The Old Man, the Boy, and the Dog: An Inuit Retelling of an Aesop's Fable

Written by Kevin Kaukuarjuk Qamaniq-Mason 

Illustrated by Vienno (Vinicius Xavier)

Inhabit Media

978-1772276411 

28 pp.

Ages 6–8

June, 2026 

 

When Aesop wrote his fable titled "The Miller, His Son, and the Donkey," he wouldn't have been writing about a northern setting such as Nunavut, the home of author Kevin Kaukuarjuk Qamaniq-Mason (though perhaps more like the home of Brazilian illustrator Vienno). By adapting one of Aesop's fables to a northern landscape, Kevin Kaukuarjuk Qamaniq-Mason is able to teach an important moral lesson in a fresh and northernly way.

Illustration by Vienno from The Old Man, the Boy, and the Dog, written by Kevin Kaukuarjuk Qamaniq-Mason

Anguti is a boy who helps his grandfather, Ittuq, raise sled dogs. When Anguti's aunt needs a dog to help her with her work, they select one of their most promising sled dogs, hitch him to a small qamutiik (sled) and head off to deliver the animal.

Illustration by Vienno from The Old Man, the Boy, and the Dog, written by Kevin Kaukuarjuk Qamaniq-Mason

But, as proud as Anguti is of this strong and clever animal, he listens to others they pass who all have something to say. First, a man building an iglu questions why the dog isn't pulling anyone on the sled. When Anguti gets on the sled, two women comment that the older grandfather shouldn't be walking while Anguti sits. So, at Anguti's urging, his grandfather gets on the qamutiik instead. Of course, someone has another opinion about the dog and how much it can pull, and Anguti gives in again. His grandfather has some wise words about not being able to please everyone—“Grandson,” said Ittuq, “when you try to please everyone, you please no one.” (pg. 13)—which is a lesson his grandson learns too late.

Illustration by Vienno from The Old Man, the Boy, and the Dog, written by Kevin Kaukuarjuk Qamaniq-Mason

As with all Aesop's Fables, Kevin Kaukuarjuk Qamaniq-Mason wraps an important message in the story. It doesn't matter whether the story is told in Ancient Greece, in Nunavut, or in Toronto, because everyone knows how common it is to have others impose their opinions on us and for us to want to please them. Often we trust others before that which we already know to be true. (Anguti knew the dog was smart and strong but continued to feel the need to prove it to others.) But, by setting the story in Nunavut, Kevin Kaukuarjuk Qamaniq-Mason speaks to those children for whom the Arctic is home and familiarizes others with its landscape and its people. 

Illustration by Vienno from The Old Man, the Boy, and the Dog, written by Kevin Kaukuarjuk Qamaniq-Mason

Illustrator Vienno (a.k.a. Vinicius Xavier) puts the reader directly into that wintery landscape of snow and cold. But, even more so, he puts us into an Indigenous community where a man uses a pana (snow knife) to build an iglu, where a girl dries fish, and where boys chip ice for drinking water. These are people who are just going about their day, and Vienno's bright art helps the reader feel part of it.

 

With a timeless lesson about trusting your own judgement and disregarding opinions that may be harmful, The Old Man, the Boy, and the Dog respects the classic while giving it new life with a northern setting, with an Indigenous community, and with a handsome dog that will captivate children.

 

Cat Shapes

Written and illustrated by Aidan Cassie

Kids Can Press

978-1-5253-1327-1

24 pp.

Ages 1–3

June 2026 

 

Aidan Cassie recognizes that cats can be very different, but she means more than just their sizes, colours, and personalities. Because cats are so curious and playful, they can also produce wonderfully eclectic shapes.

From Cat Shapes, written and illustrated by Aidan Cassie

Aidan Cassie, known for her charming picture books Sterling, Best Fork Dog Ever (2018) and Little Juniper Makes It Big (2019), seems to know cats well. She knows the curious ones who can jump in boxes and take on the shape of a square. She knows that a hungry one may want to jump into a goldfish bowl and become the shape of a circle. There's a fancy cat, a thirsty cat, a sneaky one, and a sleepy one too. And each one becomes the shape of what it enters. But Aidan Cassie knows the best shape that cats become, as do all cat lovers.

