Cats, Cats, More Cats: Book List

Yes, there is a day dedicated to my favourite furry companion. (Although if you ask a cat, every day should be World Cat Day.  And if you ask a cat person, every day becomes World Cat Day.)

There are so many books by Canadian authors and illustrators that feature felines that I can only provide a limited (!) number of titles and specs here.  Sorry, no room for even the briefest of synopses.

PICTURE BOOKS

The Baritone Cat
By Mora Skelton
Illustrated by Janet Wilson
Lester Publishing
32 pp.
Ages 4-6
1994

Caramba

By Marie-Louise Gay
Groundwood Books
40 pp.
Ages 4+
2005

Caramba and Henry

By Marie-Louise Gay
Groundwood Books
40 pp.
Ages 4+
2011

The Cat and the Wizard
By Dennis Lee
Illustrated by Gillian Johnson
Key Porter Books
32 pp.
Ages 4-8
2001

The Cat Came Back

By Fred Penner 

Illustrated by Renee Reichert

Roaring Brook Press

32 pp.

Ages 4-7

2005

The Cat Came Back

By Bill Slavin

Kids Can Press

32 pp.

Ages 5-9

1992

A Cat in a Kayak

By Maria Coffey

Illustrated by Eugenie Fernandes

Annick Press

32 pp.

Ages 3-7

1998

A Cat Adrift

By Maria Coffey

Illustrated by Eugenie Fernandes

Annick Press

32 pp.

Ages 3-7

2002

 

The Cat's Pajamas

By Wallace Edwards

Kids Can Press

32 pp.

Ages 4-8

2010

Chester

By Mélanie Watt

Kids Can Press

32 pp.

Ages 4-8

2007

Chester’s Back!

By Mélanie Watt

Kids Can Press

32 pp.

Ages 4-8

2008

Chester’s Masterpiece

By Mélanie Watt

Kids Can Press

32 pp.

Ages 4-8

2010

The Chicken Cat
By Stephanie Simpson McLellan
Illustrated by Sean Cassidy
Fitzhenry & Whiteside
32 pp.
Ages 3-8
2000

Give Maggie a Chance

By Frieda Wishinsky

Illustrated by Dean Griffiths

Fitzhenry & Whiteside

32 pp.

Ages 5-7

2002

Maggie Can't Wait

By Frieda Wishinsky

Illustrated by Dean Griffiths

Fitzhenry & Whiteside

32 pp.

Ages 2-6

2009

The Klondike Cat

By Julie Lawson

Illustrated by Paul Mombourquette

Kids Can Press

32 pp.

Ages 5-9

2002

Lucy Maud and the Cavendish Cat

By Lynn Manuel

Illustrated by Janet Wilson

Tundra

32 pp.

Ages 7-10

1997

 

Miss Meow Pageant

By Ricardo Keens-Douglas

Illustrated by Marie laFrance

Annick Press

32 pp.

Ages 4-8

1998

Mister Got To Go: The Cat That Wouldn't Leave

By Lois Simmie

Illustrated by Cynthia Nugent

Red Deer College Press

32 pp.

Ages 5-8

1995

Mister Got To Go and Arnie

By Lois Simmie

Illustrated by Cynthia Nugent

Red Deer Press

32 pp.

Ages 4+

2012

Mister Got To Go, Where Are You?

By Lois Simmie

Illustrated by Cynthia Nugent

Red Deer Press

32 pp.

Ages 4+

2014

My Cat Isis

By Catherine Austen

Illustrated by Virginie Egger

Kids Can Press

32 pp.

Ages 3-7

2011

Nat the Cat Can Sleep Like That

By Victoria Allenby

Illustrated by Tara Anderson

Pajama Press

32 pp.

Ages 2-5

2013

 

Pounce de Leon

By Tim Wynne-Jones

Illustrated by Alfredo Tapia

Red Deer Press

32 pp.

Ages 4-7

2009

Pussycat, Pussycat, Where Have You Been?

By Dan Bar-el

Illustrated by Rae Maté

Simply Read Books

32 pp.

Ages 4-8

2011

The Sleeping Porch 

By Ian Wallace

Groundwood Books

32 pp.

