One Can

Written by Lana Button and Eric Walters

Illustrated by Isabelle Malenfant

Groundwood Books

978-1-773067346

32 pp.

Ages 3–6

September 2025 

 

For many Canadian public schools, yesterday was the first day of the 2025-2026 academic year. That first day of school brings such promise. It's usually a fresh start with a promise for better and more opportunities for...everything. But for too many children, that hope may be limited, even if they don't know it. For the child in Lana Button and Eric Walters's first picture book collaboration, illustrated by Isabelle Malenfant, those limitations do not curb their generosity and compassion.

From One Can, written by Lana Button and Eric Walters, illustrated by Isabelle Malenfant

Knowing that their class is collecting canned food for a food drive, a child grabs the lone can of Zoodelicious from an almost-bare pantry. Knowing it's their favourite, the child hopes it is that for someone else too. In class, the students place their donated cans on a 100-place carpet, with the child placing the Zoodelicious on the number 100, earning their can a snowflake sticker.

From One Can, written by Lana Button and Eric Walters, illustrated by Isabelle Malenfant

Things take an unexpected turn when Mom returns with groceries a few days later and his Zoodelicious can has a snowflake sticker on it. For the first time, the child recognizes that their family may be one of those in need that they were trying to help at school. A frank discussion between mother and child helps them understand better and even how to pay it forward with some much-loved mittens. 

From One Can, written by Lana Button and Eric Walters, illustrated by Isabelle Malenfant

While there are too many adults who think that picture books are frivolous stories aimed for our youngest readers, One Can will surely remind them of the power of storytelling to present deep issues that are also commonplace. There is no frivolousness to this story. Instead, Lana Button and Eric Walters have given us a lovely story of sharing, reciprocity, need, and compassion, all told from the perspective of a young child. What is most surprising is that the child does not even recognize their family as a needy one until they see the snowflake sticker on the Zoodelicious and realizes where their mother must have gotten those groceries. Before then, they had what they needed, probably because their mother worked hard to ensure that they did. Not surprisingly, when their mother reveals their circumstances, the child thinks only of the other 99 families who would still need food and more. 

 

This could have been a very heavy story. Poverty and food insecurity are serious issues. Even as food and clothing drives become common practices throughout the year, and children such as this one are provided regularly with school lunches, here by their own teacher, the silence and secrecy and even shame are resounding. I'm so pleased that Lana Button and Eric Walters avoided those negatives with much sensitivity. The child is not ashamed to look at the school's Mitten Tree–where donated mittens and winter accessories are displayed for gifting–and doesn't hide the macaroni given by the teacher for lunch. Illustrator Isabelle Malenfant matches that powerful but tasteful approach to their story. Isabelle Malenfant, who similarly gave a softness of touch to Morris Micklewhite and the Tangerine Dress and Pinny in Summer, keeps her palest colours for the child's home and the boldest for outside. Their poverty creates a veil over their life, though outside of the home and at school, the child is seen as vibrant as everyone else. In addition to the colours of her digital illustrations, Isabelle Malenfant uses perspective to juxtapose the child against two different worlds, one of limited resources and another where there is more. It gives the reader more context for this child's reality and even enhances our understanding of why they are able to extend generosity and compassion to others.

Lana Button's picture books like Tough Like Mum and Willow Finds a Way have always spoken to young children and what they might experience at school and home. And Eric Walters never shies away from tough issues like poverty in The King of Jam Sandwiches or COVID-19 in Don't Stand So Close to Me or incarceration, bullying, discrimination and more. Together these writers have approached the reality of many children, and instead of focusing on any limitations these children experience, they highlight how children can extend compassion and generosity to others. It seems one can, whether that of Zoodelicious or the picture book, can make a difference.

 • • • • • • •

 

Please consider joining author Lana Button 

 

at 

 

A Different Drummer Books 

513 Locust St., Burlington, Ontario

905-639-0925 

 

for the launch of One Can 

 

on 

 

Sunday, September 7, 2025 

1 PM

 

If you're able, please bring a can of food for FeedHalton.  

 

Sam

Written by Eric Walters

DCB

978-1-770867949

228 pp.

Ages 9-14

May 2025 

 

She was strong. She didn't give up. She didn't take crap from anybody. I liked that. And all she really wanted was a place to call home. I understood that better than I even would have wanted. (p. 133)

 

The "she" of whom fourteen-year-old Sam Reid speaks is Anne of Green Gables, and, along with support from a select group of new acquaintances, the boy with red hair and a matching temper has a lot to learn and especially from L. M. Montgomery's 1908 fictional character.

 

Sam may be a smart kid, but it doesn't stop him from letting his temper get the better of him. When confronted with a shopkeeper trying to rip $10 off of him and having to stand up against the high school's quarterback, who ends up with a broken nose, Sam knows he should have kept his cool. But things get worse when Sam is accosted in a school bathroom and fights back, leaving Cody, the quarterback, with a concussion.

