The Club

Written by Eric Walters

DCB

978-1-77086-734-5

264 pp

Ages 9–12

March 2, 2024

 

It's the start of their Grade 8 year, and Jaxson and best friend Logan are looking forward to making their final year in middle school an epic one. While Logan is all about basketball, Jaxson is driven by playing his trumpet. But then a new girl, Liv Parker, joins their school. Though Jaxson sort of kind of has a girlfriend, Samantha, Liv is an extraordinary trumpet player, and she and Jax are thrown together, in a good way.

When the music teacher, Ms. Hooper, auditions the students for the senior band, she knows that Liv and Jax are going to be the stars of the band and hopefully take them to the city championship, finally. In fact, she wants them to play a duet for the first school assembly just days away. To prepare, the two have to meet after hours at each other's homes. Though their households are very different, with Liv and her mom Jenn, a cybersecurity expert, living in an immaculate big house with a grand piano, Jax and his mom Ali, an artist and art history prof, live in a cluttered house filled with colour and stuff. Still, the two teens find they have a lot in common, including their music, love of sushi, and ways of thinking. Moreover, when asked about their dads, they both acknowledge that subject as "complicated." 

But soon things get even more complicated for both of them. When Samantha learns how much time Jax is spending with the new girl, she feels threatened and he can't convince her that they're only friends. Still, with all their rehearsing for assemblies and solos, Jax and Liv are spending more time at each other's houses, and by chance, their moms are becoming friends. But with that friendship, personal details are shared, and Jenn and Ali begin to wonder whether the kids share more than just a virtuosity with the trumpet.

 

The theme of family is a common one in contemporary stories, with families that were once deemed traditional now being seen as just one of a myriad of forms that families can take. Whether a family has a mom and dad like Logan's, or is a single-parent household like Jax's or Liv's, or like those reconfigured through divorce or loss, a family is a family is a family, and Eric Walters recognizes that families come in all shapes and sizes and are all natural. What makes them families is the love and respect that is given and received within that construct. And regardless of how that family was created, whether through sperm donation, a heterosexual marriage, adoption, or one of countless other ways people enter others' lives, it is valid and valuable if family members choose for it to be so. (Thankfully the kids' moms give them some choice about whether to explore their paternal heritage and never compel them to embrace DNA as the ultimate basis for family.) 

Blood makes you related but it doesn't make you family. (p. 176)

Fortunately for Jax and Liv they would probably always have become family, regardless of their DNA. Just as Logan and Jax always considered themselves brothers, Liv and Jax were already simpatico because of their love of the trumpet and music. The DNA just made their relationship official and genetically solid.

 

Eric Walters's Afterword tells the reader that the story of The Club was inspired by a true story of half-siblings discovering each other through their DNA. Their story, like that of Jax and Liv, was one of positive connection. For the kids in The Club, there is no conflict or expectation that they must embrace strangers as family. For those two kids, it happens organically. But without the support of their core family, related or not, neither teen would've been secure enough to welcome others in and put themselves out as they become part of a larger club.

The story of The Club could be happening anywhere in the world. The circumstances are not uncommon, and with access to DNA and ancestral records, it's becoming more frequent that genetic relatives are being linked. But Eric Walters makes this less about the process and more about the outcomes and what they mean for these kids. Their worlds have changed and in a good way. I do wonder about those circumstances for which "new" family connections may not be positive or welcome but that would be another story. In The Club, Eric Walters gives us a story of being a family, discovering family, and making family. For Jax and Liv, they are able to strengthen what is already there with those who were previously unrecognized and make for a new type of familial association.

Kids Write 4 Kids Creative Writing Contest: Deadline March 31, 2024

Ripple Foundation, a Canadian educational charity run solely by volunteers, works diligently to support creative literacy for young people. To that end, they have established an annual writing contest called Kids Write 4 Kids, and that contest is on now. If you're a Canadian young person in Grades 4 through 8, then you have until March 31, 2024 to submit your story, whether fact or fiction, or poetry. Details are listed below.

Why You Should Enter?

