2023 Forest of Reading® Winners and Honour Books announced

This week the Ontario Library Association's Forest of Reading®, a readers' choice award program, announced the winners at its annual Festival of Trees at Harbourfront and virtually on May 16, 17 and 18.

Here are this year's winners and honour books for each reading program, as voted by young readers from JK to Grade 12.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••

Winner

Are You a Cheeseburger?
Written and illustrated by Monica Arnaldo

Katherine Tegen Books

Honour Books:

That’s Not My Name!
Written and illustrated by Anoosha Syed
Viking Books for Young Readers

 

Friends are Friends, Forever
Written by Dane Liu
Illustrated by Lynn Scurfield
Henry Holt & Co.

Winner

 Bear in the Family
Written by Eric Walters

Illustrated by Olga Barinova

Orca Book Publishers

Honour Books:

The Strangest Thing in the Sea: And Other Curious Creatures of the Deep
Written by Rachel Poliquin
Illustrated by Byron Eggenschwiler
Kids Can Press
Reviewed here

 

Flipping Forward and Twisting Backward
Written by Alma Fullerton
Illustrated by Sarah Mensinga
Peachtree

Winner

The Undercover Book List
Written by Colleen Nelson
Pajama Press 

Reviewed here

Honour Books:

 

Swim Team
Written and illustrated by Johnnie Christmas
HarperAlley

Stealing Home
Written by J. Torres
Illustrated by David Namisato
Kids Can Press

Winner 

Fred & Marjorie: A Doctor, a Dog, and the Discovery of Insulin
Written by Deborah Kerbel
Illustrated by Angela Poon
Owlkids Books

Honour Books:

Growing Up Trans: In our Own Words
Edited by Dr. Lindsay Herriot and Kate Fry
Orca Book Publishers

 

Amazing Athletes: An All-Star Look at Canada's Paralympians 

Written by Marie-Claude Ouellet
Translated by Phyllis Aronoff  and Howard Scott
Owlkids Books

Winner

Children of the Fox 

 (Thieves of Shadow, Book 1)

Written by Kevin Sands

Puffin Canada

Honour Books:

Under the Iron Bridge
Written by Kathy Kacer
Second Story Press

 
 

Sorry for Your Loss
Written by Joanne Levy
Orca Book Publishers
Review here

Winner

Daughter
Written by Kate McLaughlin
St. Martin’s Press/ Macmillan

Honour Books:

Iron Widow
Written by Xiran Jay Zhao
Penguin Teen Canada

 

 

A Magic Steeped in Poison
Written by Judy I. Lin
Feiwel and Friends

Winner/Lauréat

Drôles de zèbres
Écrit par Mathilde Perrault-Archambault
Illustré par Catherin
Bayard Canada

 

 

Honour Books/Livres distingués:

Ceci n’est pas un livre sur les dinosaures
Écrit par Mélina Schoenborn
Illustré par Felipe Arriagada-Nunez
La courte échelle

Le croco qui vit chez papi
Écrit et illustré par Élodie Duhameau
Éditions Les 400 coups

Winner/Lauréat

La ligue des (pas si) champions

(1-Basile)
Écrit par Jocelyn Boisvert
Les éditions les Malins

Honour Books/Livres distingués:

La chose dans l’étang
Écrit par Carole Tremblay
Illustré par Aurélie Grand
La courte échelle
 

Balto
Écrit par Carole Moore
Illustré par Camille Lavoie
Soulières Éditeur

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Winner/Lauréat

Seuls
Écrit par Paul Tom
Illustré par Mélanie Baillairgé
La courte échelle

Honour Books/Livres distingués:

Quincaillerie Miville
Écrit par Alexandre Côté-Fournier
Illustré par Geneviève Bigué
La courte échelle

Les carnets de novembre
Écrit par Marie-Hélène Jarry
Illustré par Ayumi Harada
La courte échelle
 

A listing of all winners will be available at the Ontario Library Association's Forest of Reading® website.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••

Congratulations to everyone!

The Magic Cap

Written by Mireille Messier

Illustrated by Charlotte Parent

Milky Way Picture Books

978-1-990252-21-1

32 pp.

Ages 4-7

May 2023 

 

Oh, to have a magic cap that could fix everything! 

When Isaura and Arlo's pet hedgehog, Crispin, falls ill, the two children do everything to make him feel better. "They made him his favorite slug soup, brewed pots of cucumber tea, and even took turns rocking him for hours under the moonlight." Isaura is convinced that if they could find a gnome, it could heal Crispin. But how to lure a gnome?

From The Magic Cap by Mireille Messier, illus. by Charlotte Parent

Because food is rare, they give up the last of their milk to lure the gnome. Heading into the woods, they place the milk out and wait. And they wait and they watch. The bowl of milk becomes very popular, with visits from a deer, a squirrel, a badger, a frog, a fox, a boar and even an insect. Sadly, all the milk is gone, and no gnome has visited it.

