The Bear Fairy

Written by Paul Coccia
Illustrated by Fred Blunt
Tundra Books
978-1-77488-558-1 
40 pp.
Ages 3–7 

Releases February 17, 2026

 

Adorable is an adjective I usually use for puppies and kittens, beautiful babies, and sweet children. But now I can use it for bear fairies. Or, at least, the Bear Fairy of Paul Coccia's debut picture book. He may not be the dainty fairy of many tales, but he twinkles with his own brilliance.

From The Bear Fairy, written by Paul Coccia, illustrated by Fred Blunt

Spencer is a red-curled and bespectacled boy who is determined to catch a fairy. He constructs a fairy door in a tree, a daisy chain, and even a box-and-stick trap. His blue-haired friend Mariah is convinced that fairies are only attracted to beautiful little girls like her. 

Surprisingly, it's a littered potato chip bag that ultimately draws a fairy. More surprising is that it is a bear fairy with pink wings and wearing a pink dress. Though he wishes to leave—the chip bag is empty after all—Spencer convinces the Bear Fairy to stay so the boy can show him to Mariah. They spend a day of playing in the park, racing remote cars, and watching TV, with plenty of. snacks. The Bear Fairy may be lots of fun, but he also has his own quirks which Spencer must accommodate, like his tardiness when getting ready.

. . . I'm still sprucing up—

90 percent of being a fairy 

is in the looks, you know. 

It's not all magic dust and 

fluttering around! (pg. 25)

From The Bear Fairy, written by Paul Coccia, illustrated by Fred Blunt

 But when Spencer presents the Bear Fairy to Mariah, herself festooned in a pink dress with pink wings, the girl declares that he's not any of the things expected of a fairy. Worse, she insists emphatically that he's a crummy old fairy because he's pudgy, hairy, and not beautiful.

From The Bear Fairy, written by Paul Coccia, illustrated by Fred Blunt

Spencer will not allow her to slander his fairy and defends the Bear Fairy as the perfect fairy he is.

 

Paul Coccia has a knack for giving us important stories, but always with a lightness that helps soften less than fortunate circumstances. However, his earlier books have all be been for middle grade readers (e.g., On the Line [written with Eric Walters], 2022; I Got You Babe, 2023; Leon Levels Up, 2024) and young adult novels (e.g., Cub, 2019; The Player, 2021; Recommended Reading, 2025). Now, young readers, and those who read to them, can experience that same mastery in storytelling with The Bear Fairy. Not only do we get a story of stereotypes—yes, there are fairy stereotypes—and accepting others as they are, we get humour, cheeky puns, and adorableness. Paul Coccia has given the Bear Fairy, Spencer, and Mariah voices that make them true in their characters. They offer hope that all may be accepted, eventually.

From The Bear Fairy, written by Paul Coccia, illustrated by Fred Blunt

Fred Blunt, a Welsh illustrator, must have a touch of the whimsy himself judging by the art credit that identifies his work as created "with cheap paper, pencils, tatty brushes, ink and a computer." His materials may be downplayed, but his art is nothing but lofty and animated like the Bear  Fairy himself. Fred Blunt keeps the bear fairy cheeky, while Spencer and Mariah are both ordinary and off-the-wall, and creates upbeat landscapes both indoors and outside. There's the colour of wonder, and the lines and shapes of jocularity and fun.

 

I'm glad I met the Bear Fairy, just as Spencer surely is. So what if his fairy is pudgy and hairy? He's also fluffy and cuddly and beautiful. (Those are Spencer's assertions, and I concur.) He's perfect just as he is. And I thank Paul Coccia for introducing us to the Bear Fairy who exemplifies all of us. We are as we are, sometimes seen as the best and sometimes seen as less than perfect. And if we don't fit some stereotype because of our gender, age, appearance, or abilities, then that's on those who reinforce those impressions. We're perfect for those who accept us as we are.

Cover Reveal: Paul Coccia's The Bear Fairy

 

Author Paul Coccia

 

award-winning writer of middle-grade and YA novels including

 

 

Cub (2019)

The Player (2021)

On the Line (with Eric Walters; 2022)

I Got You Babe (2023)

Leon Levels Up (2024)

The ANNEthology: A Collection of Kindred Spirits Inspired by the Canadian Icon (contributor; 2024)

Recommended Reading (2025)

 

 

 is set to release, in February 2026, 

his first picture book 

and I am delighted to help promote it with this cover reveal.

