How to Be Brave Like a Snail

Written by Naseem Hrab

Illustrated by Kelly Collier

Owlkids Books

978-1-77147-672-0

40 pp.

Ages 4–7

October 2025 

 

Naseem Hrab's Snail has taught young readers a lot, but mostly he has taught them to appreciate the ways of the vulnerable and how to fit in with his self-confident friends. And now the little gastropod is looking to face his fears and be courageous.

From How to Be Brave Like a Snail, written by Naseem Hrab, illustrated by Kelly Collier

Snail recognizes that there are some things that demonstrate his bravery. He's not afraid of all loud noises or of taking a tour of his backyard or of lullaby karaoke. What he does have a hard time with is asking for help, making mistakes, and believing in himself. When his friends begin planning to participate in a paper airplane contest, he can't bear the thought of losing. Knowing how deeply Snail feels, his friend Stump offers to help him with making the creases and with practising. 

From How to Be Brave Like a Snail, written by Naseem Hrab, illustrated by Kelly Collier

Both Snail and Stump participate in the contest, and, though it isn't clear who won, Snail is given a ribbon for the neatest creases. He's delighted. But Stump, who gets no recognition, is overwhelmed with prickly feelings. With Snail's help and a clever paper plane idea, Stump is able to accept his feelings and dealing with them in a constructive way.

 

I've always liked the ways of Snail and Stump. They are unassuming and thoughtful. They are neither loud nor self-absorbed, insolent nor self-important. They are true friends to each other and accepting of others, even if they don't want to be like them. They are good. But being true to yourself sometimes means acknowledging your vulnerabilities and finding your own ways to cope. Both Snail and Stump have feelings that threaten to stop them from doing or feeling. So they could overcome those emotions or accept them. Through their friendship and concern for each other, they are able to accept and overcome them.

From How to Be Brave Like a Snail, written by Naseem Hrab, illustrated by Kelly Collier

This is a sensitive issue for many children, especially those who are on the quiet side and more apt to feel vulnerable compared to their stronger and more boisterous peers. They tend to be overlooked and even discount themselves. I like that Naseem Hrab, author of a wonderful collection of picture books like Ira Crumb Feel the Feelings (2018), Weekend Dad (2020), and Otis & Peanut (2023), has more than acknowledged these children. She has given them a voice to share those vulnerabilities and even a novel coping strategy to help disperse them. (The "Classroom Discussion and Activity Guide" at Owlkids Books offers more help to do so with young readers.) 

 

As with the earlier two Snail and Stump books, the illustrations were created by Kelly Collier, the author-illustrator of books like A Horse Named Steve (2017) and The Imposter (2023). All Kelly Collier's characters, from Snail and Stump to Bear, Rabbit, and Rabbit, are easily recognizable though she adds playfulness to their looks. Whether it's Snail's eyebrows, that help him show emotions, or the way Stump covers his eyes with his twig arms when he cries, Kelly Collier has made them and their emotions recognizable and natural.

 

Feelings are very big things. Whether it's fear or anger, disappointment or sadness, they can overwhelm. Dealing with those big feelings when you're little can seem impossible. But, with a quick read of How to Be Brave Like a Snail (and maybe How to Party Like a Snail [2022] and How to Staycation Like a Snail [2024]), and undertaking a creative paper plane activity, those challenging feelings can be kept in check so they don't overwhelm or sabotage the good ones.

 

 • • • • • • •

 

How to Party Like a Snail (2022)

How to Staycation Like a Snail (2024)

How to Be Brave Like a Snail (2025)

 

 • • • • • • • 

Mrs. Nobody

Written by Y. S. Lee

Illustrated by Marie Lafrance

Groundwood Books

978-1-77306-836-7

32 pp.

Ages 3-6

April 2025 

 

Who is Mrs. Nobody? Is she the nobody who draws with markers on the wall? Or the one lies about washing her hands or cutting Alice's hair? Is she the one who took something out of someone's wallet and used the paper for confetti? That's Mrs. Nobody and she's always with Alice, until she isn't. 

From Mrs. Nobody, written by Y. S. Lee, illustrated by Marie Lafrance

Mrs. Nobody is Alice's friend, and she has the best ideas, like climbing to the highest branches and playing puppy. And she sings Alice back to sleep when the child awakens in the night. Alice loves her.

