Buddy and Earl and the Great Big Baby

Written by Maureen Fergus

Illustrated by Carey Sookocheff

Groundwood Books

978-1-55498-716-0

32 pp.

Ages 4-7

August 2016

Our dynamic duo of Buddy, the dog, and Earl, the hedgehog, introduced in Buddy and Earl (Groundwood, 2015) and revisited in Buddy and Earl Go Exploring (Groundwood, 2016) have a new adventure afoot when it is announced that Mrs. Cunningham and her baby are coming for a visit. Meredith, the young girl in the family, seems excited, and the two pets follow suit. But what’s a baby? Earl questions, and makes all manner of speculation from a mode of transportation to an electrical appliance or something to eat, while Buddy adds his modest knowledge to the discussion.

The arrival of the child leaves them both chagrined as the baby pays no attention to anyone and leaves of swath of destruction as it ambles through the house, tasting, eating, breaking. A consequent delivery to its cage i.e., playpen has the baby making friends with Earl who then appoints himself guardian when the great big baby escapes to new and wild adventures in bedrooms of snakes and lava and dinosaurs and, the deadliest of all, water.

From Buddy and Earl and the Great Big Baby 

by Maureen Fergus, illus. by Carey Sookocheff

Buddy’s faithfulness is only surpassed by Earl’s joie de vivre making the two a duo of contrasts and congeniality. In facing a new encounter, Buddy and Earl work together to understand, mitigate and even appreciate the complication that is the great big baby. By giving voice to Buddy and Earl and even Meredith as they handle the baby, Maureen Fergus covers a variety of sentiments, recognizing that babies, like pets, aren’t always small and adorable but still “make the world a happier place” (pg. 31).

Again Carey Sookocheff illustrates Buddy and Earl’s adventure with the right feel of simplicity and wonder. There is sparseness to the artwork that is brilliantly appropriate for a story told from the perspective of a dog and a hedgehog, undoubtedly less concerned with the material excessiveness of our world. Imaginative play and exploration are emphasized, not things, and Carey Sookocheff makes sure that, with her minimal colour palette and attention to shape and line, Buddy and Earl remain the stars of this story, nothwithstanding a great big baby, that is.

Buddy and Earl 

From Buddy and Earl and the Great Big Baby 

by Maureen Fergus, illus. by Carey Sookocheff

Next Round: A Young Athlete’s Journey to Gold

by John Spray
Pajama Press
978-1-927485-99-6
112 pp.
Ages 10-14
July 2016

The 2016 Olympics are on in Rio and the media will be trumpeting the success stories of many an athlete, but Chechen-born Canadian boxer Arthur Biyarslanov has a story like no other.  And it’s a story that John Spray, benefactor of the TD Children’s John Spray Mystery Award, tells with inspiration and appreciation in Next Round: A Young Athlete’s Journey to Gold.

Arthur Biyarslanov’s story begins as a three-year-old escaping with his mother, Alla, twelve- and eleven-year-old sisters Bariyat and Bella, and nine-year-old brother Rustam from their war-stricken village of Gudermes in Chechnya to meet up with his father, Hairuddin, in Azerbaijan.  Facing soldiers with rifles and tanks and grenade-launchers of the Russian forces attempting to seize the Chechen republic was hardly an idyllic childhood for Arthur, affectionately called Borz, Chechen for wolf.  Their harrowing escape reunites the family in the windy city of Baku, Azerbaijan where he and his brother play with a makeshift soccer ball of socks and electrical tape to escape the austere conditions of their apartment and new life amongst strangers.  Soccer becomes Arthur’s salvation, helping him to learn the Azerbaijani language and fit in.

After the death of his father, the family deals with their new poverty by moving to even small quarters in a tough neighbourhood where Arthur, the new kid and target of bullies, becomes known as a fearless fighter but competitive athlete.  Though soccer is his sport of choice, Arthur often spars with his brother and sister Bella who were both karate champions, becoming a proficient wrestler, albeit a clumsy one.  And then his mother decides a fresh start is needed for the family and Canada would be it.