From Cat Shapes, written and illustrated by Aidan Cassie

From Cat Shapes, written and illustrated by Aidan Cassie

Many concept books—those that teach a simple concept like letters, numbers, or colours—can become formulaic. Sometimes the author has a theme and wants the concept to fit into that theme. But Aidan Cassie does not do this. Cat Shapes is more than a book about shapes. Children will learn the basic shapes of square, circle, triangle, oval, rectangle, diamond, and more, but, because it's all based on the silly behaviours of cats, Cat Shapes does more than teach a concept. It delights with its authenticity and humour, speaking to cat lovers young and old. 

From Cat Shapes, written and illustrated by Aidan Cassie

Aidan Cassie's previous books have shown us the breadth of her illustrative style, but she's matched her digital artwork perfect to a concept book for very young children. There are just enough details to set the scene, whether it's a hungry cat eyeing a goldfish or one hiding in a drawer, so that little ones know what's going on. Even if they don't have cats, young readers will be able to look for the shapes in familiar settings and start to understand why cats do what they do. Cat Shapes may be about identifying common shapes but it's also a quick lesson in cat behaviour.

 

I wonder if the six distinct cats in Aidan Cassie's book are the same six that she names in her dedication because they are so unique. If so, I suspect she's seen a lot of adorable cat action over the years. With Cat Shapes, those cats can now add educators and shape-masters to their accomplishments. Of course, I always knew cats were clever. Cat Shapes just proves it.

Built Like a Bug: How Insects Inspire Everyday Inventions

Written by Anjali Joshi

Illustrated by Kathleen Ng

Annick Press

978-1-834020310

128 pp.

Ages 8–12

March 2026 

 

The natural world has always astounded. From within its plant and animal species, its landforms, its waters, and environmental factors like weather come examples for processes that work for adaptation, communication, farming, and more. In Built Like a Bug, Anjali Joshi, a science educator, focuses on insects and reveals all the ways they inspire important inventions and developments.

From Built Like a Bug: How Insects Inspire Everyday Inventions, written by Anjali Joshi, illustrated by Kathleen Ng

The table of contents to Built Like a Bug demonstrates the complexity of the book's content. It looks at mosquitoes and cockroaches, spiders and leafhoppers, termites and fireflies, ants, hawk moths, dung beetles, and bees and dragonflies. The assortment of insects is only matched by the contributions they have made to innovative research and development.

From Built Like a Bug: How Insects Inspire Everyday Inventions, written by Anjali Joshi, illustrated by Kathleen Ng

In addition to providing basic scientific information like common and scientific names, life and size, Anjali Joshi highlights key features of their behaviour that should be noted. For example, information on how the mosquito effectively jabs an animal and prevents clotting is being used by researchers to reduce pain from needles and to develop synthetic anti-coagulants.

From Built Like a Bug: How Insects Inspire Everyday Inventions, written by Anjali Joshi, illustrated by Kathleen Ng

Silk from spiders is inspiring researchers to develop sutures for stitches, to deliver medicines, to create bullet-proof materials, and to investigate it as a building material.

From Built Like a Bug: How Insects Inspire Everyday Inventions, written by Anjali Joshi, illustrated by Kathleen Ng

Insects are models for farming, for electricity, for flight, for navigation, for medicine, and so much more. They can inform us about engineering and building robots, as well as about energy efficiency and dealing with trash. There is so much information in Built Like a Bug that any reader—or teacher—will be able to get both a broad overview of how insects inspire innovation and the finer points about insects themselves and the research and development they generate. Regardless of the complexity of information, Built Like a Bug is organized so well that it is a pleasure to delve into the material. Tidbits of interesting facts are posted in info boxes called "Bug Bites" and the illustrations by Toronto-based artist Kathleen Ng give colour and details to strengthen the information and to keep the text from becoming overwhelming. Her digital art is specific enough to help convey key information, but it is not so detailed that a middle grade reader would get bored.

