The Land Speaks

Written and illustrated by Jadyn Williams

Kegedonce Press 

978-1928120575

30 pp.

Ages 4–6

Releases October 24, 2026 

 

A walk with her Mosôm is more than a hike for this child. It is a spiritual bonding with an elder, with the land and the sky and the animals that will take her through the seasons and through her life. 

Illustration by Jadyn Williams from The Land Speaks, written by Jadyn Williams

At the beginning of each season, a child joins her Grandpa by visiting a special place next to a pond which is surrounded by trees. There he greets the land, including in Cree, and all its plants and animals and recognizes all that the land provides. By speaking to the land, he teaches her, they would show gratitude and respect. In contemplation, they listen, they see, they smell, and they feel. It is a spiritual mindfulness linked to the land.

When summer comes, together they greet the land and different animals and plants, continuing to show gratitude, just as they do in the fall.

Illustration by Jadyn Williams from The Land Speaks, written by Jadyn Williams

But when winter comes, she walks alone to their spot, along the winding trail. Still, she remembers what he taught, knowing that Mosôm is still with her. He is in the ground, in the trees, in the animals, and in the moon and the stars.

Illustration by Jadyn Williams from The Land Speaks, written by Jadyn Williams

Jadyn Williams, an author-illustrator of Cree and settler mixed ancestry, shows her appreciation and gratitude for the teachings of her own Mosôm with The Land Speaks. It is a story of remembrance and respect, of identity and of culture. And, most of all, it is a story of family.

The most precious gift the land shares with us is that it is our relative. Our ancestors speak to us through it, reminding us they are always near. (pg. 24)

Jadyn Williams embeds that recognition in her art as well as in her words. Her words are warm with tribute and attention to what she has learned, to what Mosôm says, and to the land. When the land speaks, she listens. And her digital art, which has a folk-art appeal, emphasizes the bold colours and the personal connection between child and elder and between people and the land. By taking the reader to the same location through the seasons, both with the child's Mosôm and without, Jadyn Williams takes us on a temporal journey, one of connection and of mindfulness. This child may use that which her Mosôm taught her to help deal with loss, but it also demonstrates blessing that he shared with her.

 

This is my first review of a title from Kegedonce Press. Kegedonce is an Indigenous-owned and operated publishing house based at Neyaashiinigmiing on the traditional territory of the Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation. I was delighted by the powerful storytelling in words and art of The Land Speaks. If this what we can expect from this publisher as well as this author-illustrator, I see more reviews of their books on this blog.

The Girl Who Loves Trees

Written by Nancy Cooper

Illustrated by Hawlii Pichette

Owlkids Books

978-1-77147-673-7

32 pp.

Ages 5–8

September 2026 

 

A visit to her grandfather on the reserve becomes a special time of traditional teachings and ecological learning for a young girl in Nancy Cooper's second picture book, this time illustrated by Hawlii Pichette. 

Illustration by Hawlii Pichette from The Girl Who Loves Trees, written by Nancy Cooper

Their day begins with an offering of tobacco and a prayer of gratitude to the Creator. When they make plans for the day, including collecting an offering of cedar for a community feast, the child has questions about the trees. Loving everything about trees, from their leaves to their bark and their branches, the child wants to ensure the trees will not be hurt.

"...will show the Tree Spirit and the Creator that we are thankful for the gifts the cedar brings us and that we recognize the sacred relationship and responsibilities we have for one another." (pg. 13)

Illustration by Hawlii Pichette from The Girl Who Loves Trees, written by Nancy Cooper

As  they walk a trail deep in the forest, Grampa shares his knowledge of the traditional uses of pine needles, of birch bark, of hemlock, and more. His granddaughter shows rapt attention for his teaching, learning family history while asking many questions. She is respectful and observant and understands more beyond just what she sees.

