewhat help of her new friend, [Emily] comes to terms with what happened and what’s happening, realizing that the grass is not greener on the other side, just simply another shade of mixed up and confused.”

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“While Namesake may be initially seen as a standard time-slip novel, with a contemporary character going back in time to learn something which she could apply to her own life, the book goes beyond this…

I am especially pleased by the direction the author takes Jane’s time slip, allowing for the two young women, just sixteen, to share their lives and their stories, and Jane anticipating bringing Lady Jane back with her…

The history is true, the twists unique and the touches of humour and romance are heart-warming. And Namesake still delivers an open ending that takes the reader to a more hopeful situation than Lady Jane’s true horrific ending”
—Helen K

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“Beautiful verse, weirdly romantic, fantastic setting in Maritime Canada, violent, redemptive, sad, uplifting. I really loved this. I especially love the brilliantly simple cover and the woodworking motif that permeates the book. The cover is TEXTURED! Check it out!”

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