Reach for the Sky: How Two Brothers Built an Airplane in Chinatown

Written by Evelyn Sue Wong

Illustrated by  Sarah Ang

Plumleaf Press

978-1069093554

40 pp.

Ages 6–9

Releases August 21, 2025 

 

For most people in the 1930s, airline travel was the stuff of dreams. It was expensive and pretty much limited to those in the military, the very rich, or businessmen. For Robert Wong, even purchasing his much-loved model airplane kits only happened because he saved his lunch money. But those kits were his first steps to making his aviation dreams come true.

From Reach for the Sky, written by Evelyn Sue Wong, illustrated by Sarah Ang

Robert would build model airplanes and, with his younger brother Tommy in tow, would fly them until they ended in broken wings. But he kept building them until the toy department manager offered him free kits if he built them at the store. The two brothers enjoyed flying these models, but this was just a prelude to the dream: flying real planes.

From Reach for the Sky, written by Evelyn Sue Wong, illustrated by Sarah Ang

Robert studied books about flying and completed an aviator's course but, before he could attend aviation college, he would need a pilot's license which would require many hours of flying. His solution: build his own plane. Using the plans for the Pietenpol Sky Scout, Robert along with Tommy scouted for the materials he would need to adapt and enlisted the help of his family. When his wooden-framed fuselage with wings stretched twenty-seven feet tip to tip and covered with fabric was completed, his flying instructor took it out for a spin. Though the instructor was pleased with the result, there were some changes that needed to be made. With the help of some experts in aviation and a lot of work, two years after the brothers started this project, Robert took to the skies in a plane that they had built themselves.

From Reach for the Sky, written by Evelyn Sue Wong, illustrated by Sarah Ang

This story is amazing for a number of reasons. One, it is a true story about Robert and Tommy Wong. Secondly, what they were able to accomplish with limited resources at a time when aviation was not a common practice for the majority of the population is extraordinary. Finally, building their own plane was one step in the brothers' careers which led them to further study, work with the air force, opening a civilian flying school, and being inducted as the first Asian Canadians into the Canadian Aviation Hall of Fame. Their story, told by Robert's daughter Evelyn Sue Wong, is a testament to not just reaching for the sky but following a passion with determination and perseverance. Evelyn Sue Wong tells their story as an illustrated biography and includes photographs of the brothers, family, and more to not just inspire others to chase their dreams, but to encourage them that, with hard work and support, success is possible.

From Reach for the Sky, written by Evelyn Sue Wong, illustrated by Sarah Ang

Reach for the Sky is illustrated by Singapore's Sarah Ang, who uses Chinese ink and watercolours in a style comparable to traditional Chinese art of landscapes and street scenes. While Sarah Ang emphasizes the logistics of planes and flight and the efforts of the two brothers, there is still a leaning towards the spirit of their work and the promise that much can be accomplished with heart and tenacity.

 

As an illustrated biography, Reach for the Sky honours two Chinese brothers who dreamed of flying in 1930s BC and achieved greatness beyond building a plane. Their story is one of aviation greatness and will inspire those who think they can't or shouldn't or won't be able to do what they aspire to do because of prejudices or limitations in opportunities. Robert and Tommy Wong pursued the almost unimaginable, and others can try too.

The Little Ghost Quilt's Winter Surprise

Written by Riel Nason

Illustrated by Byron Eggenschwiler

Tundra Books

978-1-774885376

48 pp.

Ages 3–7

Releases August 26, 2025 

 

It might seem odd reviewing in August a book that involves winter but, when it's nearing 30°C outside, it's nice to think about the loveliness of snow and cold temperatures and the celebrations that bring us joy. For the little ghost quilt, introduced in Riel Nason and Byron Eggenschwiler's first collaboration The Little Ghost Who Was a Quilt (2020), winter brings new experiences and joys too.

From The Little Ghost Quilt's Winter Surprise, written by Riel Nason, illus. by Byron Eggenschwiler

While his ghost sheet friends are shivering with the cold, the little ghost quilt is able to comfortably withstand the temperatures and the snow. He enjoys the same indoor activities as they do—making crafts, playing games and reading "boooooks"—but he wishes they could share in outdoor adventures as well. One December evening while visiting a human neighbourhood, the little ghost quilt is drawn to bright lights and joyous celebrations. He sees decorated trees, inside and outside; people skating and singing and baking cookies; and everything looking shiny and bright. He is saddened to think his friends are missing out on all this. So, the little ghost quilt with his big heart plans to do something for his ghost sheet friends. 

