No Dragons for Tea: Fire Safety for Kids (and Dragons): 25th Anniversary

Written by Jean E. Pendziwol

Illustrated by Martine Gourbault

Kids Can Press

978-1-55074-571-9

32 pp.

Ages 3-7

Spring 2024 

(Originally published in 1999)

 

An important part of the primary curriculum is safety for children. And short of saying, "No!" or "Don't do that!" safety education by parents is often limited. A series of picture books (see below) by Jean E. Pendziwol and illustrated by Martine Gourbault from Kids Can Press offer a subtle but informative way of teaching everything from fire safety to stranger and water safety, and dealing with bullies. And this year, Kids Can Press is reissuing No Dragons for Tea: Fire Safety for Kids (and Dragons) for its 25th anniversary. 

From No Dragons for Tea: Fire Safety for Kids (and Dragons), written by Jean E. Pendziwol, illustrated by Martine Gourbault

A child and her mother head down to the bay for a day of fun on the beach. Along the way, the girl bumps into a dragon–we may need a book for safe driving of a wagon–and invites him to play. When their day in the sand is over and the family heads home, the child invites the dragon to join them for nibbles. All is going well until the child and dragon both sneeze from a generous sprinkling of pepper. But a dragon's sneeze is far more dangerous than that of a child, and when his sneeze causes the curtains to catch fire, it's mayhem. Thankfully, the child had learned well all the right things to do when a fire breaks out. From getting out fast and staying low to the ground, heading to the family meeting tree, and not going back inside, this child knows what to do. And with her knowledge, she helps the dragon who wants to hide and go back inside for its teddy bear do the right things too.

From No Dragons for Tea: Fire Safety for Kids (and Dragons), written by Jean E. Pendziwol, illustrated by Martine Gourbault

Learning fire safety is never outdated. As long as fires are potential hazards in any home, families with young children must be prepared. Jean E. Pendziwol's light rhyming story of a child and a dragon keeps the importance of the message without terrorizing young readers with the capacity for harm from fires. Much will be familiar to children from playing with friends, having a snack, wanting to hide when scared, and wanting to do back for a cherished toy. But the child has learned the most important rules of fire safety from a rhyme which Jean E. Pendziwol appends to her story. The five-verse rhyme begins as follows:

When the smoke alarm sounds, here's what you should do:

Leave your toys all behind, 'cause there's only one you.

In addition to this summary rhyme, Jean E. Pendziwol includes a checklist of discussion points and actions for family to implement their own safety plan.

From No Dragons for Tea: Fire Safety for Kids (and Dragons), written by Jean E. Pendziwol, illustrated by Martine Gourbault

The same care that Jean E. Pendziwol takes to create an informative but gentle story about a not-so-trivial message is shown in the artwork of Martine Gourbault. Her use of coloured pencils brings the innocence of children or dragons at play but can still evoke the gravity of a fire in the home. The expressions on the faces of the child and dragon suggest fear but not panic, at least not on the girl's part. But with her well-rehearsed knowledge of what to do in a fire, she is calm enough to help a dragon who needs support to also do the right things.

From No Dragons for Tea: Fire Safety for Kids (and Dragons), written by Jean E. Pendziwol, illustrated by Martine Gourbault

It's hard to believe it's been 25 years since this story was first published and, though it could add the use of a cell phone rather than using a neighbour's phone or a phone booth, it's as relevant today as it was then. I would encourage parents and teachers to help little ones embed this learning, whether through the story alone or by learning "The Dragon's Fire-Safety Rhyme." It, like all the titles in the Dragon Safety series, could help save lives.

• • • • • • • 

 

Dragon Safety Series

No Dragons for Tea: Fires Safety for kids (and Dragons) (1999)

Once Upon a Dragon: Stranger Safety for Kids (and Dragons) (2005)

A Treasure at Sea for Dragon and Me: Water Safety for Kids (and Dragons) (2006)

The Tale of Sir Dragon: Dealing with Bullies for Kids (and Dragons) (2007)

 

• • • • • • •  

Spotting Dottie (Orca Currents)

Written by Gail Anderson-Dargatz

Orca Book Publishers

978-1-4598-3483-5

112 pp.

