Misadventures in Ghosthunting: Q & A with author Melissa Yue

Misadventures in Ghosthunting

Written by Melissa Yue

HarperCollins

978-1-4434-7091-9

367 pp.

Ages 8-12

August 2024

Reviewed here

 

 

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of reviewing Melissa Yue's debut middle grade novel, Misadventures in Ghosthunting. Today I have the added pleasure of posting a Q & A I did with Melissa Yue about the book and her writing. 

 

Enjoy! 

 

Helen Kubiw:  It’s not unusual to take from your own experiences to feed your story. Did you do this, building the story in Misadventures in Ghosthunting from your own life experiences and observations?
 

Melissa Yue:  When I first began drafting Misadventures in Ghosthunting, I incorporated many topics that I wasn’t only interested in and already familiar with, but also elements that I wanted to learn more about. As a Chinese-Canadian woman whose family has resided in Canada for several generations, I often find myself inundated with how things were supposed to be done, but not why. My experience isn’t unusual—it’s not uncommon for the reasons behind traditions to be lost somewhere in the storm of change and time. This means that some elements of my book, such as listening to older family members, navigating generational and cultural differences, or digging into a big pot of ga lei ngau lam (curry beef brisket – yum!) are drawn from my own experiences; other elements, like the tools that Emma uses for vanquishing ghosts and the lore behind the denizens of the Underworld, have a cultural basis that is not inherent to my own lived experiences, but from what I have observed about my surroundings. Misadventures in Ghosthunting, at its heart, has always been a story about cultural connection, identity, and growth in the face of fear.

 

HK:  Even though the story includes multiple supernatural elements, are any of these based in your own heritage or customs? For example, did you use talismans? Have you ever seen a ghost? Was there an ancestral altar? Did you celebrate the Ghost Festival?

 

Melissa Yue:  Sadly (or luckily), my life has been considerably less exciting than Emma’s, and I’ve never needed to ward off a ghost with talismans! My grandma’s house does have an ancestral altar, and on important days like the Ghost Festival, offerings would be placed there and the incense lit.

As for whether or not I’ve ever seen a ghost… Well, there is a reason why Victoria has the reputation of being one of the most haunted cities in Canada. I invite all you ghost-seekers and lovers of the paranormal to come and visit the old cobblestone paths, eerie locales, and spooky heritage buildings that Victoria is famous for!

 

HK:  Is magic an important part of the Chinese culture?
 

Melissa Yue:  Magic, superstition, and esoteric practices all have a long history in Chinese culture. You even see this in an entire genre of media, “xianxia,” in which Chinese philosophy, magic, and martial arts intersect. The way these elements appear in the modern day differ from region to diaspora population to each individual family, and it’s very fascinating! In my family, magic shows up more in the form of superstition—either avoiding things out of fear or doing things to elicit good luck. For example, some members of my family leave coins around growing plants to encourage the generation of wealth. Emma’s journey in Misadventures in Ghosthunting simply takes superstition one step further to explore the basis for fears and ways of existing.

 

HK:  The Underworld is a very common construct of various religions and cultures, from Buddhism to Celtic mythology. Why do you think this concept repeats in multiple traditions?
 

Melissa Yue:  I’m of the firm belief that death is as important as life, and I’d like to think that this sentiment is echoed in various religions and cultures. Where do people go after they die? How do the living continue in their journeys after their loved ones have passed away? These questions have always existed. Deiyuk, the Chinese Underworld, and other underworlds like it, are just some of the answers that people have created to answer one of the biggest questions of all: What happens after we die?

 

HK:  Emma Wong, your main character, seems like a typical teen in that she’s trying to balance family life and school. While trying to find her place, whether in ghosthunting or life as a teen , she is also trying to navigate parental pressure. In fact, it’s her poor performance on a math exam that introduces her to her ghosthunting background. However, she finally stands up for herself after her mother accuses her of making bad decisions.

“I’m not making bad decisions,” she says to her mother. “I’m just making decisions you don’t like.” (pg. 206)

How typical do you think it is for teens, particularly those of Chinese parents, to struggle with parental disappointment? (I especially liked that Emma identifies one of her mom’s frowns as Disappointed Mom™.) Is this something you experienced first-hand?