 

 

So, let's celebrate the start of Pride Month 

with this marvelous cover reveal for

 

 

The Bear Fairy

Written by Paul Coccia, The Bear Fairy is a picture book with a little bit of everything, including queer elements, body positivity, and big gay uncle energy, along with a whole lot of whimsy. With illustrations by Fred Blunt who, according to the copyright page, used cheap paper, pencils, tatty brushes, ink and a computer, The Bear Fairy will charm with its positive messages and magical humour.

🌈 ⭐🌈 ⭐🌈 ⭐🌈 ⭐🌈 ⭐🌈⭐ 🌈

 

For more details, here is the book blurb from The Bear Fairy's publisher, Tundra (an imprint of Penguin Random House Canada):

Meet an unlikely fairy and his new best friend in this laugh-out-loud picture book about acceptance, being yourself and standing up to anyone who tries to diminish your sparkle.

Fairies should be pretty and sparkly and dainty . . . not chubby, not fluffy and NOT lured in by potato chips. But when Spencer catches a fairy in the park, he's shocked to find that's exactly what he’s got!

The Bear Fairy is no delicate Tinkerbell: he hogs the remote, drops crumbs everywhere and snores like a truck. But he's still a fairy, and when Spencer's friend insults the Bear Fairy's appearance and hurts his feelings, Spencer must step up to defend his new friend.

With wit, charm and hilarity, author Paul Coccia and illustrator Fred Blunt have created a modern classic about being proud of who you are and fighting for the people you care about.

(From https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/744594/the-bear-fairy-by-paul-coccia-illustrated-by-fred-blunt/9781774885581) 

If you are interested in pre-ordering The Bear Fairy, book details and links to a couple of retailers are posted here:

The Bear Fairy

Written by Paul Coccia

Illustrated by Fred Blunt

Tundra Books

978-1-774885581 

40 pp.

Ages 3-7

February 17, 2026

 

Chapters/Indigo

Amazon 

or 

Local Booksellers (via "Shop Local" link on book's webpage )

 

🌈 ⭐🌈 ⭐🌈 ⭐🌈 ⭐🌈 ⭐🌈⭐ 🌈

Recommended Reading

Written by Paul Coccia

Zando Young Readers

978-1-63893-149-2

320 pp.

Ages 12-17

January 2025

 

Seventeen-year-old Bobby Ashton has got a plan for the perfect summer before college. He's got plans for a perfect job, the perfect boyfriend, and more. The problems with planning everything down to the last second is that "it only takes one second to throw it all off." (p. vii)

 

All goes amiss when Bobby's big-gesture proclamation of love for his crush Truman becomes a streamed fiasco of broken glass and more, landing Bobby and his mother Cass in the office of Little Elm College's Dean Perez. Bobby loses his job at Campus Books, is removed from his freshman liaison gig for the Big Summer Reading Festival, and he could lose his scholarship and even his admission. His grand gesture was an epic fail, but Bobby is nothing except determined and resilient. His mother, a renowned but retired artist, makes a deal with the Dean to create a sculpture for the college out of the broken glass, and Bobby promises to stay out of trouble.

 

First thing Bobby does is get his Uncle Andy, a friend of Cass's, to let him work at his bookstore Corner Books, a  run-down bookstore that mostly carries used books. And with that new endeavour, the plan for The Summer of Bobby (AKA Bobby Ashton's Plan for the Perfect Summer Before College) begins to transform. Everything Bobby thought he needed for the perfect summer, from the job and the boyfriend to his fashion and achievements, start to change. His tasks may start off as seemingly manageable, like playing nice with crotchety Gladys at the bookstore to overhauling Corner Books to bring in more customers, but Bobby is nothing but persistent. And his new reputation as the Book Whisperer, the young man who knows just the right book for each person, helps make things happen.

