I See London, I See France

Written by Sarah Mlynowski

HarperCollins

978-1-44344-317-3

377 pp.

Ages 13+

July 2017

I See London, I See France could be 19-year-old Sydney Rothstein's travel journal but it's more a story of her coming into herself, evolving from doormat and people-pleaser to the protagonist of her own adventure, all within the grand setting of Europe. It's a bumpy road with a lot of switchbacks, drama and tourist attractions and it's worth the ticket price.

This was the summer trip to Europe that wasn't supposed to happen, although Sydney and her BFF Leela Veer had been planning on it since they were children.  With Sydney's mom's agoraphobia putting the kibosh on her going to college anywhere but home in Maryland, it looked like Leela was going to end up in Europe with her boyfriend Matt whom she'd met at McGill.  But then Matt kisses some random girl and the two break up and he's supposed to cancel his ticket and Sydney's younger sister Addison agrees, reluctantly, to take on the job of caring for their mother for a month and Sydney finds enough money to go.  So, with Travel Europe guidebook in hand and a cell phone which she only uses with free WiFi, Sydney sets out on her excellent European adventure with her supportive but oft-coddled best friend.

They barely get off the ground when the two American girls learn Matt did not cancel his trip but is instead going to be travelling with his best friend Jackson.  Leela can't help stressing over what Matt is doing and if they're going to bump into the guys (and sometimes making sure they do!) and what she still feels for him.  Being the sensitive friend she is, Sydney goes along with Leela, trying to make sure she has a great time, sacrificing her own needs even while stressing over her sister's casual care-giving of their mother.  And, amidst all that emotional balancing act and visits to London, Amsterdam, Paris and several more planned and unplanned destinations, Sydney starts experiencing her own panic attacks and crushing on Jackson, whom Leela calls a "man whore."

How do you have a mind-blowing European adventures with a friend who vacillates between hating and stalking her ex/boyfriend while worrying about your agoraphobic mother who is being looked after by your sixteen-year-old sister? You put on that bon vivant attitude and keep trying new foods and drinks, seeking out the must-see tourist attractions, kissing some random guys and making sure that your BFF has the spectacular adventure you planned. Fortunately, Sydney finds she can talk to Jackson, even when she isn't supposed to be seeing him, and to her college friend Kat whom the girls visit in Paris and unfortunately whom Leela obviously feels threatens her friendship with Sydney.  It's a whirlwind trip of old and new friends, old and new loves, and food and drink–I think I fixated on the waffles and gelato–and selfies.  What they bring home, beyond the snow globes for Addison, is far more than can fit in their luggage.

There are a lot of teens starting their own European adventures right now, perhaps just for the summer or as part of a gap year.  I See London, I See France will certainly resonate with them as they leave family, friends and romances behind and seek to make new connections and memories, some fleeting, some life-long, along the way.  Sarah Mlynowski, who consistently delights with her entertaining and warm-hearted children's, teen and adult books,  takes on this rite of passage for many young people and creates a story that, even with the stressors of family and friends and decision-making, anyone would be pleased to have as their own.  Of course there's angst, both the kind as a result of others' actions and the self-imposed variety, but there's love and sex and novelty and experiences that go beyond the norm.  It's what a summer should be, at least once in your life. Bon voyage!

Animals Illustrated

Walrus
Written by Herve Paniaq
Illustrated by Ben Shannon
Inhabit Media
978-1-77227-142-3
24 pp.
Ages 5-8
June 2017

Muskox

Written by Allen Niptanatiak

Illustrated by Kagan McLeod

Inhabit Media

978-1-77227-122-5

24 pp.

Ages 5-8

December 2016

Narwhal

Written by Solomon Awa

Illustrated by Hwei Lim

Inhabit Media

978-1-77227-080-8

24 pp.

Ages 5-8

September 2016

Polar Bear

Written by William Flaherty

Illustrated by Danny Christopher

Inhabit Media

978-1-77227-079-2

24 pp.

Ages 5-8

September 2016

Last year, Nunavut publisher Inhabit Media created a new non-fiction series about arctic animals.  The books of this series, currently a total of four, generally follow a similar format, with chapters on range, skeleton, diet, and babies included in all, but also with possible chapters on predators, defense, traditional uses and fun facts.  Similar in organization but unique in delivery, the books inform, engage and illustrate the nature of these magnificent animals.

Walrus, the most recent volume, was written by elder Herve Paniaq who goes beyond the typical information texts about animals that describe the morphology of the creatures with some life cycle and behaviour.  Readers will also learn about the nature of the walruses' tusks, as anchor, ice pick and defense against their only natural predators, polar bears and orcas, and the function of the walruses’ whiskers and flippers. But it’s the uncommon info, like which bulls can be a threat to boats and how walrus meat is prepared by the Inuit, that makes Herve Paniaq’s Walrus distinct.  Moreover, Ben Shannon’s illustrations bring an elegance to the walrus that might not always be evident.  The cover alone is luxuriant in its depictions of walruses, with one walrus seeming to look out directly at the reader.

The earlier books in the series are all written and illustrated by different authors and artists.  The first book Polar Bear, written by William Flaherty with art by Danny Christopher, includes discussion about the polar bear as hunter and swimmer and its role in Inuit mythology.  Narwhal, written by Solomon Awa and illustrated by Hwei Lim, was also released last June, and includes comment about the narwhal’s deep diving and behaviour beneath the ice, as well as about its impressive tooth, often referred to as a tusk, that can grow up to almost 3 metres in length.  Inuit hunter and trapper Allen Niptanatiak’s volume on Muskox, illustrated by Toronto artist Kagan McLeod, includes extensive information about the muskoxen's strategies for defense and for withstanding the cold.  As in Walrus, the traditional uses of this arctic animal by the Inuit are discussed, providing a community connection that teachers will appreciate.