 

Melissa Yue:  Being a teenager is tough—for everyone! It’s totally normal for teens of all backgrounds to struggle with parental expectations and disappointment. How those expectations and disappointments get worked through requires a team effort from both the parents and the teens, with the acknowledgement that hey, sometimes differences can’t be completely resolved. It’s okay to have differing opinions about how things should be as long as no one is getting irrevocably hurt.

As for my own experience with parental disappointment, I was lucky in that I never really experienced the Disappointed Mom™ frown. My parents were quite easygoing and mostly let me do what I wanted. However, I heard from and witnessed many of my friends endure the pressures of parental disappointment. For folks coming from immigrant backgrounds, the expectation to do well, to succeed, and to give meaning to the sacrifices of your parents and your family before them can be immense and overwhelming.
 

 

HK:  I was really glad that Emma had such a strong connection with her grandmother. They share a love of gardening and Emma showed her grandmother deep respect, willing to do anything to protect her. A comment in your acknowledgements suggest you have or had  a similar relationship with your Maa Maa. Tell us about your grandmother and this book.

 

Melissa Yue:  I had an unusual relationship with my paternal grandmother growing up. We often spent time together, but we weren’t able to communicate due to severe language barriers. It was definitely tough at times! Yet I like to think that not being able to communicate conventionally helped us grow our relationship in other ways. Sharing food, smiles, laughter, and awkward misunderstandings still gave us a relationship that was built on love and care.

Unfortunately, Maa Maa passed away in January of this year. I wish she could’ve seen my book come into the world, but there are lots of details in Misadventures in Ghosthunting that help keep her memory alive. For instance, the incense tin on the back cover is an almost identical likeness to one of the incense tins she kept in her house. August Zhang, the cover artist, did an incredible job with bringing a piece of my grandma to the art of Misadventures in Ghosthunting. I like to think my grandmother would’ve been happy to see her incense tin immortalized in print, and proud of what I have accomplished.

HK:  What was the most challenging part of the writing process for you? Plot construction? Character development? Voice? Fluency or continuity? Or something else altogether?

 

Melissa Yue:  Oh, goodness! Everything was challenging at the beginning, to be honest. Misadventures in Ghosthunting was the first novel-length work that I’d ever tried writing, and I hadn’t even intended for it to become a book when I first started jotting down my little ideas. It was a very steep curve of learning not only novel craft, but about my own writing identity. These past few years have been an incredible experience in growth for me, and I’m looking forward to continuing to grow with each novel I write.

 

 

HK:  Now that your debut book has been published, are there any new projects that are in the works?

 

Melissa Yue:  Haha… All I can say is stay tuned! 😊

 

• • • • • • • 

  

I'd like to thank Melissa Yue
for granting me this interview and taking the trouble to answer all my questions.

 

It was lovely to meet her via this Q & A 

and to learn more about her and her writing. 

As the book was released yesterday, 

I hope this interview, and yesterday's review, will encourage young readers 

(and those who purchase books for them) to give it a read.

 
Thanks are also extended to Shayla Leung, Publicist at HarperCollins Canada,

for facilitating this event.

 

• • • • • • •

Misadventures in Ghosthunting

Written by Melissa Yue

HarperCollins

978-1-4434-7091-9

367 pp.

Ages 8-12

Releases August 27, 2024

 

Life had done nothing to prepare me for what to do if a ghost was trying to burn your house down. Even worse, I'd got no advice on what to do if your entire family didn't believe you could see ghosts but Grandma snuck you protective talismans like it was a black market dealing. (pg. 19)

Emma Wong thought her greatest worry was the D she got on her Grade 9 math exam. But when a ghost of a young man shows up, calling her Lin Wai–her Chinese name is actually Yan Ling–and threatening to expose her exam if she didn't go with him, things get a little dicey. When she doesn't, Ghost Boy uses a calligraphy brush to write something in the air and starts a fire on the family's ancestral altar. She tells her family about the ghost-like boy but, for a family who doesn't believe in ghosts, she gets no support. Fortunately, best friend Michelle Zhang knows that Emma can see ghosts and wants to help. 