 

One of the bookstore visitors Bobby meets is Luke, a college student, with whom he becomes friends. But Bobby knows that after his romantic fiasco, Dean Perez had warned him off of boys, telling him that, "Adolescent crushes will still be there after you graduate." (p. 10) That doesn't stop Bobby from doing a little matchmaking with others, like Luke's roommate Jerome and Mya, the coffee shop girl, his mom and Andy, and even best friend Wanda and a gamer called chickn-backflip. Will it be enough romance for Bobby, affectionately called Casanova by Luke a.k.a. the love Grinch, or will Bobby find himself falling for the least romantic guy around?

 

If you're a book lover, you'll adore Recommended Reading for its literary references and bookshop character. If you're a romantic, you'll fall in love with the dreamy Bobby and his efforts to help others connect, and find his own true love, albeit circuitously. If you appreciate reading about characters that are real, dealing with issues of missteps that need to be corrected and of body image and self-acceptance, while being fanciful and hopeful, then Paul Coccia's Recommended Reading is recommended for you. Paul Coccia, whose earlier books include I Got You Babe, Leon Levels Up, On the Line (co-written with Eric Walters) and The Player, gives us teens who are authentic in their feelings, whether it be their fears or loves, relationships or insecurities. These teens haven't got it all figured out, yet, but they are looking for ways to understand themselves and how they fit in with others. There are no easy fixes–are there any in life for anyone?–but they're trying. Bobby is looking for love and to have a positive impact on his community. He makes mistakes but he connects with people, whether through his book recommendations or through his sensitivity. And he does so with personality–and lots of book and movie references–and an awesome fashion sense.

 

Bobby may be the Book Whisperer but he's also the guy you want to have in your corner to cheer you on, help you find love, and to appreciate yourself. And with Recommended Reading, Paul Coccia gives readers the opportunity to fall in love with Bobby.

Leon Levels Up: Q & A with author Paul Coccia

Leon Levels Up 

 (Orca Currents)

Written by Paul Coccia
Orca Book Publishers
978-1-459837355
112 pp.
Ages 9-12
RL 2.3
February 2024

Reviewed here

 

On Feburary 16, 2024, I reviewed Paul Coccia's latest novel, a hi-lo middle grade story titled Leon Levels Up. With the official launch coming soon, Paul Coccia graciously agreed to a Q & A with me about the book. This is that interview.

 

 • • • • • • •

 

Author Paul Coccia

Helen Kubiw:  Leon Levels Up is definitely a story embedded in gaming. Why choose this is as a vehicle for your plot?

Paul Coccia:  There were the inspirations of my nephew and friend to whom I dedicated the book. My friend got a rather expensive virtual reality gaming system during the pandemic (when the book idea was conceived) and I realized that during isolation, the online world and gaming allowed a lot of people to connect virtually when we couldn’t in-person. My nephew loves video games and it seemed like a story premise that would appeal to kids.
     This next reason will sound writerly in some ways, but I was thinking about the child main character and their agency. When I thought of my chubby, non-athletic Leon who (like me) is not very good at sports, I also thought about where he would feel empowered. The virtual world provided the opportunity for Leon to feel strong and do things he’d never be able to do in the real world. Thinking about why a person would gravitate to video games gave me insight into Leon’s character and how he could be an action hero.

HK:  You acknowledge help from others with the topic of gaming, but do you do any gaming or did you try gaming to understand it better?

Paul Coccia:  I’m a very casual video game player and tend toward classic big-name franchises you’d likely find on the Nintendo systems. I’ve tried and found out that the first-person perspective a lot of games (and virtual reality) use is a sure way to have my character stuck in a corner. I can’t figure it out! Give me one of those dance competition video games though and I can get that choreography down quickly though.
     I do enjoy playing video games though, especially with one of my brothers or my nephew. I find it relaxing and entertaining, but I can go long periods without missing playing them. I enjoy the interactions with them more than I do the actual games.

HK:  Though Leon Levels Up is a piece of fiction, how real is the possibility of the tech that Leon and Nico play with at Pix Grid?

Paul Coccia:  All the technology presented in the novel is already in existence.  Nanobots, for example, have existed for years. I read they were being used for medical procedures and thought that was a cool use of modern technology.
      I wanted the game to be entirely possible in terms of technology and where it is today. However, someone making a game that involves tanks of nanobots in a gel is unlikely. Besides safety, there are hygiene concerns for cleaning the tank. The big deterrent would be the cost of making it combined with very few people being able to afford it. No video game company would take this on because it would cost a fortune. Is it possible though? Absolutely! 