Ages 9-12

R: 2.5

April 2024 

There's Nessie, the Loch Ness monster. There's also Chessie, the Chesapeake Bay creature,  and Champ, the lake monster of Lake Champlain. But in Gail Anderson-Dargatz's latest hi-lo novel for Orca Currents, we have Dottie, a cryptid that lives in the deepest part of Dorothy Lake. Or does she?

Charlotte believes wholeheartedly in Dottie, just as her grandmother Donna always has. Ever since Donna saw the lake monster when she was 14, as Charlotte is now, she has been interested in Dottie, collecting memorabilia and photos, interviewing prospective witnesses, and patiently watching through her spotting scope and binocs. This has earned her the moniker of Dottie Donna, and though her grandmother doesn't mind, it really bothers Charlotte's mom Anna who is not a believer in the creature.  When Anna gives Charlotte a drone with a camera for her birthday, Charlotte (a.k.a. Lottie) and Grandma and Charlotte's friend Scott witness something large, with humps rolling out the water. Convinced they have footage of Dottie, Charlotte shares it with the Dorothy Lake News website. 

That posting starts everything, from media attention, local ridicule–Charlotte becomes known as Dottie Lottie–self-doubt, and an undesirable draw of tourists and cryptid hunters to the lake. All Charlotte had wanted was to get her mother to believe Grandma in her assertion that Dottie existed. Instead, she has brought chaos and perhaps danger to her friends and family and perhaps, worse of all, to Dottie.

 

There is a natural interest in the unknown, attempting to understand the unexplainable, to prove that which has not been proven. It's wondering about things we don't know and defending those whose beliefs may be different than our own. Charlotte is a sweet granddaughter who really just wants to help her mother and grandmother get along better. The two strong women in her life are pulling Charlotte to different perspectives and Charlotte is convinced that if she can find evidence of Lottie and prove it to her mother, then everything will be alright. Unfortunately, beliefs can be entrenched and making someone believe something other than what they've always held true is a tall order. It doesn't help when there are those who ridicule you for those beliefs. But Gail Anderson-Dargatz doesn't force Charlotte or Anna or even Donna to believe something they don't. She lets them be a family who can love and accept differences and bend as needed. Spotting Dottie may lead young readers to investigate the real story of BC's cryptid–Ogopogo in Lake Okanagan–but that mystery is one that will remain while families come together, and sometimes fall apart. And Gail Anderson-Dargatz will let us watch them and learn.

Whether Nessie or Chessie or Champ are logs, mega eels or cryptids, it doesn't matter to Dottie's story. Dottie is as real as she needs to be for all the families involved. And we're going to keep her secrets safe.

The Reflection in Me

Written by Marc Colagiovanni

Illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds

Orchard Books (Scholastic)

978-1-338-812048-6

32 pp.

Ages 4-8

March 2024 

 

When you look in the mirror, do you see your hair out of place, or a crooked smile, or a body shape that is too little or too much? Do you see something less than the perfection you want? Are those expectations from others, from social media, from yourself? Wouldn't it be nice to hear the voice inside tell you you're more than enough? What if it was your voice telling you that you are "perfectly perfect"? In The Reflection in Me, it is.

From The Reflection in Me, text by Marc Colagiovanni, art by Peter H. Reynolds

Before our story has even started–the above illustration is from the title page–a child has glanced in a mirror and casts their eyes down, dejected. But surprisingly the reflection in the mirror speaks to the child and tells them, "I like being you."  The child is astonished as the reflection recounts all the wonderful things about the child. From their amazing eyes that "sparkle like stars on the darkest of nights" to their marvelous voice that is as "joyous as a songbird whistling in the trees." 