...there's no question that I have a temper, but that's only because people are always doing things to provoke me. (p. 9) 

With no family–his parents were killed in a car crash by a drunk driver four years earlier–and foster parents who don't want him back, he is sent to the Johnson Juvenile Center, a detention facility for those younger than 18 who were awaiting trial or those already convicted and serving sentences less than 18 months. Sam would be at the Johnson Juvenile Center, a.k.a. the Gables, for at least 5 weeks while he is assessed before heading to court. While his social worker Jenna Williams is keen to help, his court-appointed lawyer Mr. Turner is challenged, especially when additional charges of fraud and theft are brought by the shopkeeper, and everyone seems disappointed that the local football hero would be out of commission. 

At the Gables, Sam must deal with a nasty guard Mr. Roberts who insists on calling Sam "Red" and is just waiting for the chance to write him up for poor behaviour, bad attitude, and more. There's also a convicted "long-timer" Bruce who seems to have it out for Sam after an innocent mistake of sitting at the wrong dining table ends with Sam shooting off his mouth again.

Why did people keep coming at me and why wasn't I smart enough to shut up and move on when they did? (p. 64)

Thankfully Sam has some good people on his side trying to help him be the best version of himself. There's his roomie Nigel, a smaller guy who is in for throwing a chair at someone; Mrs. Martinez, their English teacher; Kate, a kind-hearted guard; and his psychologist, Dr. McEnny. Now if Sam could only stop seeing everything and everyone as a threat or a challenge and use his smarts–and he is very intelligent–to help himself. 

Sometimes smart can't overcome circumstances, situations, and tragedy. (p. 128)

Things start to change for Sam when Mrs. Martinez assigns Nigel and Sam each a book on which they will prepare a report, and Sam gets Lucy Maud Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables, hoping he'll find some interesting parallels with his own life. If he can just get past his outrage and humiliation, especially when he sees that Anne is a redhead like he is, Sam may be able to use his potential and discover his strength to find hope.

 

For lovers of L. M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables, the parallels between Anne's life and that of Sam will be evident, even though their differences in time and circumstances are significant. (In fact, an assignment Sam completes for Mrs. Martinez focuses on these very parallels.) Eric Walters is very subtle in his homage to Montgomery and her red-haired character, though his "Author's Note" suggests an extraordinary depth of admiration for the author and her book. This is abundantly evident in his appreciation for her words–quotes from Anne of Green Gables are cited often and always fitting–and the themes of persevering life's challenges and finding hope against tragedy and adversity. Eric Walters makes us believe in Sam. The young teen may not be completely likeable at the beginning of Sam but he's a kid who has had a lot of hard knocks. His temper, which may or may not be as a result of his circumstances, and I don't mean the colour of his hair, is an entity with which he has a relationship, good or bad. It's in his learning about that anger and his recognition that he has been able to keep it in check that almost releases him from it and allows Sam to grow. While he initially thinks Anne is almost delusionally optimistic, he too starts to acknowledge the positives of things that once appeared to only be difficult. 

Sam has had a tough life, bouncing from foster homes and receiving homes, never being offered a true home since the death of his parents. But, as horrific as going to a juvenile center must be, the Gables becomes a place of salvation for Sam, as Green Gables was for Anne, helping him acquire a support system as tough as any loving family and teaching him the strength he has always had to overcome that which seems formidable. With kind souls and kindred spirits, Sam's life goes beyond "a perfect graveyard of buried hopes" as Anne declares at the beginning of Anne of Green Gables, to one of possibilities.

Good Boy Timmy

Written by Eric Walters

Illustrated by Eugenie Fernandes

DCB Young Readers

978-1-77086-736-9

24 pp.

Ages 3-5

November 2024

 

Who is Timmy the dog? Is he the old dog who is too old to act badly? Or is he the dog who can get into trouble when no one is around?  Or is he the good dog this little girl and her dad believe him to be?

From Good Boy Timmy, written by Eric Walters, illustrated by Eugenie Fernandes

Timmy loves going to the park. He gets to see all the other dogs and the kids at play, but Dad is convinced Timmy loves being at home. So, when they must leave Timmy alone, well provided with food and water, they are convinced he'll be a good boy since, after all, he's too old to misbehave.

From Good Boy Timmy, written by Eric Walters, illustrated by Eugenie Fernandes

Timmy is offended by what he hears, knowing that he is a relative of wild wolves and a descendant of daring dingoes, and he knows how to be rambunctious. He's watched "Animal Planet" on TV! So, Timmy chooses to be Bad Boy Timmy, ripping things apart including the girl's favourite pink sweater, getting into cupboards, and spilling the goldfish bowl. Or does he?