 

But one day, Alice doesn't want to be the puppy anymore; she'd like to be the owner holding the leash. Mrs. Nobody isn't happy, growing larger and more menacing, her hair twirling like a twister and her lovely blue dress becoming a stormy grey before she slams out the house. 

From Mrs. Nobody, written by Y. S. Lee, illustrated by Marie Lafrance

That night, when Alice cannot sleep, she longs to hear Mrs. Nobody's voice sing to her. Instead Alice finds her own small voice and sings herself back to sleep.

 

Mrs. Nobody does return the next day, as pretty as a flower in pink, but she wants to play puppy again with, no surprise, Alice as the puppy. But that brave little voice that helped Alice get to sleep is still there and Alice tells Mrs. Nobody that she is tired of being Puppy. When Mrs. Nobody becomes enraged, howling threats at Alice that the child would never see her again, Alice stays strong and still tells Mrs. Nobody, "No." But, with grace, Alice finds a way to stand up for herself and allow Mrs. Nobody the dignity to give way to Alice's ideas.

From Mrs. Nobody, written by Y. S. Lee, illustrated by Marie Lafrance

Most children have an imaginary friend. Many offer comfort, as does Mrs. Nobody when Alice cannot sleep, and some help children partake in mischief, as does Mrs. Nobody with the antics the two get up. But young Alice is coming into her own and realizing that she is not a plaything to be dominated by Mrs. Nobody. Y. S. Lee brings Alice to this realization subtly and by purpose. Most children learn to stand up for themselves when presented with a bully and, though the outcomes will not necessarily be the same as with an imaginary friend, the act of claiming one's self worth is significant. 

 

Mrs. Nobody may not be the dark and complicated suspense of Y. S. Lee's YA historical mystery series The Agency (I reviewed The Traitor in the Tunnel and Rivals in the City) but there is a depth of discomfort that comes with being bullied and then abandoned before finding one's voice and self-confidence. In both published works, a character does not know the quality of her voice until she needs to express it, and when she does, it is to her benefit to realize her worth. Young Alice is lively and imaginative, but she is not a doormat. Soon enough she realizes she has the stuff in her to sing herself back to sleep and to come up with great ideas for play. Finding that voice is key to her happiness and an ongoing relationship with Mrs. Nobody.

From Mrs. Nobody, written by Y. S. Lee, illustrated by Marie Lafrance

Marie Lafrance gives Mrs. Nobody, the character, the energy and zest for play that Alice has imagined for her. She is colourful and wacky in her attire, which contrasts with Alice who wears plain clothes; that is, until Alice stands up for herself and begins to shine in her own vibrant attire. Like Alice's imaginative relationship with Mrs. Nobody, Marie Lafrance's art, drawn in graphite pencil and coloured in Photoshop, is vivid and elaborate, a mosaic of colours and shapes and lines. From the toys with which they play to the countless animals–perhaps stuffies?–like a fox, an octopus, birds and fish, and winding vines and branches, Marie Lafrance creates spreads that are exuberant and rich.

 

Mrs. Nobody is a lesson is finding one's voice and knowing that expressing it might not always be accepted immediately and not without some strife. Still by accepting and sharing our self-worth with others, we give others the opportunity to shine alongside us. Bravo, Alice. With your voice, you will never be a nobody.

 

Rock

Written by Laurel Croza

Illustrated by Matt James

Groundwood Books

978-1-77306-948-7

44 pp.

Ages 3-6

March 2025 

 

There is a rock on a beach. Spotting it, a seagull swoops down to claim it, hoping for a morsel of food. The gull is disappointed when he tries to snatch it and so begins a dialogue about the nature of the rock. In stark text with sweeping illustrations, Laurel Croza and Matt James, the collaboration who brought us the award-winning I Know Here and From There to Here, initiate a simple but profound examination of the concept of self.

 

From Rock, written by Laurel Croza, illustrated by Matt James

 

The gull, chagrined that the rock is not what he expected, asks, "What do you think you are?" The only response he receives is, "I am a rock." To every query and claim, suggestion and threat that the gull makes, the rock stays true to itself and repeats, "I am a rock."

