Showing posts with label #IreadCanadian. Show all posts
Showing posts with label #IreadCanadian. Show all posts

#IReadCanadian: Books For Readers Of All Ages November 2, 2022


I read Canadian. 

I read Canadian all year round. 

I read Canadian for readers of all ages. 

I want everyone to read Canadian. 

The books on the lists below are ones I have read since the last #IReadCanadianDay in February 2021. If you click on the category heading, it will take you to a GoodReads list of these books. From there you can find out more about them. 

If you aren't already passionate about reading Canadian, I expect that books from the following lists will get you there. 

ADULT & YA FICTION

The Prairie Chicken Dance Tour by Dumont, Dawn
Butter Honey Pig Bread by Ekwuyasi, Francesca
What Strange Paradise by El Akkad, Omar
Satellite Love by  Ferguson, Genki 
Five Little Indians by  Good, Michelle
Scarborough by  Hernandez, Catherine
The Forest of Stolen Girls by  Hur, June
The Silence of Bones by  Hur, June
The Red Palace by Hur, June
All the Quiet Places by Isaac, Brian Thomas 
Bloomsbury Girls by Jenner, Natalie 
The Jane Austen Society by Jenner, Natalie 
If I Tell You the Truth by Kaur, Jasmin 
Deep House by King, Thomas 
Disappearing Moon Cafe by Lee, Sky 
Station Eleven by Mandel, Emily St. John
Sea of Tranquility Mandel, Emily St. John
Thrive by Oppel, Kenneth
The Madness of Crowds by (Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, #17) Penny, Louise
The Midnight Bargain by Polk, C.L.
Zero Repeat Forever by (The Nahx Invasions, #1) Prendergast, Gabrielle
The Project by Summers, Courtney
Em by Thúy, Kim 
Fight Night by  Toews, Miriam 
The Strangers by Vermette, Katherena 
We Two Alone: Stories by Wang, Jack 
A Killer in King's Cove (Lane Winslow #1) by Whishaw, Iona



Spílexm: A Weaving of Recovery, Resilience, and Resurgence by Campbell, Nicola I.
Okanagan Geology South by Fulton, Murray A. Roed and Robe 
On Fire: The Burning Case for a Green New Deal by Klein, Naomi 
How to Change Everything: The Young Human's Guide to Protecting the Planet and Each Other by Klein, Naomi 
A Good War: Mobilizing Canada for the Climate Emergency by Klein, Seth 
Field Notes from a Pandemic: A Journey Through a World Suspended by Lou, Ethan
Rez Rules :My Indictment of Canada's and America's Systemic Racism Against Indigenous People by Louie, Chief Clarence 
War: How Conflict Shaped Us by MacMillan, Margaret 
Not on My Watch: How a Renegade Whale Biologist Took on Governments and Industry to Save Wild Salmon by Morton, Alexandra 
Willie: The Game-Changing Story of the NHL's First Black Player by O'Ree, Willie
Stories of Métis Women: Tales My Kookum Told Me by (Indigenous Spirit of Nature) Oster, Bailey et al
North of Normal: A Memoir of My Wilderness Childhood, My Unusual Family, and How I Survived Both by Person, Cea Sunrise
Finding the Mother Tree: Discovering the Wisdom of the Forest by Simard, Suzanne
Life in the City of Dirty Water: A Memoir of Healing by Thomas-Muller, Clayton



Batter Royale by Adams, Leisl
Swim Team by  Christmas, Johnnie 
Living with Viola by  Fung, Rosena 
Grass by  Gendry-Kim, Keum Suk 
Shadow Life by  Goto, Hiromi 
My Body in Pieces by Hébert, Marie-Noelle 
I Am Not Starfire by Tamaki, Mariko 
Stealing Home by Torres, J.

