In no particular order, here are the recommended reads: Hyewon Yum’s Grandpa Across the Ocean is a soft and deeply beautiful and poignant story about a grandfather and a grandson- who live an ocean apart- who grow closer over a summer spent together. Yum’s artwork and storytelling is as thoughtful and tender as ever; the colour pencil illustrations are achingly lovely; and the intergenerational story is perfect for those who have had a chance to read Sennah Yee and Elaine Chen’s wonderful My Day with Gong Gong. Corey R. Tabor’s Snail Crossing is a terrifically funny picture book that had my daughter and I holding our tummies from giggling. (Snail Crossing will also have you repeating the phrase “Evasive maneuvers!” while laughing). The story centres on a determined, kind, and sweetly oblivious snail’s mission to get some cabbage that goes that goes awry yet also very right in this wonderful tale. Tabor is also the author of the delightful picture book Mel Fell- seek out both is you’d like some picture book joy! Up next is The Midnight Fair by Gideon Sterer, illustrated by Mariachiara Di Giorgio, a wordless picture book, presented in a comics-style layout, that unfurls a fantastical story featuring woodland creatures and their stupendous nighttime adventures at a traveling carnival. Truly stunning, with magnificent illustrative details, this is not to be missed. Summer Camp Critter Jitters, written by Jory John and illustrated by Liz Climo is the brilliant second tale featuring the anxious animal cast from First Day Critter Jitters. Perfect for summertime (and for those of us who can relate to over-thinking worriers!) this is an extremely funny and warmhearted story. If you’re in the mood for more funny picture books, then might I suggest taking a look at Julie Rowan-Zoch’s I’m A Hare, So There!?. A ground squirrel gets much more than they bargained for when they say hello to what they think is a rabbit, but turns out to be a HARE, H-A-R-E, so there!. Humorous and sly, with a cool study of dessert animals, Rowan-Zoch’s title is a winner. Readers who enjoyed Liz Wong’s I am NOT a Penguin: A Pangolin’s Lament might especially love I’m A Hare, So There!. I Am a Peaceful Goldfish, written by Shoshana Chaim, illustrated by Lori Joy Smith, is an effervescent and serene picture book all about using our breath and turning on our imagination to bring ourselves back to calm. When emotions take over and we “can’t calm down”, we can imagine ourselves as a goldfish, an elephant, “swinging wind chimes”, or even “a gentle dragon”; take deep, calming breaths and try to breathe out as those creatures and objects might do. A lovely picture book to use for mindfulness or as a calming exercise for read aloud (or at home!). Ben Zhu’s Dessert Island is wonderful picture book that makes the most of contrasting spreads and limited text to illustrate luck- and how quickly luck can turn in a matter of moments. The changing fortunes of Monkey, who lives on a dessert island, and Fox, who lives on a desert island, show readers just how suddenly fortunes can change (whether due to environment or other factors), and the importance and unexpected serendipity of helping someone in need. Last but definitely not least, Stephanie Graegin’s Fern and Otto: A Story About Two Best Friends is a marvellous story within a story (within stories!) that features a story-writing bear and cat who decides that he and his best friend need more EXCITEMENT and adventure in their lives (and in Fern’s stories). What readers discover, however, is that while Fern and Otto go on a trek to find capers it turns out that they have oodles of fairy tale stories happening all around them- if only they (well, Otto!) would stop for just a moment! So beautifully illustrated, with the sweetest and cleverest nods to fairy tale classics, there are endless scenes to explore and revisit here. Happy reading to you all- some extraordinary reads here!