•     Winners get published (see previous winners here).
•     Proceeds from book sales are donated to the winner’s charity of choice.
•     Winners become judges for next year’s contest.

Entry Details

•     Open to Canadian residents only.
•     Students must be in Grades 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8.
•     Stories must be original and written entirely by the author.
•     Only one entry per author will be accepted. (Subsequent entries will be disqualified.)
•     Only single author stories qualify. (No co-authored stories.)
•     Stories are accepted in English only.
•     Stories can be fact or fiction, prose or poetry.
•     There is no entry fee and no purchase is necessary.
•     All entries must review the story checklist.
•     Entries must be submitted by the author’s teacher, parent, or guardian at this online form. 

Contest rules and regulations are posted here

 

 

Submissions

• Maximum word count: 5,000 words (includes “a,” “an,” and “the,” but not the words on non-story pages such as the title page).
• Invented spelling is accepted.
• The text must be typed and submitted as DOC file format.
• Do not submit any images. (If your story does have images and your story is selected,  Ripple Foundation will contact you to obtain original images.)

 

 Deadline for submissions

• March 31, 2024
  

 

Although the contest was announced last fall, I was slow to get this posted. But, young writers still have weeks to get a submission in. So, time to get writing!

 

Good luck!

 

💻✐💻✎💻✐💻

Circle of Love

Written by Monique Gray Smith
Illustrated by Nicole Neidhardt

Heartdrum (HarperCollins)

978-0-06-307870-3

32 pp.

Ages 4-8

Releases March 12, 2024 

 

Indigenous writer Monique Gray Smith and artist Nicole Neidhardt take us into the heart of an intertribal community center where all are welcome, making for a richer kinship with diverse persons and where family extends beyond blood.

 

tawâw
(nêhiyawêwin: "there is always room")

Molly, her sibling, and her parents are joining their family and community for a feast at their local center. As they partake in the various activities, whether dancing, singing, reading, eating, or storytelling, Molly is bursting with feeling. She frames her experiences with her emotions, and by doing so Molly is mindful of the moment and what she is feeling. When Molly's Kôhkom and her wife, Kôhkom Raven, sing a welcome song, Molly feels connected. When she reads books to the little ones, she feels kind. When her sibling plays their fiddle, she is energized. Everything makes Molly feel something, and she always sees the positives, whether nourished, honoured or awed. And always there is love. And love is love, regardless of its form, of those who feel it, of  those who give it, and of those who need it.

From Circle of Love, text by Monique Gray Smith, art by Nicole Neidhardt

Moreover, everywhere there are reminders that this is a center based in Indigenous culture, whether it be the beading the children do, the sweetgrass burning, an elder smudging, traditional jingle dance, the beating of a drum, or a Métis sash. Everyone is welcome and there is room for all. 

From Circle of Love, text by Monique Gray Smith, art by Nicole Neidhardt

The lovely sense of community is unmistakable in Circle of Love. Diné (Navajo) illustrator Nicole Neidhardt, who came to Victoria BC from Arizona and New Mexico, ensures that her digital images depict everyone, showing different expressions of gender, family, ages, abilities, and backgrounds. Like the food at their table, there's a bit of everything and everyone, making their community vibrant and strong and satisfying. 

From Circle of Love, text by Monique Gray Smith, art by Nicole Neidhardt

Monique Gray Smith is a two-spirit writer of Cree, Lakota, and Scottish heritage whose picture books, novels, and non-fiction have been fueled by her ancestry. She writes for the very young and young adults, about traditions, residential schools, and reconciliation, and she writes of empathy and love. Circle of Love, like My Heart Fills with Happiness and You Hold Me Up, reminds us of the good that comes with building relationships, of being mindful of the moments that give our lives meaning, and of remaining grounded in our belonging to family and community. Monique Gray Smith honours those who are like her and not like her. She celebrates everyone by including them and recognizing their contributions to the community. With comprehensive notes appending her story, Monique Gray Smith ensures that, in this circle of love, everyone is welcome.

From Circle of Love, text by Monique Gray Smith, art by Nicole Neidhardt

Hugo's Haunted Handbook

Written and illustrated by Dave Whamond

Owlkids Books

978-1-77147-587-7

32 pp.