From The Reflection in Me, text by Marc Colagiovanni, art by Peter H. Reynolds

At first, the child listens in disbelief, finding it difficult to believe these positive statements about themselves. (Their reflection is talking to them after all.) But, with each affirmation by the reflection, who speaks in a lilac font, the child begins to accept the positives about their smile, smartness, bravery and more, and always receives them with humility and delight. 

"I like that you are friendly."

I leaned in closer.

"It's very important to be caring, you know."

"It sure is. You're as gentle as a butterfly."

From The Reflection in Me, text by Marc Colagiovanni, art by Peter H. Reynolds

Like their earlier collaboration, When Things Aren't Going Right, Go Left (2023), Marc Colagiovanni and Peter H. Reynolds  have given us a story to empower children. In The Reflection in Me, children will learn to take stock of their positive attributes so that there may be self-acceptance and self-love. Children may not always get the encouragement or love they need to sustain themselves or to help them tackle challenges which they must face. With The Reflection in Me, kids are encouraged to look a little more closely at themselves and see the good stuff, without becoming arrogant or self-important. (For example, a tumble after a twirling dance could have embarrassed the child but they ended up laughing instead.)

Though Marc Colagiovanni is American which should preclude a review of The Reflection in Me on CanLit for LittleCanadians, his collaboration with Peter H. Reynolds gives him the favour of inclusion here. His words are impactful but spoken and heard by a child who needs to hear them. There is no pretense or preaching. There is only hope that all children will see the best in themselves.

 

 May you always see yourself as you truly are... perfectly perfect.

 

From The Reflection in Me, text by Marc Colagiovanni, art by Peter H. Reynolds

Peter H. Reynolds is all about the light and goodness that children have and can find in themselves. His collection of books, which include his recent All We Need is Love and a Really Soft Pillow! and Say Something!, are gentle reminders that children can be and do good. Peter H. Reynolds puts it all their hands, showing them what they can do. And he does it with brightness and colour. The Reflection in Me is similarly vibrant in colour but Peter H. Reynolds keeps the art simple so as not detract from the focus on self-acceptance (and not finding acceptance from the approval of others). It's a child and a mirror, and that's it. He doesn't need anything else. The expressions on the child and their reflection say it all. With just a subtle shifting of a line for a brow or a smile, or the reach of an arm, Peter H. Reynolds gives us delight and spirit and connection. It invites us to enjoy their repartee and be charmed with the self-learning that happens.

Self-acceptance may come from within but a little reinforcement from The Reflection in Me will certainly not hurt. With its perfect tone of support and brightness of art, The Reflection in Me will charm and inspire and hopefully empower children to find the best affirmations are inside themselves.

💜 💛  💙  💜  💚  🧡  💜

This short film, from 2017, upon which The Reflection in Me is based, is available at the channel of FableVision Studio (founded by Peter H. Reynolds) on YouTube.

 

Posted by FableVision on June 16, 2017 on YouTube

Leon Levels Up: Q & A with author Paul Coccia

Leon Levels Up 

 (Orca Currents)

Written by Paul Coccia
Orca Book Publishers
978-1-459837355
112 pp.
Ages 9-12
RL 2.3
February 2024

Reviewed here

 

On Feburary 16, 2024, I reviewed Paul Coccia's latest novel, a hi-lo middle grade story titled Leon Levels Up. With the official launch coming soon, Paul Coccia graciously agreed to a Q & A with me about the book. This is that interview.

 

 • • • • • • •

 

Author Paul Coccia

Helen Kubiw:  Leon Levels Up is definitely a story embedded in gaming. Why choose this is as a vehicle for your plot?

Paul Coccia:  There were the inspirations of my nephew and friend to whom I dedicated the book. My friend got a rather expensive virtual reality gaming system during the pandemic (when the book idea was conceived) and I realized that during isolation, the online world and gaming allowed a lot of people to connect virtually when we couldn’t in-person. My nephew loves video games and it seemed like a story premise that would appeal to kids.
     This next reason will sound writerly in some ways, but I was thinking about the child main character and their agency. When I thought of my chubby, non-athletic Leon who (like me) is not very good at sports, I also thought about where he would feel empowered. The virtual world provided the opportunity for Leon to feel strong and do things he’d never be able to do in the real world. Thinking about why a person would gravitate to video games gave me insight into Leon’s character and how he could be an action hero.