Animals Illustrated is a significant series for young animal lovers who are interested in reading for themselves about the animals of the Arctic, exotic for many, but without the onerous texts of animal encyclopedias that tell too little about too much.  Walrus, Muskox, Narwhal and Polar Bear strike the right balance of information and graphics, including only relevant and revealing science, intriguing our youngest readers to pursue further information about each as they choose.

Upcoming Summer and Fall Releases for 2017

I know that I don't need to apologize for all the books whose covers I could not include below but I feel like I'm disappointing readers, authors, illustrators and publishers who want to see certain books displayed in their graphic glory here.  But many different constraints prevent me from including every single book cover.  I hope that this smattering gives readers a small indication of the many books of youngCanLit coming out in the next few months and whets your reading appetites for the new year as well.  

Here are some that I am anxious to read:

• Thin Places by Lesley Choyce (Dundurn) because it's a novel written in free verse and it's from Lesley Choyce;
• The Man Who Loved Libraries: The Story of Andrew Carnegie by Andrew Larsen and illustrated by Katty Maurey (Owlkids) because I love libraries too!;
• Stolen Words by Melanie Florence and illustrated by Gabrielle Grimard (Second Story Press) because it's Melanie Florence's and the illustrations look both sad and hopeful;
• The Winnowing by Vikki VanSickle (Scholastic) because it's a new direction for the writer yet I know she can write it all;
• The Christmas Wind by Stephanie Simpson McLellan and illustrated by Brooke Kerrigan (Red Deer Press) because I look forward to seeing the synergy between two favourite youngCanLit contributors;
• Game's End by Natasha Deen (Great Plains Teen Fiction) because I need to know how the princess of YA paranormal murder mysteries ends this series;
• Spirit Trackers by Jan Bourdeau Waboose and illustrated by François Thisdale (Fifth House Publishers) because I've seen glimpses of the illustrations (one gracing the cover of the Fitzhenry & Whiteside catalogue and others on the illustrator's Facebook page) and they are surreal in their loveliness and storytelling;
• That Inevitable Victorian Thing by E. K. Johnston (Dutton) because it's E.K. Johnston's and it's an alternate reality in which (according to E.K. Johnston's website) the British Empire never fell, the United States never rose and matchmaking is based on genetics (!);
• Immortal Reign by Morgan Rhodes (Razorbill) because it's the newest book in her Falling Kingdoms high fantasy series;
• The Brilliance of Bees by Colleen Nelson (Dundurn) because it's a new YA novel from Colleen Nelson (who is coming to this year's Eden Mills Writers' Festival); 
• The Defiant by Lesley Livingston (HarperCollins Canada) because I need to know what happened to her gladiatrix Fallon from The Valiant; and 
• Shelter by Céline Claire and illustrated by Qin Leng (Kids Can Press) because I am so touched by the book cover that softens my heart and a book blurb that suggests a story based in compassion and kindness, both of which need to be celebrated and exemplified.

There are lots of picture books, some graphic novels, lots of early readers and middle grade, as well as young adult and non-fiction. Get into a little history, a lot of hockey, some enlightenment and much humour because it's somewhere in this extensive collection of upcoming releases of youngCanLit.  Happy reading!

Picture Books
Fatima and the Clementine Thieves by Mireille Messier, illus. by Gabrielle Grimard (Red Deer Press)
The Good Morning Book by Lori Joy Smith (Simply Read)
Jon's Tricky Journey: A Story for Inuit Children with Cancer and Their Families by Patricia McCarthy, illus. by Hwei Lim (Inhabit Media)
Mitzi Tulane, Preschool Detective in The Secret Ingredient by Lauren McLaughlin, illus. by Debbie Ohi  (Random House Books for Young Readers)
Song on the Wind by Caroline Everson, illus. by Anne Marie Bourgeois (Fifth House Publishers)
Sydney & Simon: To the Moon! by Paul Reynolds, illus. by Peter Reynolds (Charlesbridge)
What's My Superpower? by Aviaq Johnston, illus. by Tim Mack (Inhabit Media)

Fiction
Chase by Linwood Barclay (Puffin)
Clutch by Heather Camlot (Red Deer Press)
Dog Night at the Story Zoo by Dan Bar-el, illus. by Vicky Nerino (Tundra)
Heartwood Hotel: A True Home by Kallie George (HarperCollins Canada)
Heartwood Hotel: The Greatest Gift by Kallie George (HarperCollins Canada)
Shu-Li and the Magic Pear Tree by Paul Yee, illus. by Shaoli Wang (Tradewind Books)

Young Adult
I See England, I See France by Sarah Mlynowski (HarperCollins)
Thin Places by Lesley Choyce (Dundurn) >>>novel in verse
Tracker’s Canyon by Pam Withers (Dundurn)

Picture Books

Best Pirate by Kari-Lynn Winters, illus. Dean Griffiths (Pajama Press) >>>sequel to Bad Pirate and Good Pirate

Buddy and Earl Go to School by Maureen Fergus, illus. by Carey Sookocheff (Groundwood) >>>fourth book in Buddy and Earl series

Crazy for Hockey: Five All-Star Stories by Gilles Tibo, illus. by Bruno St-Aubin (Scholastic Canada) >>>five Nicholas stories

Federica by Scot Ritchie (Groundwood)

From Far Away by Robert Munsch, illus. by Saoussan Askar (Annick)

I Quit Grade One by Nancy Wilcox Richards, illus. by Tom Goldsmith (Scholastic Canada)

Ira Crumb Makes a Pretty Good Friend by Naseem Hrab, illus. by Josh Holinaty (Owlkids)

Jump, Leap, Count Sheep: A Canadian Wildlife 123 by Geraldo Valério (Owlkids)

Me and You and the Red Canoe by Jean Pendziwol, illus. by Phil (Groundwood)

My Wounded Island by Jacques Pasquet, illus. by Marion Arbona, trans. by Sophie Watson (Orca)

