The Bigfoot Field Guide to Campers (and Other Mysterious Creatures)

Written and illustrated by Jami Gigot

Kids Can Press

978-1-5253-1263-2

36 pp.

Ages 4-7

Releases May 2025

 

Ah, the mysterious Bigfoot. Mythical beast or elusive recluse? Whatever it is, many fear an encounter with the massive creature. But what if it encountered us? Does it have a similar perspective?

From The Bigfoot Field Guide to Campers (and Other Mysterious Creatures), written and illustrated by Jami Gigot

In its field guide to mysterious creatures, Bigfoots believe that there "is one species that is so dangerous, and so treacherous, that Bigfoots have come to fear them above all others..." It's the nasty camper. Ever since campers invaded the home of the Bigfoots with their click-flashers, and moved their rock collections, peed in their gardens and contaminated their waters, Bigfoots have been forced to move deeper into the forests. But the Bigfoots have a guide to help each other deal with these troubling visitors. 

From The Bigfoot Field Guide to Campers (and Other Mysterious Creatures), written and illustrated by Jami Gigot

First step for Bigfoots is identification, easily accomplished by hairless faces and limbs, odours and noises. Once identified, the aim is to avoid being seen. In the case of the Bigfoot giving this advice, everything goes awry when a young camper spots the Bigfoot as he spots her. Guideline #3 recommends camouflage if spotted but he's kind of big, and the child finds him. And though he tries to remain calm and play dead–these are Guidelines #4 and #5–her tickling makes it difficult to remain secretive. 

Bigfoot knows to never eat a camper's food or let them use their click-flasher on you and to never let their guard down on a camper–they are NOT warm and cuddly creatures–but things take a turn when the camper becomes distressed recognizing the absence of the other campers. Can Bigfoot follow all the guidelines, or will he be able to show kindness to an upset child who sees a friend in the big guy and not a monster?

From The Bigfoot Field Guide to Campers (and Other Mysterious Creatures), written and illustrated by Jami Gigot

Vancouver's Jami Gigot may have meant this picture book as a tongue-in-cheek look at how we perceive the mythical Bigfoot but by turning it around and helping us see how Bigfoots may perceive us, Jami Gigot gives us a lesson in tolerance and kindness. It starts as a story of conflict between Bigfoots and campers, but it flips and opens up into a story of acceptance. Both Bigfoot and the child see beyond their fears and misconceptions and find something special that is mutually beneficial. 

Jami Gigot, who also wrote and illustrated Star Boy: Inspired by the Life and Lyrics of David Bowie, Imagination Vacation, and The World in Our Backyard, keeps the simplicity that would come of a homemade field guide. Her art, rendered in coloured pencil and digital paint, keeps a sweetness to Bigfoot–he looks more scared of the camper than she does of him– as well as to the goofy, young campers who may not have learned to be intolerant or fearful of others who are different from them. 

Whether Bigfoot or a camper, there may be a surprise in the woods for you. Be prepared with compassion and tolerance and you might just have an unexpected encounter with a new friend. But shhh! Let's keep that a secret.

The Book of Elsie (Orca Currents)

Written by Joanne Levy

Orca Book Publishers

978-1-4598-3424-8

160 pp.

Ages 9-12

RL 2.8

August 2022

With the upcoming Jewish holiday of Purim–that commemorates the salvation of the Jewish people against the evil Haman in 5th c. BCE  Persia, as told in the Book of Esther–Elsie Rose-Miller is buzzing with excitement. For her synagogue's Purim party, she's planning on going as the fierce Queen Esther. Abba, her father, is a theatre costume designer and he's helping with her dress. But when her other dad who is on the temple's board learns that the party will have to be cancelled because of finances, Elsie jumps into action, emulating the strong Queen Esther, determined to save the party and the synagogue.

Rallying Rabbi Alisha and members of their Sunday school, Elsie suggests selling tickets to the Purim party and extending sales beyond their temple. It would seem that everyone is on board and sales are going well, especially with some hamantaschen cookies (recipe appends the book!) to accompany the tickets. But community outreach becomes a little tricky, particularly when approaching strangers, and Elsie and her best friend Grace must contend with antisemitism and racism respectively. Worse yet, when a hate crime is perpetrated against the synagogue, a cancelled Purim party may be the least of their worries.