In no particular, here they are: Alice & Gert: An Ant and Grasshopper Story* by Helaine Becker, illustrated by Dena Seiferling is a fantastically sublime retelling/twist of the famous fable, full of wit, whimsy, and oodles of heart- as well as the most expressive and wondrous illustrations of insects and their surroundings. Alice and Gert are an unforgettable pair and this delicious gem of a story is highly recommended reading. Written by Canadian author Andrea Curtis and illustrated by Canadian artist Kass Reich (from the Megabat books!), Barnaby* is a thoughtful, beautifully rich story centering around a much-loved budgie named Barnaby whose jealously and temper gets the best of him when his lady (his human) brings a new feathered friend home. Barnaby reads like a modern fable, so vibrantly captured and presented by the winning combination of Curtis’s detailed storytelling and Reich’s captivating illustrations. Sarah Jacoby, the author-illustrator behind Forever Or a Day and the illustrator of other acclaimed picture books, returns with Can I Sit With You?**, a tender story featuring a young girl who meets a forever friend in a steadfast dog. Jacoby’s watercolour, pastel and mixed media illustrations are beautiful as ever here, bringing readers a poetic, rhyming story about true, forever love, and empathy. Brian Lies, who you may recognize from his bestselling Bats at the Ballgame, Bats at the Library as well as The Rough Patch, brings readers even more batty fun with Little Bat in Night School**. Yellow floaties on, backpack ready, Little Bat feels tremendously excited and prepared for whatever school will bring. Night school includes: new classmates, an understanding teacher, some messy mistakes, upside down giggles, lots of imagination, adventure and a friend named Ophelia. Lies’s illustrations are a wonder and this joyful, warmhearted story is sure to delight readers of all ages. Last but not least, let’s take a look at Annelouise Mahoney’s debut, Julius and Macy: A Very Brave Night***, a soft and perfect-for-bedtime story that features a darling badger and mouse who like “to play heroes” together. When Julius and Macy’s snacks go missing one evening of play, Julius points blame to a scary creature called a “Night Goblin”, and the two friends gather up their bravery to track down the suspected thief. A sincerely kindhearted story, with glowing, adorable illustrations and sweet friends, A Very Brave Night is the kind of reassuring picture book that makes for snuggly reading. Happy reading to you all!

*I received copies of Alice & Gert: An Ant and Grasshopper Story and Barnaby courtesy of Owlkids Books. **I received copies of Can I Sit With You? and Little Bat in Night School courtesy of Raincoast Books. ***I received a copy of Julius and Macy: A Very Brave Night courtesy of Thomas Allen & Son. Titles were received in exchange for honest reviews. All opinions and comments are my own. Titles have been published and are currently available.

In no particular order, let’s dive right in: My Day with Gong Gong by Sennah Yee, illustrated by Elaine Chen is a beautiful and thoughtful story about a young girl named May spending the day with her grandpa in his close knit, friendly community, who very happily discovers that she has a deeper bond and more in common with her grandpa than she initially thought; Mia and the Monsters: The Monsters Learn to Share (English Edition) by Neil Christopher, illustrated by Sigmundur Thorgeirsson is another entry in the boisterous and very sweet Mia and the Monsters series (from Inuit-owned, independent publishing company Inhabit Media) with a look at how Mia helps her monster friends learn all about the pleasure of sharing while preparing for a picnic; A Stopwatch from Grampa by Loretta Garbutt, illustrated by Carmen Mok is a gorgeously gentle and moving story about loss and grief, from the perspective of a young child, gifted the cherished stopwatch of their beloved grampa; I Talk Like A River by poet Jordan Scott, illustrated by Sydney Smith is an award-winning standout, an unforgettable and hopeful story based Scott’s experiences growing up with a stutter and a life-altering moment in time with his father (do not miss the author’s note at the book’s end) ; and last but definitely not least we have Maud and Grand-Maud by Sara O’Leary, illustrated by Kenard Pak, a wonderful, dreamy story featuring a young girl named Maud and her dear Grand-Maud, spotlighting their visits together as they discover happy surprises and what kinds of things young Maud imagines for her own future.