From Good Boy Timmy, written by Eric Walters, illustrated by Eugenie Fernandes

From the text to the illustrations, Good Boy Timmy has a familiar feel to the innocent stories of mid-century primers but with more heart. Instead of the stereotypical characters of those early stories, Eric Walters has given us a family of father and daughter with Timmy and a story about choosing our best behaviours. Just because you can do something doesn't mean you should do it. And by making the behaviour of that of a dog, Eric Walters doesn't judge children who will all experience different and difficult choices in their lives. His story is instead a gentle reminder to choose well even when tempted to do otherwise.

Eugenie Fernandes also illustrated Eric Walters's picture book Today is the Day as well as her own books including When Rabbit Was a Lion and Finding Lucy. She has a light touch, keeping the stories about the characters and their connections to each other. She gives them life and light and a sense of fun. Timmy may be the star of the book, and Eugenie Fernandes makes him an adorable star, but the little girl and dad are just as captivating, especially in their affection for him.

For a charming story that reminds us all why we should make good choices, Good Boy Timmy is the read. It's also a gentle reminder that dogs will be dogs, as is their nature, but even an old dog can remember important lessons learned.

 

The Club

Written by Eric Walters

DCB

978-1-77086-734-5

264 pp

Ages 9–12

March 2, 2024

 

It's the start of their Grade 8 year, and Jaxson and best friend Logan are looking forward to making their final year in middle school an epic one. While Logan is all about basketball, Jaxson is driven by playing his trumpet. But then a new girl, Liv Parker, joins their school. Though Jaxson sort of kind of has a girlfriend, Samantha, Liv is an extraordinary trumpet player, and she and Jax are thrown together, in a good way.

When the music teacher, Ms. Hooper, auditions the students for the senior band, she knows that Liv and Jax are going to be the stars of the band and hopefully take them to the city championship, finally. In fact, she wants them to play a duet for the first school assembly just days away. To prepare, the two have to meet after hours at each other's homes. Though their households are very different, with Liv and her mom Jenn, a cybersecurity expert, living in an immaculate big house with a grand piano, Jax and his mom Ali, an artist and art history prof, live in a cluttered house filled with colour and stuff. Still, the two teens find they have a lot in common, including their music, love of sushi, and ways of thinking. Moreover, when asked about their dads, they both acknowledge that subject as "complicated." 

But soon things get even more complicated for both of them. When Samantha learns how much time Jax is spending with the new girl, she feels threatened and he can't convince her that they're only friends. Still, with all their rehearsing for assemblies and solos, Jax and Liv are spending more time at each other's houses, and by chance, their moms are becoming friends. But with that friendship, personal details are shared, and Jenn and Ali begin to wonder whether the kids share more than just a virtuosity with the trumpet.

 

The theme of family is a common one in contemporary stories, with families that were once deemed traditional now being seen as just one of a myriad of forms that families can take. Whether a family has a mom and dad like Logan's, or is a single-parent household like Jax's or Liv's, or like those reconfigured through divorce or loss, a family is a family is a family, and Eric Walters recognizes that families come in all shapes and sizes and are all natural. What makes them families is the love and respect that is given and received within that construct. And regardless of how that family was created, whether through sperm donation, a heterosexual marriage, adoption, or one of countless other ways people enter others' lives, it is valid and valuable if family members choose for it to be so. (Thankfully the kids' moms give them some choice about whether to explore their paternal heritage and never compel them to embrace DNA as the ultimate basis for family.) 

Blood makes you related but it doesn't make you family. (p. 176)

Fortunately for Jax and Liv they would probably always have become family, regardless of their DNA. Just as Logan and Jax always considered themselves brothers, Liv and Jax were already simpatico because of their love of the trumpet and music. The DNA just made their relationship official and genetically solid.

 

Eric Walters's Afterword tells the reader that the story of The Club was inspired by a true story of half-siblings discovering each other through their DNA. Their story, like that of Jax and Liv, was one of positive connection. For the kids in The Club, there is no conflict or expectation that they must embrace strangers as family. For those two kids, it happens organically. But without the support of their core family, related or not, neither teen would've been secure enough to welcome others in and put themselves out as they become part of a larger club.

The story of The Club could be happening anywhere in the world. The circumstances are not uncommon, and with access to DNA and ancestral records, it's becoming more frequent that genetic relatives are being linked. But Eric Walters makes this less about the process and more about the outcomes and what they mean for these kids. Their worlds have changed and in a good way. I do wonder about those circumstances for which "new" family connections may not be positive or welcome but that would be another story. In The Club, Eric Walters gives us a story of being a family, discovering family, and making family. For Jax and Liv, they are able to strengthen what is already there with those who were previously unrecognized and make for a new type of familial association.

Made 4 You

Written by Eric Walters

DCB

978-1-77086-661-4

296 pp.

Ages 13+

September 2022

 

Except for the headaches which have started plaguing her–and for which she has had multiple MRIs–seventeen-year-old Becky James's senior year is mapped out as getting good grades, prepping for the SATs, volunteering at a seniors' residence, and partaking in extracurricular activities like school band and social justice club and managing the boys' basketball team.  Then she meets Gene Newman, a previously-homeschooled student from New York state whom she will host and offer assistance.