Joanne Levy has written several middle grade novels where she enlightens young readers about Jewish traditions and the community (e.g., Sorry For Your Loss, The Sun Will Come Out) but this may be the first in which she tackles antisemitism and hate crimes against the Jewish community. That's a heavy topic but Joanne Levy embeds it in a story about courage and communities rather than focusing on the violence or the brutality of offensive remarks. Both Elsie, a Jewish child, and Grace, a person of colour, are exposed to the hate but their histories with that hate are different and, as such, their immediate responses may be different. They both recognize the ignorance involved; however, as part of communities of caring individuals, they see beyond the fear and sadness–"Hate has never solved any problems" (pg. 130)–and work to make things better. 

The story line is strong, encompassing social justice and Jewish traditions, tolerance and inclusivity. But the writing is persuasive, especially as Joanne Levy has written it as a hi-lo (high interest-low reading level) book, thereby reaching a wider audience with her story. As part of the Orca Currents series, The Book of Elsie may be geared to middle graders who are reading below grade level but it's actually opened up the opportunity for younger readers, middle graders and even teens who are striving to read to get a compelling story with a contemporary theme. In a time when hatred is voiced openly on social media and threatens many communities, The Book of Elsie reminds us that there is goodness out there and, with a little courage and determination, it can overcome everything.

Eight Days

Written by Teresa Toten

Scholastic Canada

978-1-4431-9002-2

312 pp.

Ages 10-14

January 2022

A lot can happen in eight days. Death, love, journeys and change. And, like it or not, it is what it is.

At almost 14, Sami Stanic has lived through a lot. Since she was three, she has lived with her grandfather Carl in the White Towers apartment building at Thorncliffe Park in Toronto. Carl is a recovering alcoholic, having stopped drinking when he brought Sami to live with him, and Sami is determined to keep it that way. She works at ensuring he stays sober by attending AA meetings with him and by keeping herself apprised of all the programs and readings, and she is determined to prove herself useful. In her own way, she does not want to be abandoned again. But, without knowing it, Sami has become part of the community, regardless of Carl's intolerance to the diverse community that is the Towers now. Her best friends are Nilofer and Tarek (also her crush) and there are lots of people watching out for her, though she doesn't realize it. So when she learns that her mother has died, a woman she'd always thought of as gone already, Sami is both perplexed and ashamed.

 

Within days, Sami, Carl and their neighbour Aggie are heading to Chicago in Carl's '77 Olds, affectionately known as Sophie, to deal with Shannon's funeral arrangements. But the journey becomes an opportunity for truths to finally emerge about all their stories: Sami's first few years, Shannon's issues, and Carl's despair. And their return to Canada may just be a new pilgrimage for all.

Teresa Toten may be better known for her extraordinary young adult novels (e.g., Beware That Girl, Shattered Glass, and The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B) but her voice shines just as brightly in this middle-grade novel. Perhaps it's because Teresa Toten has still focused her story on the foundation of most children's lives: their relationships. For Sami, it's her many relationships that drive her. Her relationships with Carl, with Nilofer, with Tarek, with Aggie, with her mother, and with so many in her community offer some security and comfort, but also some worry and angst, while often leaving her questioning her memories and her feelings.

I'd been whiplashed by every possible human emotion in the past few hours. I liked me better before. Clamped down, in charge. (pg. 253)

Teresa Toten makes sure that Sami's journey does not start and stop with a road trip. It becomes one of self-discovery and tenacity in which Sami sees and hears more from those around her and allows herself to be more. As alone as she may feel, living with a dry alcoholic who could relapse at any time, Sami learns she's part of a big community and one so diverse in its cultures that there is more than enough offering to be the family she needs.

Eight Days may have a road trip story line at its core but the journey is more one of life. But, as with any journey, where you come from is just one part. Where you're heading and where you end up are just as meaningful.

Paint the Town Pink

Written and illustrated by Lori Doody

Running the Goat, Books & Broadsides

978-1-927917213

44 pp.

Ages 3-8

July 2019

Lori Doody is very good about bringing stories from Newfoundland to the bright illustrations of her picture books. In The Puffin Problem (2017), Capelin Weather (2017) and Mallard, Mallard, Moose (2018), she takes odd kernels of truth and germinates them into radiant stories of importance. She does the same in Paint the Town Pink by taking the true story of an accidental flamingo and creates a book about finding one's tribe and acceptance.