In no particular order, let’s dive right in: Evelyn Del Ray Is Moving Away, superb picture book- exemplary in art and story- written by award-winner Meg Medina (Merci Suárez Changes Gears) and illustrated by Sonia Sánchez (The Little Red Fort by Brenda Maier), tells readers about the best friendship between Evelyn and Daniela, and how they prepare for the former’s impending move; next we have the utterly beautiful treat of poetry and art that is Magnificent Homespun Brown: A Celebration by Samara Cole Doyon, illustrated by Kaylani Juanita (Ta-Da! by Kathy Ellen Davis), a lyrical feast that stars, elevates, and honours young woman of colour; Mary Sullivan, an award-winning author-illustrator behind splendidly funny picture books (Ball, Nobody’s Duck), brings readers the terrifically giggly and very, very sweet Up On Bob, featuring a dachshund named Bob and a furry intruder who just can’t leave him be; Swashby and the Sea written by bestselling author Beth Ferry (The Scarecrow, illustrated by Eric Fan and Terry Fan), illustrated by Caldecott Honor winner Juana Martinez-Neal, is a gorgeous, tender and sweetly funny look at a grumpy, grizzled Captain, an omnipotent and kind sea, new neighbours, and messages in the sand that are found by an optimistic young girl; Chris Haughton (Shh! We Have a Plan) is a creator whose work I look forward to and Don’t Worry, Little Crab is winner- a fantastic story about taking big steps with a solid friend by your side, with Haughton’s vibrant and recognizable art at its best here; and last but not least, Goodnight, Veggies by Diana Murray (Unicorn Day, illustrated by Luke Flowes), illustrated by Zachariah OHora (Wolfie the Bunny by Ame Dyckman), is a supremely adorable and witty rhyming story- and one that is perfect for bedtime read aloud- featuring tuckered out vegetables and a dapper, busy worm making a big trek. Happy reading to you all!

Here they are, in no particular order: Let us begin with Freedom Soup, written by Tami Charles, gloriously illustrated by Jacqueline Alcántara, a vivacious and insightful, potent story that balances multiple elements: the bond between a young girl named Belle and her Ti Gran, the passing on of cultural traditions between generations, a brief history of the Haitian Revolution, and how Belle and her family celebrate and welcome their new year with traditional Haitian soup. An exceptional read. Sunny, the delightful author and illustrator debut of Celia Krampien, takes readers on a grand tale involving surprises and hopefulness when a young girl named Sunny faces some grand detours on her way to school. The art and colour palette here is wonderfully inviting and unique, with perfect notes of repetition and story building. Up next we have Julie Colombet’s The Society of Distinguished Lemmings, a marvelous book title that happily meets a marvelous story and art within: about a nattering, critical group of esteemed lemmings who initially dismiss a new bear friend who expresses interest in joining their illustrious group. Colombet’s picture book is made for rereading and poring over thanks to the wonderful illustrated spreads and amazing, madcap details. Llama Unleashes the Alpacalypse, by Jonathan Stutzman, illustrated by Heather Fox, sees the welcome return of unpredictable Llama (from Llama Destroys the World!), as he places the world in yet another terrifying (yet fluffy!) predicament when his dislike of cleaning, a tidy alpaca friend, and cloning device somehow cross paths! And last but definitely not least, we have Bedtime for Sweet Creatures, written by Coretta Scott King Award winning author Nikki Grimes and illustrated by Elizabeth Zunon, a brilliant, standout of a nighttime story: about a young child who faces their bedtime in a parade of imagination, mirroring actions and sounds of various animals. A truly beautiful and mesmerizing picture book that winds its way down to a serene lullaby of an ending, this is a bedtime story not to be missed.