MIDDLE GRADE FICTION


Rachel Bird by Citra, Becky
Alice Fleck's Recipes for Disaster by Delaney, Rachelle
Dragons in a Bag by Elliott, Zetta
Dragon Thief by Elliott, Zetta
The Witch's Apprentice by Elliott, Zetta
Macy McMillan and the Rainbow Goddess by Green, Shari
Pine Island Home by Horvath, Polly 
Me Three by Juby, Susan 
Linked by Korman, Gordon 
The Fort by Korman, Gordon 
Under Shifting Stars by Latos, Alexandra 
Harvey Comes Home by Nelson, Colleen 
Tremendous Things by Nielsen, Susin 
Thrive by Oppel, Kenneth 
The Wherewood (Faerie Woods, #2) by  Prendergast, Gabrielle 
The Crosswood (Faerie Woods, #1) by  Prendergast, Gabrielle 
The Overwood (Faerie Woods, #3) by  Prendergast, Gabrielle 
The Stone Child (The Misewa Saga, #3) by  Robertson, David A. 
Traitors Among Us by Skrypuch, Marsha Forchuk 
Barry Squires, Full Tilt by Smith, Heather 
Weird Rules to Follow by Spencer, Kim 
The Summer We Saved the Bees by Stevenson, Robin 
The Fabulous Zed Watson! by Basil Sylvester 
Cold by Tamaki, Mariko 
The King of Jam Sandwiches Walters, Eric

MIDDLE GRADE NONFICTION


The Boreal Forest: A Year in the World's Largest Land Biome by Carmichael, L.E. 
How to Change Everything: The Young Human's Guide to Protecting the Planet and Each Other by Klein, Naomi The 
Disability Experience: Working Toward Belonging by Leavitt, Hannalora 
Meet Mary Ann Shadd by MacLeod, Elizabeth & Deas, Mike
Powwow: A Celebration Through Song and Dance by Pheasant-Neganigwane, Karen



Belly of the Beast (The Fabled Stables Book, #3) by Auxier, Jonathan
Monster and Boy by Barnaby, Hannah 
Cranky Chicken: A Cranky Chicken Book 1 by Battersby, Katherine
Anne Arrives: Inspired by Anne of Green Gables by George, Kallie
Anne's School Days: Inspired by Anne of Green Gables by George, Kallie 
Anne's Tragical Tea Party by George, Kallie
Merry Christmas, Anne by George, Kallie 
Scaredy Squirrel in a Nutshell (Scaredy's Nutty Adventures, #1) by Watt, Mélanie

PICTURE BOOKS


It Happened on Sweet Street by Adderson, Caroline 
Pierre & Paul: Avalanche! by Adderson, Caroline 
Princesses Versus Dinosaurs by Bailey, Linda 
When I Found Grandma by Balasubramaniam, Saumiya 
Alice & Gert: An Ant and Grasshopper Story by Becker, Helaine 
Bad Dog by Boldt, Mike 
Find Fergus by Boldt, Mike 
Tough Like Mum by Button, Lana 
Abuelita and Me by Carranza, Leonarda Hug? Chua, Charlene 
Barnaby by Curtis, Andrea 
Mr. Postmouse's Rounds by Dubuc, Marianne 
Mr. Postmouse Takes a Trip by Dubuc, Marianne 
1, 2, 3, Off to School! by Dubuc, Marianne 
Bear and the Whisper of the Wind by Dubuc, Marianne 
Bear Wants to Sing by Fagan, Cary 
Ten Little Dumplings by Fan, Larissa 
Lizzy and the Cloud by Fan, Terry 
Mina by Forsythe, Matthew 
Pokko and the Drum by Forsythe, Matthew 
Out Into the Big Wide Lake by Harbridge, Paul 
ROAR-chestra!: A Wild Story of Musical Words by Heidbreder, Robert 
I Promise by Hernandez, Catherine
Weekend Dad by Hrab, Naseem 
Snow Days by Kerbel, Deborah 
The Better Tree Fort by Kerrin, Jessica Scott 
Thao by Lam, Thao 
Skunk on a String by Lam, Thao 
Nattiq and the Land of Statues: A Story from the Arctic by Landry, Barbara 
Over the Shop by Lawson, JonArno 
A Day for Sandcastles by Lawson, JonArno 
My City Speaks by Lebeuf, Darren 
Alligator Pie: The Beloved Canadian Classic by Lee, Dennis 
Going Up! by Lee, Sherry J. 
The Fog by Maclear, Kyo 
Story Boat by Maclear, Kyo 
The Big Bath House by Maclear, Kyo 
Time Is a Flower by Morstad, Julie 
The Little Ghost Who Was a Quilt by Nason, Riel 
This Is Ruby by O'Leary, Sara 
Maud and Grand-Maud by O'Leary, Sara 
A Kid Is a Kid Is a Kid by O'Leary, Sara 
Gemma and the Giant Girl by by O'Leary, Sara 
Choose Kindness by Ohi, Ruth 
Fox and Squirrel: The Best Christmas Ever by Ohi, Ruth 
My Wounded Island by Pasquet, Jacques 
Golden Threads by Rizzo, Suzanne Del 
I Talk Like a River by Scott, Jordan 
The Deepest Dig by Smith, Mark David 
When Emily Was Small by Soloy, Lauren 
I Sang You Down from the Stars by Spillett-Sumner, Tasha 
Knot Cannot by Stone, Tiffany 
Our Little Kitchen by Tamaki, Jillian 
The Doll by Tran-Davies, Nhung N. 
Lentil Soup by Tremblay, Carole 
Blue Rider by Valério, Geraldo 
At the Pond by Valério, Geraldo 
Raven Squawk, Orca Squeak by Vickers, Roy Henry 
Scaredy Squirrel in a Nutshell (Scaredy's Nutty Adventures, #1) by  Watt, Mélanie
Animals Move by Whittingham, Jane 
My Day with Gong Gong by Yee, Sennah