HK:  You acknowledge help from others with the topic of gaming, but do you do any gaming or did you try gaming to understand it better?

Paul Coccia:  I’m a very casual video game player and tend toward classic big-name franchises you’d likely find on the Nintendo systems. I’ve tried and found out that the first-person perspective a lot of games (and virtual reality) use is a sure way to have my character stuck in a corner. I can’t figure it out! Give me one of those dance competition video games though and I can get that choreography down quickly though.
     I do enjoy playing video games though, especially with one of my brothers or my nephew. I find it relaxing and entertaining, but I can go long periods without missing playing them. I enjoy the interactions with them more than I do the actual games.

HK:  Though Leon Levels Up is a piece of fiction, how real is the possibility of the tech that Leon and Nico play with at Pix Grid?

Paul Coccia:  All the technology presented in the novel is already in existence.  Nanobots, for example, have existed for years. I read they were being used for medical procedures and thought that was a cool use of modern technology.
      I wanted the game to be entirely possible in terms of technology and where it is today. However, someone making a game that involves tanks of nanobots in a gel is unlikely. Besides safety, there are hygiene concerns for cleaning the tank. The big deterrent would be the cost of making it combined with very few people being able to afford it. No video game company would take this on because it would cost a fortune. Is it possible though? Absolutely! 

HK:  Do you think Nico only used Leon so that he could get Gabs to let him play Dragon Hunt? Or do you think he saw something beyond what Leon could do for him?

Paul Coccia:  This question is very insightful. Nico is a character who thinks a lot of himself. When he invited Leon to play Dragon Hunt, Nico honestly felt the only person who had the skills worthy of playing with the great Nico was Leon. Nico wanted someone on his level of gaming. Leon was the only one who could possibly match or rival Nico’s skill in Nico’s eyes. This made Leon a worthy opponent/co-gamer. I don’t think readers would be surprised I think of Nico with this level of hubris.

HK:  Too many people see themselves only in terms of others, as does Leon. So, it’s not surprising that someone like Leon sees himself as “low level” when he compares himself to someone like Nico. What would you say to teens who only see themselves in terms of others? And would this be the same thing you would tell your teen self now?

Paul Coccia:  I think comparison is natural as is wanting and liking external validation, although it is not always fruitful. If all we look for is external validation, we will always be looking for an outside source for it. Internal validation, while it can be a difficult process, is a better investment for emotional energy. You can and should also consider if the person’s opinion you value is worth valuing and why.
     For my younger self, I would advise the sooner I stopped focusing on what people who don’t matter in my life thought I should do, I’d free up a lot of time and energy. With those, I can not only do things fulfilling to me, but appreciate, admire, and celebrate others without the negative effects of comparison. I can only be the best me; I can’t be the best someone else.


HK:   The hi-lo genre (high interest, low vocabulary) like that of the Orca Currents series is a popular one for older readers who may be challenged by reading. What are the challenges for you as an author to write a hi-lo novel?

Paul Coccia:  I find the length of hi-los the most challenging aspect. I find it easiest naturally to work in longer novel form. Things like word choice, sentence length, or complexity of the plot can be challenges, but they’re also incredibly rewarding when you know you’re hitting the mark. I find certain elements that make successful hi-lo books (e.g. dialogue tags like “he said”) are used more and can sound a bit clunky when writing or reading, but they are important for the hi-lo reader. Using a dependent clause as a sentence is another that technically is incorrect writing, but a hi-lo writer needs to break the rules for their readers’ success.

HK:  Leon Levels Up is a true coming-of-age story as Leon recognizes worth outside of materialism and popularity, becoming more grounded in realism as he immerses himself in the unreal. How hard is it to write a coming-of-age story in which a character must progress or develop in such a big way but in fewer pages than other novels?