Let’s start off with the beautiful and heartfelt My Grandma and Me by Mina Javaherbin and Lindsey Yankey, a loving, richly descriptive autobiographical story of the deep bond and love young Mina has for her grandma. While growing up in Iran, Mina does just about everything with her grandma: cooking, praying, sweeping, telling stories, watching her grandma sew her own chadors, and even fasting together during Ramadan when Mina is a bit older. Javaherbin’s storytelling is so affecting; a detailed and personal story yet one that will likely be readily felt by anyone who has a grandmother they love or have loved and treasured. Yankey’s illustrations are beautifully ornate yet soft, drawing readers in to Mina’s story from the opening. Speaking as a reader, My Grandma and Me has brought me so much joy and happy remembrance of my own grandmothers who I was very lucky to have known and loved. Up next is the picture book A New Home, wonderfully written and illustrated by Tania de Regil. A story told in one shared voice from the perspective of two children- a young boy moving from New York City to Mexico City, and a young girl moving from Mexico City to New York City- A New Home takes readers on one beautifully fluid journey of the shared thoughts, wonders, and fears both children have as they prepare for their big moves. As both children let readers in on what they worry about, we are able to see the viewpoints of either child in their respective cities. In the juxtaposition between the children’s experiences- and what they will miss- about New York City and Mexico City, readers can see just how amazing it is that experiences can be so distinct yet somehow so comfortingly similar! Tania del Regio’s picture book is altogether terrific, with an especially lovely, happy, pitch-perfect surprise of an ending. Let’s now turn our attention to Just Because by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault. A young child sits upright in their bed, tucked in, lights turned off, and asks their parent in the doorway: “Why is the ocean blue?”. Oof. That is a rather big question to be asking at nighttime, isn’t it! How would one even begin to ans- “Every night, when you go to sleep, the fish take out guitars [and] sing sad songs and cry blue tears.”. Amazing!! Fascinating!!! I bet nobody knew that! If you think the child’s dad is going to be confounded by questions such as “What is the rain?” or “What are black holes”, then think again. I love how extraordinary and unexpected (yet somehow also flawless!) the ‘answers’ given are (and I do think I need to test them out with my own little ones!). The sometimes succinct, always funny and bold answers (Barnett is a consistently fantastic storyteller) make for stunning illustrative spreads by Isabelle Arsenault, and culminate in an especially divine ending. A glorious read that I have enjoyed many times over, Just Because is definitely one for trying out a storytime- perhaps especially with school-aged children who might (or might not?) take issue with some of answers given…And last but not least, if you are in the mood for some bright and sweet animal-centered picture books, here are two options! Neon Leon by Jane Clarke and Britta Teckentrup is an interactive, chatty and vibrant tale of a beautifully bright, bright orange chameleon who unfortunately has trouble with camouflaging, and thus feels very much like an outcast with the other chameleons. While the core of the story about feeling out of place is one readers may be familiar with, the kindness in Clarke’s storytelling, the interactive element, and Teckentrup unmissable artwork make Neon Leon a win. Ali Pye’s Copy Cat is a seriously adorable picture book about two feline friends who have a tiff over one always copying the other. A book that gently explores making new friends, making amends with old friends, and learning to do things on your own, Copy Cat is perfect reading for the cat and kitten lovers out there, or those looking for a charming picture book about friendship. Happy reading, everyone!

I received copies of these titles courtesy of Penguin Random House Canada in exchange for honest reviews. All opinions and comments are my own. Titles have been published and are currently available.