HK:  Do you think Nico only used Leon so that he could get Gabs to let him play Dragon Hunt? Or do you think he saw something beyond what Leon could do for him?

Paul Coccia:  This question is very insightful. Nico is a character who thinks a lot of himself. When he invited Leon to play Dragon Hunt, Nico honestly felt the only person who had the skills worthy of playing with the great Nico was Leon. Nico wanted someone on his level of gaming. Leon was the only one who could possibly match or rival Nico’s skill in Nico’s eyes. This made Leon a worthy opponent/co-gamer. I don’t think readers would be surprised I think of Nico with this level of hubris.

HK:  Too many people see themselves only in terms of others, as does Leon. So, it’s not surprising that someone like Leon sees himself as “low level” when he compares himself to someone like Nico. What would you say to teens who only see themselves in terms of others? And would this be the same thing you would tell your teen self now?

Paul Coccia:  I think comparison is natural as is wanting and liking external validation, although it is not always fruitful. If all we look for is external validation, we will always be looking for an outside source for it. Internal validation, while it can be a difficult process, is a better investment for emotional energy. You can and should also consider if the person’s opinion you value is worth valuing and why.
     For my younger self, I would advise the sooner I stopped focusing on what people who don’t matter in my life thought I should do, I’d free up a lot of time and energy. With those, I can not only do things fulfilling to me, but appreciate, admire, and celebrate others without the negative effects of comparison. I can only be the best me; I can’t be the best someone else.


HK:   The hi-lo genre (high interest, low vocabulary) like that of the Orca Currents series is a popular one for older readers who may be challenged by reading. What are the challenges for you as an author to write a hi-lo novel?

Paul Coccia:  I find the length of hi-los the most challenging aspect. I find it easiest naturally to work in longer novel form. Things like word choice, sentence length, or complexity of the plot can be challenges, but they’re also incredibly rewarding when you know you’re hitting the mark. I find certain elements that make successful hi-lo books (e.g. dialogue tags like “he said”) are used more and can sound a bit clunky when writing or reading, but they are important for the hi-lo reader. Using a dependent clause as a sentence is another that technically is incorrect writing, but a hi-lo writer needs to break the rules for their readers’ success.

HK:  Leon Levels Up is a true coming-of-age story as Leon recognizes worth outside of materialism and popularity, becoming more grounded in realism as he immerses himself in the unreal. How hard is it to write a coming-of-age story in which a character must progress or develop in such a big way but in fewer pages than other novels?

Paul Coccia:  I’m a character-driven writer. It’s all about the character with me so length affecting character arc wasn’t as bad as the action was. Because Leon is running for his life quite literally a big chunk of the book, it became harder to build in situations where the character could stop and reflect. He’s too busy reacting physically to stop and have complex emotions beyond fear. In editing, I went back through to find where those moments could exist and build them out to help the reader get into Leon’s mind and understand his inferiority.
     One element of Leon that was very enjoyable to write was his age. Leon isn’t so young he is unaware of the world around him. He also isn’t too old to hide his vulnerabilities or emotions. Leon had a sweetness and sincerity to him I particularly liked writing.
 

 

HK:  I know you have a picture book coming out, and have written middle grade, young adult, and a short story as part of an anthology. Which genre was the most satisfying to write and which was the most difficult to write?

Paul Coccia:  One of the nice things about switching genres or audiences is getting to flex writing muscles I don’t always use like with articles or personal essays I’ve written for adults or the short story in Acorn Press’ The Annethology. Each project has helped me learn and deepen my respect for literature, particularly children’s literature.

     I’ve gotten a lot of satisfaction from each stab at a genre but know that my comfort zone is young adult novels.

     Picture books are a whole new challenge. They are hard! Writing them does not come easily to me. I have such admiration for picture book authors and illustrators who make it look easy. You need to be concise, choose few and just the right words, and still craft great stories and characters. They’re very rewarding, but less words do not equal less skill required. I think the opposite may be true.

 

• • • • • • •

Many thanks to Paul Coccia for being open to a Q & A, for taking the time to answer my questions, and for giving me a different perspective on a fabulous book which I had already enjoyed. Now I have more to think about, particularly, "I can only be the best me; I can’t be the best someone else." These are words to live by.