Paul Coccia:  I’m a character-driven writer. It’s all about the character with me so length affecting character arc wasn’t as bad as the action was. Because Leon is running for his life quite literally a big chunk of the book, it became harder to build in situations where the character could stop and reflect. He’s too busy reacting physically to stop and have complex emotions beyond fear. In editing, I went back through to find where those moments could exist and build them out to help the reader get into Leon’s mind and understand his inferiority.
     One element of Leon that was very enjoyable to write was his age. Leon isn’t so young he is unaware of the world around him. He also isn’t too old to hide his vulnerabilities or emotions. Leon had a sweetness and sincerity to him I particularly liked writing.
 

 

HK:  I know you have a picture book coming out, and have written middle grade, young adult, and a short story as part of an anthology. Which genre was the most satisfying to write and which was the most difficult to write?

Paul Coccia:  One of the nice things about switching genres or audiences is getting to flex writing muscles I don’t always use like with articles or personal essays I’ve written for adults or the short story in Acorn Press’ The Annethology. Each project has helped me learn and deepen my respect for literature, particularly children’s literature.

     I’ve gotten a lot of satisfaction from each stab at a genre but know that my comfort zone is young adult novels.

     Picture books are a whole new challenge. They are hard! Writing them does not come easily to me. I have such admiration for picture book authors and illustrators who make it look easy. You need to be concise, choose few and just the right words, and still craft great stories and characters. They’re very rewarding, but less words do not equal less skill required. I think the opposite may be true.

 

• • • • • • •

Many thanks to Paul Coccia for being open to a Q & A, for taking the time to answer my questions, and for giving me a different perspective on a fabulous book which I had already enjoyed. Now I have more to think about, particularly, "I can only be the best me; I can’t be the best someone else." These are words to live by.

• • • • • • •

 

Great news: there's a book launch coming! 

Join Paul Coccia 

 

at

A Different Drummer Books

513 Locust Street

Burlington, Ontario

on

 

Saturday, April 6, 2024

1 PM (local time)

It's a great opportunity to pick up a signed copy of Leon Levels Up, meet Paul Coccia, and learn more about his book. 

Hope to see you there!

Butterfly on the Wind

Written by Adam Pottle

Illustrated by Ziyue Chen

Roaring Brook Press

978-1-250-821-97-3

40 pp.

Ages 3-6

March 2024 

 

The anticipation of presenting the fairy tale she'd written is making Aurora quite nervous. But for a Deaf child who will use ASL to tell her story, trembling hands will make for a challenging storytelling. When she sees a beautiful butterfly in the garden, she recalls her father telling her that a butterfly's wings could create a wind that could carry around the world. With that, she is inspired her to generate one with her hands and send it off into the world.

 

From Butterfly on the Wind, written by Adam Pottle, illustrated by Ziyue Chen

Her butterfly travels to a farm where a little boy Milos, who also speaks with his hands, watches it sway the raspberry bushes. He creates his own beautiful blue butterfly that joins Aurora's to travel to a cabin in the mountains where Abbey and her grandmother spot them.

From Butterfly on the Wind, written by Adam Pottle, illustrated by Ziyue Chen

Knowing the cold would be hard on the butterflies, grandmother and granddaughter make their own butterflies to create an even stronger wind that blows all four butterflies off to warmer climes and above an ocean.

From Butterfly on the Wind, written by Adam Pottle, illustrated by Ziyue Chen

With each step (or rather flutter) of their journey, the butterflies meet a new Deaf child who with their supportive friends and family sends the butterflies off with new ones until "a tornado of butterflies, a churning circle of color and beauty" travels back to Aurora. Emboldened by her small butterfly wind becoming a magnificent storm, she can step forward into the school for her presentation.