As smart as Gene is, he needs support to fit in at their Nobleton, Indiana high school. His first-day blue suit and shiny brief case, as well as his formal speech, make him a standout. But he's a fast learner, following Becky's advice with respect to dress and more. Soon he's not just fitting in but he's attracting attention as an exceptional student, saxophone musician and basketball player. As they spend more and more time together, and Gene reveals the research his adoptive parents have been conducting on human intelligence and strategies for learning, the two teens become closer. But it's not smooth sailing for the young couple as there are secrets that could put them both in danger and perhaps keep them separated forever.

When science fiction is written well, it becomes less fantasy and more possibility, and Made 4 You is so plausible that readers will wonder if the story is based in reality. (Of course, that's also the finesse that is Eric Walters's writing.) Research on human intelligence is vast and expanding, as scientists look to how we learn, apply and adapt, so raising a young man like Gene who can learn anything quickly and thoroughly is not surprising. However, the depth of his learning, from math to sports and social interactions, is astounding, especially as it is coupled with empathy and love. Because Eric Walters takes Gene beyond the genius he is and makes him into a teen in love, Gene is a complete, albeit extraordinary, human.  And with dangerous adversaries looking to exploit the science behind Gene's intellectual development, Made 4 You goes beyond a sci fi romance into a thriller and action adventure. It's a story that has it all: sweet moments of falling in love, mysterious scientific research, and chase scenes across land and sky. Moreover, with Eric Walters at the writing helm, not only is it a story made for any middle-grader or teen who reads across genres, Made 4 You is also complex, nuanced and full of heart. (Even the dedication will give readers an "Awww" moment of pause.)

On the Line: Cover and trailers reveal

 

🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀

Authors

 

 Paul Coccia 

and

 

 Eric Walters 

are set to release their first collaboration

and I'm pleased to reveal its cover here 

and a video about the book.

 

Voilá!

 

 

ON  THE  LINE

Written by Paul Coccia and Eric Walters
Orca Book Publishers
978-1-45982-713-4
312 pp.
Ages 9-13
March 15 2022

Reviewed here

From my review of December 24, 2021:

What's on the line for thirteen-year-old Jordan Ryker? Everything. His parents can't stop arguing. The auto plant where his dad works, being the town's major employer, is shutting down. Even basketball, which is everything to Jordan and his best friend Junior, is somewhat tenuous with the school's new basketball coach who really doesn't know what he's doing. And now Jordan has to figure out how to work with new kids brother and sister Aaron and Tammy who are very different and both want on the boys' basketball team.  

...

This is the first writing collaboration between Paul Coccia and Eric Walters and, having reviewed books by both previously, I can attest to a new synergy to their writing as they bring their strengths in plotting, character development, and voice and meld them with LGBTQ+ issues and sports into something new and important. They've given us a story that challenges young readers to see beyond themselves and from different perspectives and with compassion for the struggles that others may be experiencing. With heart and intention, they've put themselves out there and helped us see from that angle what's really meaningful: friends, family, and fair play for all.

 🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀

 

I'd also like to share a couple of videos about the book. This first was prepared by author Paul Coccia and has been posted by publisher Orca at https://youtu.be/lHMFkieD4ZQ.

 

Posted by Orca Book Publishers on January 31, 2022 on YouTube.

 

 

This second book trailer, created by Daniel Rolo, has also been posted on the Orca YouTube channel at https://youtu.be/KjyDne1gJ7Q.

Posted by Orca Book Publishers on February 7, 2022 on YouTube.

 

🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀

 

March 15, the release date for On the Line, is just 6 weeks away 

so be sure to get your pre-orders in via Orca 

or your favourite book store.

On the Line

Written by Paul Coccia and Eric Walters

Orca Book Publishers

978-1-45982-713-4

312 pp.

Ages 9-13

March 2022

 

"...if you're down twenty points in the last two minutes, you still play your best..." (pg. 52)

What's on the line for thirteen-year-old Jordan Ryker? Everything. His parents can't stop arguing. The auto plant where his dad works, being the town's major employer, is shutting down. Even basketball, which is everything to Jordan and his best friend Junior, is somewhat tenuous with the school's new basketball coach who really doesn't know what he's doing. And now Jordan has to figure out how to work with new kids, brother and sister Aaron and Tammy, who are very different and both want on the boys' basketball team.  

Most unexpectedly, Jordan's dad moves out and reveals that he's gay. In a community where everybody knows everyone else's business, Jordan is not dealing well with it. Junior tries to help Jordan see the courage his dad is showing in being true to himself finally, and Tammy with whom Jordan starts going out is all about supporting social justice issues and even starts a Gay-Straight Alliance club at the school. But it's all too much for Jordan who responds to his parents' separation and his father's coming out with frustration and anger. 