Ages 5-8

Releases March 15 2024

 

Who better to help others get rid of their unwanted ghosts than Hugo? After all, he got rid of his ghost. Or did he?

From Hugo's Haunted Handbook, written and illustrated  by Dave Whamond

Hugo's first instruction is to ensure that you really have a ghost, so he has devised three simple experiments. The first involves cookie crumbs, the next uses a camera, and finally there's locating any ectoplasm.  (He also notes that the pros use EMF Readers.)

From Hugo's Haunted Handbook, written and illustrated  by Dave Whamond

So, if you have a ghost, the next step is to learn about them. Did you know that they watch us, have bad days, get static cling, and love practical jokes?

Darn! They short-sheeted me again! You guys...

The problem for Hugo isn't that ghosts are necessarily scary; they are just annoying. (No one wants to be interrupted in the bathroom!) So, Hugo has 5 useful tips that the reader can use to get rid of their ghost forever.

With Tip #1, to yell "Bam shicka lam shicka boom boom bam" three times, Hugo gets to work. Trouble is that the ghost doesn't seem to respond as Hugo wishes.

Yep, still here.

Now what? Hugo tries several other fixes, all things that kids can do. (Okay, cooking up the Ghoul Begone potion might be tricky if you can't get your hands on maggot snot or aardvark poop, though raisins always seem to be plentiful when you're a kid.)

From Hugo's Haunted Handbook, written and illustrated  by Dave Whamond

Sadly, Hugo's ghost gets his feelings hurt with Hugo's claims about the supernatural being. Will their relationship ever be the same? Or should it?

Hugo is so earnest in his endeavours that it's hard not to take him seriously. But, with his quirky suggestions, coupled with an uncooperative ghost who is always peeking out, listening, commenting, and just being present, Hugo doesn't quite cut it as an aficionado at ghost elimination. What's worse is that instead of getting rid of his ghost, Hugo has offended the little guy who thought they were friends. By turning the tables on Hugo and his ghost, author-illustrator Dave Whamond just adds another dimension to an already amusing interaction, taking Hugo's Haunted Handbook from funny to side-splitting.  

From Hugo's Haunted Handbook, written and illustrated  by Dave Whamond

Dave Whamond can always get his readers laughing, both through his text filled with word play, and his cartoon illustrations. (Check out Muddle School, Alien Nate, and Nick the Sidekick for three previous examples.) With a ghost who feels down–"You haven't said BOO all day!"– or who complains about getting Cheeze Doodles' orange dust all over his white outfit, or with Hugo remembering their game of Hide-and Ghost Seek, Dave Whamond plays with his words and makes us laugh. But then the words are accompanied with Dave Whamond's comic artwork and all the scenes become wilder and yet still familiar. Kids, and their parents, will laugh at the scary recorder practice, the "ghost slime" at the bottom of Hugo's backpack, and Hugo lamenting the ghost ruining his sales pitch. 

If you have a ghost, reading Hugo's Haunted Handbook might be helpful but it might just offer suggestions to being a good friend, still an admirable endeavour. Now, about those monsters.

2024 Forest of Reading® Kid and Teen Committees: Applications now being accepted

 

Do you love books?

🍁

Do you know Canadian books and authors?

 🍁

Are you in Grade 3-12?

🍁

Would you like to talk about books with your peers?

🍁

Would you like to contribute recommendations to a summer reading list?

🍁

If you answered "Yes" to these questions, 

then have I got an activity for you!

Applications are now being accepted for the Forest of Reading®'s Forest Kid and Teen Committees. These committees bring young readers together for one morning to talk Canadian books and prepare summer reading lists for their peers. 

 

 

Who can apply?

There are three committees, based on grade level, who will meet on Zoom on different days in May. They are:

• Silver Birch Kid Committee (for Grades 3-6)
• Red Maple Kid Committee (for Grades 7-8)
• White Pine Teen Committee (for Grades 9-12)

 

When will they meet?