In Toronto, Arthur continues with his soccer, making new friends, learning English and becoming even more athletic,  including running and basketball in his many activities, though soccer is still his first love.  But a broken leg at the beginning of Grade 7 and subsequent slow recovery has Arthur concentrating on sports that demand more from his upper-body strength, leading him to boxing.  Though he knows he has lots to learn–he gets beat up regularly at sparring sessions–his brother Rustam knew “the Chechen Wolf would be a champion boxer.” (pg. 74)

The rest of Arthur’s story, peppered with numerous photographs, documents the young man’s rise in the boxing ring under the coaching of former Olympian John Kalbhenn and working with trainer Danny Santagato, whom Arthur affectionately calls Uncle Danny. From his first bout in 2008 to a rivalry with Zsolt Daranyi Jr. and having to choose between soccer and boxing, Arthur makes boxing his vocation, training tirelessly, and focusing on getting gold at the 2015 Pan Am games.

John Spray’s intent in writing Next Round is heartfelt and clearly evident from his dedication:

For all those children who escaped the horrors of war to find peace and new beginnings…and for Arthur, who replaced the sound of gunfire with the smack of leather on a punching bag.

The purpose of the book is clear but it’s John Spray’s writing that will capture Arthur Biyarslanov’s story better than any colour commentator could ever hope to relay as the boxer reaches for gold at this year’s Olympics.  John Spray, who owns a private investigations agency and is great lover of mysteries, tells Biyarslanov’s story as the harrowing action story that it is.  From witnessing at age three the massacre by Russian soldiers of  Chechens desperately attempting to flee for Azerbaijan, to the family’s escape across the cold water of the Yujniy Gerzel River into Dagestan and Arthur’s regular conflicts with the frightening old Azerbaijani woman whose fruit tree he climbs and his contentious boxing relationship with Zsolt, Next Round: A Young Athlete’s Journey to Gold is a  gripping story whose next chapter is still untold.

But no matter what the next round in his sport may bring, Arthur’s hard work and tireless dedication to boxing will give any opponent he faces a scare when looking into the hungry eyes of the Chechen Wolf. (pg. 100)

Ooko

by Esmé Shapiro

Tundra Books

978-1-101-918449

40 pp.

Ages 3-7

July 2016

Looks like foxes are the newest thing in children’s picture book characters and, though Esmé Shapiro has made Ooko a darling of a fox, he/she could be any creature, human or otherwise, who just wants a friend (though Ooko is incredibly lovable!)

In simple statements, Ooko takes stock of all he has: a stick, a leaf, a rock.  But he doesn’t have a friend with whom he can play.  So, Ooko goes looking: in a hole, in a tree, under a moose.  When he witnesses another four-legged creature playing with a furless, two-legged one called a Debbie, he comes to the revelation that he needs a Debbie too!  

But all the Debbies around seem to be enamoured with their own “foxes” and pay him no heed, even when he tries to emulate all the attributes he is convinced make them so lovable.  That is, until a Debbie who is missing her eyeglasses mistakenly grabs Ooko and “plays” with him as she would her true pet.  

From Ooko by Esmé Shapiro

Only when he meets a raccoon who wants to be his friend does Ooko accept himself as he is, not how he believes others want him to be.

Esmé Shapiro’s story is sweet and quirky with a positive message of self-acceptance and friendship but it’s her illustrations that make Ooko a truly special achievement.  From uniquely-shaped Ooko, with his rotund orange body highlighted by massive and bright eyes to the assorted dogs, bizarrely-coiffured humans and bold and leafy landscapes, Ooko is a fun and imaginative story that celebrates the individuality of friendships.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Check out these Ooko extras:

•  Esmé Shapiro's Ooko book trailer at https://vimeo.com/161983649 

• The Globe and Mail's video of Esmé Shapiro drawing her cute characters at http://fw.to/2bq9S5c

The Seven Prequels: coming September!

Once upon a time, 

seven outstanding authors of youngCanLit 

Eric Walters

Sigmund Brouwer

Norah McClintock

Shane Peacock

Richard Scrimger

Ted Staunton

John Wilson

came together and formulated a series like no other. 

It is called Seven (the series) 

from Orca Book Publishers, 

and all seven books were simultaneously published in October, 2012.