At thirteen, Jordan is already dealing with a lot of new situations. He's thinking about girls but is both intrigued and uncomfortable with them. He's been struggling with an unstable home situation, which then becomes even more dubious as he tries to adjust to two different lives and a father different than the one he thought he always knew. Worse yet, Jordan takes it all personally, convinced that he is the aggrieved party, rather than seeing beyond himself what others may be feeling and experiencing. He can't see the efforts that everyone around him are making to support him and themselves in what they need. Sadly, though Junior, Tammy and others try to help him accept their support, there are some whose homophobic and narrow-minded perspectives on the Ryker family cause more tension for all. 

There's a great story here but it's Paul Coccia and Eric Walters's characters that carry On the Line. With Jordan, they have given us a typical young man in a somewhat unusual familial situation. They've created a kid who loves his family, hates their fighting, is starting to have romantic feelings, and is angry and frustrated because none of his life feels straightforward or easy anymore. I don't know many who would choose to go through puberty again but to compound that tension with confusion about your father and his relationship with you would be overwhelming, as it is for Jordan. Then there's his father who is trying to navigate a new relationship with his son, with his wife, with his community and even a new partner but most of all with himself. There's Tammy who strives for the world to be fair to her and to others. She challenges the school for her right to be on the boys' basketball team. She's all about diversity and inclusion and she wants others to be the same. Even Junior and Aaron are developed into full characters that add contrast and meaning to On the Line.

This is the first writing collaboration between Paul Coccia and Eric Walters and, having reviewed books by both previously, I can attest to a new synergy to their writing as they bring their strengths in plotting, character development, and voice and meld them with LGBTQ+ issues and sports into something new and important. They've given us a story that challenges young readers to see beyond themselves and from different perspectives and with compassion for the struggles that others may be experiencing. With heart and intention, they've put themselves out there and helped us see from that angle what's really meaningful: friends, family, and fair play for all.

2020 Governor General's Literary Awards: Winners announced

 

On June 1st, the Canada Council for the Arts announced the winners for the Governor General's Literary Awards for books published in 2020.

Please join me in congratulating the year's winners in the two categories for young readers. 

Young People's Literature -  Text

The King of Jam Sandwiches

Written by Eric Walters

Orca Book Publishers

Reviewed here

 

 

 

 

 

 

Young People's Literature - Illustrated Books

The Barnabus Project

Written and illustrated by The Fan Brothers 

(Eric Fan, Terry Fan and Devin Fan)

Tundra Books

 

 

The Boy Who Moved Christmas

Written by Eric Walters and Nicole Wellwood

Illustrated by Carloe Liu

Nimbus

978-1-77108-911-1

32 pp.

Ages 6-10

October 2020

 

Evan Leversage was a real boy and this is a true story about him and his family and a town that helped advance a much-loved holiday to delight a dying boy.

 

According to the moving account in "A Word from Evan's Mom" at the conclusion of The Boy Who Moved Christmas, Evan had been diagnosed with a brain tumour when he was just a toddler. He endured years of chemotherapy and monitoring of the tumour which had stabilized, that is, until late 2014 when it was discovered that the tumour had grown. Evan braved more intense chemotherapy and radiation but by the fall of 2015, the doctors prepared the family for the worst. 

 

Evan's mom, co-author Nicole Wellwood, and his brothers Logan and Tyson, and others were determined to fulfill Evan's wish list of simple pleasures, including having one more Christmas together. On their new Christmas, October 19, there was a decorated tree up in the living room with presents under the it and Christmas lights festooning their house. And then the magic started. As the three boys looked out their picture book, snow began to fall.

 

From The Boy Who Moved Christmas by Eric Walters and Nicole Wellwood, illus. by Carloe Liu

 

 

 

 

 

After donning his official police jacket, as an honorary police officer, Evan with his family and close friend were driven on a tour of their small town of St. George by Officers Ken and Danya. Everywhere there were lights and decorations and signage wishing Evan and his family "Merry Christmas." With carols playing and the streets busy with people, the town had a festive atmosphere.

From The Boy Who Moved Christmas by Eric Walters and Nicole Wellwood, illus. by Carloe Liu

But the main event would not start until Evan was back home. Once there, he and his family sat in chairs along the roadside and enjoyed the miracle of a Christmas parade that came a few months early just for Evan.

From The Boy Who Moved Christmas by Eric Walters and Nicole Wellwood, illus. by Carloe Liu

There were fire trucks and police vehicles and paramedics. There were countless floats and walkers costumed as angels and elves, nutcrackers and clowns. There were bands and music, candy and bubbles. And then came the man who represents Christmas to so many children: Santa. To Evan's surprised delight, he was invited to sit with the great man.

“Everyone is so happy to see you, Santa!” said Evan.
Just then, someone called out, “Merry Christmas, Evan!”
Santa looked down at him. “Seems like they’re more excited to see you, pal.”
Evan’s smile got even bigger.
It was Christmas.
Christmas in October. Christmas for Evan.