• Silver Birch Kid Committee: May 7, 2024 (9 AM- 12:30 PM EST)
• Red Maple Kid Committee: May 8, 2024 (9 AM- 12:30 PM EST)
• White Pine Teen Committee: May 4, 2024 (9 AM- 12:30 PM EST)

(n.b. times may be amended if there are members who do not reside in the Eastern Time Zone) 

 

 

What happens during these meetings?

Young readers will meet on Zoom and share their opinions about Canadian books which they have read and enjoyed. 

 

These books must be:

• written by Canadian authors (Canadian by birth or residency)
• published in the last two years
• appropriate for their age groups 
• not already included on Forest of Reading nominated lists of titles
• not already on previously published Forest Kid or Teen Committee Summer Reading Lists

Under the guidance of Meredith Tutching, Director of the Forest of Reading®, and a facilitator, readers will recommend titles, discuss the stories and the writing, and then vote on which titles, usually between 10 and 20 books, to include on the 2024 summer reading list. (Here's a pdf of a sample, the Silver Birch reading list from 2023.)

In addition to talking books, there are always special guests that drop in to speak to the committee and share their own recommendations. Past guests have included Angela Ahn,
S. K. Ali, Kelley Armstrong, Paul Coccia, Zetta Elliott, Melanie Florence, Natasha Deen, Kathy Kacer, Gordon Korman, Colleen Nelson, Kenneth Oppel, David A. Robertson, Kevin Sylvester, Vikki VanSickle and Eric Walters.

How to apply?

Submit your application via Google form here.

Deadline for applying is April 1, 2024.

Readers will be asked to provide contact information, and information about favourite Canadian books and recently read Canadian books. (The key here is that the books must be Canadian, written by Canadian citizens or residents.)

Full details are available at the Forest of Reading® website here.

Everyone Gets a Turn

Written and illustrated by Marianne Dubuc

Princeton Architectural Press

978-1-7972-2729-0

60 pp.

Ages 3-6

March 2024 

Turtle, Hare, Bear and Mouse are spending a beautiful day in the forest, when they discover an egg. They decide they will each take turns caring for it. 

From Everyone Gets a Turn, written and illustrated by Marianne Dubuc

At Mouse's house, a voice from within the egg declares that it is cold so Mouse hurries to remedy that. First, Mouse lays a fire and then he wraps the egg in a scarf and a hat. Mouse is very kind and accommodating,

The next day Mouse takes Little Egg to Bear's house. But Bear's lifestyle is a little more active, and while he exercises Little Egg cracks. Though it's apparently too tight inside the shell for Little Egg now, it needs a little help to get out. When Little Bird finally emerges, exhausted for her efforts, Bear offers comfort.

From Everyone Gets a Turn, written and illustrated by Marianne Dubuc

Then, it's on to Hare's house where the rabbit is surprised to see a bird, not an egg. But now Hare has to meet another need for their new ward: food. And though Hare has a stacked pantry, it's a bit of a mystery what Little Bird will eat.  

 

Finally Little Bird is taken to Turtle's place, a house of wonders. It’s filled with trinkets that have stories and that sparkle and that amaze Little Bird and make her dream.  

From Everyone Gets a Turn, written and illustrated by Marianne Dubuc

But when Turtle wakes up the next day, he is bereft that she is missing. All the friends are in tears, until they realize that Little Bird’s absence is just the next step in the bird’s development. Gone from one place, or four places, does not mean gone forever.

 

Each of the friends gets a turn with Little Egg/Little Bird and each excels at giving their ward exactly what she needs, whether it’s a little warmth, a little assistance in cracking the shell, sustenance, or the inspiration to dream. Like parents who must support and encourage their children until they are ready to become independent, the four friends learn to work together to be everything Little Egg/Little Bird needs until she can do for herself. And just because she has become independent, it doesn’t mean that she longer wants them in her life. Marianne Dubuc gives us a story that all parents will need to learn sometime in their children’s journey to adulthood. Her message is one of love and support but also the courage to let them fly and be their own selves. 