From Built Like a Bug: How Insects Inspire Everyday Inventions, written by Anjali Joshi, illustrated by Kathleen Ng

I know kids will enjoy this book, especially those interested in STEM activities, but teachers will adore it. Not only is it a prime example of a non-fiction book for middle-grade readers, offering opportunities for learning and creativity, teachers will appreciate the variety of features, from the glossary, full index, and references to the numerous experiments and activities. Built Like a Bug will give young readers lots to think about and to do, perhaps inspire them to see more within the natural world.

 

Left-Handed: Getting a Grip on Handedness

Written by Maria Birmingham

Illustrated by Catherine Chan

Owlkids Books

978-1771476201

48 pp.

Ages 8–12

January 2026 

 

While I suspect that identification as being left-handed is not the big deal that some used to make it, it is still an issue for many whose left hands are their dominant hands, particularly as they live in a world that is dominated by right-handers. For those who are left-handed and those who aren't but love learning about human behaviour, how our brains work, and what makes us unique and different, Left-Handed: Getting a Grip on Handedness offers opportunities for insight and for understanding. 

From Left-Handed: Getting a Grip on Handedness, written by Maria Birmingham, illustrated by Catherine Chan

Maria Birmingham, one of the stars of children's non-fiction (e.g., Snooze-O-Rama: The Strange Ways That Animals Sleep, 2021; Canada Wild: Animals Found Nowhere Else on Earth, 2022; When Nature Calls: The Unusual Bathroom Habits of the World's Creatures, 2024; Can We Talk?: How Humans Stay in Touch, 2025), takes a historical and scientific approach to the topic of why and how some people become lefties. Outside of her introduction and conclusion chapters, Maria Birmingham organizes her information according to the following:

• The History of Lefties
• Why is a Lefty a Lefty?
• Fact or Fiction?
• Inside Sports
• Body Talk
• Can Animals Be Lefties?
• Living in a Righty World 

After an introduction to being a lefty, including a fun quiz to help determine whether the reader is a lefty, a righty, or a bit of both—about one percent of people are ambidextrous—Maria Brimingham discusses some fascinating historic evidence of lefthandedness, like scratches on teeth and hand painting. She also writes of how lefthandedness was perceived in ancient civilizations—either as cursed or magical—through the middle ages, and into the Industrial Revolution. Readers will also learn how lefthandedness was seen in modern times, with parents and teachers forcing kids to write with their right hands.

From Left-Handed: Getting a Grip on Handedness, written by Maria Birmingham, illustrated by Catherine Chan

Beyond the history, Maria Birmingham gives readers the basics of the science of lefthandedness, from DNA to baby's development, and brain differences. There's also some discussion related to creativity, intelligence, and memory, as well as its role in sports and perhaps survival. And even though the term "lefthandedness" rests on the premise of having hands, other animals seem to show preferences too. A penultimate discussion about living in a world of righthandedness will give readers pause, particularly for righties who never consider the challenges for lefties using scissors, tech, and other tools.

From Left-Handed: Getting a Grip on Handedness, written by Maria Birmingham, illustrated by Catherine Chan

I appreciate Maria Birmingham's final note about moving away from the lefty-versus-righty idea. The issue isn't that we're different; it's the idea that one may be better than the other because of dominance. Since we're all about diversity, equity, and inclusion, maybe separating people along lines of handedness may not be appropriate. But, acknowledging those differences will help everyone be included and get what they need, and that's a good thing.

 

Left-Handed: Getting a Grip on Handedness is a terrific introduction to why some people use their left hands for writing and other functions rather than their right hands. The book is a thorough examination of the topic from history to science and sports, and even identity. With Toronto illustrator Catherine Chan's digital artwork (created on a Wacom tablet) to bring the non-fiction text to life in colour and context, Left-Handed: Getting a Grip on Handedness becomes an entertaining and informative read about the extraordinary nature of the ordinary.

The Witching Hour

Written by Jennifer Harris

Illustrated by Adelina Lirius

Tundra Books

978-1-77488-440-9

32 pp.