Evan Leversage may have died before December 25 of that year but, courtesy of a family and a community of good people, he had what he declared to be, "the best Christmas!"

From The Boy Who Moved Christmas by Eric Walters and Nicole Wellwood, illus. by Carloe Liu

In a story taken from the headlines but given warmth and heart with words perfect for young readers, Eric Walters with Nicole Wellwood have told us about the boy who moved Christmas. He is both ordinary and extraordinary. He could be any child and yet he was most assuredly Evan, a boy who derived pleasures from being with his family and sharing Christmas with them and others and who could mobilize the affections of many with his story alone. The emotional power of this young boy's life with the naturalness of how he lived it is echoed in the illustrations by Halifax's Carloe Liu. Her signature watercolours give a brightness in the bold colours of Christmas but also an ethereal quality in the softness of her line and shape.

I'm glad Evan was The Boy Who Moved Christmas, but this was not an event borne in self.  It was Evan's selflessness that inspired others to do for him so I'm glad that everyone–Evan, his mom, his brothers, his family, friends and those who never knew Evan–got to enjoy this special Christmas together. Moreover, five years after that memorable day, young readers can now learn of his story and appreciate what happened and why and how, and perhaps be moved to their own acts of altruism. That would be yet another gift from Evan, by way of Eric Walters and Nicole Wellwood's The Boy Who Moved Christmas.

The King of Jam Sandwiches

Written by Eric Walters

Orca Book Publishers

978-1-4598-2556-7

312 pp.

Ages 8-12

September 2020

This was a difficult story for me to write because it's so personal. Many of the things I've written about are from my life. The question I'm already being asked is, How much of this is true? The answer is simple–too much and not enough. 

(From Author's Note) 

So begins The King of Jam Sandwiches, the story of thirteen-year-old Robbie whose familial circumstances have compelled him to take on adult responsibilities and worries far beyond his years, reminding all readers that even the most unbelievable of situations can be a child's reality.

Since his mother and grandparents have passed, Robbie only has his father, a man whose erratic behaviours shout of bipolar disorder, swinging between fears for his imminent death, hoarding food supplies and disappearing for days. Though he has an Uncle Jack and Aunt Cora, Robbie is always told that he'll be going into foster care if anything happens to his dad. So Robbie is the one steady element in his family. He cares for his dog, Candy; he does the laundry, if there's detergent; he peels potatoes when he gets home from school; and he works part-time at a butcher shop, though his father doesn't want him taking food, as charity, from the kindly Mr. and Mrs. Priamo. But Robbie does more than just endure and persevere. He makes plans and he has ambition.  Working hard to earn good grades and save his money, Robbie has a plan to get out from under his father and escape, ultimately going to university.

If you're broken and you know it, you have to get up every day and work harder and longer than everybody else if you want to get anywhere. (pg. 298)

Then Robbie meets Harmony, a new student. An enigma of brashness and hopelessness, Harmony is living with her newest foster family and counting on being reunited with her mother who has been in and out of rehab.  While Robbie feels that he has to prove himself, Harmony accepts his daily jam sandwiches as tasty, not humiliating; helps him buy some new, though heavily discounted, clothes that fit; and finds a way for him to do something fun like basketball. Robbie may not want to admit to anyone that they are poor and that his father is a negligent parent, feeling like this is the life he deserves, but Harmony, in her convoluted style, makes sure that he knows otherwise. 

I am loathe to call The King of Jam Sandwiches a coming-of-age story because, sadly, Robbie and Harmony have been adults for years.  They've carried burdens that children should not. They are the parents in their lives, looking after the adults who have failed to be parents. They live disquieted lives, never knowing when danger might arise or when the flimsy stability they've create for themselves might dissipate. And Eric Walters establishes that precariousness of reality from the onset and throughout The King of Jam Sandwiches. There is no respite from the poverty or the instability. There is only survival, physical and emotional, and the reader's hope that Robbie and Harmony get through it. (The author's "Post Note" reassures that they do.)

The King of Jam Sandwiches is a tough read because no one wants to think about children suffering. But The King of Jam Sandwiches is reality for many children, and while telling us about his own childhood wrapped in Robbie's story, Eric Walters has given voice to children who, like Robbie, don't think they deserve better or that they count. They do. They are the royalty of their own realities and, if they can get the support they need and want, they may even come to recognize that,

"You already are somebody." (pg. 115) 

Don't Stand So Close to Me: Q & A with author Eric Walters

Don't Stand So Close to Me

Written by Eric Walters

Orca Book Publishers

978-1-4598-2788-2 (pdf)
978-1-4598-2789-9 (epub)

116 pp.

Ages 9-14

June 2020

Yesterday author Eric Walter and publisher Orca Book Publishers launched an extraordinary middle grade novel and I was pleased to review Don't Stand So Close to Me here on CanLit for LittleCanadians.  Today I'm pleased to share with you some background into this unprecedented publication and launch via this Q & A with author Eric Walters.  Enjoy!