From The Little Ghost Quilt's Winter Surprise, written by Riel Nason, illus. by Byron Eggenschwiler

But on his way back home, the little ghost quilt is caught in a terrible winter storm and is snagged on the branch of a birch tree. He does get free, but the storm and that tree give him an idea about how to implement his plan with what they have available.

From The Little Ghost Quilt's Winter Surprise, written by Riel Nason, illus. by Byron Eggenschwiler

I'm delighted to review a picture book by Riel Nason whose only books that I have reviewed to date have been YA (i.e., All the Things We Leave Behind and The Town That Drowned). But, just as she demonstrated in those young adult novels, Riel Nason gives her characters depth of feeling for others. For the little ghost quilt, he's quite cognizant of the fact that his quilt gives him warmth and protection while his friends, in their skimpy sheets, have neither and must stay indoors. Yet, with his freedom to engage in outdoor activities, the little ghost quilt still wants to share his experiences with his friends. He doesn't gloat about his opportunities. Instead, he appreciates what he is able to witness and thinks about how he can share with others. Riel Nason has given a patchwork-quilt ghost the benevolence to which we should all aspire.

From The Little Ghost Quilt's Winter Surprise, written by Riel Nason, illus. by Byron Eggenschwiler

It's impossible not to feel the weather and the joy that the little ghost quilt experiences on his winter outing. Byron Eggenschwiler's pencil and digitally-rendered artwork takes us into the dullness of winter and makes the colours of the holiday season shine. By emphasizing the dreariness of the winter with a muffled environment of snow and dirt in colours of grays and browns, Byron Eggenschwiler keeps the focus on the goodness and the cheerful, in other words on the quilt colours of the little ghost and on the Christmas celebrations and those enjoying them. 

While you may not be thinking of winter or Christmas yet—times when The Little Ghost's Quilt's Winter Surprise will be a must-read—this picture book is more than a seasonal tome to share with young children. It's a story of kindness and compassion; it's a book about understanding what others are experiencing and how to help expand the scope of their lives. (Can I use the word "lives" for ghosts?) Because of the little ghost quilt's good will, he's able to bring the light to the actuality of his ghost friends both in spirit and in illumination and thus bring the essence of Christmas to all.

Miss Match (Orca Currents)

Written by Susan Hughes

Orca Book Publishers

978-1-459842069

144 pp.

Ages 9–12

RL 2.8 

April 2025 

With Grade 8 almost finished and summer just weeks away, thirteen-year-old Polly, along with her friends Dev, Zoey, Roger and Matt, starts thinking about how to make a little money for summertime fun like going to the movies and baseball games, enjoying fast food, and shopping. Polly, ever the entrepreneur, comes up with the idea of a matchmaking service for all the Grade 7 and 8 students attending the end-of-year dance.

When they advertise their service and get students to submit applications with a $20 fee–money-back guarantee–they are overwhelmed with responses. They pull in over $2000 and Polly is tasked with setting up a dedicated bank account for the money. When she is unable to do so, Polly lies. It becomes the first of several lies she makes to her friends and her mother to cover up her embarrassment and fears of how they will judge her. Readers will wonder what her classmates would think about the accuracy of the nickname they've given her, i.e., Miss Match, if they knew the discrepancy between what she promises and what she actually does.

Susan Hughes has dazzled this reader with the breadth of her writing. I have reviewed her picture books (e.g., What Happens Next), her middle-grade novels (e.g., Four Seasons of Patrick), her YA (e.g., Virginia), and her non-fiction (e.g., Off to Class: Incredible and Unusual Schools Around the World). Each time, Susan Hughes writes with sensitivity and understanding. In Miss Match, she reminds us that everyone comes up with ideas some time, and some of them will be fantastic and some will be ludicrous. How we deal with our successes or our failures will speak more to our natures and strengths than the accolades or the judgements. Susan Hughes knows this and ensures that Polly comes across as a real person, who actually has a great idea but can't always deliver on it because she is shy, she is nervous about being judged, and she is young. Fortunately, she hangs around with a great bunch of people whose understanding of what it's like to be 13 is evident. They don't just forgive, they empathize.