From The Magic Cap by Mireille Messier, illus. by Charlotte Parent

The next day, hungry and with no food to offer, the two head out to search for some food, and, though they collect numerous berries, a hungry frog eats them all and leaves only a red-capped mushroom. So, with a lone mushroom as incentive, the children wait. And wait. And then they nap, along with all the animals who'd been keeping them company.

From The Magic Cap by Mireille Messier, illus. by Charlotte Parent

As they sleep, a red-capped gnome appears and is quite taken with the mushroom that offers shelter from the rain. In exchange, she leaves them two gold coins. Though that will help sustain them for a very long time, it won't help poor Crispin who is still unwell and shivering.

From The Magic Cap by Mireille Messier, illus. by Charlotte Parent

Unbeknownst to them, while they're out looking for something to warm their friend, a gnome offers its red cap to a bird to take down to the listless hedgehog. When the children return, still disappointed at never spotting a gnome, they are delighted to see Crispin wearing a jaunty red cap and feeling much better.

From The Magic Cap by Mireille Messier, illus. by Charlotte Parent

This is a picture book that will charm in every way. From the heartfelt wish of hungry children to heal their friend, to the numerous undetected gnomes that populate the woods, and animals who are community to Isaura and Arlo and Crispin, Mireille Messier's story feels like a fairy tale, and not the kind that scares. Mireille Messier's stories always have heart but here she gives us children living independently in the woods, managing with what little they have, and problem-solving how to heal their dear pet. And she gives us the magic and the happy ending. With a sweet story about benevolence, The Magic Cap is the best kind of fairy tale.

Bringing colour and shape to Mireille Messier's story are Charlotte Parent's coloured pencil illustrations. The detail and lushness of the art, from patterned clothing and quilts to verdant forest rife with textures of leaves, flowers and wildlife, takes the story from the page to a cottage in the woods where magic happens. 

We may not all have access to a magic cap that can heal, but Mireille Messier and Charlotte Parent's The Magic Cap can still transport us to a place where kindness prevails, community gathers, and small, mythological beings delight and do good.

 

• • • • • • • 

The French-language edition, Le Bonnet Magique (comme des géants, 2023), is also available.

2023 Joan Betty Stuchner — Oy Vey! — Funniest Children’s Book Award: Winners announced

This weekend, the Vancouver Children's Literature Roundtable announced the winners of its biannual Joan Betty Stuchner award for funniest children's books. Here are the shortlists for the two categories, picture or board book and chapter book, as well as the winners, all of which are a ready book list of titles to tickle your funny bones and make life a little better. 

 

• • • • • • •

 

Picture or Board Book category:

 

This Is a Dog Book!

Written by Judith Henderson

Illustrated by Julien Chung

Kids Can Press

Reviewed here

How to Party Like a Snail

Written by Naseem Hrab

Illustrated by Kelly Collier

Owlkids Books

Quiet, Please! 

Written and illustrated by Russ Willms

Orca Book Publishers

Crocodile Hungry 

Written by Eija Sumner

Illustrated by John Martz

Tundra Books

How to Teach Your Cat a Trick in Five Easy Steps

Written by Nicola Winstanley

Illustrated by Zoe Si

Tundra Books 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And the WINNER is...

 

Quiet, Please! 

Written and illustrated by Russ Willms

Orca Book Publishers

32 pp.

Ages 3-5

2022

 

• • • • • • •

 

Chapter Book category:

Izzy’s Tail of Trouble 

Written by Caroline Adderson

Illustrated by Kelly Collier

Kids Can Press

Babble! And How Punctuation Saved It 

Written by Caroline Adderson

Illustrated by Roman Muradov

Tundra Books

Simon and Chester: Super Sleepover

Written and illustrated by Cale Atkinson

Tundra Books

Weenie featuring Frank & Beans: Mad About Meatloaf

Written by Maureen Fergus

Illustrated by Alexandra Bye

Tundra Books

The Weird Sisters: A Note, a Goat, and a Casserole

Written by Mark David Smith

Illustrated by Kari Rust

Owlkids Books

Reviewed here

 

 

 

 

 

 

And the WINNER is... 

 

Weenie featuring Frank & Beans: Mad About Meatloaf

Written by Maureen Fergus

Illustrated by Alexandra Bye

Tundra Books

56 pp.

Ages 6-9

2021 

• • • • • • •

Whales to the Rescue: How Whales Help Engineer the Planet: Guest review

This review was written by student Hasini K. 

 

Written by Adrienne Mason

Illustrated by Kim Smith

Kids Can Press

978-1-525305375

40 pp.

Ages 8-12

2022 

Many beings other than humans help to keep our beautiful blue planet safe and functioning. Whales are one of them.

From Whales to the Rescue: How Whales Help Engineer the Planet by Adrienne Mason, illus. by Kim Smith

I present to you…Whales to the Rescue: How Whales Help Engineer The Planet, written by Adrienne Mason and beautifully illustrated by Kim Smith. In a visually-appealing format, this book provides an abundance of information about whales and emphasizes their benefit to the ecosystem by exploring a variety of topics including climate change, threats, food webs, migration and more. (There is a glossary at the end of the book to help with any vocabulary. )

From Whales to the Rescue: How Whales Help Engineer the Planet by Adrienne Mason, illus. by Kim Smith

There are over 50 unique species of whales, and the book goes through the information about how we can identify them. In addition to detailed information about each species, there are bonus facts on different types of animals, some related to whales, and some about other animals, and details about topics like migration and climate change.