From Rock, written by Laurel Croza, illustrated by Matt James

First the gull discounts the rock's claim and suggests it's more like a pebble or a stone. But then the seagull asserts that it really doesn't matter what it calls itself, it is vulnerable and trivial. The rock is threatened with being dropped in the water, and then eroding away to insignificance, or becoming just one of the multitudes of negligible rocks on the beach. 

I am telling you,

you are nothing

special.

Still the rock just says, "I am a rock."

From Rock, written by Laurel Croza, illustrated by Matt James

 

Throughout the exchange, a child has been on the beach playing. A final illustration suggests that the rock is a rock and one that is special in its own way. 

 

Laurel Croza may let the seagull do most of the talking in Rock but it is the rock's few words that are the most impactful. Just as in life, there are those who taunt and threaten, bully and ridicule and do so with bravado and nastiness. The gull thinks it's more powerful and significant, but it has no substance. It's all talk and bluster. Is it threatened by the quiet strength of the rock that will not cower or renounce its identity? Who knows. But what Laurel Croza makes clear is that self-confidence is not the same as exaggerated self-opinion. It can be a quiet acceptance of self and identity, knowing who you are, regardless of what others tell you or suggest to you. The rock has a foundation of strength that comes from the certainty of its identity.

 

While Laurel Croza's words are few–there are whole double-spreads without text–Matt James's artwork speaks volumes. Done in acrylic and ink on acetate, wood, masonite and cardboard, Matt James fills in the story. From the gull eyeing the rock and then the pain when he tries to grab it, to the gull's bravado while surrounded by other gulls, Matt James shows how the loud and obnoxious get all the attention, even when being nasty, while the stoic rock remains cool and resolute. On that expansive beach that stretches along a huge body of water and under an ever-changing sky, it is only the shadow of the rock that changes.

 

Rock is a powerful story of self-awareness and -confidence. It's about staying true to your identity regardless of those who question it or object to it. It's about being a rock when others want you to be wobbly jelly or melting ice cream, both of which I'm sure the gull would've preferred.

 

🪨🪨🪨🪨🪨

 

The official launch of Rock is taking place in Toronto on March 9th. Details are found below. 

Join author and illustrator

 

Laurel Croza and Matt James

 

for the launch of their newest picture book

 

Rock

 

on Sunday, March 9, 2025

 

at

 

1-3 PM

 

at

 

Queen Books

914 Queen St. East

Toronto, ON

416-788-5053

https://shop.queenbooks.ca/events

 

The book launch will include a story time reading and book signing.

 

🪨🪨🪨🪨🪨

Butterfly on the Wind

Written by Adam Pottle

Illustrated by Ziyue Chen

Roaring Brook Press

978-1-250-821-97-3

40 pp.

Ages 3-6

March 2024 

 

The anticipation of presenting the fairy tale she'd written is making Aurora quite nervous. But for a Deaf child who will use ASL to tell her story, trembling hands will make for a challenging storytelling. When she sees a beautiful butterfly in the garden, she recalls her father telling her that a butterfly's wings could create a wind that could carry around the world. With that, she is inspired her to generate one with her hands and send it off into the world.

 

From Butterfly on the Wind, written by Adam Pottle, illustrated by Ziyue Chen

Her butterfly travels to a farm where a little boy Milos, who also speaks with his hands, watches it sway the raspberry bushes. He creates his own beautiful blue butterfly that joins Aurora's to travel to a cabin in the mountains where Abbey and her grandmother spot them.

From Butterfly on the Wind, written by Adam Pottle, illustrated by Ziyue Chen

Knowing the cold would be hard on the butterflies, grandmother and granddaughter make their own butterflies to create an even stronger wind that blows all four butterflies off to warmer climes and above an ocean.

From Butterfly on the Wind, written by Adam Pottle, illustrated by Ziyue Chen

With each step (or rather flutter) of their journey, the butterflies meet a new Deaf child who with their supportive friends and family sends the butterflies off with new ones until "a tornado of butterflies, a churning circle of color and beauty" travels back to Aurora. Emboldened by her small butterfly wind becoming a magnificent storm, she can step forward into the school for her presentation.