Once, on a particularly windy day,
a stranger arrived in town.

From Paint the Town Pink by Lori Doody

So begins the tale of Rose, the flamingo, who arrives in town and tickles the locals into thinking and living pink.

From Paint the Town Pink by Lori Doody

As she searches for a flock of her own, among pink-dressed bridesmaids at the Colonial Building, flamenco dancers, pink poodles, yoga enthusiasts and "a funny bunch of small flamingos who liked to visit a new lawn every day," the town begins to transform. The vehicles become pink, there is a rise in pink foods like ice cream, lemonade, macarons and cotton candy, and everyone starts wearing pink clothing. They even start painting their buildings because "Everyone did their best to make her feel like she belonged." Rose had found her new home.

From Paint the Town Pink by Lori Doody

There really have been pink flamingos that have flown off-course and ended up in Newfoundland, though their tales are not as inspired as Rose's in Paint the Town Pink.  But Lori Doody's story is not really about them. It is instead a story about being a stranger in a strange place and finding a way to make it home but only with the assistance of those who have come before. I know Rose is a flamingo but her story is a universal one of being out of place, feeling isolated, looking for commonalities, and finding acceptance from those who make an effort to embrace diversity as important.

It's lovely that Lori Doody's story is based on the flamingo and the colour pink. To be "in the pink" or "tickled pink" or having things "coming up roses" are all positive sentiments and the tints and shades with which she paints the town are similarly cheerful. Against a blue-grey sky, the streetscapes are bright and lively. Though Lori Doody's illustrations are generally uncomplicated in their design, they hold details that will delight. From the many cats in the windows and playing with yarn, to the names of businesses and music albums that highlight the colour pink, there is so much to observe and consider. Moreover, with her folk art approach to her illustrations, Lori Doody firmly plants Rose and her readers into a Newfoundland of colour and vivacity. It's no wonder that, with a town invigorated with pink from inside and out, Rose would find it a welcoming place.

From Paint the Town Pink by Lori Doody

Princess Puffybottom...and Darryl

Written by Susin Nielsen

Illustrated by Olivia Chin Mueller

Tundra Books

978-1-101-91925-5

32 pp.

Ages 4-7

February 2019 

Oh, she is truly royalty! Princess Puffybottom rules over her household, getting her subjects to cater to her needs and whims. In return, she might allow them to pet her and play with her. Then Darryl arrives and everything changes.

From Princess Puffybottom...and Darryl by Susin Nielsen, illus. by Olivia Chin Mueller

When her humans bring home the eager puppy, Princess Puffybottom sees only a horrible, disgusting animal but she is convinced that she just needs to wait for him to be banished. When her subjects leave with Darryl and are gone a long time, she is certain that they have taken him to a faraway kingdom and she is ready to celebrate.

From Princess Puffybottom...and Darryl by Susin Nielsen, illus. by Olivia Chin Mueller

But then the two return with Darryl sporting an Elizabethan collar. Princess Puffybottom has no choice but to work towards getting Darryl ejected. But her efforts are futile and, at a party, Princess Puffybottom realizes that she is no longer adored as she once was. Only Darryl recognizes her sadness and gives her the attention she desires. Finally the cat appreciates his regard and efforts as valuable. It's a good thing because there's a new addition coming and it's sure to be another surprise for Princess Puffybottom.

From Princess Puffybottom...and Darryl by Susin Nielsen, illus. by Olivia Chin Mueller

Most readers will recognize Susin Nielsen's name from her authorship of middle-grade and young adult novels like Word Nerd (Tundra, 2008), We Are All Made of Molecules (Tundra, 2015) and Optimists Die First (Tundra, 2017). She tells important stories about real kids but writes them with humour to lighten the angst. With Princess Puffybottom...and Darryl, Susan Nielsen brings that same humour but in a story with an animal perspective though the circumstances could be human. No one likes to be neglected or usurped by another, whether it be a sibling, a friend, a competitor or another pet. But, for a cat, this is especially heinous since many of them look down on everyone. (Winston Churchill is quoted as saying, in justification for his fondness for pigs, that dogs look up at humans, cats look down on us, and pigs would look you straight in the eye.) Having to share her humans with a lowly canine may not be acceptable to Princess Puffybottom but at least she is able to recognize that she doesn't have to compete with Darryl; instead, she can let him worship her.  Darryl gets a friend, Princess Puffybottom gets a devotee, and the household is copacetic once again.