• • • • • • •

 

Great news: there's a book launch coming! 

Join Paul Coccia 

 

at

A Different Drummer Books

513 Locust Street

Burlington, Ontario

on

 

Saturday, April 6, 2024

1 PM (local time)

It's a great opportunity to pick up a signed copy of Leon Levels Up, meet Paul Coccia, and learn more about his book. 

Hope to see you there!

Leon Levels Up (Orca Currents)

Written by Paul Coccia

Orca Book Publishers

978-1-459837355

112 pp.

Ages 9-12

RL 2.3

February 2024

 

Twelve-year-old Leon Garcia considers himself a low-level kid gamer. He's not low-level because of his game playing but because of who he is. All he sees is that he's chubby, his mom cuts his hair, he wears his cousin's hand-me-downs, and he uses outdated tech. So, when his classmate Nico Saito, son of the founder of video-game developer Pix Grid, approaches him and invites him to game together on the weekend, Leon is surprised, pleased, and nervous. Leon figures this could be his chance to level up his life, or at least his coolness.

 

But a day of gaming is not just hanging out at Nico's house. Instead, Nico takes Leon to Pix Grid where they meet up with Gabs Lucas in the lab to play a next-level virtual-reality game which is so immersive the two boys suit up in full-body tracking outfits before being dropped into tanks filled with nanobots. Though Leon's thrilled with how strong and tall and skilled he is as an elf archer, Gabs tells him she's lost the connection with Nico who may have damaged his helmet when he plunged headfirst into the tank. And with the nanobots programmed to fill every available space, there's the danger of hurting Nico.  The only way to get them out safely is for Leon to complete the mission of saving the kidnapped Prince SpearMint from the dragon Lord Tachi. Oh, and before the timer runs out.

Leon Levels Up has all the excitement of a video game adventure in which Leon evades and fights a dragon, an old hag, and some ogres, while figuring out clues and strategy to rescue Prince SpearMint. As with many quests, the learning is in the doing, and Leon is plunged into this VR game with its life-or-death outcome with only his wits and character. He might have hoped that gaming with Nico would level up his game, but his cleverness and perseverance demonstrate he's already top drawer. 

Author Paul Coccia, whose other books include I Got You Babe, The Player, and On the Line with Eric Walters, often gives voice to young people who question who they are and whether they are good enough, and that's many tweens and teens. (It's also most adults.) Except for the narcissistic and the very confident, we compare ourselves to others and whether we pass muster. When faced with the good-looking and rich Nico Saito, Leon turns to look within and take stock. He ruminates about how he will be seen and judged, while judging himself. Only when he's in the "Dragon Hunt" game does he eventually set that aside, first appreciating his new persona and skills but ultimately recognizing that it was him, low-level Leon, who won the game. Paul Coccia takes us for a wild ride in Leon Levels Up, all at a lower reading level than typical for the middle grade reader, but never forgets to remind us that Leon never needed to advance to a higher level of self. For a twelve-year-old, he was already there.

I Got You Babe: Guest interview with author Paul Coccia

I Got You Babe

Written by Paul Coccia

Orca Book Publishers

978-1-459834705

120 pp.

Ages 9-13

Release February 14, 2023

Reviewed here

 

Yesterday CanLit for LittleCanadians reviewed Paul Coccia's upcoming novel, I Got You Babe. Today I present an interview conducted by student Hasini K. with author Paul Coccia. 13-year-old Hasini read I Got You Babe and prepared questions for author Paul Coccia to delve a little deeper into his new book. Paul Coccia, ever gracious, agreed to answer her questions and even visited with Hasini virtually to chat about the book. 

Here is their Q & A.

 

Author Paul Coccia

 • • • • • • •




Hasini:  In the novel, Mac and Amy propose to change the annual Fun Fair into a Pride Carnival theme. Their idea is welcomed and the committee supports the change.  What would you say to your LGBTQ+ readers if they find themselves in a less than supportive environment?