From Butterfly on the Wind, written by Adam Pottle, illustrated by Ziyue Chen

Saskatchewan writer Adam Pottle was born Deaf and raised in a hearing family, so his story Butterfly on the Wind has an authentic voice, and a voice that does not objectify Aurora or Miles's disability, or that of all the other Deaf children. They are not there to inspire us with overcoming their deafness. They are there to demonstrate that, like everyone, they will have struggles and must find a way to cope. Aurora's strategy of sending out a beautiful butterfly ultimately garners strength from others in the Deaf community and gives her the courage to step forward for a public performance. There is magic in her butterfly and in all the butterflies that follow, but that magic comes from within–even if she doesn't know it at the time–and has the power to unite and invigorate and sustain. 

The magic that Adam Pottle creates for Aurora and the other Deaf children is something special, and the art that Singaporean Deaf illustrator Ziyue Chen uses to carry that magic is sweet and yet powerful. She uses colour that is both soft and vibrant, ranging from pinks and purples to blues and yellows. Whether it's the butterflies or the landscapes, there is a vibe of life and happiness. 

Adam Pottle appends his story with an enlightening Author's Note– also a visual depiction of the ASL alphabet–that tells readers of the symbolic nature of the butterfly in Deaf culture, and the basis of his story. His motive to reach others–"May it travel around the world as swiftly and beautifully as Aurora's butterfly"–is a testament to his good intentions and the same spirit of strength and grace shown by butterflies.

 🦋 🦋 🦋 🦋 🦋

 

There will be a very special in-person (Saskatoon) and streamed (YouTube) book launch for Adam Pottle's new picture book Butterfly on the Wind

on

Saturday, April 6, 2024

at

2 PM

at

the Travel Alcove of McNally Robinson Booksellers

3130-8th Street East

Saskatoon, SK

and

streamed

via

McNally Robinson Saskatoon Events channel on YouTube

here

There will be live ASL interpretation and 

CNS transcription provided by Saskatchewan Deaf & Hard of Hearing Services

 

 

Bear and the Whisper of the Wind

Written and illustrated by Marianne Dubuc

Princeton Architectural Press

978-1-64896-119-9

80 pp.

Ages 4-8

March 2022

There is something special about a Marianne Dubuc picture book. You know the artwork will be remarkable, blending softness and power through line and colour. But, scaffolded by the illustrations is always a story with a profound message of living life well. It could be about self-reliance (On Baba's Back, 2022), compassion (What Do You Want, Little Friend?, 2020), community (Your House, My House, 2020) or empathy (Little Cheetah's Shadow, 2020) but Marianne Dubuc's books always show young children how to be their best selves. Bear and the Whisper of the Wind does just this flawlessly too.

Bear has a comfortable life, living in a nice house, and enjoying the company of his friends and his favourite strawberry pie. 

But that was before. One day, the wind changes and Bear senses that it is time to go.

 What he hears is, "It's time for something new."

From Bear and the Whisper of the Wind by Marianne Dubuc

And Bear heads out on a journey, knowing it is something he must do, though not knowing where he will be going. Sometimes he feels free as the wind but sometimes he is lonely. When he meets Rabbit and is invited in from the dark, Bear accepts. Though he has not spoken to anyone for ages, he feels better than he has in days. Still, after he helps Rabbit repair his house, Bear continues on his journey. 

From Bear and the Whisper of the Wind by Marianne Dubuc

But now Bear is not sure if he hasn't made a mistake. He's not sure if he should have stayed with Rabbit, or even stayed at home. And then he realizes he is lost. Moreover, he is lost, wet and uncomfortable in a thunder storm with only the meagre shelter of a pine tree. When it's all over, a little mouse welcomes him to the valley he had not noticed in his fears. It's a valley with a stream, a blueberry patch and a new friend, where the wind is quiet again and his search ends.

From Bear and the Whisper of the Wind by Marianne Dubuc

Many of us have felt the trepidation of leaving the comfort of our homes. It could be after the pandemic or as young adults moving out on their own or young children who have moved onto new homes, schools and even families. It's undertaking something that makes us feel uncomfortable but, as Bear learns, there is value in trying something different. In fact, it could actually be finding something better, something that allows us to be more of ourselves than before.  There may be initial discomfort and worries about leaving the security of the known but sometimes, as Marianne Dubuc's Bear shows us, it's worth it.