Ages 4-7

2008

The Snow Cat

By Dayal Kaur Khalsa

Tundra

24 pp.

Ages 4-8

1992

Stanley’s Little Sister

By Linda Bailey

Illustrated by Bill Slavin

Kids Can Press

32 pp.

Ages 2-8

2010

True Story

By Marty Chan

Illustrated by Lorna Bennett

Ink Jockey

32 pp.

Ages 3-6

2009

Wellington’s Rainy Day

By Carolyn Beck 

Illustrated by Brooke Kerrigan

Orca Book Publishers

32 pp.

Ages 4-7

2011

Where's That Cat?
(previous title: Have You Seen Josephine?)
By Stéphane Poulin
Tundra
24 pp.
Ages 4-8
2003

Catch That Cat!  
(previous title: Can You Catch Josephine?)
By Stéphane Poulin
Tundra
24 pp.
Ages 4-8
2003

Could You Stop Josephine?
By Stéphane Poulin
Tundra
24 pp.
Ages 4-8
1986

You Can’t Rush a Cat

By Karleen Bradford 

Illustrated by Leslie Elizabeth Watts

Orca Book Publishers

32 pp.

Ages 5-8

2003

Zoom

By Tim Wynne-Jones 

Illustrated by Eric Beddows

Groundwood Books

32 pp.

Ages 3-7

2009

Zoom at Sea 

By Tim Wynne-Jones 

Illustrated by Eric Beddows

House of Anansi

32 pp.

Ages 3-7

1990

Zoom Upstream 

By Tim Wynne-Jones 

Illustrated by Eric Beddows

Groundwood Books

32 pp.

Ages 3-7

1992

Zoom Away

By Tim Wynne-Jones 

Illustrated by Eric Beddows 

Groundwood Books

32 pp.

Ages 3-7

1993

EASY READERS, GRAPHIC NOVELS and NOVELS

 

Andrew, Catch that Cat!

By Deanne Lee Bingham 

Illustrated by Kim LaFave

Fitzhenry & Whiteside

46 pp.

Ages 6-9

1999

Any Pet Will Do           

By Nancy Shouse             

Orca Book Publishers

106 pp.  

Ages 8-11

2005        

Binky the Space Cat

By Ashley Spires

Kids Can Press
64 pp.
Ages 7-10
2009

Binky to the Rescue

By Ashley Spires

Kids Can Press
64 pp.
Ages 7-10
2010

Binky Under Pressure

By Ashley Spires
Kids Can Press
64 pp.
Ages 7-10
2011

The Birthday Girl 

By Jean Little 

Illustrated by June Lawrason 

Orca Book Publishers

64 pp.

Ages 7-8

2004

Catboy 

By Eric Walters 

Orca Book Publishers

229 pp.

Ages 9-11

2011

Hunter 

By Eric Walters 

Orca Book Publishers

208 pp.

Ages 9-11

September 2012

Cat’s Eye Corner

By Terry Griggs

Raincoast Books

168 pp.

Ages 9-12

2002

The Circus Dogs of Prague

By Rachel Delaney

Puffin Canada

192 pp.

Ages 8+

2014

Feral

By Bev Cooke

Orca Book Publishers

197 pp.

Ages 13-15

2008

Fred's Dream Cat

By Marie-Danielle Croteau

Illustrated by Bruno St-Aubin

Translated by Sarah Cummins

Formac Publishing

61 pp.

Ages 8-9

1995

The Nine Lives of Travis Keating

By Jill MacLean

Fitzhenry & Whiteside

217 pp.

Ages 8-12

2008

The Present Tense of Prinny Murphy     

By Jill MacLean

Fitzhenry & Whiteside

217 pp.

Ages 8-12

2009

Nutz!
By Virginia Frances Schwartz
Illustrated by Christina Leist
Tradewind Books
120 pp.
Ages 8-11
2011

Plain Kate

By Erin Bow

Arthur A. Levine/Scholastic Canada

314 pp.

Ages 12-15

2010

TJ and the Cats

By Hazel Hutchins

Orca Book Publishers

108 pp.