From Butterfly on the Wind, written by Adam Pottle, illustrated by Ziyue Chen

Saskatchewan writer Adam Pottle was born Deaf and raised in a hearing family, so his story Butterfly on the Wind has an authentic voice, and a voice that does not objectify Aurora or Miles's disability, or that of all the other Deaf children. They are not there to inspire us with overcoming their deafness. They are there to demonstrate that, like everyone, they will have struggles and must find a way to cope. Aurora's strategy of sending out a beautiful butterfly ultimately garners strength from others in the Deaf community and gives her the courage to step forward for a public performance. There is magic in her butterfly and in all the butterflies that follow, but that magic comes from within–even if she doesn't know it at the time–and has the power to unite and invigorate and sustain. 

The magic that Adam Pottle creates for Aurora and the other Deaf children is something special, and the art that Singaporean Deaf illustrator Ziyue Chen uses to carry that magic is sweet and yet powerful. She uses colour that is both soft and vibrant, ranging from pinks and purples to blues and yellows. Whether it's the butterflies or the landscapes, there is a vibe of life and happiness. 

Adam Pottle appends his story with an enlightening Author's Note– also a visual depiction of the ASL alphabet–that tells readers of the symbolic nature of the butterfly in Deaf culture, and the basis of his story. His motive to reach others–"May it travel around the world as swiftly and beautifully as Aurora's butterfly"–is a testament to his good intentions and the same spirit of strength and grace shown by butterflies.

 🦋 🦋 🦋 🦋 🦋

 

There will be a very special in-person (Saskatoon) and streamed (YouTube) book launch for Adam Pottle's new picture book Butterfly on the Wind

on

Saturday, April 6, 2024

at

2 PM

at

the Travel Alcove of McNally Robinson Booksellers

3130-8th Street East

Saskatoon, SK

and

streamed

via

McNally Robinson Saskatoon Events channel on YouTube

here

There will be live ASL interpretation and 

CNS transcription provided by Saskatchewan Deaf & Hard of Hearing Services

 

 

Is It Weather or Is It Climate Change? Answers to Your Questions about Extreme Weather

Written by Rachel Salt

Firefly Books

978-0-2281-0462-9 

64 pp.

Ages 12+

March 2024

 

With much in the media about climate change and extreme weather events that include droughts, floods, heatwaves, and fires, it's not surprising that young people may be confused about what is real and what is not. Because much of the information about climate change and extreme weather can be tainted with rhetoric, opinion, and even conspiracy, sorting the facts from the misinformation can be challenging. Environmental biologist Rachel Salt sifts through all the info out there and organizes it into an accurate STEM book that both clarifies and elaborates.

From Is It Weather or Is It Climate Change? by Rachel Salt

First, Rachel Salt introduces the concept of climate change and provides evidence for its existence, both historically and in current times. She then looks at extreme weather before taking a global tour of some events that provide evidence of climate change. These highlights begin with the wildfires, heatwaves, and rain (who knew there were things called atmospheric rivers?) in British Columbia. Also included are droughts in Mexico; winter storms in Texas; heatwaves and flooding in Germany; floods and droughts in Ethiopia; the melting glaciers and snowfields of the Third Pole, an extensive system of mountain ranges in Asia; and wildfires in Australia. In addition to these weather events, Rachel Salt addresses how they are impacting human life and what people are doing to adapt and even mitigate the impacts.

From Is It Weather or Is It Climate Change? by Rachel Salt

Is It Weather or Is It Climate Change? could be a rather depressing or distressing book but Rachel Salt consistently reminds young readers that there are people around the world taking action to fight climate change. She provides examples of adaptation that include Indigenous-led resistance to fossil-fuel projects, growing climate-resistant plants, replacing power sources with those without carbon emissions, and protecting and restoring wetlands.

While all the information is valuable and intrinsic to telling the big picture, several asides certainly caught my attention. One is the gender imbalance of climate change and climate-sensitive health impacts, both addressed in the exposé on Ethiopia but sadly applicable globally. Also, teachers will undoubtedly find an info box titled "Beware of Climate Lies" worthwhile for lessons in misinformation and fake news. Another relates to the "Confidence Meter" by which scientists measure how confident they are that climate change is influencing extreme weather, and demonstrates the complexity of discerning what extreme weather event constitutes evidence of climate change. Inclusion of all these help complete the story of climate change and extreme weather.