 

It's also fortunate–or is it?–that Emma meets Leon, a boy in a long peacoat with a messenger bag who claims to be a guardian whose job it is to help maintain stability in the world by monitoring ghosts in the Mortal Realm and he's there to help her. He confirms that she has the Sight i.e., the ability to sense ghosts, seeing them and getting physical sensations like headaches and nausea when they are near. He warns her about geoi hau gwai or hungry ghosts who were ungenerous mortals who search the Mortal Realm for offerings to sustain themselves. When Ghost Boy returns–his name is Henry–Emma unwittingly sends him back to the Underworld by striking him with a paper talisman her Mah Mah had always given her. Surprisingly Leon confirms that Emma is using a ghosthunting tool. 

Emma is so confused. Her family does not believe in ghosts and yet her grandmother always gave her protective talismans to ward off evil at entrances to buildings. Now she has Leon who is trying to protect her from Henry, a ghost hunter of the Underworld who works for one the Ten Lords there and whose job it is to rein in unruly ghosts who cause trouble. But why pick on Emma?

With Leon's protection and direction, Emma learns more about her family history and her own abilities, all with the objective of helping her much-loved grandmother and ultimately making things right for spirits in the Underworld.

 

I wish I could tell you everything that happens in Melissa Yue's debut novel but Misadventures in Ghosthunting is a big story. It's a story of family, familial expectations, and a grandmother-granddaughter relationship. It's one of Chinese culture and superstitions and the Ghost Festival and magic and glorious food. It's one of history, including a love story. And it's about making things right, even when you aren't responsible for making them wrong. Oh, and there's a splattering of robotics too. As I said, it's a big story, with layers in the present and in the past, in the Mortal Realm and in the Underworld, in the mundane teen world of school and parental expectations and in one of needle-mouth ghosts and immortals. And Melissa Yue tells it with humour, cultural respect, and familial devotion. 

A family is built from shared memories. (pg. 342)

Through all her characters, mortal and not, Melissa Yue embeds us in their stories, finding goodness in some that might appear evil and flaws in some that are generally good. All her characters are fully developed. They make mistakes, take chances, have weakness and lack in confidence. They also do their jobs, even unusual ones, make connections with others, have pasts, and always look for something more. They are human, even if they're immortal.

 

It's hard to parse out everything in Misadventures in Ghosthunting because there is so much but Melissa Yue gives middle-grade readers a story that is full and intricate with characters and subplots and history and that little bit of magic. Whether you believe in ghosts or not, you'll cheer for Emma and her allies in their attempts at righteousness and for the defeat of evil. I don't know if anyone was celebrating the Ghost Festival just over a week ago but honouring the dead with offerings sounds like a wise rite to observe, especially when the consequences of not doing so could be overwhelming. Emma knows.

• • • • • • •

 

Look for my interview with author Melissa Yue tomorrow here on CanLit for LittleCanadians. She reveals much about her writing and the story, as well as some important background about the cultural traditions and framework used as a basis for Misadventures in Ghosthunting.

We Are the Medicine (Surviving the City, Vol. 3)

Written by Tasha Spillett

Illustrated by Natasha Donovan

Coloured and lettered by Scott B. Henderson

HighWater Press

978-1-77492-110-4

64 pp.

Ages 12-18

August 2024

 

The Indigenous teens that Tasha Spillett introduced in the first two books in her Surviving the City series, illustrated by Natasha Donovan, are set to graduate from high school and they're thinking about their futures. But how can they look forward when the remains of 215 children are revealed at a former residential school in BC? What future is there when the injustices of the past continue to be disclosed, and discrimination and wrongs persist in new forms?

From We Are the Medicine, written by Tasha Spillett, illustrated by Natasha Donovan, coloured and lettered by Scott B. Henderson

Now that Dez has accepted themself as a Two-Spirit person and is in a relationship with Kacey, and Miikwan is dating Riel, the teens are enjoying stronger connections with others and in their community. But when the unearthing of hundreds of unmarked graves of children at a former residential school makes the news, the impact on the teens, particularly Riel, is palpable. Speaking in their school's sharing circle with Elder Geraldine, they express their fears, dismay, hurts, and anger. Miikwan wants to help Riel as he lashes out, but Elder Geraldine recognizes the "We have a right to feel angry. We just have to find something to do with that energy so it doesn't harm us or anyone else." (pg. 10)