Eric Walters

HK:  If there was one thing that compelled you to write a story based on the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, what was it?

EW:  Almost immediately I started receiving emails and twitter comments from students, teachers and teacher/librarians asking me if I was going to write a story about the pandemic.  At first, I simply told them it wasn’t something I was contemplating.  As those contacts reached over a hundred, I began to realize that there was both a desire and a need.  Young people needed to see something that reflected their present lives, to understand their situations, and teachers needed something to get their students engaged.



HK:  Though literature can be solely for entertainment and not harbour hidden messages to illuminate or educate, Don’t Stand So Close to Me cannot help but facilitate young readers’ understanding of the circumstances. If there was one message for them to take away from reading the book, what would you like it to be?

EW:  There were some very important pieces of information I wanted incorporated into the narrative including ‘flattening the curve’ and ‘exponential growth’.  I wanted these to be explained in a way that they could understand.  The overall message, however, is about changes, adapting, understanding what’s lost, acknowledging the anxiety of uncertainty, and perhaps more important, remembering what is still with us – family, friendship, human connection and hope.




HK:  Don’t Stand So Close to Me is more than “just” a book. It is an undertaking to involve young people in tackling the pandemic at their own level. It doesn’t require action but it certainly empowers them to look beyond the inconvenience and see the big picture of how they might help reduce the impact of this dangerous virus. If you could choose 3 actions that you would encourage them to take, what would they be?

EW:  It all stems from a basic understanding that, while we’re certainly not in the same boat, we are in the same ocean.  We have a deep connection, and need for that connection, with those around us.  Be kind.  Have faith.  Have hope.
a)    What can you do to show kindness to those in your family?
b)    How can you connect with others in your community to make their lives better?
c)    Change always starts with one person.  Be the person that helps to change your part of the world.



HK:  I applaud your characters who seem to follow the saying that when the going gets tough, the tough get going. But, we know that there are many for whom this pandemic is a struggle. As a former social worker and teacher, do you have any guidance for young people who might be struggling emotionally?

EW:  This pandemic has helped to expose the fault lines in our society.  We are not all blessed with the same support systems – either internally or externally.  Share a gentle word, encourage, make a phone call, a donation. Be kind to each other – and be kind to yourself.  Being kind to yourself may be the hardest.  Don’t judge – support.
    If you’re having problems, reach out to your parents, teachers and friends. It’s a sign of strength to know when you need help.  Be strong enough to reach out.




HK:  The book’s dedication is to your grandchildren whose names are coincidentally that of the three main young characters. But your grandchildren are far younger than Quinn, Isaac and Reese in Don’t Stand So Close to Me. Do the characters share any characters with your grandchildren or are they modelled after other young people you know or have known?

EW:  I love being a grandfather.  My grandchildren are all 2 or under.  Someday they’ll look at this story, see their names, and this will be part of my gift to them, to help bind them together.  You always invest bits of yourself or people you know in your stories.  I REALLY like these characters.  They are caring, capable, funny and thoughtful.  


HK:  Getting a book written and to press is usually a lengthy process. How were you able to complete this process so quickly, especially under the circumstances of everyone working remotely?

EW:  From the very beginning this was an act of trust and partnership.  With just a rough outline my publisher trusted me to craft and complete a novel on a tight schedule. While I was writing they were simultaneously editing, marketing, working on digital strategies, designing a cover and doing all the things necessary to publish a book.  We not only published in record time but created a marketing and promotion path that was more comprehensive than any plan previously attempted with any of my books – or any of their previous books!



HK:  Fingers crossed that this pandemic will be over, some time. Would you consider a sequel to reveal how Quinn, Isaac and Reese and their peers and families managed and look back at how this event has shaped them? Or would you perhaps write another book that addresses life in the aftermath of the pandemic? Or are you just as happy to let Don’t Stand So Close to Me be the end of this story?

EW:  Until you asked this question, I hadn’t thought about it at all!  Maybe I better call Orca before I answer. 
          This story ends with hope.  It’s the best possible place for any of us right now.  I’ve always believed in the power of hope.  At the same time, I strongly believe that you prepare for the worst and pray for the best. 
           I enjoyed those characters so much I would like to revisit them in another story.  I think what the story might be well be dictated by what’s going to transpire in the world.  I choose to believe it will be better. 
          You have to have hope.

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Many thanks to author Eric Walters for inviting me to be part of the process of getting Don't Stand So Close to Me to young readers during this challenging time.  

Thank you also to Leslie Bootle at Orca Book Publishers for allowing me to share in this amazing journey to launch.

Don't Stand So Close to Me

Written by Eric Walters

Orca Book Publishers

978-1-4598-2788-2 (pdf)
978-1-4598-2789-9 (epub)

116 pp.