Ages 3-7

June, 2025 

 

For those who read fantasy or believe in the supernatural, the witching hour is that time, late at night, when entities like witches make their appearance. But for this family of witches, the witching hour is a little different: that unique hour that slips in between dinner and sleep when their littlest one is set to be put to bed. For them, this time of fussiness is as chaotic and rowdy as any time when other worldly creatures come out to play or cause mayhem. 

From The Witching Hour, written by Jennifer Harris, illustrated by Adelina Lirius

A lovely family of two witches, a small boy and a baby have just finished their meal when the chaos begins. After its bottle spills, the baby begins to cry which turns to caterwauls and then to crescendos. The little boy covers his ears, the black cat is alarmed, and the two witches start to implement an assortment of tricks to calm the baby.

From The Witching Hour, written by Jennifer Harris, illustrated by Adelina Lirius

They take turns, one rocking the child as they perch on a broom before the other takes it for a ride, bouncing on the broom like a pogo stick. The little boy takes the child in hand and does flying loop-de-loops to soothe the baby. When a wand is finally brought out, an owl from a magical parade of toys is just the thing to quieten the baby. For now, at least.

From The Witching Hour, written by Jennifer Harris, illustrated by Adelina Lirius

There are still routines to follow in that witching hour like baths and diaper changes and again the baby is having none of it. So new tricks come out. Snacks, songs, dancing, and even a bat are brought out to the crying child. The baby might not be amused but her big brother is enjoying everything from the music to the pink poodles and tries to help distract and entertain her.

From The Witching Hour, written by Jennifer Harris, illustrated by Adelina Lirius

As every parent and caregiver will know, the baby will eventually tire itself out–hopefully!–and finally, finally succumb to the exhaustion that caused such mayhem and misery.

 

Bedtime must be a special time for Jennifer Harris as her earlier book, The Keeper of Stars, highlights another getting-a-child-to-bed ritual, though with a far gentler story. But, The Witching Hour, as disquieting as it might seem, is actually a very sweet story about family coming together to help the youngest settle down. And though the strategies this family uses may be a little bit different than those your family might use–after all, very few of us have flying broomsticks and magic wands and bring bats to distract a baby–they are creative and diverse, and this family is willing to try anything. Surprisingly, Jennifer Harris never makes the story ridiculous or uproariously funny. She keeps it charming and familial and affectionate. Any parent or older sibling will understand and feel for this family at this witching hour.

 

Illustrations for The Witching Hour were created by Sweden's Adelina Lirius who used gouache, coloured pencils and digital application to  design a magical home of a wonderful witch family. From the spider web play pen to their hanging herbs and lush yard of fairies, frogs and flowers, Adelina Lirius has given Jennifer Harris's words a playground of colour and fascination.

From The Witching Hour, written by Jennifer Harris, illustrated by Adelina Lirius

 

Anything could happen 

in the witching hour.

 

Jennifer Harris is correct that anything can happen in the witching hour whether in a witches' home or that of a human family. But the aim of calming a baby and bridging the time between eating and sleeping is universal, though the approaches taken can be unique. Still a little magic can always help.

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.

 

ThunderBoom

Written by Jack Briglio

Illustrated by Claudia Dávila 

Kids Can Press

978-1-5253-0496-5

128 pp.

Ages 9-12

May 2023

 

Going to the Santa Claus parade is a tradition that many families enjoy, even if they might worry about safety in the huge crowds. For Logan's family, those fears are far greater because Logan is nonverbal. So when Logan dashes away to see something and gets separated from his family, it is a scary situation for all. Thankfully ThunderBoom is around to help.

From ThunderBoom by Jack Briglio, illus. by Claudia Dávila

As the family prepares for their trip into the city for the parade, it becomes evident that Logan communicates with his parents and older sister Izzy in his own way. He uses hand and body actions, and occasionally speaks the first letter of the words he wants to say, and they get him. He loves playing with his tablet and he loves trains. And he's Mister Social speaking to everyone on the train. But he also is unaware of the dangers that might befall him when he's excited. Logan might understand that he's being told to listen more carefully but that doesn't stop him from bolting from his family when he wants a closer look at the parade.