From We Are the Medicine, written by Tasha Spillett, illustrated by Natasha Donovan, coloured and lettered by Scott B. Henderson

With Riel trying to find a way to turn his anger into something healing, they come up with the idea of a powwow for people to gather safely–it's still a time of masking and social distancing–to honour those whose young lives were taken from them. But when Riel is drawn to a protest nearby and his Afro-Indigenous cousin Ginebig follows him, it's Ginebig whoe is accosted by the police, as is Riel who comes to his defense. It is there, in jail, that Riel, after dreaming of the spirits of those children from the residential school, realizes that they themselves are the medicine for healing.

From We Are the Medicine, written by Tasha Spillett, illustrated by Natasha Donovan, coloured and lettered by Scott B. Henderson

Tasha Spillett takes on a lot of important social justice issues in We Are the Medicine, including residential schools, truth and reconciliation, police violence, monuments that are reminders of systemic racism, and more. It's a lot. But, just as they are issues that Indigenous people have been forced to experience historically and now, Tasha Spillett blends them authentically for these teens, who come from different places and narratives. Some are reminded of their own losses, like Riel whose brother Wayne was murdered by the police, or Dez whose beloved Granny had endured abuse at a residential school. They are understandably confused and angered and stymied by questions about why things have happened and are still happening, and how to make a difference and heal. The healing, for the past and for now, is imperative for them if they are to have a future for themselves and for others to make for themselves.

It's a new day. Let's do something good with it. (pg. 15)

 

Natasha Donovan's illustrations, coloured and lettered by Scott B. Henderson, honour the characters in their diversity. Their experiences, at school, in relationships, with family and in the city, are distinct and reveal how they approach challenges and injustices. They may be different, but none are wrong. Natasha Donovan lets us see these teens in their struggles and their joys, from the harshness of police violence, told in sharp shapes and crushing colours, to the spirits who watch over the kids in muted blues. There's real darkness and sorrow in the news of the graves of residential school children and joy and colour in powwow regalia and in the gardening of medicinal plants. Natasha Donovan's art sets the mood and serves Tasha Spillett's story.

Dez and Miikwan and their friends carry heavy loads of history, family, fears, and abuse. The city has not made it easy for them. But their supports are growing, and they are finding ways to move forward, though never forgetting their pasts or that of their ancestors. Fortunately, they will heal and they will survive because the medicine comes from them.

 • • • • • • •

 

Surviving the City series

Surviving the City (2018)

From the Roots Up (2020)

We Are the Medicine (2024)

 

Bea's Paper Imaginarium

Written and illustrated by Rachael Speirs

Plumleaf Press

978-1-738165223

40 pp.

Ages 6-10

August 2024

 

With paper, Bea could do and be anything. She could take her baby sister Millie and the cat Waffles into space to explore. She could become a scientist studying amazing animals like the great sushi-cat i.e., Waffles wrapped in paper nori and fish. And she could be a storyteller who creates comic books.

From Bea's Paper Imaginarium, written and illustrated by Rachael Speirs

But then she runs out of clean paper. And when she goes to school, hopeful of finding some there, her teacher Ms. Abdul reminds her that, since it is the end of the school year, they would be using up what they had in the reusable paper scraps bin. This dismays Bea. She needs clean paper to make her art.

From Bea's Paper Imaginarium, written and illustrated by Rachael Speirs

When she finally does find a piece of paper, in the street no less, Bea's excitement transforms into anger when baby Millie makes it unclean with her scribblings. Realizing her overreaction and really observing the "damaged" paper, Bea sees new possibilities for the first time and delves into art made with found objects and less-than-pristine paper.

From Bea's Paper Imaginarium, written and illustrated by Rachael Speirs

Ontario's Rachael Speirs is best known for her art and specifically her collage-like art that blends paper with fabric, watercolours, gouache, acrylics and more to create stories. Her bio tells of the emergence of her own artistic creations from play at an early age, and this has inspired Bea's own journey of artistic development. I suspect that many artists find themselves stuck in one genre or medium without being compelled to try different ones like Bea was. She was convinced she needed clean paper to make her art. Fortunately a misstep by baby Millie takes her off of that limited path and gives her the opportunity to expand her imagination and create something different. 