 

Paul Coccia:  My first concern would always be whether a reader is in harm’s way. I wouldn’t want to see someone in physical or emotional trouble due to advocating for something they believe in nor would I want them in an environment that is damaging to their well-being. That aside, I would advise trying to open a dialogue. Be forthcoming about how you see the issue and try to understand why someone may object. The opposition may be something practical like budget constraints as in I Got You Babe. If the environment or people can’t or won’t be supportive, then I would suggest finding spaces and people that can. Too often, we give too much time and space to negative people or situations and, if possible, actively choosing positive things and giving them time in your life is a healthy move.

Hasini:  I really appreciated Mac’s desire for scheduling and organizing all the tasks needed for the Pride Carnival Fun Fair.  Would you say that this represents you or how might you be different?


 

Paul Coccia:  I do enjoy planning and organization and am impressed by someone who can pull off a big event and make it seem effortless. Where I differ from Mac is, as a writer, sometimes it’s a lot more satisfying to plan something in my mind than it is to actually do the work to get it going in reality. When I’m writing (or reading for that matter), there are more possibilities. In my mind, I throw these really elaborate parties with the best food and all my friends get to come. I plan them, but I might need an Amy in my life to push me to get it done.

 

Hasini:  When brainstorming for the Fun Fair, Mac had a lot of great ideas for the Pride Carnival theme.  Naturally, he was disappointed when the committee told him too many were unrealistic and they didn’t have the budget for all of it.  What would you say to kids who have to deal with disappointment?


 

Paul Coccia:  Disappointment, unfortunately, is something we all deal with. Authors and illustrators will tell you, we get these fantastic ideas, and sometimes they don’t end up turning into books. At least not easily. A lot of times, it is due to factors entirely out of our control. I started trying to get published at 17. It took me a couple of decades to get one of my great ideas turned into my first book. Being patient and waiting for a moment to arrive is incredibly frustrating and disheartening. Sharon Jennings’ Unravel is a great example of a book that took her over a decade to get published and it became a Governor General’s Award Finalist. So, don’t give up. Your best ideas will find their time and place if they’re important to you.

 

 

Hasini:  Mac and Amy have a very strong friendship.  How might this friendship inspire the readers of your book?  Also, do you have a friendship that inspired these characters?


 

Paul Coccia:  The backstory! Mac and Amy were inspired by my younger brother and his friend. They met before kindergarten and have remained close since. In eighth grade, they put on a Sonny and Cher routine for the school talent show where she was Sonny and he was Cher.

I hope one takeaway is that in a friendship, there can be room for two divas with lots of mutual respect. That can mean taking time to listen to someone and hear what they want and need not just try to pull them into orbit around you no matter how fabulous you are.

 

 

Hasini:  I noticed that pronouns weren’t used for Mac for the first 50 pages of the book.  Was there a specific reason you delayed using the pronoun ‘he’?


 

Paul Coccia:  I wish I had been clever enough to notice! I would have removed the rest of the masculine pronouns and left the decision on pronouns up to the reader. Readers are already active participants in books so I’d be happy to let them decide. Alas, I was not that smart. From a craft perspective, the story is told from the first-person point of view and Mac usually refers to himself as ‘I’ or ‘me’ while others call him by name or ‘you.

 

 

Hasini:  I love that the name Chandra was used in your book.  I am not used to seeing my culture represented in books.  Was there a reason for the name choices of your characters?  


 

Paul Coccia:  I, and so many authors and illustrators I know, intentionally try to be inclusive when we create stories. Part of that means finding ways and places for all sorts of characters to exist in the worlds we write. First and last names are an understated tool for any writer as they have the benefit of characterizing quickly and efficiently by hinting at cultural heritage. Amy’s and Mrs. Khatri’s surnames did this too. That aside, Chandra is a beautiful name. There is a goldmine of names that are not used enough that authors can look up. When I am trying to include a character that has a specific heritage or background, I look up the most popular baby names or surnames in the country the character’s family would have originated from for the year I imagine the character was born.

 

 

Hasini:  Mac is insistent on representing a strong woman in the Pride Carnival Talent Show.  Why did you choose for him to want this?  How might you have participated in the show if you were one of the characters?


 

Paul Coccia:  Personally, I was so lucky to grow up in a house with many strong women so I tend to bring that into my writing whenever I can. I also really, really love Cher. She is the Goddess of Pop!

