Posted on October 23rd, 2015 by pajamapress
“I have long admired the work that Rob Laidlaw does to help protect wild animals from the indignity of being held captive, whether by a circus or a zoo. His books for children have informed, enlightened and encouraged readers to get involved in making a difference in the life of any animal.
In his newest book Rob tells the story of three elephants from the Toronto Zoo who are eventually moved to a healthier place, where they might live their lives as they were meant to be lived. Their story is compelling and caused a lot of anxiety for those who love animals.
…Brian Deines’ fabulous oil paintings chronicle their trip. His paintings were made using footage from the trip, and accurately portray for interested readers the joy and bravery of these magnificent pachyderms as they journeyed across a vast land to a more suitable home.
Back matter includes clear and appealing photographs, captioned with accurate and much appreciated further information. An Acknowledgements section, and an index can also be found there…”
—Sally Bender
Click here to read the full review.
Posted in Elephant Journey | Tagged brian-deines, elephant-journey, non-fiction, nonfiction, picture-book, Review, rob-laidlaw, sally-bender, sals-fiction-addiction
Posted on August 15th, 2014 by pajamapress
“…The table of contents for this lovely new book from Pajama Press entices with the promise of a foreword by the artist himself, and then goes on to let the reader know that soon they will learn about Ted’s childhood, his world travels, his life in the north, and his life as a full-time artist. I couldn’t wait to get started as I have been in awe of his work for many years.
…The bright colors and the dancing lights of the northern skies gave him the inspiration he needed to let his imagination grow and flourish. His family’s life in the Yukon, and the place itself, is depicted in the many wonderful pieces of art that are included in this welcome and inspiring book. His legacy lives on in the books he has written, in his paintings that hang in galleries, and public and personal collections, and in his wisdom shared about the need for art in schools, and in our lives…”
– Sally Bender
Click here to read the full review.
Posted in A Brush Full of Colour | Tagged a-brush-full-of-colour, art, Canada, childrens-book, katherine-gibson, margriet-ruurs, picture-book, sally-bender, sals-fiction-addiction, ted-harrison, yukon
Posted on December 18th, 2013 by pajamapress
“It’s a great read for the family or for the classroom. There is certainly fun involved, and excitement, and even a bit of tension. What more can we ask? Long winter nights or January afternoons at school just beg for a fitting story to share. This could be it!”
—Sally Bender
Click here to read the full review.
Posted in The Stowaways | Tagged adventure, book, dean-griffiths, fantasy, meghan-marentette, mice, mouse, Novel, Pajama Press, read-aloud, reading, Review, sally-bender, sals-fiction-addiction, story, the-stowaways
Posted on February 19th, 2013 by pajamapress
“…In an interview Jill Maclean she said she writes character driven books. She hit the nail on the head with that statement, given the memorable characters she creates here…Nix, Roxy, Bryan, Twig, Chase, Loren and Blue, and Nix’s parents. Set in Newfoundland, this is his story about family, conflict, friendship, death, secrets, a dog and a budding romance. The characters who people the pages are expertly drawn: flawed, remarkable, and redemptive for the most part.
I love them for many reasons…their vulnerability, their strength, their unparalleled concern for others. Well, not Bryan…not at all, but there has to be a villain; or the men who own Twig and treat her so abominably. Sorrow, and an inability to deal with it, tears at the Humboldt family which is stoic, secretive, and who all have reasons for doing what they do…”
Click here to read the full post.
Posted in Nix Minus One | Tagged Canada, free-verse, jill-maclean, newfoundland, nix-minus-one, Novel, novel-in-verse, Review, sally-bender, sals-fiction-addiction, teen, verse, ya
Posted on June 5th, 2012 by pajamapress
I was very much looking forward to seeing this second tale about Giraffe and Bird. I so enjoyed Rebecca Bender’s first story about the two (dare I say it?) friends. They were funny the first time, and she is able to keep the humor fresh.
…The artwork is so expressive and appealing to the book’s young audience. They will see the emotional reactions of each character clearly and know just how they are feeling. The colors are bright, the setting is lush and lovely, and the characters close-up and personal. I think that my favorite is a double page spread of the two friends facing the sadness of Giraffe’s gaffe and the solution. But, I also love the constantly changing design and the many perspectives that give this funny (and tender) story life. As with the first, the author makes some sparkling decisions about word choice, encouraging an expressive and engaging shared reading.
We can only hope that we will meet these two again!
Click here to read the full review
Posted in Don't Laugh at Giraffe | Tagged animals, bird, book, dont-laugh-at-giraffe, friendship, giraffe-and-bird. giraffe, Pajama Press, picture-book, rebecca-bender, Review, sally-bender, sals-fiction-addiction, savannah