 

While Miss Match is part of the Orca Currents series of high-interest novels for middle-grade students reading below grade level (reading level here is 2.8), Susan Hughes does not take short-cuts by giving readers a simple plot with little substance. She packs in issues of dishonesty, first crushes, inclusion–her friends are diverse in their abilities and disabilities, in their nationalities, and even in their gender-loving nature—and more. She tells the story with sensitivity and understanding but gives readers an ending that is satisfying without being contrived. Perhaps after celebrating a few more birthdays and with a little more experience, Miss Match could see herself in business again, providing a valuable service and growing her entrepreneur skills, one match at a time.

T Is for Terry: An ABC of Courage

Written by Denise Dias

Illustrated by Noémie Gionet Landry

North Winds Press (Scholastic Canada)

978-1-0397-0679-8

32 pp.

Ages 3–8

July 2025 

 

Terry Fox's story of his cancer and of his Marathon of Hope is one that is firmly established in Canadian history. When he embarked on his cross-country run in 1980 in support of cancer research, he could not have imagined the impact his story and his undertaking would have on the world. For us, he was a champion and a warrior. And now his story is told in such a way that our youngest children, perhaps those who will still be having this book read to them, will understand who he was and what he accomplished. 

From T is for Terry, written by Denise Dias, illustrated by Noémie Gionet Landry

Denise Dias who is involved with the Terry Fox Foundation tells Terry's story using the alphabet as her guide. She begins pre-diagnosis with Terry enjoying play with his siblings and sports. With the letter C, readers learn that Terry became ill and had the courage to face losing part of one leg. (Thank you, Denise Dias, for not making Cc for cancer.) Then there is his treatment and his training, but the text is all about the positives: the dream, the effort, his friends, and his gratitude. 

From T is for Terry, written by Denise Dias, illustrated by Noémie Gionet Landry

With the letter H, Denise Dias begins Terry's Marathon of Hope, still always emphasizing the positives of the kindness people showed him, the pride they felt sharing in his marathon, and the example he was by inspiring people everywhere to carry on his dream. Sure, there were some details about his shoes and how tired he was, but the highlights of T is for Terry is the young man and his worthwhile efforts to help others who were sick through fundraising for cancer research.

From T is for Terry, written by Denise Dias, illustrated by Noémie Gionet Landry

T Is for Terry is a complete illustrated biography for young children, introducing them to this extraordinary young man and his mission in a way that is not scary and very inclusive.  Denise Dias may keep the text inspiring rather than disheartening but she gives everything to his story so it is thorough. What Denise Dias leaves out in the text New Brunswick's Noémie Gionet Landry includes but with care. Her digital artwork blends realism with cheerful illustrations that both inform and amuse. We see Terry and other cancer patients receiving chemo treatment, the solitude of his running through all kinds of weather, and his distinctive running gait. We also see the landscapes of Canada that Terry ran through, from the Atlantic Ocean through forests and neighbourhoods. Noémie Gionet Landry keeps the story but makes it more Terry.

 

I am often wary of themed alphabet books as they can seem contrived, trying to fit a story into the alphabet. T Is for Terry is not forced in its alphabetical storytelling. Terry's story is complete as an illustrated biography in T Is for Terry; it just happens that it is told with the use of the alphabet to organize information. With great honesty and philanthropy, Denise Dias tells how Terry Fox and his Marathon of Hope united a nation and committed us to working to fund cancer research. With all author royalties being donated to the Terry Fox Foundation—in fact, the text and illustrations copyrights are held by the Terry Fox Family—Denise Dias furthers that support now and in perpetuity. By encouraging discussions through T Is for Terry, I hope that teachers and parents will grab this book and further the support for the Terry Fox Foundation and the good work they do, and thus move us all closer to finding all the cures for cancer.

Death by Whoopee Cushion

Written by Vicki Grant

Tundra Books

978-1-77488-468-3

256 pp.

Ages 10–14

July 2025 

 

 Having parents who own a joke shop can be torture. (p. 3)

 

For twelve-year-old Manya, who hates the limelight, her parents' joke shop, Pranks-A-Million, is embarrassing. But Ronnie and Stephanie Brown love to laugh and make others laugh. Not only do they sell pranks that explode, smell, stain, and startle, they create new "artisanal pranks" like Barf-In-A-Bag, edible scabs, and the Gravy Blaster, a whoopee cushion filled with sulfur-scented gravy, in their backroom Funcubator lab. Manya likes serious science–she won last year's science fair–and is eager to take an after-school program called "Serious Science for Serious Kids" that is offered at the Museum of Natural History. Along with her best friend and neighbour, Isaac, the only other participants who attend Dr. Michael's course are Jack, another science kid from their school, and Brandon, a kid who wanted to do kickboxing but was forced to attend this instead. Together they learn about acids and bases and do fun experiments.