He soon realizes he's in an uncomfortable situation, faced with a group of clowns. But when faced with a stressful situation, Logan's imagination kicks in to protect him. (Illustrator Claudia Dávila demonstrates this with a white haze that appears and displays Logan's thoughts in yellow boxes.) So Logan envisions himself as ThunderBoom, a superhero who can stomp his way into protection. Still, after getting away from the monstrous clowns, he finds a new dilemma to solve: the little girl he'd met on the train has lost her teddy bear and her parents. ThunderBoom springs into action once again.

From ThunderBoom by Jack Briglio, illus. by Claudia Dávila

After several more heroic adventures, Logan is finally reunited with his family, though he does have some moments of insight that his issues with discerning who is friend or foe, and hence his consequent reactions, may be him misunderstanding situations, just like others misunderstand him.

This may not be Jack Briglio's first book, but I suspect it's his most personal, as his "Author's Note" confirms. But that also means that his character Logan is more real, and Logan's alter ego of ThunderBoom evenmore genuine. Logan, modelled after Jack Briglio's son who has Angelman syndrome, has a great many fears and finds solace in his imagined superhero ThunderBoom for protection. He has found ways to communicate with his family but his ability to connect with others is limited, especially when he's anxious about those interactions. Thankfully his cheerful disposition seems to help him make friends, and also allies, who will help him become more independent and successful when he encounters challenges, whether it's a yappy dog or getting separated from his family.

From ThunderBoom by Jack Briglio, illus. by Claudia Dávila

The message from Jack Briglio is more about Logan's ability to successfully meet those challenges in his own way, whether it's using an imagined superhero or asking for help from others. Everyone is faced with challenges, but we all need to find strategies to confront and overcome those obstacles or hardships. Logan's strategy works for him –I do wonder what really happened to those clowns and baton twirlers he fights off–though he has undoubtedly learned other skills from his family to approach his difficulties with patience and confidence. He's just a kid who is learning, and Claudia Dávila's digital illustrations–appropriately using superhero colours of yellow and red, though subdued, like Logan himself–make him as real as Jack Briglio's characterization and story.

ThunderBoom tackles a lot of important issues, not the least of which is coping with challenges. Giving Logan a voice, both in ThunderBoom the superhero and ThunderBoom the book, Jack Briglio may help other children find their own voices. Moreover, with ThunderBoom  providing us with insight into individuals with Angelman syndrome and the families that love and support them, the story is an act of courage itself, much like that shown by the superhero depicted within.

The Sorry Life of Timothy Shmoe

Written by Stephanie Simpson McLellan

Illustrated by Zoe Si

Owlkids Books

978-1-77147-393-4

32 pp.

Ages 4-8

April 2021 

 

Poor Timothy Shmoe.  He's a kid who never intends to do wrong or misbehave. In fact, according to the myriad of apologies he has to write, he always has a reason behind whatever incident has landed him in hot water again. Unfortunately, things just keep happening. (Funny, huh?)

From The Sorry Life of Timothy Shmoe by Stephanie Simpson McLellan, illus. by Zoe Si

Timothy Shmoe was not a bad kid...

But sometimes he did bad things.

From calling his father a bad name to expressing his dislike for a gift, playing hockey inside or touching other people's things, Timothy is a kid who just does things and doesn't think about the consequences. In other words, he's like many kids.

From The Sorry Life of Timothy Shmoe by Stephanie Simpson McLellan, illus. by Zoe Si

For each sorry event, Timothy is required to write a letter of apology. He often starts them with "I'm sorry that..." before going on to explain why what happened has happened. He was just trying to be honest or wanting to cool his mother down on a hot day or he woke up on the wrong side of the bed or Fluffy scratched him or...or...or. There's always something with Timothy that explains away his behaviour, or so he thinks.

From The Sorry Life of Timothy Shmoe by Stephanie Simpson McLellan, illus. by Zoe Si

But all those little episodes become a colossal comedy of errors when Timothy attends his sister's dance recital and he and his marbles end up creating an act of their own.