The Girl Who Loves Trees is a story of a special intergenerational relationship because it is based in an Indigenous culture and with an ecological basis. Though her debut picture book Biindigen! Amik Says Welcome (illustrated by Joshua Mangeshig Pawis-Steckley, Owlkids, 2023) also has a basis in the natural world, The Girl Who Loves Trees speaks more to the traditional teachings of her grandfather—who was inspired by Albert Dumont—and their relationship with the environment, rather than lessons in character education. Here Nancy Cooper emphasizes the relationships between grandfather and granddaughter, between trees and humans, between all living things, and with their Indigenous culture. It's a story that reminds that we are all interconnected and need to be cognizant and respectful of that interconnectedness.

Illustration by Hawlii Pichette from The Girl Who Loves Trees, written by Nancy Cooper

Hawlii Pichette, whose illustrations I enjoyed in Benjamin's Thunderstorm (Melanie Florence, Kids Can Press, 2023) and Benjamin Grows a Garden (Melanie Florence, Kids Can Press, 2025), is a Mushkego Cree urban mixed-blood artist whose artwork is deeply influenced by her culture. Her artwork is bold and vivid, strongly outlined as in the Woodland tradition. But her stylized depiction of trees, both coniferous and deciduous, were most compelling. They have a dynamism that speaks to the life they have and that they give. Hawlii Pichette demonstrates this same spirit in the grass, in the waters, and in her characters.

 

As a woman who loves trees, I appreciate Nancy Cooper and Hawlii Pichette's story for the arboreal elements of the natural world which have always spoken to me. For young children, it will remind them to be observant and respectful as they discover these same wonders. They may not be fortunate enough to have a grandparent of Indigenous heritage from which to gain knowledge, but, with The Girl Who Loves Trees, they will have a literary source to help them learn more.

Owl

Written by Kara Griffin

Illustrated by K. Shawn Larson

Acorn Press

978-1-773661971

32 pp.

Ages 5-8

November 2025 

 

When a grandfather tells his grandson about a beautiful barred owl who lives in the forest nearby, the child is determined to see the bird. The grandfather explains how she hunts for food and where she lives and the sounds she makes. The two even practise calling the barred owl. But no matter how often the child looks and listens for the bird, he is disappointed. 

From Owl, written by Kara Griffin, illustrated by K. Shawn Larson

Learning that the owl is out at night when the boy is sleeping, he finally catches a glimpse of it but only a flash before it disappears. Surprisingly, the bird has seen the boy and even watched him as he sleeps. They are both intrigued with the other. 

 

When the two finally meet, it is because the barred owl has come to the child's window and the two connect in an unexpected and sweet way that the child will never forget.

From Owl, written by Kara Griffin, illustrated by K. Shawn Larson

Seeing any owl–barred, barn, great horned, screech, snowy or another–is always an amazing experience. There is a mystery to them, wrapped up in their magnificence of morphology and their behaviour. For this child, seeing a barred owl that had a connection to his grandfather would be especially prized. Kara Griffin, an author from Prince Edward Island, reminds us of the importance of our connections to the natural world. Her earlier picture books, Flitt's Call (2023)—also illustrated by K. Shawn Larson—about a bank swallow, and The Sea That Sings To Me (2023), both emphasize that powerful connection. In Owl, Kara Griffin tells the story beyond a kid wanting to see a majestic bird. It's a story that speaks to an interrelationship.

 

K. Shawn Larson, also from P.E.I., uses watercolours with an earnestness that addresses the authenticity of this story. It seems very real. I know it's astonishing to imagine an owl purposefully covering a child with a blanket but the way K. Shawn Larson paints it, and Kara Griffin tells is, it all seems very plausible. But K. Shawn Larson doesn't give up any of the whimsy of the story, including some unusual residents in her scenes along with a plethora of local flora and fauna. It's a place you want to visit and to appreciate the beauty of its scenery and the diversity of its wildlife.

From Owl, written by Kara Griffin, illustrated by K. Shawn Larson

I know that there are numerous STEM lessons that could be derived from Owl, but, if you have a little one who is enamoured with these impressive creatures, Owl will teach as well as delight and is sure to have them looking for one in a forest or in their dreams soon enough.

The One About the Blackbird

Written by Melanie Florence

Illustrated by Matt James

Tundra Books

978-1-774882665

40 pp.