From Bea's Paper Imaginarium, written and illustrated by Rachael Speirs

I wish you could see the textures of Rachael Speirs's artwork in Bea's Paper Imaginarium. There are bits of cut fabric and cardboard, and painted paper cut into the shapes of balls and hair and fish. You can even see where Bea has taped paper together. Rachael Speirs's art reflects authentically the art that a child might create: it's colourful, it's layered, and it's imaginative. It's the kind of art that comes from joy in the process.

From Bea's Paper Imaginarium, written and illustrated by Rachael Speirs

For teachers who want to encourage children to think outside the box in maker spaces or for parents who want to inspire originality and artistry, Rachael Speirs's picture book will help do both and without preaching about what children should or shouldn't do. Bea's Paper Imaginarium demonstrates the satisfaction that comes from designing and building and following your own path of creativity and seeing opportunities where only dead ends and misfortunes once resided.

Sleepy Bird (new board book edition)

In March of 2018, I reviewed Sleepy Bird, Jeremy Tankard's newest book in his Grumpy Bird series. This book has now be released as a board book, perfect for the youngest of children whom you may be trying to get to bed. The book is as delightful now as it was when I first reviewed it so I wanted to bring it to the attention of parents and teachers and maybe the very young who are starting to read. Sleepy Bird may become their go-to laugh before bed.

 

Written and illustrated by Jeremy Tankard

Scholastic Press

978-1-4431-4632-6

32 pp.

Ages 3-5

August 2024

It's late.  Why isn't Bird sleeping?!

From Sleepy Bird by Jeremy Tankard

Bird is not sleepy, or so he thinks.  He wants to play and party and seeks out each of his animal friends to keep him company.  Each one tells him it's bedtime and recommends a sleep aid like hugging a blankie (that's from Fox), or reading a bedtime story (Beaver), snuggling with a stuffie (Rabbit), singing a lullaby (Raccoon) or counting sheep (obviously from Sheep).  But he poohpoohs their suggestions, storming off like he often does (remember, he was Grumpy Bird in his first book).

From Sleepy Bird by Jeremy Tankard

But, after a little while, he is reduced to tears and questioning empathically "WHY SHOULD I GO TO SLEEP?"  His friends, ever faithful, come running and support their dear friend with all the recommendations they'd made earlier, helping their feathered companion find a way to dreamland.

From Sleepy Bird by Jeremy Tankard

What parent doesn't know the child who will not go to sleep?  In fact, they will recognize the crankiness, protestations, and eventual winding down of a little one, and their own ploys used to help a child fall into slumber.  Undoubtedly they will also recognize some comments made by Bird's friends, especially "I thought he'd NEVER fall asleep," as proclaimed by Fox.  But it's Bird's responses that always have me laughing. (I think, Jeremy Tankard, there's a Funny Bird in your future.) Bird's replies to his friends, ever escalating in their intensity, include "Blankie shmankie", "Are you TRYING to give me nightmares?" and to Sheep's suggestion of counting sheep: "HOW CAN YOU GET SLEEPY COUNTING TO ONE?"

But, as clever as the text is and as pertinent as its theme, Sleepy Bird will grab readers and non-readers with its bold and colourful illustrations.  Jeremy Tankard's wacky characters are as familiar now as Beatrix Potter's Peter Rabbit and Mo Willems's Elephant and Piggie and we love everything about them: their vibrant colours, coarse lines and clean shapes as well as their expressive poses and faces. What is more is that Jeremy Tankard's landscapes of splatterings of flowers, rocks, and trees amidst enormous ground-level stars and a moon provide a surreal contrast to a very commonplace story i.e. putting a reluctant child to bed.

So, the next time you have to help little ones find their way to rest, grab those blankies and stuffies and read Sleepy Bird.  I can't assure you that they'll go to sleep but you'll at least enjoy the attempt until they decide for themselves that sleep is best.