From The Sorry Life of Timothy Shmoe by Stephanie Simpson McLellan, illus. by Zoe Si

Parents and teachers know that impulse control in children may develop earlier (ages 3-4) but may take years to become entrenched, and Timothy is just learning to see that his actions have consequences. Like many parents, his are frazzled, trying to find the means to teach Timothy the behaviours that are less destructive or hurtful and the letter-writing may be a good start. Though he's obviously a reluctant apology writer, Timothy starts to accept that his actions are impacting others. In fact, his final letter suggests that his parents may wish he was never born because he wrecks everything. There is one more letter, this one from his dad, that expresses something very different.

I would only be sorry if you were not my son.

Stephanie Simpson McLellan, who has written a number of my favourites including The Christmas Wind (20017), takes both a light-hearted and serious tone in The Sorry Life of Timothy Shmoe. Yes, he does some silly things that older kids and adults usually recognize as potentially disastrous, but the frustrations that he and others feel are very real and even distressing. For a child to feel unwanted is sad. Thankfully Stephanie Simpson McLellan has given Timothy parents who are understanding and loving and, with their help, he's sure to grow into his self-control.

Vancouver cartoonist and illustrator Zoe Si uses ink and watercolour to play on that tenuous relationship of humour and consequence. She easily turns Timothy's initial delight in his play into frustration, embarrassment and even shame with his body language and facial expressions. We know how Timothy feels, as well as everyone in his orbit of activity. Except for the crazy dance recital where everything goes awry, Timothy is always the focus of Zoe Si's artwork, with significant white space being used to emphasize his limelight. 

 

There are laughs in The Sorry Life of Timothy Shmoe but also lessons about intention, consequences and forgiveness. Timothy Shmoe is anybody who makes mistakes and then has to face the consequences for those mistakes. That's all of us. Here's hoping none of our mistakes are ever too consequential for forgiveness.

Duck Days

Written by Sara Leach

Illustrated by Rebecca Bender

Pajama Press

978-1-77278-148-9

120 pp.

Ages 7-11

November 2020

 

Third grader Lauren who is autistic is delighted to have a real friend in Irma, a little girl who'd arrived from Sweden the year before. Still, there is still some hesitation about her first time visiting Irma at her home. A lover of routines and the predictable, Lauren is reminded by her father to "go with the flow" (pg. 10)–which she visualizes with a hand gesture that looks like waves rippling on the water–when things might not necessarily go to plan. However, though Lauren and Irma have much in common, from their interests in insects to a love of reading and Swedish meatballs, a casual statement made by Irma that her neighbour Jonas is her friend sends Lauren's mind off into a tizzy.

 

From Duck Days by Sara Leach, illus. by Rebecca Bender

Lauren utilizes her strategy of focusing on things she likes and her square breathing to stop herself from overreacting but she still politely refuses to play with Jonas, a fifth grader, when he invites them to join him in bike riding and trying out his obstacle course of ramps. 

From Duck Days by Sara Leach, illus. by Rebecca Bender

When all the Grade 3 students learn that they will be participating in a day-long mountain biking event at school, Lauren is unnerved, embarrassed that she still uses training wheels and convinced that she'll never be brave enough to go without. Fortunately with some very gentle nudging from her parents and Irma, a new strategy from Jonas to think like a duck and let words flow off of her like water, Lauren is able to expand her friendships, face her fears about riding her bike with training wheels at school and trying new things.

Author Sara Leach introduced young readers to Lauren, a young child living with Autism Spectrum Disorder, in Slug Days (2017) and Penguin Days (2018) and, with each new story we get to celebrate Lauren's successes in developing coping strategies that give her the comfort to endure typical childhood situations from school to spending time with relatives to making new friends and keeping them. Though it's evident that Lauren becomes uncomfortable with anything that detracts from her routines primarily as a result of her ASD, Sara Leach helps young readers see that anyone can use a little help when having a hard time. Most children do better with routines and the predictable and have worries about friendships and looking foolish. So while Sara Leach helps them understand some of the challenges faced by children with ASD, she also encourages them to find coping strategies, including visualization and focusing on breathing, to help get through uncomfortable or irregular circumstances.