Ages 4–8

October 2025 

 

I don't know which song is the one about the blackbird, but I've been humming Paul McCartney's song from the Beatles' White Album ever since I read this picture book, and I could see why it had such an impact on young Jack. This is the story of Jack and the music that imbued his family life, and the connection he made with it and his grandfather. 

From The One About the Blackbird, written by Melanie Florence, illustrated by Matt James

Jack recalls being a kid with music all around at home, whether his grandfather was playing one of his many instruments—sax, guitar, trumpet, keyboard, drums—or spinning an LP from his extensive collection. The day his grandfather agrees to teach him to play the guitar, especially his favourite song, the one about the blackbird, Jack is thrilled. But, playing the song as well as his grandfather does not come instantly.

He struck the strings wildly, almost dropping the guitar at the loud, tuneless BROOOONG that honked out of the instrument. (pg. 15)

From The One About the Blackbird, written by Melanie Florence, illustrated by Matt James

Though it is hard, Jack perseveres and can finally play the song and others. And when he is older and leaves home, Jack plays for crowds worldwide. 

 

When Jack returns home, his grandfather has forgotten how to play that favourite song and even that he'd given his old guitar to Jack. But, when Jack plays the song for him, reconnecting the two to each other and their past, his grandfather remembers it as "the one about the blackbird."

 

Earlier this week, I reviewed a book about music bridging generations, and now we have another about the power of song to connect across time. But Melanie Florence, whose earlier picture books emphasize connections between young people and their Indigenous family (e.g., Missing Nimâmâ, 2015, Stolen Words, 2017, and Kaiah's Garden, 2024), makes music the bond between a grandfather and their grandchild. First, that bond comes from the grandfather sharing his love of music with a child, and then a grown man reminding his elderly grandfather of that bond. Regardless of who was teaching about the music, the message that, "If it was easy, everyone would do it" is repeated, both encouraging and uniting. Melanie Florence helps us see that change does not mean loss, just a reconfiguration that can be just as rich as the original.

From The One About the Blackbird, written by Melanie Florence, illustrated by Matt James

Matt James, illustrator of award-winning books including I Know Here (Laurel Croza, 2010), The Northwest Passage (Stan Rogers, 2013), and When the Moon Comes (Paul Harbridge, 2017), gets deeper into that relationship with his acrylic artwork that also includes textured elements. Whether the boy is hanging out with his grandfather, struggling to hold a guitar, or showing his grandfather how to move his fingers into position, Matt James makes us feel the effort of their attachment. The emotion in their struggles and their joys jump from the page, reflected in their faces, their body language, and their actions. 

 

Like the blackbird of that song, the boy, and later young man, learned to fly. He learned to take flight in song and in life, gathering knowledge at the feet of one who knew how. And when that knowledge wanes, as happens with time and age, that grandson helps his beloved grandfather hear the song again.

Kokum, Are These Moose Tracks?: Celebrating Fall

Written by Tyna Legault Taylor

Illustrated by Michelle Dao 

HighWater Press

978-1-774921470

40 pp.

Ages 5–8

October 2025 

 

When Tyna Legault Taylor introduced Joshua in her series Joshua Learns from the Land, her focus was on traditional and seasonal practices of her Indigenous family and ancestors. In Dad, Is It Time to Gather Mint? (2025), Joshua looked forward to summer and gathering mint for his mother's mint iced tea, though there were other seasons filled with activities like fishing, foraging, and hunting. That picture book celebrated all the seasons while Kokum, Are These Moose Tracks? focuses on the fall alone with the boy spending time with his Kokum (grandmother) tracking animals. 

From Kokum, Are These Moose Tracks?, written by Tyna Legault Taylor, illustrated by Michelle Dao

Joshua and Kokum have a special intergenerational relationship. But Tyna Legault Taylor's dedication indicates that it was even more memorable as Joshua's Kokum was the author's mother, Mary (Okimawinninew) Legault. And when fall comes, Joshua is delighted to join his Kokum or Nookomis (grandmother in both Omushkegomowin [Swampy Cree language] or Anishinaabemowin [Ojibwe language] respectively) in hunting moose, all for her delicious moose meat stew.