 

But when things that aren't a laughing matter happen, Manya is concerned, though her parents with their good-natured humour are not. First, they are questioned by police about a trick cigar that caused first-degree burns. Then, more seriously, when her parents are setting up for a presentation at Manya's school, the new custodian is killed by an explosion when handling their materials. Manya's parents are arrested, and Manya and their parrot Toots—who makes farting noises—go to stay with Isaac and his mother Delia next door. Now it's up to Manya and Isaac to put their STEM skills to work and determine who sabotaged her parents' Gravy Blaster that killed a man.

 

Vicki Grant is always known for the humour in her books (e.g., Hold the Pickles,  36 Questions That Changed My Mind About You, Short for Chameleon) but her stories are always more than cheap laughs. Her plots often look into deeper issues of family relationships or bullying, even loneliness or shame. Vicki Grant reminds us that even when there is much to laugh about, there are serious issues often lightened with humour. Manya may be a girl who has inherited a love of science and experimenting from her parents, but she is quite self-conscious and embarrassed by the silliness, and smells and noises, of the pranks her parents love. But when her parents are arrested, she realizes how much she loves them and how much the joke shop is a part of her. It's this realization, along with the application of some science, that helps her solve the mystery of the exploding Gravy Blaster and connect with those who care about her.

 

I don't want to give away too much—the mystery of the Whoopee Cushion Murder must be solved—but suffice it to say that the laughs will be had courtesy of a fart-noisemaker of a parrot, a poopy baby called Poppy, a plethora of pranks, and a pair of mischief-makers who drive around in a yellow Beetle adorned with googly eyes and a clown nose. But with a little science, a whole lot of fun, and much familial affection, the mystery is solved, along with a few welcome surprises, and only the culprit is left with egg on their face, figuratively of course.

Soul Machine

Written and illustrated by Jordana Globerman

Annick Press

978-1-77321-959-2

228 pp.

Ages 12–16

June 2025 

 

In Chloe's world, souls are spun using wheels and the natural plant called breth. She and her family are in the business of soul making, though it's only her and her older sister Lacey since her father Morris left and her mother passed. And though Lacey still has to teach her younger sister all the steps to making souls, from getting the plants to spinning it, trimming it and packing it, Chloe has ambitions of becoming a CEO.

We just spin the threads, Chloe. As long as the mechanics of the soul remain a mystery, soul making stays an act of faith. (p. 8)

From Soul Machine, written and illustrated by Jordana Globerman

But their work has become more challenging. First, MCorp, a corporation led by Maya, a woman all aspire to be like, has been using a synthetic breth called Digibreth to make unlimited souls. Secondly, Lacey suspects that crops of breth are being poisoned by MCorp to force small businesses to become franchises of MCorp and weave Digibreth. Hoping to find a breth black market, Chloe heads to Metropolis, the busy city in which MCorp has its headquarters. There she is almost apprehended by the MCorp police for stealing but she is helped by Persie, one of the Nuspiritualist movement who protests against Maya and MCorp and works with others to heal and protect the natural breth.

From Soul Machine, written and illustrated by Jordana Globerman

Unbeknownst to Chloe, Maya has been watching Chloe and has her police follow her. As Maya and Persie travel towards the breth fields, including a stop at Paradise Found, a Digibreth test site where those test subjects promised spiritual optimization are now ghosts, Chloe becomes unwell. But when they reach their destination, parched and bereft of breth, Persie recognizes Chloe's father, from a photo in a locket, as the man who invented Digibreth.

 

While Persie is arrested, Chloe is taken to Maya. Maya, a cut-throat businesswoman, claims she  wants to help Chloe, asserting that she too needs Morris back as he is the only one who can fix the kinks in Digibreth. While Chloe appreciates the attention Maya pays her, she's starting to think there is much more to Maya's intentions, and she may be putting her family, both their business and their souls, at risk.

 

Soul Machine is Jordana Globerman's debut novel, and she's hit the scene with a powerful book of family and fantasy with a sampling of social commentary on choosing progress and celebrity over tradition and reliability. Chloe grapples with wanting success and fame but is challenged by what she sees in Maya and what she feels for her sister and family. In a society in which appearances are everything and better is best, Chloe is captivated, as many of our world are by popularity and fame. But Jordana Globerman has also given Chloe a soul that, when she must choose and act, she knows where her loyalties and her passions rest. And even though Maya sees the old world as deficient, she sees that as an opportunity for her.