In no particular order, here are the titles: Shinsuke Yoshitake (who you may recognize as the creator of the hysterical picture book Still Stuck) returns with the very, very funny, very dry and awesomely offbeat I Can Be Anything*, about a young girl named Natsumi who peppers her increasingly exhausted mother to guess the kinds of things (clothespin! rice ball! bulldozer! electric fan!) she is pretending to be. Both of my kids (five and two) were quite RIVETED by the story and couldn’t wait to see what surprising thing Natsumi would pretend to be next! Author and illustrator Rowboat Watkins (Mabel: A Mermaid Fable) brings readers the gloriously giggly, totally cool and uplifting Most Marshmallows*, about some out-of-the-ordinary, reach-for-the-sky marshmallows that don’t quite follow and do what most other marshmallows do. As ever, Watkins artwork is splendid, unexpected and makes me laugh with joy. Author Emily Snape and illustrator K-Fai Steele (A Normal Pig) bring readers an updated, kicky and funny version of Old MacDonald with Old MacDonald Had a Baby*: with zany new verses all about babies and illustrations that may make you laugh out loud, this is a refreshing update to a classic. Prolific picture book author Deborah Underwood and illustrator of the popular Baby Loves board book series Irene Chan collaborate on Finding Kindness*, a sincerely lovely rhyming story about all kinds of ways that people can and do express kindness. In Underwood’s hand, the subject and text is light and satisfying (with an ending that makes a sweet callback to the opening lines), and Chan’s illustrations are so cozy and warm- a perfect match to the story. Marie Lamba and illustrator Alea Marley team up for A Day So Gray* (yes, it’s a winter-y read, but bear with me!), a story about two friends who see the world and its spectrum of colours in a very different way. Marley’s artwork is absolutely gorgeous, lush and inviting; a wonderful match to Lamba’s text which celebrates stalwart friends and our magical, rainbow-filled world. An indomitable “tiny truck” named Kid McGear joins the construction team in Three Cheers for Kid McGear*, from by Sherri Duskey Rinker and A.G. Ford. Readers who have loved the titles in this bright and rhyming construction series (Construction Site on Christmas Night and more) will undoubtedly adore Kid McGear’s can-do attitude, her amazing skills, and getting the chance to spend more time on the construction site. And last, but not least, Boats Will Float by Andria Warmflash Rosenbaum and illustrator Brett Curzon (I won a copy via a Twitter giveaway courtesy of author Andria!) is a wonderfully bouncy, sweetly illustrated and perfect-for-reading-aloud rhyming story about all kinds of boats- everything from fireboats to research vessels to submarines! Back matters includes a list of the boats mentioned in the story and their descriptions. If you have a little one at home who loves vehicles, or anything do with transportation in and out of the water, this is a terrific pick.

Happy reading to you all!

*I received copies of these starred titles courtesy of Raincoast Books in exchange for honest reviews. All opinions and comments are my own. Titles have been published and are currently available.

I thought it might be a pleasant way to get back into the rhythm of things with a picture book round-up post. I hope you enjoy this new round up of recently read and recommended picture books. In no particular order, here are the titles: Our Favorite Day written and illustrated by Joowon Oh- a debut!- is a gorgeous, quiet treat of a picture book that focuses on the bond and love between a grandpa and his grandchild- my five year old absolutely adored this thoughtfully threaded story, with its gentle callbacks and beautiful, softly appealing paper cut and watercolour art; Amy Wu and the Perfect Bao by Kat Zhang (The Memory of Forgotten Things), illustrated by Charlene Chua (Shubh Diwali! written by Chitra Soundar) is a delightfully buoyant and bright tale (with recipes!) featuring young and undaunted protagonist Amy who, after numerous attempts at making a “perfect” bao bun don’t quite work, problem solves her way (with her family’s help and support!) to success; The Phone Booth in Mr. Hirota’s Garden written by award-winning Canadian author Heather Smith (Ebb and Flow) and artwork by Rachel Wada is a superb, unforgettable (and deeply emotional) read- based on a true story of the wind telephone created by Japanese artist Itaru Sasaki- I was captivated and affected by both the story and actual events, and have been thinking often of this picture book since first read; Chirri & Chirra: The Snowy Day by Kaya Doi, a wintry entry into the sublime and adorable Chirri & Chirra series features a stunning palette and so, so many sweet details for the eye to feast upon; Good Night, Little Blue Truck written by Alice Schertle, illustrated by John Joseph in the style of the late Jill McElmurry is another winning, perfect for read aloud story in the continuing Little Blue Truck series (this series is a bedtime family favourite!); and last but not least, we have the standout sophomore picture book, Saturday, by award-winning author and illustrator Oge Mora (Thank You, Omu!), a beautifully rendered story- with Mora’s distinct and marvelous collage art- about a mom and daughter’s special day together and what happens in the face of constant setbacks. Happy reading to you all!