From Kokum, Are These Moose Tracks?, written by Tyna Legault Taylor, illustrated by Michelle Dao

As the two explore forests close to streams, muskeg and lakes, they watch for tracks. Dressed safely in orange and walking quietly, the two find multiple footprints. First there are the tracks of the red fox (osawakaysho / miskowaa waagosh), then the wolf, and the black bear before the moose tracks are spotted. With each animal track found, and all identified in both Omushkegomowin (Swampy Cree language) and Anishinaabemowin (Ojibwe language), Kokum reminds Joshua of the attributes of each. There's the fox's tail that is used for balance, the wolf that runs on its toes, and the black bear that stocks up on food in the fall. 

From Kokum, Are These Moose Tracks?, written by Tyna Legault Taylor, illustrated by Michelle Dao

Finally, they spot the tracks of a moose; in fact, they spot the tracks of a cow moose and a calf. And though Kokum uses her birchbark call, the day ends without finding a bull moose. Still, there is a full fall of hunting, fishing and foraging, and ultimately they bring home a bull moose for stew and a new pair of moccasins. 

From Kokum, Are These Moose Tracks?, written by Tyna Legault Taylor, illustrated by Michelle Dao

I know that many teachers and parents will use this book for teaching Indigenous traditions and fall activities, but I think it's important to see Kokum, Are These Moose Tracks? and the series as more. There is a great story here of a charming grandmother-grandson relationship, of an outing into the natural world to learn about animals, while picking up some words of Omushkegomowin and Anishinaabemowin. Tyna Legault Taylor, a member of Attawapiskat First Nation (Kattawapiskak), gives readers a lot to think about, discuss, and appreciate.

From Kokum, Are These Moose Tracks?, written by Tyna Legault Taylor, illustrated by Michelle Dao

As she did in Dad, Is It Time to Gather Mint?: Celebrating the Seasons, illustrator Michelle Dao drops us into the natural world through her use of colour and shape, and welcomes us in joining her characters on their hike. Her blend of golden shades with some reds and greens reflect the striking character of the season outside, while her characters give us the joy of togetherness and discovery.

 

I hope we get to enjoy more seasonal visits with Joshua and his family in the Joshua Learns from the Land series. After all, I know we'd love to experience winter or spring or summer activities with the boy and his moshom or perhaps his nimâmâ, and enjoy vicariously his jaunts outdoors and his exploration of traditional Indigenous practices.

Memory Stones

Written by Kathy Kacer
Illustrated by Hayley Lowe
Second Story Press
978-1-77260-421-4
24 pp.
Ages 6–8
September 2025

Kathy Kacer, award-winning author of historical novels and non-fiction as well as picture books, often embeds her stories in the Holocaust. Being the daughter of Holocaust survivors, her stories reflect the courage and trauma of this genocide and its generational impact. In Memory Stones, her latest picture book, which is illustrated by Vancouver’s Hayley Lowe, Kathy Kacer again entwines multiple generations and shows how a child honours a special intergenerational relationship after her grandmother is gone.

From Memory Stones, written by Kathy Kacer, illustrated by Hayley Lowe

“Sophie loved her granny more than she loved stars or books or her hamster.” With this opening line, Kathy Kacer introduces readers to the meaningful ways Sophie and her grandmother spend time together: going to the ice cream parlour, swinging on swings in the park, skipping stones in the ravine, and tending to a vegetable garden. But when her grandmother dies, Sophie is dismayed to see how the flowers she takes to the cemetery wilt and fade so quickly. Her mother tells her of the tradition of laying stones on the grave as a message to the angels that the person buried there is remembered. Sophie takes that tradition and adapts it to reflect the personal attachment she had with her granny.

From Memory Stones, written by Kathy Kacer, illustrated by Hayley Lowe

For many children, the first death they may experience is that of a grandparent. If it’s a grandparent with whom they’ve had a special bond, as Sophie did with her granny, it can be especially distressing. Kathy Kacer ensures that this connection is recognized by Sophie’s mother who gives the child the opportunity to express her grief as she chooses. By guiding her while encouraging her to make it personal, Kathy Kacer has provided a template on how to help a child through their grief. While the death of a grandparent is often tied up with heartache, illustrator Hayley Lowe uses pencil, gouache and digital tools in subdued but heartfelt colours to blend the sombreness of bereavement with the memories of pleasure derived from a special relationship.

