A Flock of Gulls, a Chorus of Frogs

Art by Roy Henry Vickers

Text by Robert "Lucky" Budd

Harbour Publishing

978-1-990776502

28 pp.

Ages 2-6

April 2024 

 

Roy Henry Vickers and Lucky Budd have taken young children on learning experiences into the natural world along the Pacific coast through their First West Coast Book series since 2017. Through colour and rhyme, shape and textured words, kids have been introduced to the concepts of the alphabet (A is for Anemone), animal sounds (Raven Squawk, Orca Squeak), numbers (One Eagle Soaring), colours (Sockeye Silver, Saltchuck Blue) and more. Now they will graduate to a higher concept, that of animal groupings, something with which many adults still struggle to name correctly. (FYI, it's a clowder of cats, and a murder of crows, just to name a few.) But Roy Henry Vickers and Lucky Budd keep us on the West Coast to revisit many animals they'd introduced in earlier books. 

From A Flock of Gulls, a Chorus of Frogs, art by Roy Henry Vickers, text by Lucky Budd

In easy rhyme, Lucky Budd gives us the terms for groups of orcas and seals, jellyfish and eagles, elk and foxes. They are animals of the air, of the water and of the land.

A jumble of jellies is called a bloom.

Shoals of dolphins zip and zoom.

The words are few, perfect for a concept book, with the grouping name in bold text for easy spotting. And yet, even with few words, Lucky Budd gives us movement and spirit. He carries us to play with the sea otters and fly with the gulls and geese. The text is truly evocative of a natural setting teeming with life, even quiet, resting life. And we learn.

From A Flock of Gulls, a Chorus of Frogs, art by Roy Henry Vickers, text by Lucky Budd

As always, it's Roy Henry Vickers's art that elevates the amazing text to the divine. With limited colours and spot-gloss in each spread, Roy Henry Vickers's takes us to a natural world of beauty and relationship, between environment and animal. His Northwest Indigenous art style is rich with formlines that give shape to heads and tails, wings and appendages. Even when those lines are at their simplest, as in the earth of foxes or the galaxy of sea stars, they hold forms that are distinct and evocative of heart.

From A Flock of Gulls, a Chorus of Frogs, art by Roy Henry Vickers, text by Lucky Budd

This may be a board book and a concept book that is aimed at our youngest children, but A Flock of Gulls, a Chorus of Frogs could more accurately be intended for all ages. Its small size may disqualify it as a coffee table book but, between the information that is relayed through simple rhyme and the expressive illustrations that exhibit page after page of incomparable art, this book could easily spark discussion and uplift a room or library beyond a lovely teaching tool.

• • • • • • •

First West Coast Book series, to date

Hello, Humpback! (2017)

One Eagle Soaring (2018)

Sockeye Silver, Saltchuck Blue (2019)

Raven Squawk, Orca Squeak (2020)

A is for Anemone (2021)

A Flock of Gulls, a Chorus of Frogs (2024)

Sydney Smith wins 2024 Hans Christian Andersen Award

On April 8, 2024 at the Bologna International Children's Book Fair, IBBY (International Board on Books for Young People) announced the winners of the very prestigious Hans Christian Andersen Award. This award, given biennially, to an international author and an illustrator of books for young people has never been awarded to a Canadian, until now. This year, alongside Austrian author Heinz Janisch, the award was given to Nova Scotia illustrator (and also author) Sydney Smith.

 

At CanLit for LittleCanadians, I have had the pleasure to review a great number of Sydney Smith's books, both those that he illustrated and those that he wrote and illustrated. They include:

 

Sidewalk Flowers

Written by JonArno Lawson
Illustrated by Sydney Smith
Groundwood Books
32 pp.
Ages 4-7

2015

 

Grant and Tillie Go Walking

Written by Monica Kulling
Illustrated by Sydney Smith
Groundwood Books
32 pp.
Ages 4-8

2015

 

The White Cat and the Monk

Written by JoEllen Bogart
Illustrated by Sydney Smith
Groundwood Books
32 pp.
Ages 4-8

2016 

 

Look Out for the Fitzergerald-Trouts

Written by Esta Spalding
Illustrated by Sydney Smith
Tundra
224 pp.
Ages 8-12

2016

 

Town Is by the Sea

Written by Joanne Schwartz
Illustrated by Sydney Smith
Groundwood Books
52 pp.
Ages 5-9

2017 

 

Inkling

Written by Kenneth Oppel
Illustrated by Sydney Smith
HarperCollins
256 pp.
Ages 8-12

2018

 

Small in the City

Written and illustrated by Sydney Smith
Groundwood Books
40 pp.
Ages 4-7

2019

 

 

 

My Baba's Garden

Written by Jordan Scott
Illustrated by Sydney Smith
Neal Porter Books (Holiday House)
32 pp.
Ages 4-8

2023

Do You Remember?