• • • • • • •

 

Grumpy Bird (2007)

Boo Hoo Bird (2009)

Hungry Bird (2016)

Sleepy Bird (2018)

The Weedflower

Written by Elizabeth Davaze
Illustrated by Marianne Ferrer
Owlkids Books
978-1771475884
32 pp.
Ages 4-8
August 2024

In a busy schoolyard, with children jumping and climbing, sliding and clapping, one child sees a plant with a yellow flower growing in the crack between the cement and rubber turf. Only Sam sees it and watches it and sings to it and admires it.

From The Weedflower, written by Elizabeth Davaze, illustrated by Marianne Ferrer

But, as with most living things, the "alien bud" grows. It grows into a tall, bright yellow flower and then it catches the attention of the other children who join Sam to admire the flower. (Or is it a weed?) Not only do they admire it, but they also protect it and nurture it. They stop balls from hitting it and squirrels from nibbling at it. And the flower thrives. "Before long, the entire blossom had changed into one perfect, dreamy fluffball."

From The Weedflower, written by Elizabeth Davaze, illustrated by Marianne Ferrer

But when the adults at the school finally notice the "fluffball flower," they do not appreciate it the way that the children do.

    "They did not see the magic."

From The Weedflower, written by Elizabeth Davaze, illustrated by Marianne Ferrer

After much tugging by many adults, including the large principal, "the weedflower’s roots broke free, the stem came loose, and all the fluff floated away with all the students’ wishes in the breeze." It is only with time that Sam and the other children will see the weedflower has not gone because that fluff was actually filled with the promise of new life.

From The Weedflower, written by Elizabeth Davaze, illustrated by Marianne Ferrer

 Adults may see a plant that is growing where they don't want it whether it be a dandelion in a lawn, or volunteer trees that grow to close to a house's foundation. But children don't see that. Ralph Waldo Emerson, who had much to say about nature, is quoted as saying, "A weed is simply a plant whose virtues we haven't yet discovered” and many children have no problem finding the virtues in the dandelion. They bring home bouquets for their mothers, and blow the dandelion fluff and watch it travel like fairies on wind currents. They delight in their spread on lawns to become fields of green dotted with yellow brightness. (We used to braid the stem and flowers into crowns.) To nurture any plant and have it destroyed for its inconvenience to another would be devastating. Kincardine author Elizabeth Davaze takes the perspective of children seeing the dandelion as a flower, a thing of beauty and wonder, and makes us realize the loss they feel when the weed, according to the adults, is eradicated. It's all about perspective, isn't it? Too bad the adults aren't enlightened enough to realize that the dandelion would not be stopped by pulling one out.

 

Montreal's Marianne Ferrer, whose illustrations I have long admired (e.g., Carmen and the House That Gaudí Built, Racines, and Le Jardin Invisible), knows where to put the emphasis on her illustrations. Green and gold, the dandelion's only colours, along with the brown of the dirt, are the basis of all Marianne Ferrer's artwork in The Weedflower, regardless of whether she's drawing the dandelion or the children. The attention is on the plant, just as the children want it to be. Moreover, her use of watercolour and gouache give The Weedflower its organic texture, prioritizing the natural world. 

 

I know some teachers will use The Weedflower as an introductory story to teach the life cycle of a plant–too many kids don't know that seeds come from flowers–but I think it's a wonderful exploration of perspective and seeing things through a child's eyes to appreciate all living things as extraordinary, even the seemingly lowly dandelion.

I Am Cherished

Written by Onome Ako

Illustrated by Ken Daley

North Winds Press (Scholastic Canada)

978-1-4431-9449-5

32 pp.

Ages 6-8

August 2024 

 

For many kids, starting at a new school can be exciting but also trepidatious. Kikelomo, a child full of colour and brightness, is very excited about making new friends. But her first experience with sharing her name becomes less of welcoming and more of distress when she hears her classmates' reactions.

From I Am Cherished, written by Onome Ako, illustrated by Ken Daley

As the kids in the class introduce themselves in a circle, calling back each other's names to learn them and to welcome them, Kikelomo can't wait to share. But when they giggle and tell her that her name is weird and not normal and too long, the child is left in tears.

From I Am Cherished, written by Onome Ako, illustrated by Ken Daley

At home, her Nigerian Mommy and her Mohawk Nation Daddy remind her of her heritage and that her name means a child who is cherished. Recalling all the ways in which she has felt cherished, from having a bedtime story read to her, or singing in Yoruba with her grandma, or playing with her cousins, Kikelomo is invigorated to appreciate her name.