From Memory Stones, written by Kathy Kacer, illustrated by Hayley Lowe

For children who will experience a loss, Memory Stones will reassure them that they can be empowered to make personal choices that may offer comfort and even uplift, whether with the placement of memory stones or with reminiscing about cherished moments.

Our Ancestors' Kitchen

Written by Willie Poll

Illustrated by Shaikara David 

Annick Press

978-1-77321-962-2

36 pp.

Ages 4-7

April 2025 

 

Our ancestors teach us that there are memories in our meals.

There is magic in our cooking.

There is culture in our food.

 

So begins Willie Poll's story of a child learning at the stove of her grandma. With each dish comes a story and an invitation to witness how their ancestors lived and her own memories of her Grandpa and her community.

From Our Ancestors' Kitchen, written by Willie Poll, illustrated by Shaikara David

First they cook the minoomin (wild rice) and the girl begins to see a different scene within the kitchen. She can smell the water in which the wild rice grows, and she can hear the frogs, and see her ancestors on the water harvesting the rice. 

From Our Ancestors' Kitchen, written by Willie Poll, illustrated by Shaikara David

Next, Grandma is cooking meat, and the child sees the kitchen transformed with the colours of fall and animals stocking food for winter, and she remembers hunting with her Grandpa. That meat brings memories of finding mooz (moose) with their moose calls, and the tradition of giving thanks with prayer and asemaa (tobacco) after the mooz's "spirit danced into the sky." As important is the sharing of the meat with their Elders so that they might also care for their community. Their cooking together continues with maple syrup (zhiiwaagamizigan) and sunchokes (ashkibwaa) and blueberries, each bringing memories of time with her Grandpa and with the lives of their ancestors. And when the family and friends gather to eat, their ancestors join them.

From Our Ancestors' Kitchen, written by Willie Poll, illustrated by Shaikara David

Willie Poll, a Métis writer from Sault Ste. Marie and now of Prince Edward Island, reminds us of the importance of food to culture and to connecting us with those who came before us. Whether we learned to cook the foods from their hands or how to harvest the ingredients from age-old practices, those culinary experiences are almost bred in the bone. And when connected to our ancestors, the experiences are almost spiritual, as this child recognizes in the richness of the memories and the awareness of her heritage. With each ingredient and dish, she is transported to places she has been and to people she may have never met. But still the sensory experiences of those foods have become a part of her, to share with others now and forever.

 

Shaikara David, an Indigenous Mohawk from Akwesáhsne, uses her double-spread illustrations to bridge the contemporary with the past seamlessly. On a single spread, the child and her grandmother cook in a modern kitchen which transitions to an outdoor setting of trees and water and include Woodland-style artwork on blue backgrounds for animals and more. (See the rabbit, fox, squirrel and birds in the illustration below.) Shaikara David creates an organic connection between the present and the past almost effortlessly but still with some whimsy like the presence of the water rising beneath the kitchen table upon which a frog sits.

From Our Ancestors' Kitchen, written by Willie Poll, illustrated by Shaikara David

Many of us know that connection with our heritage and our ancestors through food but Willie Poll and Shaikara David help us to see the one that comes through an intergenerational relationship and into a culture with which most of us are unfamiliar. Moreover, in her author's note, Willie Poll wants readers to think about Indigenous Peoples and their connection with the land, as well as other cultures and their connection to food and the land. It's a relationship that is borne from acknowledgement and appreciation, enduring generations even as things change around us.

The Warmest Blanket in the World

Written by Tamara Levine

Illustrated by Ellie Arscott

Second Story Press

978-1-77260-410-8

24 pp.

Ages 6-8

February 2025 

 

While most of us are already thinking about the warmth of spring and summer, there will be many, particularly the elderly, for whom the change of seasons will not necessarily bring that which would warm their fingers and toes. For those with poorer circulation and other health issues, particularly those associated with aging, cold feet and hands can be problematic. And young Frida wishes she could do something to help her amazing great-grandmother Ama who says she feels like she lives in a refrigerator.