Compliments of  Olivia Chin Mueller's digital illustrations, Princess Puffybottom and Darryl are adorable rivals for their peoples' affections. They are soft and cuddly though Princess Puffybottom's air of superiority gives her an aloof appearance whereas frisky Darryl is completely unfettered in his liveliness. Together they become the furry symbol of acceptance and companionship, even if Princess Puffybottom still believes she rules all.

From Princess Puffybottom...and Darryl by Susin Nielsen, illus. by Olivia Chin Mueller

Circle

Written by Mac Barnett

Illustrated by Jon Klassen

Candlewick Press

978-0-7636-9608-5

48 pp.

Ages 4-9

March 2019

Young readers met Circle and her friends Square and Triangle in Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen's earlier books in the Shape trilogy, Triangle (Candlewick, 2017) and Square (Candlewick, 2018), but now it's Circle's turn to reveal herself. In each of the books, the shape at its centre have dealt with personal issues of trust and self-confidence and, above all, friendship, and now Circle finds herself similarly challenged in this final book in the Shape trilogy.

From Circle by Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen

Circle and her friends Square and Triangle are playing a game of hide-and-seek near Circle's waterfall but she insists that they cannot hide behind the waterfall. But Triangle chooses to do just that and Circle slips in behind the falls to find him.

From Circle by Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen

It is very dark in the cavern behind the falls but, as Circle goes in farther, calling out to Triangle, it becomes pitch black. Only Circle's eyes are visible until a second pair appears. As Circle chastizes Triangle for his rule-breaking and disregard for his friends, the second pair of eyes remains silent. Finally Circle apologizes for her rant and tells Triangle that they love him, just as a third pair of eyes appear behind Circle with Triangle's voice thanking Circle for her declarations. Then things get a little harried as the two realize the third set of eyes does not belong to their friend, though in hindsight, Circle recognizes something highly relevant.

"You know," she said, "that shape in the dark might

not have been bad. It might have been a good shape.

We just could not see it."

From Circle by Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen

Let's talk about the subtlety of message which is perfectly understated for the very young for whom this board book was written. Kids will know about playing and rules and friends and getting frustrated and angry and then taking all back. They'll know about being afraid of the dark and confronting their fears. But, while Circle speaks to all that, in the hands of that dynamic duo of American Mac Barnett and Canadian Jon Klassen, it also speaks to larger issues of forgiveness and tolerance. Big concepts for a little book but presented in such a sophisticated way that it will permeate any barrier.

From Circle by Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen

There is a quietness to Jon Klassen's earthy illustrations, created with a combination of coloured pencils, gouache and crayons, evoking the natural setting for the stories of the three shape friends. Like the rocks and the cavern and the shapes themselves, the illustrations have substance but are not oppressive, while giving hints of harmony and freshness with the touches of mint green for Circle's waterfall. It's so easy to fall into Jon Klassen's art and swim around, even if in the pitch darkness of the deepest depths of that cavern.

I am sorry to see this trilogy end but I am ever hopeful that the partnership of Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen will continue, as it should, to add to the canon of picture books that tell powerful stories with distinction and without preaching.

Shape trilogy by Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen

Upside-Down Magic

by Sarah Mlynowski, Lauren Myracle and Emily Jenkins

Scholastic Press

978-0-545-80045-7

208 pp.

Ages 8-12

October, 2015

Self-acceptance has always been an important theme in picture books, middle grade and YA, as it is an issue so many of us grapple with, no matter what age.  But, while Upside-Down Magic does take on this common issue, the book’s quirky take on it is wholly uncommon and delightfully light-hearted.  

Elinor Boxwood Horace, called Nory, is ready for Grade 5 but not sure whether she is quite ready for Sage Academy where her father is headmaster and her older siblings, Hawthorn (16) and Dalia (13), study magic.  She attends the compulsory Big Test, the entrance exam, in which she is tested for being a Flare (those gifted with fire magic), a Flicker (those who control invisibility), a Flyer (as you might expect) and a Fuzzy (those conversant with animals), gifts she knows she does not have, as well as for a Fluxer.  Nory knows she is a Fluxer, one who can transform herself, but her magic often goes wonky.  Sadly but not surprising, Nory’s black kitten transformation actually becomes a dragon-kitten, or dritten as she calls it, and she is denied admission to Sage.