"Your gen is all existential dread. It's a big market. (p. 110)

This new world has its own angst with the merging of state and self. The individual is becoming lost to those upheld as models of the best. Like many today, Maya is just capitalizing on it.

From Soul Machine, written and illustrated by Jordana Globerman

Jordana Globerman moves us through scenes of different atmospheres in Soul Machine with her colour choices, selecting one hue with different tints and shades for each set of circumstances. Metropolis and MCorp are all shown in pinks, perhaps reflecting those who see it all through rose-coloured glasses. The desolation of Paradise Found and the parched breth fields are depicted in a gold-puce-chartreuse. And home for Chloe and Lacey is teal. With her choice of colours and the strength of her illustrations that offer softness and harshness as appropriate, Jordana Globerman makes the reader think about our own society and the choices we make for ourselves and others. While many may not think about the metaphysics reflected in Soul Machine, Jordana Globerman actually presents opportunities to contemplate and discuss self and society, time and space, and reality as a whole—she appends her novel with "Questions with No Wrong Answers"—proving that her graphic novel, like many of other creators, is not "just" a comic book.

Miya Wears Orange

Written by Wanda John-Kehewin

Illustrated by Erika Rodriguez Medina

HighWater Press

978-1-77492-125-8

40 pp.

Ages 6–8

August 2025 

Miya loves school and is far removed from experiencing the trauma that too many Indigenous youth had when sent to residential schools. But when her teacher reads a story of one little girl who had such an experience, it all becomes deeply personal for Miya.

 

Miya, the only Indigenous child in her class, is shocked to hear about the child in the book having her hair cut, having her doll taken away, and not being allowed to see her family. 

Miya thinks about how she is the only Indigenous kid in her class, and her chest feels tight.

From Miya Wears Orange, written by Wanda John-Kehewin, illustrated by Erika Rodriguez Medina

The story read by the teacher was an introduction to the upcoming National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. But Miya cannot focus on the importance of September 30th. Instead, she wonders if she will be sent to residential school because she is Indigenous.

From Miya Wears Orange, written by Wanda John-Kehewin, illustrated by Erika Rodriguez Medina

So begins a discussion between mother and daughter. Miya's mother explains more about the residential schools and that those schools are closed, and Miya would never be taken from her. With her big heart and much compassion, Miya feels so much for the children who were taken, and her mother reassures her that that would never happen to her and that wearing an orange shirt would honour those children. 

Though Erika Rodriguez Medina gives illustrations that are endearing, the story of Miya Wears Orange is a sobering one, and it is one based in the circumstances Wanda John-Kehewin experienced with her own child. This is not a worry a child should ever have. But by answering her questions, reassuring her with her words and her actions—letting her stay home one day and continuing with their daily routines, including picking her up from school—Miya's mom, and probably Wanda John-Kehewin, did everything right. With time and reassurance, Miya will worry less, though I believe she will always think about and feel for those children who suffered. For her, wearing an orange shirt could be for any and every day.

From Miya Wears Orange, written by Wanda John-Kehewin, illustrated by Erika Rodriguez Medina

Just as I have previously reviewed a book by Wanda John-Kehewin (Visions of the Crow, Book 1 of Dreams series), so too have I reviewed those illustrated by Erika Rodriguez Medina. (In fact, the last book I reviewed, The Friendship Blanket, was illustrated by her.) Her ability to keep the warmth of her art no matter the nature of the story speaks to her creativity and skill. In Miya Wears Orange, Erika Rodriguez Medina does not emphasize the horrors of the residential schools, the source of Miya's anxieties. Instead, her focus is on the child and her mother and the good things about school. Her colour palette is limited with much burnt orange and purples and burgundy, and occasional blue or turquoise, keeping the tone of a story about remembrance and empathy. 

From Miya Wears Orange, written by Wanda John-Kehewin, illustrated by Erika Rodriguez Medina

Miya Wears Orange may become an important read for introducing young children to the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and also why we wear orange on September 30th. But I think it will also open discussions about children sharing their worries so those concerns might be lessened or alleviated. For little children, worries can become magnified very quickly, and for children of Indigenous heritage, for whom generational trauma is a potential, it's incumbent upon parents, teachers and those who care for them to be aware of their responses to texts and news related to residential schools. Those stories are horrific, even when adjusted for a younger audience, and attention and compassion must be applied to ensure an affirmative outcome.