Ages 8-11

2002

TJ and the Rockets

By Hazel Hutchins

Orca Book Publishers

105 pp.

Ages 8-11

2004

TJ and the Quiz Kids

By Hazel Hutchins    

Orca Book Publishers

128 pp.

Ages 8-11

2007

Apologies to those authors and illustrators whose books I missed including in this list, but my little one is calling for her tuna juice and I shouldn't keep her waiting, ever.

HAPPY  WORLD  CAT  DAY!

Middle Ages (Medieval Times): Book List I

Clip art from www.teacherfiles.com

Most school curricula include a unit on Medieval Times or the Middle Ages, which is generally accepted to have occurred from about 500 to 1500 C.E., after the fall of the Roman Empire until the Renaissance Era (14th c. to 16th c.).  The following fiction by Canadian authors and/or illustrators generally falls into that time period and, although the Viking Age occurred during Medieval Times, I've chosen to prepare a separate a book list for it to keep this list more manageable. 

Medieval Times Fiction

After Hamelin
by Bill Richardson
Annick Press
227 pp.
Ages 10+
2000
The Pied Piper may have led most of the children from Hamelin, Germany, but two children escape: Penelope who has lost her hearing and Alloway who is crippled and falls behind the parade of children.  It's up to Penelope to find a way to return the children to their homes.

The Alchemist's Portrait
by Simon Rose
Tradewind Books
134 pp.
Ages 8-12
2003
Michael's school trip to the museum has him recruited to help Peter Glimmer who is trapped in his own portrait in a museum, courtesy of his evil alchemist uncle in 1666.

Attack by Knight (Looney Bay All Stars series)
by Helaine Becker
Illustrated by Sampar
Scholastic Canada
66 pp.
Ages 7-9
2006
When two quarreling knights time-travel to the time of the Looney Bay All Stars, the kids challenge their rivals, the Trinity Bay Marauders, to a lacrosse match.

Betrayed: The Legend of Oak Island
by Christopher Dinsdale
Napoleon
292 pp.
Ages 10+
2009
Prince Henry Sinclair of Norway, Earl of Orkney, and Knight Templar is in possession of a unique gift that he intends to use to uphold peace in the world, unlike the warring European kings who would sacrifice all for it.  With the help of an unusual assortment of new allies, Prince Henry heads westward to the lands discovered by the Vikings to keep the treasure safe.

A Company of Fools
by Deborah Ellis
Fitzhenry & Whiteside
191 pp.
Ages 9-14
2002
In 1336, at the Abbey of St. Luc, Henri, a studious choir boy, and Micah, a rebellious choir student, join forces to become the Company of Fools, a group that aims to cheer the people dealing with the deaths from the Black Plague.

There Will be Wolves: The First Book of The Crusades
by Karleen Bradford
HarperCollins
185 pp.
Ages 10-12
1992

Shadows on a Sword: The Second Book of The Crusades
by Karleen Bradford
HarperCollins
249 pp.
Ages 10-12
1996

Lionheart's Scribe: The Third Book of The Crusades
by Karleen Bradford
HarperCollins
204 pp.
Ages 10-12
1999

The Scarlet Cross: The Fourth Book of The Crusades
by Karleen Bradford
HarperCollins
169 pp.
Ages 10-12
2006

Angeline: The Fifth Book of The Crusades
by Karleen Bradford
HarperCollins
180 pp.
Ages 11-15
2004
Karleen Bradford's extraordinary historical fiction series follows the lives of young people from France, England and the Holy Roman Empire who are compelled or choose to join the Crusades to liberate the Holy City of Jerusalem.

Crusades: Kids @ The Crossroads
by Laura Scandiffio
Illustrated by Tina Holdcroft
Annick Press
72 pp.
Ages 9-11
2009
Follow the blog posts of a child from 1212 recreating the adventures, lifestyle and context from the time of the Crusades.

Garth and the Mermaid
by Barbara Claassen Smucker
Penguin
135 pp.
Ages 8-12
1992
When young Garth is hit by a car while trying to keep a classmate from injury, he awakens from unconsciousness as a young peasant on a medieval estate in East Anglia, familiar to him from the Middle Ages he is studying in school.