The seven linked books, which can be read in any order, 

focus on the 7 grandsons of David McLean 

and the 7 journeys his death sends them on.

Between Heaven and Earth by Eric Walters

Close to the Heel by Norah McClintock

Devil's Pass by Sigmund Brouwer

Ink Me by Richard Scrimger

Jump Cut by Ted Staunton

Last Message by Shane Peacock

Lost Cause by John Wilson

77777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777

Two years later, the Seven Sequels were born.

The seven cousins from Seven 

come together at their grandfather's cottage 

and discover evidence of David McLean's mysterious past, 

sending the seven out on a new set of adventures.

Broken Arrow by John Wilson

Coda by Ted Staunton

Double You by Shane Peacock

From the Dead by Norah McClintock

Sleeper by Eric Walters

Tin Soldier by Sigmund Brouwer

The Wolf and Me by Richard Scrimger

777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777

Next month the Seven Prequels arrive!

This time the seven books emphasize the origin stories of the seven grandsons and their relationships with their grandfather and tell...

How It All Began

Weerdest Day Ever 

by Richard Scrimger

Barracuda 

by Sigmund Brouwer

Separated 

by Shane Peacock

Jungle Land 

by Eric Walters

The Missing Skull 

by John Wilson

Slide 

by Norah McClintock

Speed 

by Ted Staunton

Look for the books on September 20 2016 

and 

enjoy more news and extras (including the Seven teachers' guide) 

at Orca Book Publishers at

www.thesevenprequels.com

A Boy Named Queen

Written by Sara Cassidy

Groundwood Books

978-1-55498-905-8

80 pp.

Ages 8-11

August 2016

Reviewed from advance reading copy

Writing a great early reader or middle grade novel is very, very dificult.  The writer has to ensure that there is enough substance–in the story and characters and writing–to support the interest and reading demands of just a sliver of the youthful reading population.  How do you give the reader all that and at an appropriate reading level and in a limited number of pages?  I’m especially flummoxed how author Sara Cassidy, who has written both early readers and hi-lo fiction for teens, could pack so much flavour and sensory lushness into A Boy Named Queen’s mere 80 pages.  While the story is built on  the simple platform of a new friendship, Sara Cassidy has a created a rich landscape of people, places and experiences that heightens the story beyond that humble premise.

The story begins with the last day of summer protocols for Evelyn and her parents as they prepare both girl and house for the beginning of the new school year.  Little does Evelyn realize that her annual shoe-buying trip, normally for the dreaded loafers, would be “the last day of my old life” (p. 18) and herald a new life with sneakers–even if they’re too tight–and a new friend.  Grade 5 with Mr. Zhang becomes ever so much more interesting when the confident and distinctive Queen, a long-haired, brogue-wearing boy, joins them.  He’s like no one she’s ever met.  Even his dog, Patti Smith, who follows Queen to school that first day, is unique, though promptly retrieved by Queen’s pick-up driving rocker of a dad.

The burgeoning friendship between Evelyn and Queen begins with Evelyn trying to be nice to the boy who is obviously used to be ridiculed for his name and sense of style but who is self-possessed enough to withstand it.   He shares with her his strategy of creating an imaginary force field that both protects him from the cruel things that some may say or think as well as points all good things directly to his heart.  

I love Queen for his sensitivity and courage.  

“My name is handy.  I watch how people act when they hear it for the first time.  It shows me what  kind of people they are.” (p. 64)

But I love Evelyn even more for the colour she perceives in life, from her new runners,  that

“bend with her feet.  The soles are like licorice instead of breadboards.” (p 15)

to Queen’s freckles,

“His freckles outnumber even Evelyn’s.  But they’re strong spices–cinnamon, paprika–compared to Evelyn’s weak tea stains.” (p. 20)

and even Brussel sprouts,

“Evelyn doesn’t like Brussel sprouts.  They taste like her fingers taste after she’s held her house key for a while. “ (p. 50)

She is a young girl with eyes and heart wide open to goodness and joy, and Sara Cassidy ensures that Evelyn is receptive to a heartening friendship with A Boy Named Queen. 

With Malice

by Eileen Cook

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

978-0-544-80509-5

316 pp.