Ages 9-16

June 2, 2020

978-1-4598-2787-5 (pb) 
Available September 22, 2020

In a novel for right now, Eric Walters has found a way to reassure, inform, educate and entertain about life during the COVID-19 pandemic, and all within the safety of a new digital book for middle grade readers.

Thirteen-year-old Quinn along with her neighbour and best friend Isaac and their classmates in Grade 8 are anticipating their spring break and planning their spring dance when the COVID-19 pandemic hits North America. The young teens show a variety of responses to the news that spring break will start a little early and last for three weeks: ambivalence, concern, joy and anxiety. Not unlike most young people, their responses are varied and often contingent about what they hear from family and on the news. Because Quinn’s dad is a doctor and Isaac’s mom is a police chief, these two friends get a very different perspective on staying out of school. 

As the kids begin to accept their new reality which includes online schooling and social distancing, all the COVID-19 related issues are touched upon in a meaningful and authentic way in Eric Walters's story. We read about Dad’s need for PPE and consequent skin reactions, his long working hours and the need to isolate from Mom and Quinn. The very social Isaac must deal with the loneliness of staying at home by himself and find safe ways to connect with others. Their friend Reese is unable to visit with her grandmother in a long-term care facility but the kids find a way to reach out after learning how to make masks. The young people learn of the positives of social distancing and strategies for keeping spirits up and bodies healthy. They are exposed to misinformation and those who disregard protocols and protesters who want to reopen businesses.

When the rest of the school year is cancelled except online, the kids decide to stage a spring dance on their street that abides by the rules of social distancing (chalk drawn boxes on road, with kids bringing their own phones, ear buds, water and snacks), and made possible with a little help from parent chaperones, police, and a neighbourhood that gets on board with making it special. With a highly appropriate playlist including the titular "Don't Stand So Close to Me," Isaac DJ’s the night away, saving one final dance with Quinn.

I loved this story. It covers everything middle graders might be experiencing right now, especially the confusion with different perspectives about the COVID-19 pandemic, from parents, peers, news, social media, etc. and their anxiety for their new routines. Their concerns are very real though they are so different from those of the adults in their lives. Still the kids find a way to do the right thing time and time again and I applaud these fictional characters for their responsibility and humanity. I wondered how the story would end, knowing that we don’t really know how this pandemic will ultimately play out. But Eric Walters's ending was more sweet than bitter and I even cried when Quinn’s dad tells her:

...Don’t underestimate what you did. It was much more than a dance. Tonight, wasn’t normal, but somehow you made it work, and for a few hours, you gave hundreds of people some happiness.  You gave them joy.  You helped them to forget for a little while. And, not just your classmates, but hundreds and hundreds of people on our street.  You gave them hope. You gave me hope.  (pg. 114)

Don't Stand So Close to Me is a positive story about a very negative event. It will take middle grade readers into the pandemic of their experiences, offering them reassurance and hope while educating them about helping everyone survive this pandemic. (The discussion about what flattening the curve means is especially brilliant.) I suggest parents and teachers help bring this novel to the young readers in their lives to offer them the hope and wisdom we all need to get through this.

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Look for my interview with author Eric Walters next here on CanLit for LittleCanadians and learn more about Don't Stand So Close to Me and getting this relevant book written and to press with remarkable efficiency.

😊•😊•😊•😊•😊•😊•😊

Information for teachers and schools:
Orca Book Publishers is offering classroom and school licenses to accompany the ebooks. A teacher who wants to use this book in their Google Classroom platform or enable their whole class to access it from home can buy one copy of the book with a classroom license for $29.99. A school license (so multiple classes in one school would have access to the book) is available for $59.99.  See details at the publisher's website at https://www.orcabook.com

I Read Canadian Day: Feb. 19, 2020

Author Eric Walters

  

wanted to:

• unite young readers across Canada for a day of reading Canadian books;
• raise awareness of Canadian books; and
• celebrate the richness, diversity and breadth of Canadian literature.

(And you know that's what CanLit for LittleCanadians is all about too!)

 Using the Ontario Library Association’s I Read Canadian fund and initiative as its foundation, I Read Canadian Day was created with input from countless individuals involved with books including authors, publishers, teachers and library organizations. 

With the support from the 

Ontario Library Association,

the Canadian Children’s Book Centre 

and 

CANSCAIP 

I READ CANADIAN DAY

was declared for  

February 19, 2020

We challenge everyone from west to east, and far north to south,

 to Read Canadian (that includes reading to children)

for 15 minutes 

and to share their experience at their library, in their school, with their families and friends, or on social media.

Register your school, organization or young reader(s)

(There are no fees, accounts, passwords or subscriptions necessary.

We just want to log how many young people will be reading Canadian on February 19, 2020.)

Teaching and supplementary materials are available at the website with more being developed to really make this a special day for all.

(An article by Paul Coccia for the Canadian School Libraries Journal 

has lots more details and ideas.)

I'll be reading Canadian on February 19, 2020.  

Join me for the first #IREADCANADIAN DAY !