The LGBTQ+ community, in particular gay men, has looked toward strong and often transgressive people, notably women, as icons. Often, these women are such strong allies to the Queer Community. When I think of Mac, he really does have a strong sense of who he is and that, like many icons, he’s ahead of his time. He would naturally identify with a larger-than-life celebrity like Cher who has remained relevant for decades throughout her career. 

 

As for a talent show routine, I lean more toward visual art or culinary arts. If I could bake on stage, I’d have a decent shot at winning something. I can’t sing or dance though, not that that stopped Mac.

 

Hasini:  It is mentioned briefly in the story that Mac deals with bullies in the school. What would you say to kids reading the book who are dealing with bullying?


 

Paul Coccia:  If you’re being bullied, seek help. This could mean finding an adult or authority figure to intervene or seeking professional help. This may be hard to do as I’ve found an element of shame and self-doubt accompanies being bullied. Finding a way to stop the bullying and healing from it is important.

If you are a bully, I would strongly suggest you reflect and consider if this is the person you want to be. Perhaps you didn’t intend what happened. Then you should apologize and make amends. If you did intend to hurt someone, I wonder if this is a moment to be proud of. We all make mistakes and our actions have the effect of bringing us closer to a version of ourselves we’re proud for the world to see or farther away.

 

Hasini:  In the book, Mac’s mom makes some creative meals like kimchi hot dogs.  I see on Twitter that you are quite the baker.  Did you have creative meals at home growing up that influenced you and your character, Mac?

 

Paul Coccia:  We are an adventurous family for eating and cooking. I think having parents and grandmothers from different backgrounds in the house helped, as well as growing up in an area of Toronto different from our backgrounds. My family loves trying different foods from around the globe, whether we cook it or it is takeout. Our most inventive and peculiar dishes always come out of repurposing leftovers.  Thanksgiving dinner does really well with a Tex-Mex influence. Spaghetti makes a non-traditional but surprisingly satisfying pad Thai. It’s fun and a challenge to see how we can switch up a dish and turn it into something new. Similarly, in my first novel, Cub, the main character is particularly interested in fusion when he cooks. Food culture is one more place to literally feed my curiosity.

 • • • • • • •

 

Many thanks to both Hasini K. and author Paul Coccia for this interview. Hasini asked wonderfully in-depth questions about the writing and story of I Got You Babe and Paul Coccia gave us great insight into his process and motivation.  I'm so pleased to share their interview with CanLit for LittleCanadians readers.

Graphic from Orca Book Publishers

I Got You Babe (Orca Currents)

Written by Paul Coccia

Orca Book Publishers

978-1-459834705

120 pp.

Ages 9-13

RL 2.1

February 2023

 

Twelve-year-old Mac Riley has lots of ideas. He has lots of big ideas. His ideas are so big that they are almost overwhelming. In fact, his ideas may be just a little too big especially if he can't see that they may be jeopardizing some of his relationships.

 

When Charles Middle School's parent association, headed by Mac's dad, meet to discuss their annual fundraising Fun Fair, students which include Mac and best friend Amy are invited to attend. Mac, with Amy's tech assistance, suggests that they redo their boring Fun Fair with a Pride-themed event that is fresh and inclusive. Mac, who loves a bit of flash, from his clothing to his attitude, suggests everything from a rainbow-striped bouncy castle, a dunk tank and multicoloured cotton candy, to fireworks and a talent show with the winner crowned "Sparkling Crown of the Carnival." Though the committee recognizes that it might be too expensive to have it all and that there might be some pushback, they decide to go ahead. 

But Mac goes a little overboard with his plans, convinced he has something to prove.

"I wasn’t sure they were going to go for the carnival idea. Now that they have, it’s like I’ve got something to prove. It has to be great. It has to make money. People have got to like it. It needs to be epic.” (pg. 19)

Though Amy reminds him that the carnival isn't about him, Mac just steamrolls ahead with his plans, including planning on him and Amy winning the lip sync contest by depicting Cher and Sonny respectively. Amy tries to tell him that she's apprehensive of dressing like Sonny while Mac gets to dress in drag, but he just demands they rehearse daily and that she tries harder. 