Not Friends by Rebecca Bender (Pajama Press)>>>newest Giraffe and Bird book

A Pattern for Pepper by Julie Kaulis (Tundra)

Ruby Rose, Big Bravos by Rob Sanders, illus. by Debbie Ridpath Ohi (HarperCollins)

Seamus's Short Story by Heather Hartt-Sussman, illus. by Milan Pavlović (Groundwood)

Shooting Star Rider by Nayoung Jin, illus. by Geneviève Côté (Simply Read)

Thank You, Canada by Andrea Lynn Beck (Scholastic Canada)

Fiction
The Artsy Mistake Mystery by Sylvia McNicoll (Dundurn)>>>new book in The Great Mistakes Mysteries
Bad Shot by Sylvia Taekema (Lorimer) >>>Lorimer Sports Stories
Golden Game by David Starr (Lorimer)
Mermaid Warrior Squad by Karin Adams, illus. by Janine Carrington (Lorimer)
Morgan the Brave by Ted Staunton and Will Staunton (Formac) >>>Be Brave, Morgan! series
Mort Ziff is not Dead by Cary Fagan (Puffin Canada)
Plunge by Eric Howling (Orca) >>>Orca Sports
Princess Pistachio and Maurice the Magnificent by Marie-Louise Gay (Pajama Press) >>>third Princess Pistachio early reader
Stick Pick by Steve Sandor (Lorimer) >>>Lorimer Sports Stories
Tournament Fugee by Dirk McLean (Lorimer)

Young Adult
90 Days of Different by Eric Walters (Orca)
Counting Wolves by Michael F. Stewart >>>described as The Breakfast Club meets Grimm's Fairy Tales (!)
Epic Fail by Cristy Watson (Lorimer) >>>Lorimer Sidestreets
Hit the Ground Running by Alison Hughes (Orca)
Ride or Die by Wanda Lauren Taylor (Lorimer) >>>Lorimer Sidestreets
Saving Grad by Karen Spafford-Fitz (Lorimer) >>>Lorimer Sidestreets
True to You by Tony Correia (Lorimer) >>>Lorimer Real Love series
You're You by Mette Bach (Lorimer) >>>Lorimer Real Love series
Zero Repeat Forever by G. S. Prendergast (Simon & Schuster) >>>first book in The Nahx Invasions

Non-Fiction
A Bear's Life by Ian McAllister and Nicholas Read (Orca)
The Man Who Loved Libraries: The Story of Andrew Carnegie by Andrew Larsen, illus. by Katty Maurey (Owlkids)
Smiley: A Journey Love by Joanne George (Fitzhenry & Whiteside)
What Makes a Monster? Discovering the World's Scariest Creature by Jess Keating (Knopf Books for Young Readers)

Picture Books
Bath Time by Susan Hughes (Annick)>>>board book, part of series with Nap Time and Play Time
Bedtime 1, 2, 3 by Eric Walters, illus. by Josée Bisaillon (Orca)
A Bedtime Yarn by Nicola Stanley, illus. by Olivia Chin Mueller (Tundra)
The Curiosity Cabinet by Ian Wallace (Groundwood)
Elf in the House by Ammi-Joan Paquette (Candlewick)
The Enormous Suitcase by Robert Munsch, illus. by Michael Martchenko (Scholastic Canada)
The Heart's Song by Gilles Tibo, illus. by Irene Luxbacher (Scholastic Canada)
I Love My Purse by Belle DeMont, illus. by Sonja Wimmer (Annick)
Kisimi Taimaippaktut Angirrarijarani / Only in My Hometown by Angnakuluk Friesen, illus. by Ippiksaut Friesen, trans. by Jean Kusugak (Groundwood) >>>translated into Inuktitut
Leap! by JonArno Lawson, illus. by Josée Bisaillon (Kids Can Press)
Letters to a Prisoner by Jacques Goldstyn, trans. by Angela Keenlyside (Owlkids) >>>wordless book inspired by Amnesty International letter-writing campaign
Malaika's Winter Carnival by Nadia L. Hohn (Groundwood) >>>sequel to Malaika's Costume
Me, Me, Me by Annika Dunklee, illus. by Lori Joy Smith (Kids Can Press)
Mr. Crum's Potato Predicament by Anne Renaud, illus. by Felicita Sala (Kids Can Press)
My Best Friend by Gilles Tibo, illus. by Janice Nadeau (Simply Read)
Nap Time by Susan Hughes (Annick)>>>board book, see Bath Time
Never Enough Hockey by Gilles Tibo, illus. by Bruno St-Aubin (Scholastic Canada)>>>a new Nicholas book
nipêhon / I Wait by Caitlin Nicholson, trans. by Leona Morin-Neilson (Groundwood) >>>written in Cree and English

One Piece of String by Marthe Jocelyn (Orca) 

One Red Button by Marthe Jocelyn (Orca)

Picture the Sky by Barbara Reid (Scholastic) >>>companion to Picture a Tree
Play Time by Susan Hughes (Annick)>>>board book, see Bath Time
Searching for Sleep by Pierrette Dubé, illus. by Geneviève Godbout (Simply Read)
Stolen Words by Melanie Florence, illus. by Gabrielle Grimard (Second Story Press)
Take Me Out to the Ice Rink by Stella Partheniou Grasso, illus. by Chris Jones (Scholastic Canada)
Under-the-Bed Fred by Linda Bailey, illus. by Colin Jack (Tundra)
The Walking Bathroom by Shauntay Grant, illus. by Erin Bennett Banks (Nimbus)
Whale Child by Caroll Simpson (Heritage House)
When the Moon Comes by Paul Harbridge, illus. by Matt James (Tundra)
Where Oliver Fits by Cale Atkinson (Tundra)
Yak and Dove by Kyo Maclear, illus. by Esme Shapiro (Tundra)

