Pajama Press

“Each page is drawn by a different Pajama Press illustrator. I enjoyed flipping through the pages and recognizing the style of each illustrator….The messages, which include being kind to animals, helping those younger than you and saying sorry when you are wrong, makes it a cute and beautiful book.”

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“This book raises funds for Think Kindness and illustrates what kindness looks like….The pictures are well chosen to convey the actions, and show diversity. A great addition to any collection.”

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“Bender’s acrylic and coloured pencil artwork is an essential part of the book’s success, and, as in the previous Giraffe and Bird books, the illustrations’ contents not only reflect the characters’ emotions but add to the book’s written text….

Bender provides foreshadowing to the contents of Giraffe and Bird Together Again via a map that occupies part of the copyright page and its facing page. There, young readers can see the route that Giraffe will follow in his quest to find Bird as well as learn the names of the two other African animals that will make cameo experiences in Bender’s illustrations.

Like the earlier two books in the series, Giraffe and Bird Together Again offers subtle lessons in the dimensions of friendship.

Grade One children all across Canada will encounter these two animal friends this autumn as Giraffe and Bird has been chosen as the 2018 TD Grade One Book Giveaway selection.

Highly Recommended.”
—Dave Jenkinson

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“The zany odd couple is back again in an exciting new adventure….Bender’s sharp wit, onomatopoeic language, and cartoon-style illustrations capture Giraffe’s exasperation, determination, and terror and, above all, the joy of his reunion with his best friend—right before they get themselves into more trouble! Bender includes a map of the locations Giraffe visits in his odyssey; inset pictures of the new animals in this book, a bush baby and an ibex, along with their Latin, scientific names offer bonus STEM material.

May this series continue with more humorous adventures that teach, ever so gently, that best friends have to let each other roam—because the reunion is that much sweeter. A sequel that delivers; may Bird soon have his own starring role in an upcoming story. (Picture book. 3-6)”

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“Those of us who don’t have Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), or who don’t know anyone who does have it, cannot begin to imagine how complicated life can be for sufferers of this disease. Through the story in this book the author helps us to see how even the simplest things can become monumental problems for someone with ASD. Readers will come to appreciate how hard Lauren tries, and they will be happy for her when she succeeds, and when she figures out how to help someone else who is having a hard time.”
—Marya Jansen-Gruber

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“Author Sara Leach’s experience teaching kids with ASD allows her to create a realistic portrayal of life through their eyes. This empathetic chapter book, filled with black and white illustrations on nearly every page, is perfect for sparking conversation with elementary school children about understanding and embracing differences.”

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“Using Lauren’s voice to tell her story gives it an immediacy and honesty that make it easier for readers to feel the frustrations she sees in her world. Those slug days are hampered by outbursts, confusion, and a lack of patience all around. Lauren also experiences butterfly days when many things go right – her teachers, the kids at school, and her family enjoy her humor, her growing ability to communicate and find joy in some activities….This perceptive and sensitive tale chronicles a week in the life of a young, determined girl who thinks differently than many others. She is learning and we are learning with her.”

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“We all need to feel that we’re not alone; that there are others in the world who feel the same way and experience life as we do. This amazing book offers just that mirror to kids with ASD. It offers the comforting truth that other kids with ASD have slug days when nothing goes the way it should, as well as butterfly days when everything is in its place, nothing’s changed and you feel safe and secure….Slug Days is an easy to read story for children in late first, early second and older. The charming illustrations add so much to the story and will keep even a reluctant reader reading. This book is one that needs to be in every public and elementary collection and is a book that not only children need to read, but also every parent and teacher.”

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“The first-person narration makes Lauren’s logic clear…Frequent clear pencil and digital illustrations break up the sometimes-long paragraphs and should help young readers understand Lauren’s emotions and others’ reactions.”
—Shoshana Flax

Read the full review in the March/April 2018 issue of The Horn Book Magazine

“5 out of 5 stars!!!…Sara Leach does a fantastic job of letting us into the mind of a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder. This is a must read for anyone that works in a school system. This book should teach us patience and understanding. The illustrations are incredible also. They really depict the emotions that Lauren go through throughout her day.”

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