Written and illustrated by Sydney Smith
Groundwood Books
40 pp.
Ages 3-6

2023

 

 

 

 

 

These are only a selection of Sydney Smith's books. For a more complete listing, check out his web page at https://www.sydneydraws.ca/.

 

Also, if you'd like to read the press release from IBBY, with lovely comments about Sydney Smith's art, it is posted  here.

 

⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 

Congratulations to 

Sydney Smith 

on this extraordinary recognition!

The Keeper of Stars

Written by Jennifer Harris

Illustrated by Dorothy Leung

Owlkids Books

978-1-77147-568-6

32 pp.

Ages 3-7

April 2024 

 

We know the bedtime routine. It usually includes getting washed, brushing teeth, dressing in pajamas, and the reading of stories. Milo's routine includes these but with a few extras, like tapping his dad's picture three times and then hitching a ride on a comet to help the Keeper of Stars. He'll have a busy night ahead.

From The Keeper of Stars, written by Jennifer Harris, illustrated by Dorothy Leung

What does the Keeper of Stars do? They clean up the skies, and there's a lot to clean up. There are airplane smudges, balloons, and stray feathers, but also stars that need washing and polishing. (This sweet sentiment is so reminiscent of my own father speaking about moving the clouds and shining the stars while we slept that I get a little lump in my throat.)

From The Keeper of Stars, written by Jennifer Harris, illustrated by Dorothy Leung

The Keeper of Stars, a large bear with a star patch upon its forehead, instructs Milo how to bathe the stars, even as they get ticklish, and then, watched over by owlets and bats, how to put back all those fallen stars which sailors use for navigation. It's a lovely playful time for Milo and the stars.

 

When they are finally done for the night, the Keeper of Stars and Milo sit down for a repast of herring sandwiches and cocoa before the child returns to his bed, not always remembering his nightly endeavours.

From The Keeper of Stars, written by Jennifer Harris, illustrated by Dorothy Leung

Most bedtime stories are filled with tenderness as little ones settle and a quiet descends. But Jennifer Harris's story has a special gentleness to it. Perhaps it's the solemnity with which Milo taps his father's photo beside his bed when sleep is nigh. Perhaps it's his mother's exhaustion as she maintains Milo's bedtime routines as she falls asleep as he slips away to join the Keeper of Stars. Perhaps it's the camaraderie of working alongside others to get a job done but still having time for a bit of joyous play. Perhaps it's all of those things. Reading The Keeper of Stars will leave young readers calm and intrigued, looking into the heavens for the big bear of Ursa Major and falling stars and even owls and bats in the night sky. And maybe even dreaming of their own celestial adventures.

 

Toronto's Dorothy Leung, who illustrated When the Wind Came and The Bird Feeder, uses a style of art that enhances Jennifer Harris's sensitive story. She uses pencil and gouache, as well as Photoshop, to create images that are both ni and grounded, taking readers into the heavens but from the familiarity of a child's room at bedtime. Even when juggling the stars and arranging them into messages, Milo has an earnestness about him. He is quiet and busy, doing what he must but recognizing the joy in what he is doing, for himself and others. Dorothy Leung gives him an inner serenity which, considering his focus on his father's photo, would be a challenge for many. She brings the quiet and takes away the fears of the night, through her choice of colours, the softness of her shapes, and the expressive lines of her characters, which include the stars.

 

If you have a little one who needs to be drawn gently into the world of sleep, The Keeper of Stars will do just that. It will take them in hand to dream of nightly duties by joining those who populate our heavens and add sparkle to our lives. It will help them sail into the calm of sleep and the respite of the tireless.

Group Book Launch: May 26, 2024 (Toronto, ON)

If you read my January 1st post about upcoming books, you'll know that there are hundreds of books of kidCanLit released in a 6 month period. While it's hard to get to all the launches that are set, it is far easier when multiple authors get together to launch their new books. In the spirit of cooperation, and under the umbrella of Authors' Booking Service, eight authors of picture books, and middle-grade fiction and non-fiction will be launching their new books in a special Group Book Launch.  