Fiction
Abby in Wonderland by  Sarah Mlynowski (Scholastic)>>>Whatever After Special Edition
The Assassin's Curse by Kevin Sands (Aladdin) >>>Blackthorn Key Book 3
Clara Humble: Quiz Whiz by Anna Humphrey, illus. by Lisa Cinar (Owlkids)
The House Next Door by Joel A. Sutherland (Scholastic Canada)>>>part of new Haunted books
How to Be Brave by Nancy Wilcox Richards (Scholastic Canada)
Kill Screen by Joel A. Sutherland (Scholastic Canada)>>>part of new Haunted books
The Kingdom of No Worries by Philip Roy (Ronsdale)
Lark and the Diamond Caper by Natasha Deen, illus. by Marcus Cutler (Orca) >>>Orca Echoes
Listen for the Singing by Jean Little (Scholastic Canada)
Mine by Natalie Hyde (Scholastic Canada)
The Night Garden by Polly Horvath (Puffin Canada)
The Painting by Charis Cotter (Tundra)
Payback by Deb Loughead (Orca) >>>Orca Currents
Pop Quiz by Tom Ryan (Orca) >>>Orca Limelights
Railroad to Courage by Dan Rubenstein and Nancy Dyson (Ronsdale)
Slug Days by Sara Leach, illus. by Rebecca Bender (Pajama Press)
Smoot: A Rebellious Shadow illus. by Sydney Smith (Tundra)
Stricken by C. K. Kelly Martin (Dancing Cat Books)
Under-the-Bed Fred by Linda Bailey, illus. by Colin Jack (Tundra)
The Winnowing by Vikki VanSickle (Scholastic)

Young Adult
Caterpillars Can't Swim by Liane Shaw (Second Story Press)
A Death of Cold by Jim Sellers (Green Bold)
The Disappearance by Gillian Chan (Annick)
Fox Magic by Beverley Brenna, illus. by Miriam Körner (Red Deer Press)
Inside Hudson Pickle by Yolanda Ridge (Kids Can Press)
The Mosaic by Nina Berkhout (Groundwood)
On the Spectrum by Jennifer Gold (Second Story Press)
Overdrive by Dawn Ius (Simon Pulse)
Parasite Life by Victoria Dalpe (ChiTeen)
Plank's Law by Lesley Choyce (Orca)
Prince of Pot by Tanya Lloyd Kyi (Groundwood)
Up North by Jeff Ross (Orca)>>>Orca Soundings

Non-Fiction
#NotYourPrincess: Voices of Native American Women by Lisa Charleyboy and Mary Beth Leatherdale (Annick)
Biometrics: Your Body and the Science of Security by Maria Birmingham, illus. by Ian Turner (Owlkids)
Birthdays Around the World by Margriet Ruurs, illus. by Ashley Barron (Kids Can Press)
Broken Pieces: An Orphan of the Halifax Explosion by Allison Lawlor (Nimbus)
Can Your Smartphone Change the World? by Erinne Paisley (Orca) >>>first in new series popactivism
Connor McDavid: Threat with the Puck by Lorna Schultz Nicholson, illus. by D. A Bishop (Scholastic Canada)>>> Amazing Hockey Stories series
Engineered!: Engineering Designs at Work by Shannon Hunt, illus. by James Gulliver Hancock (Kids Can Press)
Explore the Rocky Shore with Sam and Crystal by Gloria Snively, illus. by Karen Gillmore (Heritage House)
See What We Eat!: A First Book of Healthy Eating by Scot Ritche (Kids Can Press)
Shadow Warrior: Based on the true story of a fearless ninja and her network of female spies by Tanya Lloyd Kyi and Celia Krampien (Annick)
Speaking Our Truth: A Journey of Reconciliation by Monique Gray Smith (Orca)
To Look a Nazi in the Eye by Kathy Kacer with Jordana Lebowitz (Second Story Press)
Turtle Island: The Story of North America's First People by Eldon Yellowhorn and Kathy Lowinger (Annick)
Water Walker by Joanne Robertson (Second Story Press)
When Planet Earth Was New by James Gladstone, illus. by Katherine Diemert (Owlkids)

Picture Books
Baby Cakes by Theo Heras, illus. by Renne Benoit (Pajama Press) >>>a soft-to-touch book (I love these!)
Boonoonoonous Hair! by Olive Senior, illus. by Laura James (Tradewind Books)
Captain Monty Takes the Plunge by Jennifer Mook Sang, illus. by Liz Starin (Kids Can Press)
The Cat Came Back by Cordell Barker (Firefly and NFB)
The Christmas Wind by Stephanie Simpson McLellan, illus. by Brooke Kerrigan (Red Deer Press)
Cinderella and the Furry Slippers illus. by Raphaelle Barbanegre (Tundra)
A Day with Yayeh by Nicola I. Campbell, illus. by Julie Flett (Tradewind Books)
The Dog by Helen Mixter, illus. by Margarita Sada (Greystone Books)
Elisapee and Her Baby Seagull by Nadia Mike, illus. by Charlene Chua (Inhabit Media)
The Flying Squirrel Stowaways: From Halifax to Boston by Marijke Simons (Nimbus)
The Fox and the Fisherman by Marianne Dumas (Nimbus)
From the Stars in the Sky to the Fish in the Sea by Kai Cheng Thom, illus. by Kai Yun Ching and Wai-Yant Li (Arsenal Pulp Press)
Goodnight, Hockey Fans by Andrew Larsen, illus. by Jacqui Lee (Kids Can Press)
Guess How Much I Love Hockey by Harry Caminelli, illus. by Mark Kummer (Flowerpot Press)
Jammie Day! by Carrie Snyder, illus. by Brooke Kerrigan (Owlkids)
Maud Lewis 1, 2, 3 by Shanda LaRamee-Jones (Nimbus) >>>board book
Middle Bear by Susanna Isern, illus. by Manon Gauthier (Kids Can Press)
My Grandmother Ironed the King’s Shirts by Torill Kove (Firefly and NFB)
Nimoshom and his Bus by Penny M. Thomas, illus. by Karen Hibbard (HighWater Press)
Once in a Blue Moon by Danielle Daniel (Groundwood)
Sam and Eva by Debbie Ridpath Ohi (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers)
Shelter by Céline Claire, illus. by Qin Leng (Kids Can Press)
Toys Talking by Leanne Shapton (Drawn & Quarterly)
Tricky by Kari Rust (Owlkids)
The Wolf, The Duck and the Mouse by Mac Barnett, illus. by Jon Klassen (Candlewick)
You Hold Me Up by Monique Gray Smith, illus. by Danielle Daniel (Orca)