From Duck Days by Sara Leach, illus. by Rebecca Bender

Accompanied by the charming pencil and digitally-rendered artwork of Rebecca Bender whose illustrations have graced her own picture books like Giraffe and Bird Together Again and How Do You Feel?, Duck Days will captivate early readers with both the familiarity and distinction of Lauren's circumstances and recognize that being brave is in everyone.

 

You Owe Me a Murder

Written by Eileen Cook

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

978-1-328-51902-3

359 pp.

Ages 13+

March 2019

Travel provides opportunities for new experiences, for meeting new people, and for personal growth.  But for seventeen-year-old Kim, her summer trip to London with Student Scholars for Change seems doomed from the beginning. Not only is she no longer in a relationship with Connor for whom she'd initially signed up for the trip, he is travelling with new girlfriend Miriam, and Kim has to watch it all from the sidelines of their small group of eight Vancouver high schoolers. But after meeting English girl Nicki, who challenges her to steal a bottle of duty-free vodka and lets her vent about Connor all the way to London, Kim is ready to find "a new me" (pg. 41), one that could be daring and isn't a quitter.

Being good at something doesn't mean that it isn't hard or scary–it just means that you keep moving forward when other people quit. (pg.25)

But in that vodka-infused venting session, Kim prepares a list titled "WHY I HATE CONNOR O'REILLY AND WHY HE DESERVES TO DIE" and Nicki suggests that she will kill Connor and Kim could kill Nicki's mom whose alcoholism is making her life miserable. Of course, Kim barely remembers their laughable discussion until Connor is killed in a Tube station and she gets a message that reads "You're welcome" along with the news story about his death.

Panicking, Kim doesn't know to whom she can turn. Worse still, the police begin investigating and Kim realizes her silence about her relationship with Connor is going to make her look suspicious. Worst of all, Nicki still has the incriminating document and is using it to blackmail Kim into murdering her mother.

So while sightseeing in London and relishing a budding romance, Kim tries to evade a drunken commitment to homicide, investigate the mysterious Nicki, and keep herself and others safe from a girl who purports to be owed a murder.

I would call You Owe Me a Murder a roller-coaster except that ride suggests highs and lows and twists and turns and this young adult novel has no lows. From start to finish, it's more like a high-wire act: tense, dangerous, and unrelenting. With Eileen Cook's exceptional plotting, You Owe Me a Murder becomes a magnificent melding of relationship angst with psychological thriller. It's a waiting game for the reader who is compelled to read through to learn whether Kim will go with through the murder pact or become victim to Nicki's vengeance. With characters like Kim and Nicki, and even secondary ones like Connor, Miriam and Alex, You Owe Me a Murder becomes a complex study in human behaviour as young people fall in and out of love or lust, seek revenge and fulfilment, and try to discover who they really are and what they are capable of being and doing.

Like Hitchcock's movie Strangers on a Train, Eileen Cook's You Owe Me a Murder demonstrates that meeting the right or wrong person can turn your life upside-down, and finding the way to right things may require courage and recognition that the truth hides in the details. (pg. 324)

Slug Days

Written by Sara Leach

Illustrated by Rebecca Bender

Pajama Press

978-1-77278-022-2

120 pp.

Ages 7-10

October 2017

Slug Days is told in the first-person narrative of a young girl on the Autism Spectrum Disorder. Lauren, who is probably seven or eight years of age, gives her commentary on several days at school and home, recounting both her slug days when she feels slow and slimy and people get angry with her and her occasional but glorious butterfly days, when she earns stickers in her school agenda and goes for ice cream with her mom.  Sadly, there is much that breaks Lauren’s routines and confuses her sensibilities resulting in those icky slug days: her bus driver is away, someone is sitting in her bus seat, her shoelace bows don’t match, she misses reading time, or her classmates don’t want to play with her.

From Slug Days 

by Sara Leach 

illus. by Rebecca Bender

Even though her teachers know the behaviours typical of ASD and how best to help her, Lauren doesn’t always interpret their actions as helpful, challenging them and even being convinced that they make her have slug days.  When a new girl from Sweden joins the class, Lauren comes to understand that she has the capacity to make butterfly days for herself and someone else.