Without her knowledge, her father makes arrangements for her to go and live with her Aunt Margo, a Flyer who works as a taxi (!), and attend the Dunwiddle Magic School, a public magic school with a new program for kids who struggle with magic.  Special education for magic?  It’s called the Upside-Down Magic class or UDM, and it is sneered at by the other students in the school.  Her classmates include Elliott, a neighbourhood Flare whose fire often turns into freezing ice; Andres, a Flyer who would just float away if not tethered or held back by a ceiling; Pepper, an Upside-Down Fuzzy known as a Fierce who terrifies animals rather than communing with them; Sebastian, a Flicker who can’t become invisible but can see invisible sound waves; Willa who can make it rain inside; Marigold who shrinks things; and Bax who Fluxes but only into a rock from which he cannot change back.  Under the tutelage of the inspiring Ms. Starr, who encourages them to understand their feelings, not control them–“Helping you be normal isn’t my job” (pg. 129)–Nory tries to be positive about learning, but the prejudice she and the others endure because of their UDM has her determined to get control of her animal selves and get tested out of the UDM class.

Though her father refuses to contact her and her siblings are convinced she just needs to work harder, Nory is determined to become the child they want her to be, regardless of the warm welcome and acceptance she feels from her aunt, her aunt’s boyfriend and her UDM classmates.  It takes a bit of effort and some unusual situations to help Nory release the notion that she is imperfect and recognize her own giftedness as it is.

Montreal-born Sarah Mlynowski, whose Whatever After and Magic in Manhattan series are wildly popular, has collaborated with Americans Lauren Myracle and Emily Jenkins (a.k.a. E. Lockhart) to produce another series that is sure to enchant and humour young readers.  It’s delightful escapism for middle-grade readers who want to enjoy a very visual (see Nory’s dritten as imagined on the book cover) story with a completely impossible (improbable?) plot that can still teach about enduring the day-to-day challenges of being different and of family expectations, as well as of prejudice, and learning to accept oneself.  Upside-Down Magic is like a pretty package of life lessons wrapped up in a sparkly plot and decorated with bright characters of magical personalities. 

Mr. Flux

by Kyo Maclear

Illustrated by Matte Stephens

Kids Can Press

978-1-55453-78-5

32 pp.

Ages 3-7

 April 2013

For some, change is a way of life and, for others, it is the traumatic departure from the expected.  Young Martin and the members of his neighbourhood despair when Mr. Flux, an artist who "enjoyed mixing things up," moves in.  When Mr. Flux receives a box labelled "Property of Mr. Flux", he gives it to Martin, telling him that it's full of change.

 He suspected it contained cacophony, disorder and germs.

When Martin expresses his reluctance to experience any change, Mr. Flux explains that everything changes and that it's best to start with little changes.  With carefully chosen samples, Mr. Flux introduces Martin to new things, allowing Martin to share these with others.  In return, he reveals his own art to Mr. Flux.

With the essence of the artist and the spirit of a sensualist, Mr. Flux changes the way his neighbours think about change, allowing them to experience life and art more fully without negating their own choices for change. 

While all readers of picture books may not be interested in the art history or movement of creative thinking associated with Fluxus, based on the premise that the art of life always changes, Kyo Maclear does introduce readers to the idea that art is experiential and malleable, as is life.  Young Martin may not know much about change, though he obviously has an opinion about it, preferring to ride his familiar old bike rather than his new one.  But with a little exposure to new ideas and an open mind (though not wide open!), Martin, his family and neighbours come to appreciate Mr. Flux for the experiences and new truths he has brought into their lives.  And Matte Stephens' gouache illustrations, which have a 1950's feel, emphasize the people and places of an urban neighbourhood predominated by straight lines and polygon-flavoured structures and spikes them with intriguing animal and decorative elements that ameliorate the harshness of single truths. 

Recommended for ages 3-7, Mr. Flux may just be a delightful picture book that helps children see that change can be fun, even if they anticipate it to be traumatic.  Accept Mr. Flux as you feel appropriate.  Just be prepared to accept it as much more once you've enjoyed it for yourself.