Marianne Dubuc also takes us with Bear on his journey through the subtlety of her pencil and watercolour illustrations. Whether he is enjoying his strawberry pie and visiting friends or crossing streams and walking through a forest, readers are there with him. While his journey may be a challenge for him, we are not scared to accompany him as he follows the whisper of the wind–as seen by a floating leaf–to something new.

The allegory of a pilgrimage may not be picked up by the youngest of readers but others, including the adults in their lives, will recognize a lesson in the change that happens when you go beyond your comfort zone. Striking out on your own or trying something new can be challenging and scary–the unknown often is–but it can open up opportunities which could never have been foreseen and offer perspectives never imagined.

No Help Wanted!

Written and illustrated by Ruth Ohi

North Winds Press (Scholastic Canada)

978-1-4431-6360-6

32 pp.

Ages 3-8

July 2019

Posy would be considered a keener, though in the adult world we might think of her as a bit of a control freak. She insists on taking control of any situation regardless of the efforts others make to share and support. So when Posy is tasked with the classroom job of taking care of their fish Bluey, Posy is all in. She feeds him, reads to him, sings to him and presents him with popsicle-puppet performances. (There are free downloadable pdfs of the jellyfish and fish shapes used, as well as a mask.) But when others offer to join in with their own puppets or play vet, Posy's signs of "Private" and "Keep Out!" make it clear that she is all Bluey needs.

From No Help Wanted! by Ruth Ohi

But, when Bluey starts to look unwell, regardless of Posy's extraordinary efforts, including a full-scale–love the pun!–fish-themed musical, Posy hides his fish bowl behind books, thinking that everyone would blame her.  It's not until she see Bluey resting at the bottom of the bowl that Posy recognizes the need to ask for help. With kindness, the kids ask "What can we do?" and "How can we help?" and come to Posy and Bluey's rescue.

From No Help Wanted! by Ruth Ohi

While Ruth Ohi's artwork was first introduced to youngCanLit readers via the text of others, I'm so glad that she has been writing her own picture books for many years now. From her Chicken, Pig, Cow series, or Fox and Squirrel books, or her many stand-alone picture books, Ruth Ohi always blends important messages about teamwork, compassion, and friendship with text and illustrations that are designed for young, young readers. These stories could be the basis of any character education program. Moreover by ensuring that there is no hyperbole or exhaustive language that reaches beyond the reading abilities and comprehension of her readers. Ruth Ohi sees and tells the story from the perspective children need in order to appreciate the message. As adults, we recognize Posy's enthusiasm for Bluey as somewhat high-handed but young children will just see it as bossy. What they will also see is that bossy kids need to learn how to work with others and that a little help is always welcome and not always a condemnation of efforts made.

From No Help Wanted! by Ruth Ohi (Image retrieved from http://www.ruthohi.com/books-recent#/no-help-wanted/)

Though her text is faultless, precise and communicative, it's still Ruth Ohi's illustrations that will draw children into the story. They will see themselves among the many children of different skin tones and hair types, of different abilities and personalities. One boy is in a wheelchair, a girl wears glasses, and some are shyer relative to Posy's exuberance. In fact, the class itself could be any class from kindergarten with its role-play props, or a Grade 1 or 2 class with numerous books and kids who can read and write. Moreover, by choosing a palette of pencil crayons and watercolours that are light and soft, Ruth Ohi makes sure that the message is swimming in subtlety and far more peaceful than one emboldened in colour and text.

There are many ways to send a message to children and No Help Wanted! finds an affable way in words and art to demonstrate that everyone at one time or another needs a little help and it's okay to ask.

From No Help Wanted! by Ruth Ohi

The Cold Little Voice

Written by Alison Hughes

Illustrations by Jan Dolby

Clockwise Press

978-1-988347-11-0

32 pp.

Ages 5-9

February 2019

Listening or not listening to the voices in your head is a skill that we develop with time, practice and experience. Telling the difference between valuable instinct and unproductive doubts is crucial and The Cold Little Voice is all about helping children know how to silence a negative one.