Ghosts in the Churchyard: A Medieval Adventure
by Marty Pullin
Illustrated by John Richer

Sheffield Museum Publishing

151 pp.

2005

In 13th century England, the village of Tintinhull is robbed on the night when children, including twins William and Emily, await the appearance of a ghost in the churchyard.  The twins use their new psychic gifts to solve the mystery that has ghosts (good and evil), brawling, sheriffs and suspicion getting in the way.  Maps, a glossary and much discussion of medieval society enhance the story.  For those who prefer a shorter book without the supernatural characters of Ghosts in the Churchyard, a second version called Peasants and Thieves is also available.

The Heretic's Tomb
by Simon Rose
Tradewind Books
165 pp.
Ages 8-12
2007
After she discovers an unusual amulet at the archaeological site of the tomb of Lady Isabella Devereaux, a woman decried as a heretic in 1349, Annie finds herself time-travelling back to the time of the Black Death.

Jayden's Rescue
by Vladimir Tumanov
Scholastic Canada
123 pp.
Ages 8-12
2002
The evil sorcerer-king is holding Queen Jayden captive in his castle and only Sam and Alex can save her. This is the plot of the book that Alex is reading but he begins to understand that Jayden is real and actually does need his help. A series of math problems help propel the story, all in aid of Jayden's Rescue.

The Mystery of the Medieval Coin
by A. D. Fast
Vanwell or Tea Leaf Press
157 pp.
Ages 8-11
2004

To Save a King (sequel to The Mystery of the Medieval Coin)
by A.D. Fast
Vanwell
157 pp.
Ages 8-11
2004

In The Mystery of the Medieval Coin, Lucas, Marvin, and Nicole are perplexed by the strange behaviour of their history teacher, Mr. LeClair.  They follow him to an ancient cave and time-travel back to France in the Middle Ages.  With the medieval coin from The Mystery of the Medieval Coin, the three children return to 1450 France in To Save a King, again to outwit their teacher, but this time to save King Charles VII.

Neil Flambé and the Crusader's Curse
by Kevin Sylvester

Simon & Schuster Books for Young People

978-1-44244-408-9

291 pp.

Ages 8-14

2012

Ever since the 1200's, the ancestors of teen chef Neil Flambé have been cursed.  Now, just having turned 15, Neil finds his glorious dishes taste worse than sawdust and his restaurant's re-opening is doomed to fail.

On a Medieval Day: Story Voyages around the World
by Rona Arato
Illustrated by Peter Ferguson
Maple Tree Press
96 pp.
Ages 10-12
2010
Rona Arato does a superb job of recreating the Medieval Times through a series of fictitious accounts by young people who lived in Europe, Africa, the Far East and Vinland during these times.  Additional information supports each story.

The Princess Pawn
by Maggie L. Wood
Sumach Press
299 pp.
Ages 11-14
2003
Willow is transported to the fantasy world of Mistolear, in which she is a princess with magical powers.  In Mistolear,  a fairy tale setting with castles, knights, princesses and medieval society, Willow is part of a mystic chess game for control of the universe.

Seeds of Time
by K. C. Dyer
Dundurn
256 pp.
Ages 10-13
2002
After a motorcycle accident in which her father is killed and she has part of her leg amputated, Darrell is sent to the Eagle Glen art school from which she time-travels to the 1300's.

Sir Fartsalot Hunts the Bogger
by Kevin Bolger
Razorbill/Penguin
215 pp.
Ages 9+
2008
After prankster Prince Harry convinces an aging knight, Sir Fartsalot, the lover of all turnip dishes, that the dreaded Booger is threatening the kingdom, his father sends him to accompany the knight on a quest for the Booger.  With a story rife with puns and humour, Prince Harry learns much about gallantry, chivalry and heroism.

The Sorcerer’s Letterbox
by Simon Rose
Tradewind Books
114 pp.
Ages 8-11
2004
Jack discovers a letter in a drawer and finds himself corresponding with Edward V, one of the princes imprisoned in the Tower of London in 1483. After penning a reply, Jack finds himself trapped in late medieval England.
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Follow-up lists will include young adult and non-fiction titles dealing with the Middle Ages.