Mac might be following the "go big or go home" precept but he doesn't realize that he's acting like the carnival is all about him. He may want to emulate the strong woman that Cher is but, instead of focusing on her iconic nature, he's acting like a diva. Will the Pride Carnival be the inclusive success Mac envisions or is he putting his relationships in jeopardy, and about to suffer the same fate as the famous duo, just to prove something?

If you don't know Sonny and Cher's song "I Got You Babe," take a listen to any version, video or audio, of Sonny Bono's song. It's catchy and heartening and will remind you that support doesn't require anything but being there. The song may be about a romantic relationship, but Paul Coccia's story goes beyond that singular type of relationship. I Got You Babe tells us that whether it's a friendship or a parent-child relationship or even self-love, support with understanding for strengths and flaws helps us through. Mac is imperfect–aren't we all?–but he learns from his mistakes and he does so  because there are those that support him, like his friend Amy and his father and his mother. With that kind of support, anything is possible: growth, love, and even winning a talent show.  And Paul Coccia makes us realize that it's all possible. This hi-lo (high interest, low vocabulary) story may be written at an easier reading level for middle-grade readers but its story is accessible to everyone. Paul Coccia writes a story about kids that are thinking outside the box and wanting to do interesting things. But what they get, in addition to a great school fundraising event, is learning that others have their back and that's something we all need to know.

• • • • • • •

 

Image from Orca Book Publishers

We're going to help get the hype going for this new novel that comes out February 14, 2023. Along with  this review, I'll be posting an interview with author Paul Coccia tomorrow with student Hasini. And here is the book trailer for I Got You Babe from Orca Book Publishers.

I GOT YOU BABE Trailer

Uploaded by Orca Book Publishers on January 23, 2023 to YouTube.

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.

The Player

Written by Paul Coccia

Lorimer

978-1-4594-1576-8

181 pp.

Ages 14+ (RL 2.0)

March 2021

Cooper knows he's gay. He was out to his old hockey team and even had a boyfriend on the team but, since it folded and his boyfriend moved away, Cooper is now back to keeping  this sexual orientation a secret to his new team, the Great Blues. So when his teammate Pesh makes a move on Cooper in their hotel room at an away game, he's pleased. But Pesh is an enigma to Cooper. The teen, the son of British Sri Lankan parents who aren't behind his hockey dreams of becoming the team's centre and captain on his path to going pro, is also going out with Bobbi, a girl who wants to go into sports PR and handles Pesh's social media and brand. 

 

Pesh likes flirting with Cooper and making out with him on away games but also starts wanting to fool around before games, convinced it improves their game. But, regardless of this "secret pre-game action" (pg. 110), Pesh is always one of the guys, leading the locker room chatter about girls, while driving his team with practices and high-handedness to ensure he'll look good to the scouts. Meanwhile Cooper can't resolve Pesh's egotism and expectations with the excitement of being in a relationship, albeit a secret one.

While Bobbi takes on helping Cooper with his image, having figured out that he is gay and determined to help him come out in a sport with little practice in being inclusive, Cooper works to keep his relationship with Pesh a secret from her, not wanting to hurt his new friend or jeopardize his position on the team or with Pesh.  But secrets are a dangerous currency and Cooper has to balance what he wants, what he feels and what he knows is right if he's to survive the evolving hockey drama.

 

Because The Player is part of Lorimer's SideStreets hi-lo series, addressing mature teen issues and written with text to engage the reluctant or less experienced reader, Paul Coccia helps all teens hear the voices of young men who are gay, or bicurious, or something else. As he did in his earlier book Cub (2019) and now in The Player, Paul Coccia makes sure that we see relationships like between Cooper and Pesh for what they are: young love, intoxicating and fulfilling, born of attraction and common interests. But as in any relationship, things can go wrong when the individuals have different expectations about exclusivity, openness and needs. The fact that Cooper is gay and Pesh bicurious or perhaps bi is irrelevant. What is important is what Cooper thinks and feels, because The Player is told in his voice. It's through him that we experience Pesh's actions and his own discomfort with Pesh's less-than-straightforward approach to their relationship and that with Bobbi. But, as in any relationship, it's being yourself first and foremost that gives you the strength to be able to give to another. By standing up for himself and what he needs, not only trying to be something for someone else, Cooper opens himself up to greater things in hockey and love.