From I Am Cherished, written by Onome Ako, illustrated by Ken Daley

At school the next day, when the class joins for their circle, Kikelomo tells everyone what her name means and the ways her family make her feel cherished.

Calling me by my name reminds me of what it means.

With that admission, Kikelomo opens the door for others to share how they got their names, including Mr. Santos whose first name is Elvis, and for them to practise saying her name and reminding her that she is cherished at school as well as home.

 

Children can be unintentionally cruel when they are faced with something different, whether it be a name or food or activity. It is more a reflection of what they can't do, like say an unfamiliar name, then that they don't like something. Unfortunately, the recipients of that harshness–Kikelomo in this case–will be hurt, until a connection can be made that brings the two together. Brilliant little Kikelomo, with her courage to speak up and share her name's story, invites them to know her story and share their own. By letting the children make a connection through the sharing of their names, Nigerian-born Toronto author Onome Ako makes them all belong and brings back Kikelomo's bright light. No matter what a child's story is, from whence they came, or what language they speak, or what they look like, they all belong, and their differences just make for a richer community. I hope that Morenike, Onome Ako's daughter and the inspiration for the book, had as positive a resolution, i.e., the making of many friends, as Kikelomo does once they learned the melodic and expressive nature of her name.

 

Ken Daley, an illustrator born in Cambridge, Ontario, keeps the brightness of Kikelomo and lets it shine throughout the story. Ken Daley's digital art uses the full spectrum of colours, giving us a story of sunshine and joy, never letting Kikelomo's disappointment tarnish her story. That blip of dejection is fleeting and cancelled through the love of her family.

 

Kikelomo's story would be a lovely introduction for a first day of school class, to share naming traditions and perhaps even bridge to discussions of family and heritage. If Onome Ako and Ken Daley's book I Am Cherished helps even one child make a connection with another child unlike themselves, it will be gratifying as a first day of school read.

Momma's Going to March

Written by Jennifer Maruno

Illustrated by Vivian Rosas

Groundwood Books

978-1-77306-551-9

32 pp.

Ages 3-6

August 2024

Protest marches have long been a part of history. They are a kind of activism that can inspire change. In a series of vignettes through different periods of time, Jennifer Maruno and Vivian Rosas show us protest marches that brought mother and child out to fight for positive societal change. 

 

In  the first spreads, a mother and her daughter prepare signs for their march for freedom. It's a march for a myriad of civil rights, from voting and integrated schools and decent housing. It's a 1960s march by Black Americans for recognition of their equal rights and the racial discrimination they continued to endure.

From Momma's Going to March, written by Jennifer Maruno, illustrated by Vivian Rosas

Then in the late 1970s, a child and her momma, both dressed in white, join a march for equality, advocating for the ERA (Equal Rights Amendment), emboldened to fight for equal rights for women, from voting to employment. 

From Momma's Going to March, written by Jennifer Maruno, illustrated by Vivian Rosas

There's a pro-peace and anti-war march, sadly one which we must repeat with each new conflict. There is one advocating for clean water in Indigenous communities, and another for the environment by initiating a global climate strike. In each case, a mother and child head out to march to encourage positive change.

From Momma's Going to March, written by Jennifer Maruno, illustrated by Vivian Rosas

Jennifer Maruno's message of "march, March, MARCH" is loud and clear, and she adds to that message with notes about what makes a march, like signs and clothing, flags and banners, as well as identifying the historical marches represented in her story. In each case, her emphasis is on the relationship between mother and child, with one inspiring the other to do good by fighting for something important. It may be promoting social justice or bringing attention to causes too often neglected or unanswered but it's always about doing something. Whether it's walking or carrying a sign, riding in a wagon or shouting slogans, these mommas and their ones are community activists at a grass roots level.

Vivian Rosas, the Toronto artist who also illustrated Queer History A to Z: 100 Years of LGBTQ+ Activism, seems to have found a social justice niche for her art, though I suspect her style is equally effective across all genres. Her digital illustrations, though, strongly support diverse communities, depicting people of all ages, ethnicities, races, abilities, and more, making for inclusive marches and encouraging empowerment. Moreover, Vivian Rosas's vibrant colours and strong shapes lend themselves to Jennifer Maruno's messaging about standing up and marching for important causes.