From The Warmest Blanket in the World, written by Tamara Levine, illustrated by Ellie Arscott

Frida enjoys visiting her great-grandmother as much as the older woman relishes seeing the child, telling her each time, "Do you know you've made my day? You're one special kid!" Ama tells Frida stories about her life and the importance of women fighting for their rights. (Frida even attended a protest with Ama once.) They sing songs together and they snuggle under her blanket. But even that blanket doesn't keep Ama warm enough. So, Frida gets some advice from her mom, her grandmother and her aunt.

From The Warmest Blanket in the World, written by Tamara Levine, illustrated by Ellie Arscott

Frida recalls what she'd learned of muskoxen which reminds her aunt, a knitter, of a mill in Nisku, Alberta where Tanis, an Inuk woman from NWT, prepares qiviut, the wool that comes from muskoxen. This wool is said to be the warmest in the world. 

From The Warmest Blanket in the World, written by Tamara Levine, illustrated by Ellie Arscott

Frida writes Tanis and explains how much she loves her great-grandmother and how much Ama has done to make things better for girls and women. Now Frida wants to help her. The response she gets is far greater than some skeins of wool.

From The Warmest Blanket in the World, written by Tamara Levine, illustrated by Ellie Arscott

There are a lot of layers to Tamara Levine's story of The Warmest Blanket in the World. There is a sweet intergenerational relationship between Ama and Frida. There is a story of activism and doing good and supporting the rights of others, particularly women and girls. There is also a story of compassion and sharing. And there's the story of the muskoxen and how the Inuit have spun the wool of these Arctic animals into yarn and clothing. That's a lot of stories, and Ottawa's Tamara Levine weaves them all together in a story of family. This is more than a story of a blanket. It's about who needs what, who can help, and why we should help. 

Ellie Arscott, who illustrated the award-winning Night Walk, keeps the lightness of family and the warmth of a blanket and affection in her artwork, done in watercolour and ink. There is realism, when she depicts the muskoxen on the tundra and in the sepia images of suffragettes fighting for the right to vote. But there is a quaintness in the patterns of blankets and bed linens, in the calico cat and in the coziness of their homes. Ellie Arscott keeps it all bright and homey.

 

The Warmest Blanket in the World is a tender story of family and kindness. It's wrapped in qiviut and embedded with affection and humanity. It doesn't get any more warm-hearted than that.

Waking the Dead and Other Fun Activities

Written by Casey Lyall

Greenwillow Books (HarperCollins)

978-0-06-323987-6

288 pp.

Ages 8–13

May 2024

Bringing people back to life is an unusual service for a funeral home, but it is one my family did with great pride. (p. 1)

Twelve-year-old Kimmy Jones knows it's a privilege to have the Jones's gift of Waking those newly departed who have some unfinished business and to grant them one last wish. Her father, Nathan, now passed, had it and so does Kimmy's Grandma Bev on her father's side. In fact, Grandma Bev is training Kimmy now that the child has turned 12. Kimmy's mom Julia and her stepdad Alex know what Grandma Bev and Kimmy can do and allow them to perform Wakings at their Jones Family Funeral Home though they are cautious as Kimmy is still a trainee and everyone insists she honour the boundaries that have been placed on their gift. And though Kimmy is able to Wake, everything changes when Grandma Bev dies. 

 

When Kimmy tries to Wake Grandma Bev, knowing she had secrets still to share with Kimmy, including the recipe for her awesome cookies, all she gets is a nosebleed.

How could she let her spark move on and pretend she had no unfinished business?

She had me. (p. 57)

Worse yet, months afterwards, Kimmy is still having no success in Waking, though the power she used to feel in her chest when she was trying to Wake someone has become a "tug, tug, tug" that never leads to anything. 