Fiction
5-Minute Hockey Stories by Meg Braithwaite, illus. by Nick Craine (HarperCollins Canada)
Baths in Trouble by Pamela McDowell, illus. by Kasia Charko (Orca) >>>Orca Echoes
A Blinding Light by Julie Lawson (Nimbus)
Camped Out by Daphne Greer (Orca) >>>Orca Currents
Christmas at Saddle Creek by Shelley Peterson (Dundurn) >>>Saddle Creek series
Coyote Tales by Thomas King, illus. by Byron Eggenschwiler (Groundwood) >>>collection of previously-published Coyote tales
The Disappearing Boy by Sonia Tilson (Nimbus)
Dragonfly Song by Wendy Orr (Pajama Press)
The Gnawer of Rocks by Louise Flaherty, illus. by Jim Nelson (Inhabit Media)
Gold by John Wilson (Orca)>>>Orca Currents
In Too Deep by Andreas Oertel (Heritage House) >>>The Shenanigans series, Book 5
Louis Undercover by Fanny Britt, illus. by Isabelle Arsenault, trans. by Christelle Morelli and Susan Ouriou (Groundwood)
Miriam's Secret by Debby Waldman (Orca)
POV by Ted Staunton (Orca) >>>Orca Limelights
The Princess Dolls by Ellen Schwartz, illus. by Mariko Ando (Tradewind Books)
Sit by Deborah Ellis (Groundwood)
Sled Dog School by Terry Lyn Johnson (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
The Theory of Hummingbirds by Michelle Kadarusman (Pajama Press)
The Things Owen Wrote by Jessica Scott Kerrin (Groundwood)
Up in Arms by Amanda Spottiswoode, illus. by Molly March (Heritage House)

Young Adult
36 Questions That Changed My Mind About You by Vicki Grant (Running Press)
Antila: Sword and Song by Kate Story (ChiZine)
The Biker's Brother by Peter Edwards (Annick)
Firewall by Sean Rodman (Orca) >>>Orca Soundings
Game's End by Natasha Deen (Great Plains Teen Fiction)>>>conclusion to Guardian series
Infiltrate by Judith Graves (Orca) >>>next book in Retribution series
Keepers of the Vault: Shadow and Spell by Marty Chan (Clockwise Press)>>>third book in Keepers in the Vault series
Kiss Me in New York by Catherine Rider (Kids Can Press)
The Last Namsara by Kristen Ciccarelli (HarperCollins Canada)
The Lost Causes by Jessica Etting and Alyssa Schwartz (Kids Can Press)
Munro vs. the Coyote by Darren Goth (Orca)
Out of Tune by Norah McClintock (Orca) >>>A Riley Donovan mystery
Scion of the Fox by S. M. Beiko (ECW Press)>>>first book in new series The Realms of Ancient
Siege of Shadows by Sarah Raughley (Simon & Schuster) >>>Book 2 in Effigies series
That Inevitable Victorian Thing by E. K. Johnston (Dutton)
The Thread War by Ian Donald Keeling (ChiZine) >>>sequel to The Skids
Yipee's Gold Mountain by Raquel Rivera (Red Deer Press)

Non-Fiction 
Basketballogy by Kevin Sylvester (Annick)
Bugs From Head to Tail by Stacey Roderick, illus. by Kwanchai Moreya (Kids Can Press)
The Elephant Keeper: Caring for Orphaned Elephants in Zambia by Margriet Ruurs, illus. by Pedro Covo (Kids Can Press) >>>CitizenKid book
A Fair Deal: Shopping for Social Justice by Kari Jones (Orca) >>>Orca Footprints
Families by Jesse Mike and Kerry McCluskey,  illus. by Lenny Lishchenko (Inhabit Media)
Fault Lines: Understanding the Power of Earthquakes by Joanna Wagstaffe (Orca)
I Didn't Stand Up by Lucy Falcone, illus. by Mathilde Cinq-Mars (Clockwise Press)>>>picture book based on the poem "First They Came for the Socialists"
Innovation Nation: How Canadian innovators made the world smarter, smaller, kinder, safer, healthier, wealthier and happier by David Johnston and Tom Jenkins (Tundra)
The Man Who Knew Everything: The Strange Life of Athanasius Kircher by Marilee Peters, illus. by Roxanna Bikadoroff (Annick)
Rewilding: Giving Nature a Second Chance by Ann Love and Jane Drake (Annick)
Runner: The Life of Harry Jerome, World's Fastest Man by Norma Charles (Red Deer Press)
Spirited Away: Fairy Stories of Old Newfoundland by Tom Dawe, illus. by Veselina Tomova (Running the Goat Books and Broadsides)
The Way Downtown: Adventures in Public Transit by Inna Gertsberg, illus. by Mike Lowery (Kids Can Press)

Picture Books
Charles by Stephen Hume, illus. by Jessica Bromley Bartram (Fitzhenry & Whiteside)
The Muskox and the Caribou by Nadia Mike (Inhabit Media)
Spirit Trackers by Jan Bourdeau Waboose, illus. by François Thisdale (Fifth House Publishers)
Una Huna: What is This? by Susan Aglukark (Inhabit Media)
Wild One by Jane Whittingham, illus. by Noel Tuazon (Pajama Press)
Woodrow at Sea by Wallace Edwards (Pajama Press)

