Pajama Press

“In order to please her father and try to fit in, Augusta attempts to abandon her love of beautiful things and tries to be “foul and useful”. But the scent of vanilla derails her plans, and she, too, ends up in the brig instead of “pillagin’ with the rest of the crew. When her father and his sea pups are captured by a bunch of pirate cats, sweet smelling Augusta devises a plan that saves the day and proves that ingenuity can come from a fancy, yet brainy, dog.

Winters once again makes use of delightful dialogue peppered with tons of pirate and nautical terms, many of which can be found and explained on the cleverly designed end papers. The story is skillfully written and inventive and is a must for reading aloud! The dynamic and expressive illustrations are a perfect match for the energetic and rhythmic language. Griffiths’ use of rich colors and detail elevates the story and makes this doggie crew so engaging.

Recommended.”

Reesa Cohen is a retired Instructor of Children’s Literature and Information Literacy at the Faculty of Education, University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, MB.

Click here to read the full review, and CM Magazine‘s review of Bad Pirate.

“The blend of realism and mythology is a difficult mix to pull off, but Bass succeeds admirably. The Hill is an interesting and unique addition to the ever-expanding body of teenaged wilderness survival novels…the added elements of Cree traditional beliefs and cross-cultural tensions help Bass establish her own niche within this field.”—Dr. Gregory Bryan

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“…Sky Pig is an inspirational story of two friends who have the courage to dream big and the persistence to see it through…Del Rizzo has created a series of tiny masterpieces in illustrating this book.” —CM Magazine.

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“…In reading the book aloud, the wordcraft of the author becomes more pronounced; Allenby’s use of consistent alliteration and internal rhyme throughout Timo’s Garden adds to the enjoyment of reading it.…

Also noteworthy is that Timo, in his reflection on his garden, lists and describes many different types of plants and flowers. This detail could lead to informative discussions with children about different types of flora. Additionally, Timo’s friends are all familiar creatures (a hedgehog, a squirrel, a frog, for example), and each is personified with different personality traits and interests.

I like that the message of putting in effort towards a task, but not becoming overly focussed on that task such that other aspects of your life suffer, is one that can be applied to various situations (school work, sports or arts activities, etc.). The idea of having ‘balance’ in life is subtly shown…”

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“…Elephant Journey is an important book. For those who grew up with the elephants at the zoo, for those who only visited Toko, Thika, and Iringa once or twice, or for those who have never had (and may never have) a chance to experience the elephant exhibit in Toronto, this book is a worthwhile read. It’s a positive look at the decisions made by activists in both Canada and the US to help the elephants live a happier and healthier life, and it’s an fascinating look at the incredible journey the elephants made to reach their new home in California.

Highly Recommended.”

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“…Based on the childhood memories of Gerda Schlottke, the author’s mother who immigrated to Canada after the war, the text is augmented with family photographs and an appended note. The choice of Gerda as narrator adds to the story’s appeal for Gerda is unaware of the many horrors associated with this war; for her, it is simply a difficult time without her father. Benoit’s realistic watercolour, coloured pencil, and pastel illustrations employ an earthy palette that brings this heartfelt story to life. This makes A Year of Borrowed Men a natural choice for Remembrance Day story hours, but the overarching theme of kindness in a time of mistrust and suspicion gives the story a universal appeal that will likely spur many thoughtful discussions.

Highly Recommended.”

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“…Couëlle’s gentle reminders of the magic of kisses are simply and poetically rendered on each page. The story, though translated from French, still holds a slight charming rhyme.

Jacques Laplante’s illustrations are the perfect mix of vibrant colour and black lines that enhance the playfulness of Couëlle’s story. Laplante’s artistic style is reminiscent of Quentin Blake, with messy pen strokes and dashes of bright hues. The artist aptly chose a lot of red and pink tones throughout the drawings which amp up the feeling of being surrounded by love. Laplante’s fun illustrations wonderfully accent Couëlle’s verse.

Jennifer Couëlle’s Kiss, Kiss is a book that should be read to remind listeners of how loved they are, as well as how powerful a kiss can be. Kiss, Kiss would also make a wonderful gift book, whether to a child, friend, or significant other—no matter who the reader may be, the ultimate message of the story will not be lost: love is important.”
—Nikita Griffioen

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“…Losing a friend to a move is a familiar experience for children and adults alike, and this story will resonate with readers. Readers will relate to Ben’s unwillingness to say goodbye and his inclination to hide away and remember the fun times he and Peter had together. However, after being given some time and space to process his complicated emotions, Ben emerges ready to connect with his supportive family and consider the possibility of new friendships. The text of the story is accessible and simple…The text also accurately captures the thoughts and feelings of a young child dealing with a sad life change.

The illustrations by Kim LaFave in this story appear to be a combination of drawn and computer-generated, and they strongly support the text They are colourful and engaging, and the facial expressions on the characters are expressive. They also add depth and undertone to the text that is not there without them. For example, when the text describes Ben retreating under the table, he is said to have a club, a pointed stick, and a tame lion. Readers will see though through the illustrations that these are really a flashlight, a pencil, and a stuffed lion. The cave drawings that Ben appears to draw are also excellent, depicting a world of fancy and imagination perfect for a creative child. The entire feel of the pages with his drawings is completely different from the feel of the illustrations in the rest of the book, which serves the story well. It is also an interesting device to watch the progression of Ben’s stuffed lion in the book go from neglected toy to his only friend to security blanket.

…Ben Says Goodbye would be a good purchase for public libraries and school libraries that serve children in the preschool/kindergarten age group.

Highly Recommended”

—Carla Epp is a hospital librarian with the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, MB.

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“…Young readers making the transition to chapter books will once again be thrilled to read about the adventures of intrepid Pistachio and her lovable little sister Penny. The text is easy to read, but challenging enough to engage young readers who will definitely be able to relate to the action in the story. Gay’s narration is full of dynamic descriptions: ‘Pistachio stands there, like a statue, her mouth open and her cheeks burning red.’ (p. 23)
The illustrations provide a great deal of interesting information for readers as well. Readers are able to see Pistachio’s frustration and anger, Penny’s enthusiasm and joy, and their mother’s love for her children…

This book can definitely be used as a read-aloud for early emergent readers while fluent readers can read it themselves. Young readers and their teachers or caregivers will enjoy discussing many interesting topics while reading Princess Pistachio and the Pest, including family relationships, personal responsibilities, friendships, legal issues and stereotypes. Highly Recommended.”
—Myra Junyk

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“…This sweet story will resonate with preschool age children, especially those children who have older siblings to compare themselves to and who often feel or are told that they are too young to do certain things. The activities in Ben’s day are common in the lives of many preschoolers and will feel familiar….

The text of the story is simple, approachable, and strongly supported by the illustrations. The illustrations by Kim LaFave are bright and colorful. Each illustration is focussed on the subject (usually Ben), and backgrounds are sparse (if necessary for context) or not there at all. This method of illustrating makes it easy to infer the story from what the reader sees. The illustrations are also emotionally evocative…

A+ for Big Ben is a charming story of growing up, but not necessarily as fast as one might like. In particular, it will resonate with preschool aged children who always want to grow up and be just like the big kids. This would be a good purchase for public libraries and other libraries that serve children in the preschool age group.

Highly Recommended.”

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