From The Cold Little Voice by Alison Hughes, illus. by Jan Dolby

The purple-haired child in The Cold Little Voice could be any child. It's a child whose bad-tempered blue voice, like a black cloud raining on a child's joy, points out anything that might be perceived as a weakness.

It points out that I bite my nails, laugh too loudly, trip when I run upstairs, talk too much, blush, cry too easily, make smacking sounds when I chew, sing off-key, get the hiccups too often, and have sloppy writing.

From The Cold Little Voice by Alison Hughes, illus. by Jan Dolby

The child plugs their ears and tries not to listen but sometimes that voice is far too insistent.  In response, the child stops being who they are.

I become small and still and grey.
And not me.

Fortunately, a new voice, a warm voice of yellow is heard, encouraging the child to look for goodness in cuddles with creatures, in the sun in the blue sky and in a supportive community. And if that cold little voice tries to speak again? Well, the child pities it and soothes it until it can become a big, warm, kind voice that whisper-shouts affirmations and helps turn others' cold little voices into big warm ones too.

From The Cold Little Voice by Alison Hughes, illus. by Jan Dolby

Just like the warm voice that sends positive messages and encouragement, The Cold Little Voice, the book, is transformative, inspiring light from dark thoughts and support rather than isolation.  Alison Hughes, who has helped children deal with anxious thoughts in her picture book The Creepy-Crawly Thought (2019), recognizes that there are voices in most of us that tell us that we're not good enough as we are and that these voices prey on our insecurities and fears. But Alison Hughes doesn't just negate those thoughts. She helps transform them into positives and reassurances.

A voice that says:
"You can do it!" 
or "Who cares if it's silly – 
you're having fun!" 
or "Everybody makes mistakes!"

Similarly, Jan Dolby, who illustrated Lucky Me (Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 2018) and Gabby, Wonder Girl (Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 2016) among others, brings that metamorphosis to her artwork. From the sombre blues and greys of the cold, little voice to the yellows and lime greens and pinks of the warmth of good thoughts, Jan Dolby carries young readers from a dark place to one of hope.

Negative thoughts that become doubts and apprehension cannot always be silenced immediately. But The Cold Little Voice will be very reassuring to children as they learn that it is possible to influence those thoughts to becoming good ones that can boost not belittle.

From The Cold Little Voice by Alison Hughes, illus. by Jan Dolby

Piggy Bunny

by Rachel Vail

Illustrated by Jeremy Tankard

Feiwel and Friends (Macmillan Imprint)

Distributed in Canada by Raincoast Books

978-0-312-64988-3

32 pp.

Ages 5-8

2012

Liam is a well-loved piglet in a family of pigs who all know exactly what they are: pigs.  But, Liam aspires to be the Easter Bunny.  He practises hopping, eating salad and delivering Easter eggs, and he seems to be improving.

But, as much as his siblings and parents tell him that he's perfect and has all the attributes of a great pig, Liam can't see himself as anything but a springtime hare.  Luckily, his grandparents have the imagination and internet skills to help him manifest the Easter Bunny within.

Canadian illustrator Jeremy Tankard's characters are so distinct that, even when they are the basis for a picture book by an American author, Rachel Vail, and published in the U.S. (thankfully distributed in Canada by Raincoast Books), they define the book.

Children will recognize Piggy Bunny as a a close relation to the assorted animals in Grumpy Bird (Scholastic, 2007) and Boo Hoo Bird (Scholastic, 2009), such as Raccoon, Bird, and Beaver  displayed above.  Piggy Bunny comes from a patent line of strongly outlined creatures, heavily inked to delineate their simple forms, just as with Liam and the cat below.

The story is straightforward, the illustrations seemingly effortless, and the bold colours alluring in their use in the pages' designs.  The coupling of text that champions individuality with artwork that is itself unique will help little ones accept the concept of being oneself and enjoying the esteem that comes with it.

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On the CanLit for LittleCanadians Book Trailers, I've posted MacmillanChildrens upload to YouTube of Jeremy Tankard illustrating Piggy Bunny.  Check it out here.