From Slug Days 

by Sara Leach 

illus. by Rebecca Bender

Sara Leach makes Lauren’s voice young and blatant, focusing on what is important to the child and often ignoring what others deem priorities.  Who the girl is, is undisguised.  She needs her routines and obsesses about things that others might ignore.  She finds security in sticky messes and speaks her mind in an effort to be honest not disrespectful or challenging.  It's usually how others respond to her that gives her the most grief.  Often times she is misunderstood or challenged or ridiculed for her differences and, though she can overlook much, as a strategy to coping, she is as affected by others as most of us are, sadly leading to those slug days.

The voice is the most compelling element of Sara Leach's Slug Days, as it should be.  Here is Lauren's story, up close and personal.  Whether readers can empathize is not on Sara Leach but on the readers themselves because the author makes it clear and it is an arresting text spoken true by a child on the spectrum. Regardless, it’s evident that Lauren's life is full and complex and often wholly unpredictable.  But, with an arsenal of strategies, she will hopefully have fewer slug days and expand her days, as well as those around her, to those of butterflies.



(A version of this review was originally written for and published in Quill & Quire, as noted in the citation below.)



Kubiw, H. (2017, October). [Review of the book Slug Days by Sara Leach]. Quill & Quire, 83 (8): 26.

Princess Pistachio and Maurice the Magnificent

Written and illustrated by Marie-Louise Gay

Pajama Press

978-1-77278-021-5

52 pp.

Ages 5-8

August 2017

Dog is Princess Pistachio’s pooch and Marie-Louise Gay uses her words and pictures to make sure young readers know exactly who he is.  (I can already hear little ones shouting out, "He's just like my dog!")

From Princess Pistachio and Maurice the Magnificent 

by Marie-Louise Gay

Because Dog's days are filled with sleeping, napping and eating, Pistachio thinks he needs some adventure and excitement to prevent him from dying of boredom.  Dog thinks otherwise.

Dog grunts as he heaves himself up onto his tiny legs.  He waddles to the door.  He looks outside.  He signs, shakes his head, and waddles back to his cushion. (pg.9)

When she hides Dog in her backpack for a trip to school, Pistachio takes him out for Show and Tell but all Dog has to show is his ability to fall asleep promptly on the teacher’s desk.  The kids laugh.

When the Doggone Theater sends out a casting call for a “talented, intelligent, beautiful dog to play a starring role” (pg. 19), Pistachio is sure it’s the perfect job for Dog.  Annoyingly, her best friend Madeline scoffs at the idea.  But, amidst the amazing dog performers, Dog is selected, the perfect pick for the leading role of Sleeping Beauty.  Now with a stage name–Maurice the Magnificent–Dog has the un-boring life of a star.  But with that fame, Pistachio learns, comes a price when Maurice is dognapped.  Fortunately Pistachio finds a way to get Dog back safely and resolve a friendship that was almost lost to jealousy.

From Princess Pistachio and Maurice the Magnificent 

by Marie-Louise Gay

I'd join others in applauding Maurice the Magnificent's performance but I think we should extend those accolades to Marie-Louise Gay who can do no wrong in her storytelling or illustrating.  Her Stella and Sam books have garnered her many an award and nomination but her Princess Pistachio series (this is Book 3) takes us from the world of imaginative play into the realm of young school children trying to figure out how to get along with others.

Pistachio loves her Dog and just wants him to have a good life, and she's willing to help make that happen.  She's like a mother to him, arranging for play and opportunities and doing anything to get him back when taken.  But she's also smart enough to know when she's beat and it's evident what Dog enjoys doing most of all. And doesn't Marie-Louise Gay make him adorable!  With his patch around the eye, short tail and legs splayed out behind him when he flops down, Dog is every dog that is loved.

From Princess Pistachio and Maurice the Magnificent 

by Marie-Louise Gay

Princess Pistachio and Maurice the Magnificent is a worthy addition to this absolutely marvelously magnificent series that is ever entertaining and endearing!

Princess Pistachio (Pajama Press, 2014)

Princess Pistachio and the Pest (Pajama Press, 2015)

Princess Pistachio and Maurice the Magnificent (Pajama Press, 2017)