From Is It Weather or Is It Climate Change? by Rachel Salt

Is It Weather or Is It Climate Change? is best suited for a teen (or adult) audience as it is a comprehensive book of non-fiction that lays out everything from types of greenhouse gases (including carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and chlorofluorocarbons) to the methods used to measure climate change (such as ice cores, marine sediment, ocean acidification and temperature records). The text is extensive and well-balanced with photographs, information boxes, graphs, and maps, and completed with important features of non-fiction books such as a glossary, an index, and a list of additional resources.

 

This will be a fabulous book for teaching climate change, media literacy, and weather events. Whether a teaching resource for educators of social studies, geography or science, or a reference for students, Is It Weather or Is It Climate Change? will answer questions, spark enquiry, and perhaps inspire action. With accurate knowledge such as this, good change can happen.

Spider in the Well

Written and illustrated by Jess Hannigan

Katherine Tegen Books (An Imprint of HarperCollins)

978-0-063289475

48 pp.

Ages 4-8

March 2024

 

The people of Bad Göodsburg have a problem: their wishing well is broken. The newsboy who delivers the papers–and sweeps the chimneys, delivers the milk, and shines the shoes–is tasked with one more job: find out what is wrong with the well. And when he hears about the charitable wishes of the baker, the doctor, and the shopkeeper, he is determined to ensure those wishes are granted.

From Spider in the Well, written and illustrated by Jess Hannigan

Making his way to the well, the boy learns that a spider in the well has been responsible for the well not working. But, though the spider was just being a spider, building a web that happens to catch the coins, it's what he reveals to the newsboy that truly gets the boy irate and screaming, "Unbelievable!" and demanding justice.

From Spider in the Well, written and illustrated by Jess Hannigan

But what justice needs to be achieved? And how will the town's newsboy and lackey ensure that righteousness prevails?

Without giving away the story of Spider in the Well, let me assure readers that this is more than a cautionary tale about being careful what you wish for. And it's not because wishes might be ill-advised. It's because people and their wishes are not always benevolent. Sometimes wishes are selfish and rooted in vanity, greed, and worse, and no one wants to be seen as less than virtuous. The fine citizens of Bad Göodsburg hide behind false virtues and are taken down by a spider and a boy who may be or may not be similarly ethically challenged.

From Spider in the Well, written and illustrated by Jess Hannigan

Jess Hannigan's tale of wishes gone wrong has the tone of a fable or even a fairy tale. It's told with a host of archetypes, from the self-righteous townspeople to the put-upon boy who overcomes unjust treatment to be rewarded in the end. There's even the anthropomorphic spider who helps the boy triumph. And for each one of these characters, Jess Hannigan gets the voices right, and gives the story a tone of reparation rather than of grifting. (You'll see what I mean when you read the ending.)

From Spider in the Well, written and illustrated by Jess Hannigan

Hamilton's Jess Hannigan is an illustrator–this is her first picture book as author-illustrator–and her digital artwork, strong in shape and colour, makes the story even more powerful. By creating characters and scenes that are both simplified and complex in content and perspective, Jess Hannigan draws us into the story and helps us to see the circumstances as the boy does. She has a striking style of soft but bold lines that create tension while keeping the reader sympathetic to the boy, something that is more easily achieved by drawing the townspeople as oddly shaped and weirdly coloured.

 

So, if there's a moral to the story of Jess Hannigan's Spider in the Well, it's to be careful what you wish for because you never know who may be listening. On the plus side, sometimes one person's wishes result in just rewards for another. Just ask the newsboy of Bad Göodsburg, now happily retired.

• • • • • • •

Consider checking out one of several book launches Jess Hannigan will have in Ontario for Spider in the Well.

 

Thursday, March 21, 2024

6:30 PM

Type Books Junction

2887 Dundas St. W., Toronto

 

Sunday, April 7, 2024

1 PM

Epic Books

226 Locke Street S., Hamilton