Mark of the Plague

Posted on: March 17, 2017 at 10:05 am, in

Mark of the Plague By Kevin Sands This follow up to the wildly popular Blackthorn Key is equally good.  Christopher Rowe is back, but his master is dead.  Although the apothecary shop has been left to him, he is still an apprentice and therefore not allowed to sell his wares.  He is in dire straits […]

Lost in the Backyard

Posted on: February 27, 2017 at 3:04 pm, in

Lost in the Backyard By Alison Hughes I love survival stories, and this is a good one! Flynn is 13 and couldn’t care less about nature or the environment.  He finds camping pretty boring and he doesn’t pay attention in his Outdoor Ed. class.  He is far more interested in his phone and his Nike […]

The Best Mistake Mystery

Posted on: February 10, 2017 at 3:24 pm, in

The Best Mistake MysteryBy Sylvia McNicoll Stephen Noble tends to worry a lot.  His mom often says that he makes too much out of things. But when the fire alarm goes off at school and all the kids get sent home without even getting their agendas, Stephen suspects something is really wrong.  Later that afternoon, […]

Mae and June and the Wonder Wheel

Posted on: February 6, 2017 at 7:55 pm, in

Mae and June and the Wonder Wheel By Charise Mericle HarperThis post was originally published in Canadian Materials, Volume XXIII, Number 16, December 23, 2016. June is always open to making friends, and when Mae moves in across the street, it looks like a perfect opportunity. But potential friendship is almost thwarted by the disagreeable April, […]

The Riverman

Posted on: January 27, 2017 at 2:01 pm, in

The Riverman By Aaron Starmer What a wild book this is! Twelve-year-old Alistair Cleary is befriended by one of the neighbourhood “weird kids” – Fiona Loomis.  Fiona has a secret to tell Alistair and she trusts him not to tell – she is regularly transported to a fantasy world called Aquavania.  In this magical place, […]

Eco Warrior

Posted on: January 24, 2017 at 4:27 pm, in

Eco Warrior Eco Warriorby Philip RoyEco Warrior is a wonderful tale about a sixteen year old boy named Alfred that pulls you in right away and keeps you reading from page one to the end. Alfred is traveling to Australia in a homemade submarine with his pet seagull and dog to learn how to be an […]

We Are Growing!

Posted on: January 12, 2017 at 9:15 pm, in

We Are Growing!By Laurie Keller One of the new Elephant & Piggie Like Reading books, We Are Growing by Laurie Keller entices emerging readers to keep practicing their skills once they’ve finished all the books in their beloved Mo Willems series. With high-impact, brightly coloured and cartoonish illustrations, simple text and larger than life sounds […]

Book Scavenger

Posted on: December 22, 2016 at 6:37 pm, in

Book ScavengerBy Jennifer Chambliss Bertman Imagine a scavenger hunt that involves deciphering secret codes and following clues that could take you all over the city – any city.  Now imagine that the prizes you are seeking are all books.  You can even hide your own books and leave clues for other players.  This is the […]

Any Questions?

Posted on: December 4, 2016 at 3:17 pm, in

Any Questions? By Marie-Louise Gay A thought-provoking release from Marie-Louise Gay, this picturebook aims to not only answer questions but more importantly, encourage children to keep asking questions. Often children will express an interest in where stories come from and how a book is made, and Gay inspires children to capture their imaginations on paper. Through a creative […]

Spirit Bear

Posted on: November 25, 2016 at 12:22 pm, in

Spirit BearBy Jennifer Harrington, illustrated by Michael Arnott Annuk is a baby bear, born to a black bear mother.  Deep in the Great Bear Rainforest, Annuk discovers that he is special; unlike his siblings, Annuk is a white “Spirit Bear”.  His mother tells him that one day, he will “catch more salmon than any bear […]