The Big Bed

Written by Bunmi Laditan

Illustrated by Tom Knight

Farrrar Straus Giroux

978-0-374-30123-1

32 pp.

Ages 4-6

February 2018 

This child is going to be arguing cases before the Supreme Court; that is, before she ends up presiding over it and being appointed Chief Justice.  She is confident, articulate and, though very young, she knows what she's after and why she should get it. In this case, it's sleeping with Mom in The Big Bed.

From The Big Bed by Bunmi Laditan, illus. by Tom Knight

With eloquent arguments that she purports to be "reasonable" and filled with positive reinforcement about her father's skills as a wrestler and piggyback-ride giver, the little girl opines about what happens at night.  Seems the big bed isn't big enough for herself and her parents, and it's clear who will be leaving.  As she's afraid of the dark, and her father still has his own mommy–hence no need to share hers–she recommends a solution that she is sure he will "find not only satisfactory, but also quite generous."

From The Big Bed by Bunmi Laditan, illus. by Tom Knight

Bunmi Laditan, the blogger behind the very funny "The Honest Toddler" (at http://www.thehonesttoddler.com/), brings her trademark humour to this child's story.  Because it is all told from the child's perspective, from sitting her father down, arguing her case, presenting her plan to her mother (who laughs hysterically) and a culminating claim that "Mommy and I just want you to be happy", I feel like this is based on something Mommy Bunmi Laditan has experienced.  Everyone knows kids say the darnedest things and this little one does more than just say, she reasons and orates.  Supporting that perspective are British artist Tom Knight's illustrations.  His artwork, particularly that of the graphics the child herself creates, bolsters the cuteness of a child's perspective and makes The Big Bed as convincing as she is.

I truly hope her father can get some sleep on his new cot.

From The Big Bed by Bunmi Laditan, illus. by Tom Knight

Swimming with Seals: Book launch (Ladysmith, BC)

Maggie de Vries

launches

her newest picture book

Swimming with Seals

Written by Maggie de Vries

Illustrated by Janice Kun
Orca Book Publishers

9781459813212

32 pp.

Ages 4-8

April 2018

on

Thursday, May 8, 2018

7:00-8:30 p.m.

at

Salamander Books

535 First Avenue

Ladysmith, BC

Ally isn't able to live with her mother. Instead she lives far, far away, on the other side of the country, with her gram and great-aunt. But one summer Ally goes to stay with her aunt and uncle in the "big city by the ocean" and gets to spend time with her mom. While exploring the shore, watching whales from the boat dipping into the salty water, Ally finds out something important: her mother loves to swim as much as she does.

This is a very personal story. Ally is based on the author’s niece, Jeanie, and Ally's mother is based on the author's sister, Sarah, who went missing from the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver in 1998. Jeanie is like a seal in the water, and Sarah was just the same, but they never got to swim together. In this story, they do. Swimming with Seals is a story that was written for the thousands of children who long to live with their birth parents and will never fully understand why they can't.

Retrieved from Orca Book Publishers' website at

https://www.orcabook.com/Swimming-With-Seals-P1418.aspx

on April 3, 2018.

Bat Citizens: Defending the Ninjas of the Night

Written by Rob Laidlaw

Pajama Press

978-1-77278-039-0

48 pp.

Ages 8-12

March 2018

Today is Bat Appreciation Day and Rob Laidlaw's newest children's non-fiction book about protecting animals and animal welfare is THE book that needs to be read today and forever.  Bat Citizens: Defending the Ninjas of the Night takes the story of bats from tragic ecological stories to empowering children to become global citizens in helping protect this oft-misunderstood animal.

From Bat Citizens: Defending the Ninjas of the Night by Rob Laidlaw

Rob Laidlaw, biologist, animal activist and award-winning author (including of No Shelter Here: Making the World a Kinder Place for Dogs, Pajama Press, 2011 and Cat Champions: Caring for our Feline Friends, Pajama Press, 2013), may be advocating for bats, but he knows the best way to do so is to educate young readers about these animals and dispel erroneous misconceptions first.  So, he weaves the book's information about types of bats, their biology, habitats, food, predators, and the numerous challenges to their survival with a look at those who champion their needs.

From Bat Citizens: Defending the Ninjas of the Night by Rob Laidlaw

Rob Laidlaw introduces young people whom he refers to as Bat Citizens who tirelessly advocate for, research on, and provide for bats around the world.  There's Christian Spaur in Ohio who championed the installation of bat boxes, and Sarah Corton who has been surveying bats for the dangerous white-nose syndrome and creating lesson plans for teachers.  And there's four- and five-year old brother and sister who raised money for the Organization for Bat Conservation by selling hot chocolate.  These young people are doing more than their share to help.  To that same end, Rob Laidlaw discusses various bat challenges, like white-nose syndrome, disappearing habitat, and human activity, but provides solutions to all, including directing readers how they can help.