Also, if you know of any other books which you think are appropriate for this book list, please contact me so that I may consider adding them.

Blue Spruce 10th Anniversary Exhibit at the CNE

The Canadian National Exhibition returns to Toronto from August 17 to September 3, the last gasp of summer before school starts.  This year the Ontario Library Association has partnered with the CNE to present an exhibit of Canadian illustrators' work from books nominated for the Blue Spruce Reading Program which is celebrating its 10th year anniversary. You'll see works by Bill Slavin, Sean Cassidy, Wallace Edwards, Chrissie Wysotski, Barbara Reid, Bruno St-Aubin, Stéphane Jorisch, Jeremy Tankard, Ashley Spires, and Rachel Berman among others.  And you're invited!

You are invited to attend 

the Blue Spruce 10th Anniversary Exhibit 

at the Canadian National Exhibition!

Where:     Booth 711, Crafts & Hobbies Pavilion, Exhibition Grounds, Toronto

When:      Daily, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., August 17 - September 3

What:      • Exhibit of almost 100 illustrations from picture books by Canadian authors and illustrators including Bill Slavin, Sean Cassidy, Wallace Edwards, Barbara Reid, Bruno St-Aubin, Stéphane Jorisch, Jeremy Tankard, Ashley Spires and Melanie Rose
                • interactive crafts corner
                • reading corner

Who:       Visiting authors/illustrators include Sean Cassidy (August 27th),  Frieda Wishinsky, Melanie Rose, and Kari-Lynn Winters (August 18, 31) (Kari-Lynn Winters says she's bringing puppets, hats and stories!)

And, if you visit on August 25th or August 28th, come say hello as I'll be volunteering with others to help promote this great reading program and the works of Canadian illustrators and authors.

Alyxandra Harvey's The Drake Chronicles

Having recently met Canadian YA author Alyxandra Harvey at the Festival of Trees in Toronto, as her novel Haunting Violet (Walker & Co., 2011) was selected as the Honour Book for the 2012 Red Maple Award, I learned that she pens a very successful and popular supernatural series called The Drake Chronicles.  So, having enjoyed Haunting Violet, I thought I'd look into The Drake Chronicles and have just finished reading the first three books.  How could I have been so remiss in not recognizing this series when it first came out?  With five books in total already published and the sixth scheduled for release in January, 2013 (see list below), I've got a lot of catching up to do. 

1. Hearts at Stake (alternate title: My Love Lies Bleeding)
2. Blood Feud
3. Out for Blood
4. Bleeding Hearts
5. Blood Moon
6. Blood Prophecy (for release in January 2013)

For now, I'll limit myself to reviewing only the first books in the series here.  After all, you can get too much of a good thing, just like chocolate. And the Drake Chronicles are a very good thing.

Hearts at Stake
Written by Alyxandra Harvey
Walker & Company
(Distributed by Penguin Canada)
978-0-8027-2074-0
248 pp.
Ages 14-17
2010


Blood Feud 
Written by Alyxandra Harvey
Walker & Company
(Distributed by Penguin Canada)
978-0-8027-2096-2
258 pp.
Ages 14-17
2010


Out for Blood 
Written by Alyxandra Harvey
Walker & Company
(Distributed by Penguin Canada)
978-0-8027-2168-6
292 pp.
Ages 14-17
2010


 

The Drake Chronicles are called such after the Drake family, an ancient family of vampires, upon whom each story is founded.  The nucleus of the contemporary Drake family consists of mother Helena, father Liam, seven brothers (Nicholas, Logan, Quinn, Connor, Sebastian, Marcus, Duncan) and the youngest and only daughter, Solange.  Also living with the family at the beginning of the series are Aunt Hyacinth, Helena's aunt, and Uncle Geoffrey, Liam's brother.  Lucy, Solange's human best friend, is also an integral member of the Drake family, essentially an honorary sister, daughter and soon girlfriend.