Fiction
Black Gold by Sara Cassidy, illus. by Helen Flook (Orca) >>>Orca Echoes
Getting the Brush Off by Mere Joyce (Orca) >>>Orca Limelights
Medusa's Scream by Melanie Jackson (Orca) >>>Orca Currents

Young Adult
Caged by Norah McClintock (Orca) >>>Orca Soundings
Heavy Freight by Sigmund Brouwer (Orca) >>>Orca Soundings
Recipe for Hate by Warren Kinsella (Dundurn)
Strangers by David A. Robertson (Portage & Main Press)>>>first book in new series The Reckoner

Non-Fiction
Hungry for Science by Kari-Lynn Winters and Lori Sherritt-Fleming, illus. by Peggy Collins (Fitzhenry & Whiteside)>>>poem collection that is a companion to Hungry for Math
Stories in the Clouds: Weather Science and Mythology From Around the World by Joan Marie Galat, illus. by Georgia Graham (Whitecap Books)

Young Adult
Immortal Reign by Morgan Rhodes (Razorbill) >>>Book 6 in Falling Kingdoms series

Non-Fiction
Animals Illustrated: Bowhead Whale by Joanasie Karpik (Inhabit Media)

Here's a sneak peek at some books I'm looking forward to being released in 2018 (sadly, only a few book covers are available at this time):

Picture Books
Olga: We're Out of Here! by Elise Gravel (HarperCollins Canada)
The Pink Umbrella illus. by Geneviève Godhout (Tundra)
Sakura's Cherry Blossoms by Robert Paul Weston, illus. by Misa Saburi (Tundra Books)
Trampoline Boy by Nan Forler, illus. by Marion Arbona (Tundra)
Where's Bunny? by Theo Heras, illus. by Renne Benoit (Pajama Press)

Fiction
The Breadwinner: A graphic novel (Groundwood Books) >>>adaptation of Deb Ellis' original book of the same title
The Dark Missions of Edgar Brim: Monster by Shane Peacock (Tundra)>>>second book in the series
The Golden Road by L. M. Montgomery (Tundra)
The Ice Chips and the Magical Rink by Roy MacGregor and Kerry MacGregor (HarperCollins Canada)>>>first book in a new series
Inkling by Kenneth Oppel (HarperCollins)
Jane of Lantern Hill by L. M. Montgomery (Tundra)
Mistress Pat by L. M. Montgomery (Tundra)
Polly Diamond and the Magic Spell by Alice Kuipers (Chronicle Books) >>>first book in new series
The Story Girl by L. M. Montgomery (Tundra)
Timo Goes Camping by Victoria Allenby, illus. by Dean Griffiths (Pajama Press)>>>new book in Timo series
Wolfie and Fly: Band on the Run by Cary Fagan, illus. by Zoe Si (Tundra)

Young Adult
The Brilliance of Bees by Colleen Nelson (Dundurn)
The Defiant by Lesley Livingston (HarperCollins Canada) >>sequel to The Valiant; the cover is gorgeous but still not available for public viewing
Escalate by Sigmund Brouwer (Orca) >>>next book in Retribution series
Fourth Dimension by Eric Walters (Penguin Teen) >>>A Rule of 3 Book
Here So Far Away by Hadley Dyer (HarperCollins Canada)
The Strange and Deadly Portraits of Bryony Gray by E. Latimer (Tundra)

Non-Fiction
Bat Citizens: Defending the Ninjas of the Night by Rob Laidlaw (Pajama Press)
Bloom: A Story of Fashion Designer Elsa Schiaprelli by Kyo Maclear, illus. by Julie Morstad (Tundra)
Counting on Katherine: The Story of How Katherine Johnson Saved Apollo 13 by Helaine Becker, illus. by Dow Phumiruk (Christy Ottaviano Books/Macmillan)
From the Heart of Africa: A book of Wisdom, collected by Eric Walters (Tundra)
Goodnight, Goodnight by Dennis Lee, illus. by Qin Leng (HarperCollins Canada)>>>poetry collection

n.b. Any errors are solely my own.  If you have information that would correct a mistake, include any omissions (of which I'm sure there will be many), please leave a comment so that I can amend my post appropriately. Thank you.

The Mysterious Librarian

Written by Dominique Demers

Translated by Sander Berg

Illustrated by Tony Ross

Alma Junior (Alma Books/Bloomsbury)

978-1-84688-415-3

79 pp.

Ages 6-9

June 2017

Reading this translation of Dominique Demers' original La Mystérieuse Bibliothécaire (Québec Amérique, 1994) is like being transported to another time and place, one in which children are children, not junior adults, and books are vehicles of imaginative transport.  There are no cell phones or e-book readers or computers or any of the technology that makes life faster and connections immediate.  It's a time when a woman can appear out of nowhere and become The Mysterious Librarian of the small town of Saint-Anatole and no one can start researching her on the internet.  Simpler, easier times.

When Miss Charlotte appears at the office of Mayor Peevish to apply for a position of librarian, a position unfilled for 30 years, he hires her.  Miss Charlotte "who was very tall and very skinny and seemed to come out of nowhere ... wearing a massive hat and a long blue dress, which was quite elegant, although it had seen better days" (pg. 3) takes her position very seriously, cleaning the broom-closet of a library, taking an inventory of the books and resident spiders and mice (who become pets) and requesting additional funds for the purchase of new books, to replace those she deemed "as disgusting as old, overcooked broccoli." (pg. 16)

She imagined fabulous books, books that make you laugh, cry, shiver and dance.  Books that take you to the far-flung corners of the earth.  Books that tickle your brain, touch your heart and lift your spirits. (pg. 15)

Leo, a boy whose mother owns the pet store, meets Miss Charlotte when she comes in for spider and mouse food, and suspects she is the odd woman his friend Marie had told him about at summer camp (see the first book in the series, The New Teacher, 2016).  Intrigued, he visits Miss Charlotte at the library, fortuitously as he finds her seemingly unconscious on the floor of the library.  Leo realizes that she is alive but cannot be roused because she has become so involved in the book that she has been sucked in.  Reading aloud helps bring her back.