 

Mommas, and Pappas and little sisters and big brothers and everyone, have always marched to do right and make people see and hear what needs to be done. Now, with Jennifer Maruno and Vivian Rosas's story of Momma's Going to March, young readers can see the big impact a little marching can kickoff.

The Comfort Tree

Written and illustrated by Holly Carr

Plumleaf Press

978-1-738165230

48 pp.

Ages 4-8

August 2024

 

For many people, a tree is just a tree. It's a woody plant that reaches above the ground. Sometimes it's green and sometimes it's not. But trees are so much more than just what we see. They are life. And this tree is a comfort tree to the many species that make the forest their home.

From The Comfort Tree, written and illustrated by Holly Carr

This tree is an oak and so it begins life as an acorn, dropped from the bill of a blue jay. It grows until it towers over the forest and is named the Comfort Tree by the forest animals.

From The Comfort Tree, written and illustrated by Holly Carr

For each animal, the tree provides comfort, whether for its views for Raven or its food and storage facilities for Squirrel. In different seasons, the tree provides shelter whether for Lynx who rests on the tree's limbs or in its fallen leaves like Rabbit and Deer. For some, its comfort derives from the aesthetic, Fox appreciating its fall leaves that match its fur or Blue Jays that enjoy playing in its branches. The Comfort Tree provides for all the animals in its own way throughout the year.

From The Comfort Tree, written and illustrated by Holly Carr

Holly Carr, an artist from Nova Scotia, is best known for her painting on silk, a unique medium that produces fabulous forms when paint is applied. Holly Carr's art in The Comfort Tree is extraordinary, intricate and textured, emulating the layers of leaves whether in the tree or in the litter beneath it, or the complexity of animal features like feathers. The patterning of tree and animal and scene require more than a cursory look. They demand the reader stop and look for the bees, the fungi, the butterflies, and more. Her art tells a story of a comfort but also of life cycles, the seasons, and the interrelationships of all living things. It's a big story. Holly Carr's remarkable art matches that story, page for page.

From The Comfort Tree, written and illustrated by Holly Carr

The story of the Comfort Tree goes beyond the forest, with Holly Carr starting dialogues about ways for children to comfort themselves. She acknowledges that there are different strategies, including breathing, going into nature, and stretching, that can all be helpful. (She provides QR codes to activities to help young people to stretch or to visit a forest and listen to Nova Scotian birds.) But first try a walk to the Comfort Tree with Raven, Blue Jay, Deer, Owl, and others to find comfort vicariously. It's as wonderful as forest bathing in vivid colours and the soothing shapes of the natural world, and you don't need to find transport to get there.

Maud of Green Gables: How L. M. Montgomery's Anne Enchanted the World: Book launch (Eden Mills, ON)

 

Renowned Canadian author and illustrator Janet Wilson 

 is launching her newest book 

and it's a venture like none she's ever created.

 

 

Janet Wilson is well-known for illustrating books for Robert Munsch, Linda Granfield, Andrea Spalding, Sheree Fitch, and other Canadian authors.

 

She's also made her mark with several illustrated series of social justice books including her award-winning One Peace and Our Earth.

 

 

To celebrate the 150th anniversary of Lucy Maud Montgomery's birth in 1874, Janet Wilson will be launching a special limited edition picture book, Maud of Green Gables: How L. M. Montgomery's Anne Enchanted the World.
 

 

Maud of Green Gables: 

How L. M. Montgomery's Anne Enchanted the World

Written and illustrated by Janet Wilson 

39 pp.

The launch will be held 

on Saturday, September 7th, 2024

from 1 -3 PM

at the 

Eden Mills Community Club

104 York Street

Eden Mills, ON

There will be an exhibit of Janet Wilson's paintings and studies for the book,

and

some raspberry cordial, of course.

Details about the book, including some art and an excerpt, may be found at Janet Wilson's website at http://www.janetwilson.ca/new-maud-of-green-gables.html. (n.b. The book is currently only slated for availability through the author-illustrator herself. Contact information is provided through the link above.)

 

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