From Bat Citizens: Defending the Ninjas of the Night by Rob Laidlaw

 The book is well-organized and colourful with numerous photographs on every page.  Throughout the book, there are information boxes about "Bat Facts", suggestions of ways to help out in "Batty Ideas" and a comprehensive glossary.  The detailed table of contents and index just top off the impressive organization of Bat Citizens: Defending the Ninjas of the Night, making it a strong non-fiction selection for young readers and animal advocates everywhere. And did I mention the cool poster on the reverse of the dust jacket?

I may be reviewing Bat Citizens: Defending the Ninjas of the Night today because of the day's designation but this title is sure to be saved and read and referred to beyond April 17 because it is more than an encyclopedia about bats.  It is a book about being a citizen of the animal world, our world, and about celebrating young people who already understand that and have stepped up to defend those whose world we share.

Polly Diamond and the Magic Book: Book launch (Saskatoon, SK)

A tea party and a book launch!

Author

 Alice Kuipers

is launching her new

illustrated chapter book

Polly Diamond and the Magic Book

Written by Alice Kuipers

Illustrated by Diana Toledano

Chronicle Books

978-1-4521-5232-5

120 pp.

Ages 6-9

May 2018

on

 Sunday, April 22, 2018 

 2:30 p.m.

at

McNally Robinson

3130-8 St E.

Saskatoon, SK

This family and kid-friendly event 

will include 

activities for kids

and

refreshments from Prairie Ink Restaurant and Bakery.

✎✎✎✎✎✎

I have read this darling book about imagination, writing, word play and magic and will review it on May 1, 2018.  The following day, author Alice Kuipers has kindly offered to share a guest post about children writing, having created an free online course (available May 1) on her website for children who want to learn to write or to become better writers.

✎✎✎✎✎✎

Before that review comes out, here is a bit about the book from the publisher's website:

Polly loves words. And she loves writing stories. So when a magic book appears on her doorstep that can make everything she writes happen in real life, Polly is certain all of her dreams are about to come true. But she soon learns that what you write and what you mean are not always the same thing! Funny and touching, this new chapter book series will entertain readers and inspire budding writers.

Retrieved from

 https://www.chroniclebooks.com/titles/polly-diamond-and-the-magic-book.html on April 15, 2018.

What Happens Next

Written by Susan Hughes

Illustrated by Carey Sookocheff

Owlkids Books

978-1-77147-165-7

40 pp.

Ages 4+

March 2018

Carey Sookocheff's understated illustrations may give the impression of a simple story but Susan Hughes' What Happens Next is nothing less than a compelling revelation about the secretive and debilitating nature of bullying and the sharing of an inspired strategy for resolution which begins with empathy.

From What Happens Next by Susan Hughes, illus. by Carey Sookocheff

The story of What Happens Next follows a child who is bullied by another child at school with name-calling ("Weirdo") and hurtful comments and physical acts like blocking their way and shoving at their books.  Sadly, there are children who are bystanders who either laugh or ignore the bullying.  Even though the child who is bullied has many positives at home like a playful and loving dog and a caring parent, this child carries the burden of the bullying which affects their sleep and behaviour. 

From What Happens Next by Susan Hughes, illus. by Carey Sookocheff

Finally the child, encouraged by their love of books and science, feels strong enough to share with Mom what has been going on with Bully B.

What I Say about Bully B. When Mom Comes to Kiss Me Good Night:
Everything.

What Mom Says:
That I'm brave for telling her.
That she's sorry I feel scared and hurt.
That she'll help.

But it's the mother's intensity of empathetic insight that should be included in every handbook on dealing with bullies.

What Mom Says Next:
That everyone has their own way of looking at things and people.  That each person's way of looking is made up of where they're standing and how they got there.  It's made up of what's in their mind, what's in their heart, and what's in their imagination.

From What Happens Next by Susan Hughes, illus. by Carey Sookocheff

And with that, Mom shows her child that, by sharing things they like with Bully B., they may be able to help change Bully B.'s way of looking. With courage and some trepidation, and ignoring Bully B.'s habitual meanness, the child tells Bully B. about genomes, water on the Earth's surface and Earth in the orbit around the Sun.

What's Different Now:
Not everything. But enough.

In fact, I'll let you read What Happens Next for yourself to see that enough is pretty darn good.

You'll notice that Susan Hughes' text takes on a form similar to a script with bolded directives and plain-text responses that gives an organic texture to the story.  In fact, when the child is being bullied or worried about the bullying, the text is very terse, like punches.  When involved with their books and the science within, as well as when Mom shares her insight into bullying, the text is softer, like blankets.  Illustrator Carey Sookocheff's artwork reflects this imbalance through her choice of colours and simple lines and shapes.  Everything is understated from her limited palette of pale grey and yellow with white, against grey-blue, green and red-orange to her simple scenes at home and playground.  But simple here is meaningful, as substantial as a careless case of  bullying.

What Happens Next is like nothing I've ever read for opening up discussions about bullying with our youngest readers to those in middle grades. To that end, Owlkids Books has created discussion guides for using the book with children. There is one for Grades 1-3 and one for Grades 4-6 and both are available at the Owlkids Books website. I encourage everyone, from educators and school administrators to parents and child and youth care workers to make What Happens Next a part of their programming to encourage meaningful lessons and dialogue about this perennial issue.