In the first book, Hearts at Stake, Solange is worrying about her impending sixteenth birthday, the time for her blood change from human to vampire.  Knowing the physical and emotional trauma that all her older brothers endured with the change, Solange is already apprehensive.  But, as the only female vampire-born offspring, a prophecy declares that she will be the ruling Queen, destined to supplant Lady Natasha.  And now a menagerie of vampires, including the power-hungry Montmartre, are sending courting gifts, hopeful of a liaison with an upcoming queen.  Luckily, her best friend Lucy, a human, is sticking around to help her still enjoy life, even if Lucy and Solange's brother Nicholas keep butting heads as they have since childhood (though that power struggle now includes surprising kisses!)  So, not only does Solange have to worry about the change (and how good her best-friend Lucy will smell), and the endless (and sometimes gross) gifts of her suitors, everyone is out to protect her, practically suffocating her, especially once they learn of a bounty on the Drakes.  But, Solange is determined to have a life, even if that means getting closer to Kieran Black, the Helios-Ra vampire hunter who is convinced the Drakes killed his father. 

Blood Feud has the Drake family preparing for Helena’s coronation as the new Queen, with special guests and emissaries beginning to arrive.  The representative of the Hounds, Isabeau St. Croix, an eighteen-year-old woman whose aristocratic parents were murdered during the French Revolution, had been turned into a vampire by Greyhaven and buried for centuries before being rescued by the powerful Hounds.  Now Isabeau represents her queen or shamanka, Kala, and the Hounds who have allied themselves with the Drakes, particularly against Montmartre and his Hel-Blar army.  Not surprising that Logan Drake, wearer of waistcoats, frock coats and pirate shirts, finds himself drawn to Isabeau, as they work together to thwart the attacks of Montmartre, the Hel-Blars and even Greyhaven.

Drake brother Quinn and Helios-Ra student Hunter Wild are the voices of Out for Blood, the third book in The Drake Chronicles.  Hunter, an outstanding student at the Helios-Ra Academy, has been chosen by Helios-Ra leader Hart to accompany him and nephew Kieran Black to Helena Drake's coronation, as the Helios-Ra are allying themselves with the Drakes.  Through Kieran, who is still dating Solange, Hunter encounters Quinn to whom she is wildly attracted.  Quinn, of course, is similarly attracted, though with his charm and startling handsome features (like all Drake men), he is known as quite a ladies' man.  Having a vampire as a close acquaintance is problematic for the young Helio-Ra, especially with her bigoted grandfather, but she needs to uncover the truth about some goings-on at the Academy, and Quinn is eager to help and protect her.

If you check out  Alyxandra Harvey's website, you'll see how popular her books are throughout the world by fans of YA vampire books. While it can be difficult to pinpoint the exact features of the books that the fans love, I suspect that it has much to do with the great and varied characters, sweet romances, strong female leads, expressive teen attitudes, and the interweaving of vampires, Helios-Ra, Hounds, Hel-Blar and other assorted groups.  While the paranormal aspects of the books create fantastic context for the stories, the interrelationships between individuals and groups are easily recognizable for YA readers:  best friends, enemies, siblings, crushes, guardians and children, teachers and students, mixed with love, hate, like, disgust, respect, fear, confusion, loyalty, and concern.  The familiarity blended with the fantasy and the resolution of the good-evil conflict is an irresistible combination.

Alyxandra Harvey's books are regular contenders in the best of the paranormal romances that include series like Twilight, the House of Night, the Mortal Instruments, the Infernal Devices and the Darkest Powers.  I couldn't count the number of readers who proclaimed with exclamation their preference for The Drake Chronicles over the Twilight series.  That's high praise for a series by a Canadian author whose books have not had the exposure and promotion that the other has enjoyed.  And as long as Alyxandra Harvey continues to tell stories about the Drake family and those in their circle in her winning style, readers, including myself, will continue to escape into the tempting shadows of The Drake Chronicles.

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As already mentioned, Alyxandra Harvey has a fabulous website with details about the books, trailers, mailing list, bio and other such goodies.  But, if you only want to see a few of the official videos for these books, they are available on the CanLit for LittleCanadians: Book Trailers site here.