From Whales to the Rescue: How Whales Help Engineer the Planet by Adrienne Mason, illus. by Kim Smith

The extremely important topic of global warming is explained, including how it affects both humans and animals and how it relates to whales specifically. Adrienne Mason also explains about carbon emissions and processes like storing carbon thoroughly while using kid-friendly words, making it easier for younger ages to understand. By making the vocabulary not too challenging, the book will entice young readers as well as older ones.

If I was given an assignment to do on whales and only had this book as a reference, I think I'd get a great mark. Whales to the Rescue has lots of information and intriguing facts (some that may shock you) and it is organized in an appealing way, with mini-paragraphs, unique design, and easy-to-understand diagrams. The cover drew me in immediately, but I was expecting the book to be showcasing a decent amount of information; however, I was blown away by how well it balanced the elegant designs in the background with excellent information.

I would recommend this book to curious and avid readers who are looking for information about whales (with extremely gorgeous visuals by Kim Smith) but also to teachers who are searching for content for their classes regarding whales and their importance to the planet. You should definitely read this book if you want to learn about the value of whales and be blessed with incredible artwork.

 

~ Written by Hasini K., Grade 8

 

🐋 🐋 🐋 🐋 🐋

Flip Flop Flapjack: Wildhorse Jack and the First Stampede Breakfast

Written by Brenda Joyce Leahy

Illustrated by Melissa Bruglemans-LaBelle

Red Barn Books

978-1-989915-12-7 (hc)/978-1-989915-11-0 (pb)

32 pp.

Ages 4-7

May 2023

 

Many families, especially those in western Canada, may be planning a trip to the Calgary Stampede this July and for those with children who'd like to throw in a literacy component that recalls how the first pancake breakfast arose, Brenda Joyce Leahy, granddaughter of its founder, Wildhorse Jack, has got you covered.

From Flip Flop Flapjack by Brenda Joyce Leahy, illus. by Melissa Bruglemans-LaBelle

As a child, Frankie Morton loved participating in the Stampede. She'd ride her pony Rosie in the parade alongside her family, enjoying the cheers her father, Wildhorse Jack Morton, drew from the crowds.

Papa enjoyed performing in the rodeo events and Frankie, her dad's biggest fan, was sure he'd win every event. But, from the Wild Cow Milking to the Wild Bronc Riding and the first Chuckwagon Race, Papa failed to win, though he entertained the crowd with his antics and always congratulated the winners. Frankie was devastated.

From Flip Flop Flapjack by Brenda Joyce Leahy, illus. by Melissa Bruglemans-LaBelle

The next day, Mama took Frankie and her sibs downtown to find Papa and his cowboys at a chuckwagon flipping pancakes and handing them out to the crowd. When Frankie wonders how he can be so cheerful when he'd lost all his events, he reminds her that...

"I might not be the best at bronc riding, or wild cow milking, or even chuckwagon racing. But I can be the best at having fun at the Stampede, and my kind of fun includes sharing what I've got."

From Flip Flop Flapjack by Brenda Joyce Leahy, illus. by Melissa Bruglemans-LaBelle

Flip Flop Flapjack may be a humourous take on a historic event, but it will also teach young readers that winning isn't everything. Brenda Joyce Leahy, whose mother was Frankie, has recounted, with some creative license, what she'd heard of that first Stampede breakfast from her family, focusing on both Wildhorse Jack and his popularity and the sharing of that first pancake breakfast. In addition to this whimsical story, Brenda Joyce Leahy shares information about and photos of her grandfather, Wildhorse Jack Morton, and about the Calgary Stampede, as well as providing a recipe for his pancakes.

From Flip Flop Flapjack by Brenda Joyce Leahy, illus. by Melissa Bruglemans-LaBelle

That same playfulness of text is emulated in the artwork of Alberta's Melissa Bruglemans-LaBelle. She plays up the humour in the story–like Mama telling the kids that "This is the first time your father has cooked breakfast and I'm not going to miss it"–with her cartoon illustrations, from Wildhorse Jack's voluminous moustache to the family's enthusiastic pet badger Maggie and hilarious horses and cows. Melissa Bruglemans-LaBelle, who is well-known for her coffee paintings as well as her Stampede-themed windows, obviously understands how to capture the colour and liveliness of the Stampede and she's making a visit to that event all the more fun in Flip Flop Flapjack.

It's hard to believe that this year marks the 100th anniversary of that first Stampede Breakfast. With Brenda Joyce Leahy and Melissa Bruglemans-LaBelle's picture book, you can revisit that milestone of Stampede history. You can purchase the book earlier in prep for the Stampede, but I suspect that it might be a welcome distraction and break when running between events this year. Your choice but, with a stack of pancakes, it'll be a welcome treat.