🌎🌎🌎🌎🌎🌎

Copies of the illustrations from within What Happens Next were retrieved from Carey Sookocheff's website, specifically at http://careysookocheff.com/what-happens-next/ on April 9, 2018, as they afford clarity of image that my own scans of the book could not.

Wash On!

Written by Michèle Marineau

Illustrated by Manon Gauthier
Translated by Erin Woods

Pajama Press

978-1-77278-018-5

40 pp.

Ages 4-7

April 2018

Though most of us wash off any dirt and colours that stain our skin, a little twist of words and fate have colour splotches washing onto little Petronilla in Quebec author and translator Michèle Marineau's newest picture book Wash On!

From Wash On! by Michèle Marineau, illus. by Manon Gauthier

Petronilla is known in her family to have "a talent for chaos" and probably more so when compared to her perfect sister Babette.  But nothing could have prepared her mother for the twist of process when colours from the washcloth during a bath begin to transfer to Petronilla's skin and then her mother and the whole bathroom.  Joyously, Petronilla continues to exclaim, "Wash on! Wash on! Wash on!' regardless of her mother's demands she say "Wash off!" When her father, Babette and dog come to see what's going on, the colours continue to transfer from one object to another.  Although the family thinks they'll just stay in the house until Petronilla drops her new mantra, no one could foresee the weeks that would pass as the child refuses to relinquish her powerful chant.

From Wash On! by Michèle Marineau, illus. by Manon Gauthier

Finally, the family visits the doctor who declares a case of acute coloritis, a condition so contagious that the whole planet becomes infected.  But, as lovely as all the colours are, everything blends in with everything else and no one can differentiate between objects. Even their dog is hard find except when his bark alerts them to his feeding time.  That is, until they can not locate him because there is no bark.  It is only then, when she is desperate to find their dog, that Petronilla changes her tune and finds "Wash off!" just as useful in enacting change in her home and around the world.

From Wash On! by Michèle Marineau, illus. by Manon Gauthier

Wash On! may be based on a silly situation in which colours are transferred rather than cleaned off but the story actually has several powerful messages hidden in that imaginative scenario.  First, Wash On! focuses on the joie de vivre of a world filled with colour. We all need a little colour in our lives, though some people need more and some need less.  But like anything, it is possible to have too much of a good thing, as everyone learns, including Petronilla.  Once the colours explode and there is no contrast and no way to differentiate objects, that joy is lost, like the dog, in an overabundance of stain.  Splashes of colour are wonderfully invigorating and therapeutic but excesses are debilitating and even harmful.  Second, Governor General award-winning author Michèle Marineau recognizes the power of children in defining the world and their need to manage their own circumstances.  Her family may think of Petronilla as chaotic but she seems to just want a hand in determining the life she will lead.

Michèle Marineau tells powerful stories in her native French language and this translation by Pajama Press's Erin Woods highlights that poignancy with merriment and spirit.  That same boldness is depicted with daring by Manon Gauthier's mixed media illustrations. Manon Gauthier, whose artwork I've raved about in Pajama Press's Elliot (Julie Pearson, 2016), All the World a Poem (Gilles Tibo, 2016), Good Morning, Grumple (Victoria Allenby, 2017) and Middle Bear (Susanna Isern, 2017), continues to do amazing things with gouache, pencil and paper collage, ever different and totally wonderful.

Wash On! may say a lot about living a life in colour but it also reminds us about moderation and having control over the lives we lead.  Young readers will laugh at the silliness of the family's situation but we can all learn a lesson or two from Petronilla and her splashy world.

Forest of Reading Kid and Teen Committees: Applications due April 20

Do you 💜 reading?

Are you in Grades 4-8 or in high school?

Do you live in Ontario?

Do you want to help choose books that other kids will want to read?

Then

the Ontario Library Association's

Forest of Reading

has a committee for you!

Last year's Forest of Reading Kid Committee brought readers in Grades 4 through 8 together to talk books and produce an exceptional summer reading list for those readers of the Silver Birch and Red Maple reading programs.

This year the Ontario Library Association's Forest of Reading program is again asking students to apply to be on the 2018 Forest Kid Committee and on the inaugural Forest Teen Committee.

Who can apply?
For the Forest Kid Committee: Ontario students in Grades 4-8 (homeschoolers too!)
For the Forest Teen Committee: Ontario high school students

What will you do?
Come together at the Ontario Library Association's offices in Toronto with other readers to select 10-20 titles for a summer reading list. (Check out last year's lists here.) It's a full day of talking books, special treats and making new friends. And it's all about the books!

When will we meet?
Tentatively May 25, 2018 or June 1, 2018

Applications are due April 20, 2018 

and are available online here

Don't miss this great opportunity 

to share your 💜 of Canadian books!

 

The inaugural Forest Kid Committee was a huge success 

and I'm sure those committee members will be reapplying. 

 But you too can become a committee member on the 

Forest Kid Committee or Forest Teen Committee

and help your peers find great books to read.

Apply before the April 20th deadline 

for your chance 

to be part of something great!