When a boy around her age is found dead in the park, Kimmy is convinced that here is a soul who definitely has unfinished business i.e., revealing who murdered him. She breaks into the hospital morgue and, pushing harder than she ever has, Wakes Devon who doesn't know what happened to him. Surprisingly, Devon does not return to dead when Kimmy breaks the connection. Now Kimmy has a bigger problem: she's got a kid who is supposed to be dead but isn't and who can't go home, and she needs to figure out why he's still Awake and how did he die. 

With much humour and sharp investigative skills, Kimmy and Devon and a motley group of family and newly dead work to determine what is going on with the dead in their town of Basbridge, including Grandma Bev, and put things to right.

 

Casey Lyall, whose most recent book Gnome is Where Your Heart Is was nominated for a Silver Birch Fiction award, knows how to blend all the right elements for a comedic supernatural mystery, while making sure that readers understand how overwhelming death and grief can be. Still there is a message about life being for the living, except sometimes if you've been dead (!). Young readers on the Silver Birch Forest Kid Committee put this new book on their summer reading list of recommended Canadian titles for middle grade readers and they know great books when they read them. Waking the Dead and Other Fun Activities is a fabulous read. It has laughter and magic, mystery and life lessons about death and grief and living. 

Devon stared at the sign. "You live in a funeral home?'

"Yup."

His eyebrows crawled up his forehead. "And you bring dead people back to life?"

"I told you!" I flung a hand in the air. "It's not usually permanent!"

"Terrible business model," he muttered. (p. 108)

For many young readers, Waking the Dead and Other Fun Activities will be a can't-put-it-down read, especially once they get invested in the characters, most notably Kimmy and Devon. They'll want to know if Devon becomes a zombie, gets to go home or dies again. They'll want to know why Kimmy can't find Grandma Bev's spark to Wake her for her last few minutes or whether the gift of Waking has died for the Jones family. There is a mystery to solve–remember Devon was murdered–and some family secrets and legacy to sort out. Did I mention there was magic at hand too?

The story in Waking the Dead and Other Fun Activities is rich, like Grandma Bev's complex cookie recipe that Kimmy just can't replicate. She tries but it's just so sophisticated that you can't always figure out why and how it works so well. That's what Casey Lyall's writing is like. I don't know how she does it, but Casey Lyall has always done mysteries well (see her Howard Wallace, P. I. series) but what brings everything to life–pun intended–is the way she weaves humour and compassion into her stories. Her books, like Waking the Dead and Other Fun Activities, are complete packages that have everything to entertain, to inspire the imagination, and to subtly support middle graders who might be dealing with their own family issues, including grief. Casey Lyall may not purport to provide answers but it's more than enough that she can delight us with her clever plotting, her vibrant characters, and her ability to astonish with the supernatural that is still wholly believable.

The Sun Never Hurries

Written by Roxane Turcotte

Illustrated by Lucie Crovatto

Pajama Press

978-1-77278-307-0

40 pp.

Ages 3-7

June 2024 

 

Just like each grain of sand, every moment of your day is precious. 

Little Charlie may be of a generation that wants to eat at restaurants or drive everywhere but a day with her grandfather, Papa Jo, teaches her the value of taking the time to savour every moment and experience, making for a far richer adventure.

From The Sun Never Hurries, written by Roxane Turcotte, illus. by Lucie Crovatto

Charlie's day with Papa Jo begins with him showing her an hourglass, explaining that it helps him remember that a day is an almost infinite number of moments to enjoy and cherish. At lunchtime, instead of heading to a restaurant, Papa Jo enlists Charlie's help to peel vegetables for a delicious soup. Afterwards, instead of getting in the car and heading to the village, they stroll together through wildflowers. An excursion to an island becomes a series of small adventures: in the rowboat, on the beach, watching birds and dragonflies, and more. When the day ends and time has drained from the hourglass, there is still one more encounter with that unhurried sun to cap their day together.