Unconventional as she is, Miss Charlotte wants to bring readers to the books, so she encourages the children at the school to visit the library.  Although they also witness Miss Charlotte in her sucked-into-a-book state, the library becomes a reading home to the children who take on the tasks of feeding a menagerie of animals, bringing in tents and blankets and other comforts, and helping with miscellaneous library chores.  But when Miss Charlotte cannot be roused from her reading of Beauty and the Beast, the children, led by Leo, find the means to help her back.

Dominique Demers is an award-winning Quebec author of picture books, chapter books, young adult and adult books, having written well over fifty books.  Because they are primarily French-language books, I have not had the opportunity to review any on CanLit for LittleCanadians so I am delighted to review this translation of The Mysterious Librarian here.  The Mysterious Librarian is charming and innocent and makes me long for libraries in which reading was everything.  We have gone so far into making libraries places of entertainment, with makerspaces and more, that the library and librarian of The Mysterious Librarian are refreshing and inviting, though many would say old-fashioned.  Maybe Miss Charlotte and her library are out of fashion but I like to think of them as classic, elegant and exemplary.  Having Tony Ross, who has illustrated books penned by Roald Dahl and Astrid Lindgren as well as the Horrid Harry, Amber Brown and Dr. Xargle series, is brilliant.  There's that lightness and gentility of line that conveys the essence of Miss Charlotte and her mission to encourage reading.

From The Mysterious Librarian 

by Dominique Demers 

illus. by Tony Ross

Miss Charlotte would love to have The Mysterious Librarian in her library for the children.  Your children can read The Mysterious Librarian themselves but, if you do read it aloud to them–and I encourage teachers and parents to do so–try not to laugh too much when the bully Martin wants a book with bare bottoms in it (and gets a book about a pig) and try not to get sucked in, unless you have someone nearby to get you out.

Julia Defiant: The Witch's Child Book 2

Written by Catherine Egan

Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers

978-0-553-53335-4

464 pp.

Ages 14+

June, 2017

Julia Defiant, the sequel to Catherine Egan's Julia Vanishes (2016), the first book in her Witch's Child series, is as epic a fantasy as all her books.  There are battles of good vs. evil for power but amidst so much deception that it is hard to tell whom to trust, and Julia, who is still blaming herself for her role in the kidnapping of young Theo, doesn't even know if she can trust herself to do the right thing.

The core cast of characters from Julia Vanishes are still aiding and abetting Julia, the Fraynish girl who can vanish as well as  transport herself between locations and into a dark and burning other world called Kahge. Mrs. Och, one of the three immortal Xianren who’d been tasked with guarding and keeping separate the fragments of The Book of Disruption to prevent the overflow of magic, is leading the group in search of a monk named Ko Dan.  It is hoped that they can enlist Ko Dan to undo the magic he used to transfer the fragment of Gennady, another Xianren, into his baby son.   Theo, not yet two, does not know that he is at the centre of it all, with the third Xianren, Casimir, determined to reassemble the book and reestablish their immortality.

Mrs. Och’s plan is for the group to separate in Tianshi, the capital of Yongguo, and learn what they can. Julia resides with Mrs. Och, Theo and the boy’s mother, the witch Bianka, and Frederick the scholar in the modest Nanmu Triangle, while Julia’s brother Dek and her former lover Wyn live in the seedier Dongshui Triangle.  The others, Julia’s thieving compatriots–Esme, Gregor, Csilla–as well as the learned Professor Baranyi, pose as members of an aristocratic household in the Xihuo Triangle.

While their task is simple enough–find Ko Dan and save Theo from the fragment within him–there is much to learn, primarily about and by Julia.  When permission is granted by the grand librarian, Si Tan, for them to visit the Imperial Library, the search is on for clues to Ko Dan’s whereabouts but also, Julie learns when vanished, into Kahge and Julia’s powers.  At the Imperial Library, she is accosted by a witch who works magic on her, flooding her with visions, possibly memories, including one in which her mother worked with a two-spouted pot, similar to one she’d observed in a painting of the witch Marike.  This pot which she later learns is called the Ankh-nu may be a key to Julia’s heritage.

But Julia’s wanderings as she vanishes about Yongguo and into the horrific world of Kahge bring her more questions, though rarely answers.  Who is Lidari and why do the creatures of Kahge call out to Julia with this name?  Who is the Fraynish girl obviously under protection in the monastery?  And the biggest question is: Who can she trust? Mrs. Och who seems to want to help Bianka and Theo but shamelessly pulls life forces from Bianka and Frederick to strengthen herself?  The young man Jun to whom she is attracted and who has come to her rescue?  Her brother Dek who is acting less like himself because of the freedoms he now has in Yongguo?  Or Pia, the assassin who sees herself in Julia, knowing how they’ve been treated and the life Julia could have under Casimir’s contract?  Can Julia even trust herself to be there to save Theo when she’s already let him down at least once?

The constraints of a single post for a review of Julia Defiant suggest the story is much less than it is.  This space is far too meagre for me to acquaint the reader with its plot and still find room to applaud it sufficiently.  The plot and myriad of subplots, as well as rich contingent of characters, both of Frayne and Yongguo and Kahge, are too much for these few words.  I desperately want to tell you of Ragg Rock and her bunny; Silver Moya, Count Fournier and Princess Zara; the telling of stories to Theo; Dek’s new life with Ling; adorable Theo as he learns to walk, talk and do magic; and so much more.  This is especially so as it is all told in the opulent prose of Catherine Egan who can make everything sound, read bigger and better and more.