Ages 13+

June 2016

Eighteen-year-old Jill Charron just wants the truth.  Waking up in a hospital room without any memories of how she got there and struggling to find words because of a brain injury means that getting at the truth is not going to be easy.  As the byline to the book states, "The truth is how you tell it" and it seems the truths are multitudinous and varied.

Jill's divorced parents seem to want to keep a lot of truths from her, especially the key one that Simone McIvory, Jill’s best friend, was killed in the car being driven by Jill while on a school trip in Italy.  The police, both American and Italian, as well as Evan Stanley, her high-priced lawyer, are badgering her for the truths she can’t remember.  And everybody else, from other students on the trip, to newspaper reports, crime drama series, and subscribers to the “Justice for Simone” blog are more than willing to share their opinions as to the truth.  But what is the truth and is there only one?

While Jill, whisked back to the States by her rich and demanding father, endures rehab and counselling to help heal her body and six weeks of memory loss, the police interview Simone’s parents who portray their daughter as a confident and popular teen with old-fashioned values, and Jill as a less well-liked girl from a broken home and desperate for attention.  Though the strength of their friendship is recognized by many who knew them, different stories arise with regards to the two girls-chilly or friendly, studious or popular, jealous or self-centered–by those who knew them well or just marginally and even by those who’d never met them but nastily weigh in on the news story.

“It doesn’t matter what’s true–what matters is what people believe.” (pg. 102)

Eileen Cook brilliantly layers the multifaceted truths recounted in blog posts, transcripts of police interviews, newspaper articles, yearbooks, and other media as she intricately develops the subplots of With Malice, all with the purpose of revealing what actually happened to Simone and Jill in that car in Italy.  Below the very concrete mess of a mangled car lies a substantial mess of romance, anger, pettiness, jealously, hurt and misplaced affection.  The ultimate truth is both expected and surprising and Eileen Cook reveals it with breath-taking patience, taking YA readers on a suspenseful read all the way to the end before exposing a friendship admittedly more fragile than honest.

Pandas on the Eastside

by Gabrielle Prendergast

Orca Book Publishers

978-1-4598-1143-0

192 pp

Ages 9-12

October, 2016

Reviewed from advance reading copy 

Never underestimate the power of goodness to overcome that which others consider weaknesses: youth, poverty, lack of education, dysfunctional families.  Ten-year-old Journey Song doesn’t.  She sees beyond the slummy side of the 1970s Eastside of Vancouver and sees a community of friends, that includes classmates, school staff, street people and local merchants.

Some people call the Eastside a slum.  That’s because they are describing buildings and roads instead of people.  To them, people on the Eastside probably look poor, sad, uneducated, sick and worthless.  But I don’t care what they think.  To me, the people around here are friends. (pg. 1)

And she’s going to need all of them in her mission to help the pandas housed in limbo at a local warehouse while the governments of China and the United States engage in a bureaucratic kerfuffle regarding action during the Vietnam War.

Though Pandas on the Eastside is narrated by the youthfully buoyant voice of Journey, each chapter brings another Eastside community member to the forefront, from homeless Kentucky Jack and mentally ill Contrary Gary, to teacher Miss Bickerstaff and her black boyfriend Ben Wallace, and Officer Pete Baker, and grocer Mr. Huang. Everyone adds to Journey’s story, not the least of which is her father whom she meets for the first time, finally answering some of her questions about her heritage.  But, just like everyone else on the Eastside, it doesn’t matter where you come from but who you are now. For Journey, her now involves helping the pandas and hopefully spreading some happiness in a world filled with war and sadness and conflict.

Gabrielle Prendergast, who made her literary mark with young adult novels in verse Audacious (Orca, 2013) and Capricious (Orca, 2014), demonstrates a formidable skill for writing an intricately-plotted, character-filled middle-grade novel that confronts prejudice without preachiness.  Yet it’s Gabrielle Prendergast's rich setting that truly drives the story, providing the impetus for action and consequently acceptance.  Pandas on the Eastside is an uplifting story from a time long-gone but a place ever-present in heart and geography.


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

Kubiw, H. (2016, September). [Review of the book Pandas on the Eastside, by Gabrielle Prendergast]. Quill & Quire, 82 (7): 37.