From The Sun Never Hurries, written by Roxane Turcotte, illus. by Lucie Crovatto

We should all be taking the time to appreciate every moment, from cooking a meal to reaching a destination, to being fully present. Too many adults rush here and there and multitask and worry about not getting everything done. Too many children are rushing from one activity to another, expecting instant satisfaction from people, food, and experiences. There is great value in being mindful of the moment, whether with another or doing mundane tasks or feeling feelings. Roxane Turcotte gives us the encouragement to stop and enjoy the moments with Papa Jo and Charlie, and step back from anticipating what to do next, or how quickly can we do it, or how much we've accomplished. Through Papa Jo's words and examples, Charlie and young readers will relax and pause a little more, and appreciate everything the sun, the outdoors, the world has to offer.

 

Quebec's Lucie Crovatto gives us the warmth and luxury of the sun in all her illustrations. Imbued with cheerful yellows and oranges, whether in the carrots and potatoes, Charlie and Papa Jo's outfits, or the sunshine and the sunset, Lucie Crovatto makes us feel safe and content. However, her palette is not restricted to these colours because she takes readers outdoors with her characters: to walk in colourful meadows, to row over pale green waters, or to sway on an elaborate branch swing in a lush forest. No matter the setting, the art embraces and soothes, reminding us to feel and see and listen and truly experience each moment.

From The Sun Never Hurries, written by Roxane Turcotte, illus. by Lucie Crovatto

As Charlie learns throughout her day with Papa Jo and especially when it comes to sunset, the sun never hurries, and neither should we.

 

• • • • • • •

The story is also available in its original French language edition, Le sablier de Papijo (Dominique et compagnie, 2022).

Spotting Dottie (Orca Currents)

Written by Gail Anderson-Dargatz

Orca Book Publishers

978-1-4598-3483-5

112 pp.

Ages 9-12

R: 2.5

April 2024 

There's Nessie, the Loch Ness monster. There's also Chessie, the Chesapeake Bay creature,  and Champ, the lake monster of Lake Champlain. But in Gail Anderson-Dargatz's latest hi-lo novel for Orca Currents, we have Dottie, a cryptid that lives in the deepest part of Dorothy Lake. Or does she?

Charlotte believes wholeheartedly in Dottie, just as her grandmother Donna always has. Ever since Donna saw the lake monster when she was 14, as Charlotte is now, she has been interested in Dottie, collecting memorabilia and photos, interviewing prospective witnesses, and patiently watching through her spotting scope and binocs. This has earned her the moniker of Dottie Donna, and though her grandmother doesn't mind, it really bothers Charlotte's mom Anna who is not a believer in the creature.  When Anna gives Charlotte a drone with a camera for her birthday, Charlotte (a.k.a. Lottie) and Grandma and Charlotte's friend Scott witness something large, with humps rolling out the water. Convinced they have footage of Dottie, Charlotte shares it with the Dorothy Lake News website. 

That posting starts everything, from media attention, local ridicule–Charlotte becomes known as Dottie Lottie–self-doubt, and an undesirable draw of tourists and cryptid hunters to the lake. All Charlotte had wanted was to get her mother to believe Grandma in her assertion that Dottie existed. Instead, she has brought chaos and perhaps danger to her friends and family and perhaps, worse of all, to Dottie.

 

There is a natural interest in the unknown, attempting to understand the unexplainable, to prove that which has not been proven. It's wondering about things we don't know and defending those whose beliefs may be different than our own. Charlotte is a sweet granddaughter who really just wants to help her mother and grandmother get along better. The two strong women in her life are pulling Charlotte to different perspectives and Charlotte is convinced that if she can find evidence of Lottie and prove it to her mother, then everything will be alright. Unfortunately, beliefs can be entrenched and making someone believe something other than what they've always held true is a tall order. It doesn't help when there are those who ridicule you for those beliefs. But Gail Anderson-Dargatz doesn't force Charlotte or Anna or even Donna to believe something they don't. She lets them be a family who can love and accept differences and bend as needed. Spotting Dottie may lead young readers to investigate the real story of BC's cryptid–Ogopogo in Lake Okanagan–but that mystery is one that will remain while families come together, and sometimes fall apart. And Gail Anderson-Dargatz will let us watch them and learn.

Whether Nessie or Chessie or Champ are logs, mega eels or cryptids, it doesn't matter to Dottie's story. Dottie is as real as she needs to be for all the families involved. And we're going to keep her secrets safe.