“Inspiration for acts of kindness, with illustrations from several artists….In a meta act of kindness, royalties from the proceeds from the book will support a nonprofit group, Think Kindness. A tool to spur kindness conversations…”
Click here to read the full review
Ben and his friend Peter watch as movers load their truck with box after box, followed by Peter’s red bicycle. Ben finds it hard to say goodbye. Once Peter is gone, he decides to move under the table and become a caveboy, eating with his fingers and drawing on the cave wall with a pointed stick. After completing a complex narrative picture featuring two boys, Ben leaves the cave and rejoins his family. Looking out the window later, he sees a new truck, with movers unloading boxes, followed by a child-sized, neon-blue scooter. Ellis hits all the right notes in this sensitive text. Ben may not be able to talk through his downcast emotional state (particularly since Caveboy Ben says only, “guh”), but with his supportive family in the background, he works things out on his own. Le Fave’s strong, expressive line drawings make the characters’ emotions easy to read. He illustrates Ben’s cave period in earthy tones, contrasting with other, more colorful scenes. A satisfying picture book and a welcome sequel to Ben over Night (2005)—Booklist
Elliot– a young rabbit with a tendency to cry, yell, and misbehave– moves between several homes in this story of adoption, foster care, and finding a “forever family.” Debut author Pearson never blames Elliot for his behavior (it’s unclear if he’s meant to have a developmental disorder), instead focusing on his parents’ inability to understand their son. After Elliot’s parents seek help, he is sent to live temporarily with an unfamiliar but loving family. Elliot later returns to his parents, but this proves short-lived; following a stint with a second foster family, Elliot is told that his parents could never take care of him, because they did not know how. A muted palette of gray, blue, and manila reflects the somber, uncertain mood, and Gauthier’s (“Magic Little Words”) naif-styled rabbits resemble cutout paper dolls dropped into the scenes, suggestive of the way Elliot is shuttled around. Elliot eventually finds a family that understands him, and while the book’s somewhat oblique language may require supplemental explanation from adult readers, Pearson’s refusal to sugarcoat his journey should resonate with children in similar situations.—Publishers Weekly
Click here to read the full review: http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-1-927485-85-9
The Inspire! Toronto International Book Fair took place from November 13th to 16th, with a Thursday night reception and three full days of programming. We had the pleasure of highlighting seven Pajama Press authors: Deborah Ellis, Sylvia McNicoll, Marsha Skrypuch, Stephanie McLellan, Rob Laidlaw, Karen Bass, and Margriet Ruurs. Our booth in the Ontario Book Publishers Organization’s Discovery Pavilion was a short way from the main stage and we enjoyed a steady stream of authors, illustrators, teachers, librarians, readers, and industry colleagues. Thank you to everyone who worked hard to pull off the book fair’s debut year.
The opening reception on Thursday night
Publisher Gail Winskill with CCBC executive director Charlotte Teeple
The Pajama Press booth in the Discovery Pavilion
Deborah Ellis at the Read to Remember panel
Sylvia McNicoll with her novel Revenge on the Fly
Hugh Brewster, Gillian O’Reilly, Ken Setterington, and Deborah Ellis: the Read to Remember panel
We enjoyed visits from countless authors over the course of the weekend
An illustration from A Good Trade by Karen Patkau hung in the CANSCAIP illustrator art exhibit
Authors Margriet Ruurs, Marsha Skrypuch, Stephanie McLellan, and Karen Bass
Authors Margriet Ruurs and Stephanie McLellan with publicist Erin Woods
Marsha Skrypuch talks about the importance of reading programs and her childhood fear of the Cat in the Hat
We had so many visitors that we began calling ourselves The Party Booth.
Sylvia McNicoll was one of seven authors to sign at the Pajama Press booth over the weekend.
Margriet Ruurs prepares to sign A Brush Full of Colour: The World of Ted Harrison
A Peach Girl illustration by Rebecca Bender displayed in the CANSCAIP exhibit
Rob Laidlaw regaled these students with stories about dogs he’s met around the world.
Margriet Ruurs with Stephanie McLellan and Hoogie in the Middle
Pajama Press administrator Patricia Jones with author Karen Bass
Sylvia McNicoll signs Revenge on the Fly
Authors Karen Bass and Marsha Skrypuch got a little silly with social media.
On November 15th, about fifty parents and children gathered at the North York Central Library to hear author Margriet Ruurs talk about the life and art of iconic Canadian painter Ted Harrison. After an engaging presentation, Margriet signed the library’s copies of the picture book biography she recently co-authored, A Brush Full of Colour: The World of Ted Harrison, and settled in to join the families in making art inspired by Harrison’s colourful style.
Click here to see our digital gallery of the beautiful Harrison-style drawings and colouring pages created at this event.
This event was made possible with the support of the Ontario Media Development Corporation. 
A brother and sister evacuated from England during World War II gather strength from a tiny teddy bear.
Grace and William are sent from their home to live with a host family in Canada until the war is over. On arrival, the pair meets Aileen, a nurse who travels with all of the children to make sure they get to their Canadian families safely. Grace and William are scared and homesick, but a small, peanut-shaped bear from Aileen’s pocket helps to comfort them. Teddy narrates the story, which is a bit jarring at first, but Teddy’s gentle tone ends up bringing readers just as much comfort as it does Grace and William. Teddy is the hero from the creative team’s previous real-life war story, A Bear in War (2009), in which a young Aileen Rogers sends the bear to her father stationed in Belgium during World War I. The story is inspired by Rogers’ diary, kept 25 years later while working as a nurse. Teddy might not have had this exact adventure, but the tale truly shows the reassuring presence of just the right toy. Deines’ warm oil paintings, suffused with light, are as tender as Teddy’s tiny embrace.
Child readers, in wartime or not, will give their teddies an extra, grateful squeeze. (afterword) (Picture book. 5-10)
“Gr 3-6–Laidlaw takes children’s love of cats and combines it with their interest in making a difference by introducing young people who are working to save these animals. The book begins with a chapter about cats in general–their history, attributes, breeds, and cat shows. He then describes “Cat Champions” in the United States and Canada and their efforts to help abandoned, injured, or homeless felines: a girl who helps trap and neuter cats in a colony near her home, high school students who construct outdoor shelters for feral cats, and others….[T]he 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.”
—Susan E. Murray, formerly at Glendale Public Library, AZ
“In a novel based on a true story, two teen girls fall in love and face harsh political fallout in post-revolution Iran.
Readers learn the basics of 1980s Iran’s political situation from context and light exposition. Farrin’s family is wealthy, and her mother hosts Bring Back the Shah teas and parties with illicit alcohol. Farrin’s mother discourages her from making friends…When Farrin meets Sadira, however, the two become fast friends, and their bond soon grows. Then, just after the war with Iraq has ended and the new regime is cracking down at home, an officious class monitor catches the two girls kissing and reports them. The consequences are both chilling and tragic…[T]he portrait painted of 1980s Iran’s political climate—and in particular the situation of gay and lesbian people and political prisoners—is haunting.”