Stars, this boy.  Handsome, mysterious, quick on his feet, and now sweet.  I struggle not to give him a melty look. (pg. 81)

Even crushing on a boy reads powerfully.  This is how Catherine Egan writes. Every word is authoritative and woven with magic to create worlds that may have familiar elements–there is definitely an Asian feel to the world of Yongguo with its names, dress and customs–but are so distinct and extraordinary that nothing compares.  All I can say is that, having introduced Julia in Julia Vanishes, Catherine Egan's second book brings Julia into worlds where she can define herself and her power, so that she is never inconsequential again.  She will only vanish when she so chooses, making Julia Defiant fantastic in more ways than one. 

Spaghetti is NOT a Finger Food (and other life lessons)

Written by Jodi Carmichael 

Illustrated by Sarah Ackerley

Little Pickle Press/Sourcebooks Jabberwocky

978-1-939775-03-0

152 pp.

Ages 7-10

2013

Though the number of books with characters with ASD is ever increasing (see my abbreviated book list from 2013 here, revised this week), few books are written from the perspective of protagonists on the spectrum, and very few from a preteen's point of view.  Spaghetti is NOT a Finger Food (and other life lessons) fits that niche and provides an enlightening approach to the thoughts and behaviour of a child with Asperger's Syndrome that will both teach and astound.

Spaghetti is NOT a Finger Food (and other life lessons) is a story told in 14 lessons (chapters) experienced in one school day by third grader Connor Campbell, a little boy on the spectrum.  Amidst his passion for routines and strict adherence to the rules–except when they go against other rules or his thinking leads him astray–Connor is a boy with much knowledge, insight and perspective, though some students may label him as "weird."  He loves counting and he prefers the blue vinyl chair, not the red one, in the office–sadly he is sent there regularly–and smooth things rather than those with rough or squiggly edges and he adores dogs and dinosaurs and seeing others happy.  Of course, as a child and one with Asperger's, his choices don't always make sense to others, and while he can be rather entertaining, he can be frustrating and frustrated when misunderstood.  Fortunately, Connor gets a chance to show off his knowledge and make things right when a dog gets loose in the school, demonstrating that he has valuable and hidden strengths (even if he does do some silly things like dump spaghetti on his head).

From Spaghetti is NOT a Finger Food (and other life lessons) 

by Jodi Carmichael 

illus. by Sarah Ackerley

Jodi Carmichael, whose YA book Forever Julia (Great Plains Teen Fiction, 2015) took on the heavy issues of anxiety, grief and abusive relationships, switches flawlessly to the voice of a young child with Asperger's (though I guess the switch is actually the other way since Spaghetti is NOT a Finger Food (and other life lessons) was published in 2013).  Connor's voice is clearly defined, in his head at least, and after a few chapters or lessons, the reader will begin to understand his thought processes and choices.  What Connor's peers and teachers and principal and custodian cannot see or hear is what Jodi Carmichael imparts in his story and it all makes sense.  We might not agree with what he says or does but his lovely resource teacher Mrs. Rosetti helps him and the reader see his day from a different perspective and the path it took and how it could be different the next time.  Connor may be learning that spaghetti is not a finger food but we all learn why he might think it is under certain circumstances and appreciate his unique take on everything from geckos, to library stools and face wrinkles.  Like all of us, Connor is special in his own way and Jodi Carmichael has provided an accessible story about a child with Asperger's Syndrome that will ensure tolerance and compassion in ways that no classroom lesson ever could.

Heartwood Hotel: Book launch (Vancouver, BC)

Award-winning children's author

Kallie George

who delights young readers with

her series

Magical Animal Adoption Agency

will be launching her newest children's book series

Heartwood Hotel

with 2 books in one

Heartwood Hotel Book 1: A True Home

Written by Kallie George

Illustrated by Stephanie Graegin

HarperCollins Canada

978-1-44344-393-7

176 pp.

Ages 7-10

July 2017

Heartwood Hotel Book 2: The Greatest Gift

Written by Kallie George

Illustrated by Stephanie Graegin

HarperCollins Canada

978-1-44344-396-8

176 pp.

Ages 7-10

July 2017

on

Thursday, July 13, 2017

7 p.m.

at

Kidsbooks

2557 West Broadway

Vancouver, BC

604-738-5335

www.kidsbooks.ca

The two books are described, on the HarperCollins Canada website, as follows

Book 1: A True Home

Downton Abbey meets The Tale of Peter Rabbit in this heartwarming chapter book about a mouse discovering where she belongs.

When Mona the mouse stumbles across the wondrous world of the Heartwood Hotel in the middle of a storm, she desperately hopes the staff will let her stay. As it turns out, Mona is precisely the maid they need at the grandest hotel in Fernwood Forest, where animals come from far and wide for safety, luxury and comfort. But it’s not all acorn soufflé and soft, moss-lined beds. Danger lurks nearby, and as it approaches, Mona has to use all her wits to protect the place she’s come to love. Because this hotel is more than a warm shelter for the night. It might also be a home.

Book 2: The Greatest Gift

Follow sweet Mona the mouse and the rest of the Heartwood Hotel staff as they settle in for a relaxing winter—or so they think!

Mona has finally found a place to call home: the cozy Heartwood Hotel, where she works as a maid and sleeps cozily snuggled up to her best friend. Following the festive St. Slumber celebration, most of the guests have settled in to hibernate, and the staff is looking forward to a relaxing winter. But disruptions abound, from a difficult duchess to a mysterious midnight snacker. As the snow stacks higher and the food supplies shrink lower, Mona will have to gather friends both old and new to keep the peace, finding help along the way in some of the most unexpected places.

Though Vancouver is impossible for me to visit for this book launch, I look forward to reviewing both books for HarperCollins Canada who sent the book(s) in the most adorable of promotion packages I have ever seen.  See if you don't agree:

It's a box that opens into a hotel room 

(grass bedding, pillows and comforter) 

for a small woodland creature. Too cute!