 

Marianne Dubuc has always created soft worlds, just as she did in On Baba's Back, Bear and the Whisper of the Wind, and Little Cheetah's Shadow. Like Beatrix Potter, who could see worlds and relationships within the animals of the natural world, Marianne Dubuc takes us into their homes, the forests, and the meadows with her subtle use of ink, watercolour, and coloured pencil. She shows us ourselves as we are or could be: friends, parents, children, good people. And she teaches sophisticated lessons of sharing and caring delivered by sweet creatures who are uniquely themselves, while being supportive and cooperative. And though a message about sharing and taking turns may seem paramount according to the title, Everyone Gets a Turn also speaks to the steps we all take in our development, going from needing to be nurtured to shifting to self-actualization.

Ary's Trees

Written by Deborah Kerbel

Illustrated by Sophia Choi

Fitzhenry & Whiteside

978-1-55455-509-6

32 pp.

Ages 5-8

October 2023

 

On March 21, the world will recognize the United Nations-designated International Day of Forests. Sadly, no matter how long forests have been around, in their different forms around the world, there are still those who might take a lesson from Ary and her friends about the importance of forests and see beyond what they can do for us and what we should do to ensure their constancy.

 

From Ary's Trees, written by Deborah Kerbel, illustrate by Sophia Choi

When their island home is longer viable, Ary's father goes searching for a new home, and finds it in a flourishing island. As they begin to prepare the island for their new community, Ary, who delights in the trees, begs him, "Please don't cut too many this time."

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. The air smelled green. Leaves swished overhead as the tree covered her with a blanket of cool shade. How she'd missed that sound!

Not surprising, with every "chop-chop of busy axes," Ary's heart aches. And though she is assured by her father that, "There are lots to spare," she sees that more and more are being cut, for building, and then for crops, and to construct boats, and then because everyone wants more, more, more.

From Ary's Trees, written by Deborah Kerbel, illustrated by Sophia Choi

Ary is bereft for and with the trees. As the palm trees are cut, brown tears rain down. And when the people can't be bothered cutting, they burn down the trees.

Ary is furious, and some of her friends join her in protest. Still, no one listens. They are but children and know not of what they speak, apparently. Ah, but an island without trees suffers. The land crumbles, the structures crack and splinter, and there is no relief from the sun. Ary's father and the other adults choose to find a new island. Ary and a handful of friends find a different solution, one borne of loyalty and regeneration.

Deborah Kerbel's story of environmental responsibility is still one that needs to be heard and empowered in all. Ary's Trees reminds us that it may be the children who will be the ones to change the attitude of their own generation and the subsequent ones, especially when their elders are not getting it. Ary sees the truth, that thinking that "a little bit more (cutting) won't make a difference" is flawed, that "The trees are here for our use" is selfish and short-sighted, and that the trees are their friends and worthy of consideration and charity.

Though I've reviewed many of Deborah Kerbel's books, from picture books like Snow Days and Before You Were Born (still my go-to book for expectant parents) to middle-grade novels like My Deal with the Universe to her YA (e.g., Under the Moon), this is my first opportunity to review a book illustrated by Toronto's Sophia Choi. Also a surface pattern designer, Sophia Choi creates art that speaks of bold colours and shapes, whether it be palm trees or flowers in the understories, or tree stumps and birds. There's a folk-art vibe to her art that speaks of a natural world that will mesmerize and delight, but that also will be missed when gone.

From Ary's Trees, written by Deborah Kerbel, illustrated by Sophia Choi

Whether you read Ary's Trees with your children or students for International Day of Forests, or save it for World Tree Day on June 28th, or for Earth Day on April 22, or to teach a science curriculum, Deborah Kerbel and Sophia Choi's picture book will demonstrate that trees are more than just a producer of materials for human consumption. Trees are living entities that can provide shade and soil stability, habitat, and food, and provide oxygen while absorbing carbon dioxide. As they live, so do we. Fortunately, the youngest inhabitants of the island, Ary and her friends, were able to realize that we humans have an interrelationship with trees, and all living things, and if we sustain them, then they will help sustain us. (Still a lesson too many developers and even politicians haven't learned.)