 

Creators who will be present are Dana L. Church, Caroline Fernandez, Deborah Kerbel, Amanda West Lewis, Monique Polak, Sade Smith, Michael F. Stewart, and Farida Zaman. These are their books:

 

Remember This: The Fascinating World of Memory (Orca Think)

Written by Monique Polak

Illustrated by Valéry Goulet

Orca Book Publishers

96 pp.

Ages 8-13

March 2024

Iggy Included

Written by Deborah Kerbel 

Scholastic Canada

240 pp.

Ages 8-12

May 2024

 

Seeking Draven

Written by Michael F. Stewart

Red Deer Press

200 pp.

Ages 9-12

April 2024

 

 

 

 

A Planet is a Poem

Written by Amanda West Lewis

Illustrated by Oliver Averill

Kids Can Press

40 pp.

Ages 8-12

May 2024

 

Asha and Baz Meet Katia Krafft

Written by Caroline Fernandez

Illustrated by Dharmali Patel

Common Deer Press

114 pp.

Ages 6-9

February 2024

 

 

 

Plague Thieves

Written by Caroline Fernandez

DCB Young Readers

208 pp.

Ages 9-12

May 2024

 

 

The Monarch Effect: Surviving Poison, Predators, and People

Written by Dana L. Church 

Scholastic Focus

320 pp.

Ages 8-12

April 2024

 

 

 

Meena Can't Wait 

Written and illustrated by Farida Zaman

Orca Book Publishers

32 pp.

Ages 6-8

March 2024

 

 

 

And the launch?  Here are its details:

Sunday, May 26th, 2024

2-3 PM (EST)

at

Toronto Public Library

Northern District Branch

Gwen Liu Meeting Room

40 Orchard View Blvd.

Toronto, ON

Get this free, family-friendly event into your calendar now. It's a great opportunity to chat with creators of kidCanLit and get autographed books for all your young readers.

Club Microbe

Written and illustrated by Elise Gravel

Translated by Montana Kane

Drawn & Quarterly

978-1-77046-702-6

56 pp.

Ages 4+

April 2024

 

First there was The Mushroom Fan Club (2018). Then there was The Bug Club (2021). (Soon there will be Disgusting Critters: A Creepy Crawly Collection.) And now the genius of Elise Gravel takes us to the microscopic level to introduce those germs which can harm us and all the microbes that help keep us healthy, make our food, and do so much more.

From Club Microbe, written and illustrated by Elise Gravel

From a quirky definition of microbes, Elise Gravel introduces us to different groups such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, protists, and algae. She discusses their sizes, where they can live, and the many fabulous shapes they take. Much of the text involves bacteria and viruses and, though they can cause illness, their roles in helping us with our health and the environment is well noted.

From Club Microbe, written and illustrated by Elise Gravel

I especially appreciate Elise Gravel's notes about how we can keep safer from the illnesses they cause, and she does it with humour and wisdom, mentioning hand-washing, vaccinations and antibodies, and foods that promote gut health.

You know I'm a big fan of germs, but I'm not a big fan of the ones that can make me sick.

There is much science embedded in Elise Gravel's report of microbes. She speaks to the use of a microscope to view them and never avoids using their Latin (scientific) names. And she peppers her straightforward text with numerous quirky facts including about a 150-million-year-old bacterium, van Leeuwenhoek's discovery, and even an experiment how to grow some on bread.

From Club Microbe, written and illustrated by Elise Gravel

As with all Elise Gravel's books, it's her artwork that completes the stories. And while many bacteria and viruses can look creepy, especially when we know of those that can do harm, like coronavirus, Rabies lyssavirus, and papillomavirus, she is able to keep her illustrations authentic–there is no dispute about identifying COVID with its red-orange spike proteins–but to also make them less than scary, with eyes and sometimes little teeth. And by placing them in the context of similarly anthropomorphized intestines and the brain, and a world of familiar situations, Elise Gravel delights, entertains, and teaches. 

 

There's a lot of learning that can happen here, from the role of bacteriophages to the use of microbes in making bread and cheese, and it's aimed at young children who are able to comprehend that there are microscopic organisms that impact our lives, even if we can't see them. We've already got our own Club Microbes going on in our bodies, so why not help little ones become more familiar with their mutualistic tiny organisms and those that contribute to our worlds. It's a membership we already support or can try to keep at bay. With Elise Gravel's Club Microbe, we'll know even better how they work.

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.