NON FICTION PICTURE BOOKS


Emmy Noether: The Most Important Mathematician You've Never Heard Of by Becker, Helaine 
The Boreal Forest: A Year in the World's Largest Land Biome by Carmichael, L.E. 
The Ocean Calls: A Haenyeo Mermaid Story by Cho, Tina 
My Family, Your Family! by Cole, Kathryn 
The Bat (Disguting Critters #6) by  Gravel, Elise 
Fred & Marjorie: A Doctor, a Dog, and the Discovery of Insulin by Kerbel, Deborah
Thao by Lam, Thao 
Terry Fox and Me by Leatherdale, Mary Beth 
Meet Mary Ann Shadd by MacLeod, Elizabeth & Deas, Mike
Time Is a Flower by Morstad, Julie 
A Kid Is a Kid Is a Kid by O'Leary, Sara 
My Wounded Island by Pasquet, Jacques 
On the News: Our First Talk about Tragedy by Roberts, Jillian 
I Have the Right to Save My Planet by Serres, Alain 
111 Trees: How One Village Celebrates the Birth of Every Girl by Singh, Rina Etty
Darwin and the Four Pebble Problem by Soloy, Lauren 
The Bug Girl: A True Story by Spencer, Sophia 
Burt the Beetle Doesn't Bite! by Spires, Ashley

Here are links to my 2021 #IReadCanadian lists

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#IMWAYR, July 25, 2022

Welcome readers! It's #IMWAYR time again, when bloggers share what they have been reading and find out what others have been up to. Kathryn hosts the adult version of this meme at Book Date. Jen at Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee and Ricki at Unleashing Readers host the kidlit rendition. These are fabulous places to start your search for what to read next. 

Our oldest son and his family are arriving on Wednesday. We are excited. I've downloaded all the Charlie and Mouse books to introduce to Everett, our five year old grandson. I think we have enough board and picture books to keep Lydia, who is almost two, entertained. I'm not sure if I will get a post in next week (or even how much reading I will actually accomplish) since they will be here til Sunday. 

It's predicted to be hot this week with temperatures climbing to over 40 °C.  Thankfully we have central air conditioning, a shaded backyard, and our neighbours encourage us to use their pool. 

Titles with a 🍁 indicate this is a Canadian or Indigenous Canadian Author and or Illustrator.

Clicking on the title will take you to the Goodreads page of the book.

MG NOVELS

I started reading this only to discover the story was really familiar. I realized I had read it before, but couldn't remember how it all ended so I decided to continue reading. I'm glad I did.
There is a lot going on in this verse novel. Eleven year old Macy is deaf following a bout of meningitis when she was four. There has always been just her and her mom, but now her mother is getting married to a man with twin six year olds. Macy is not happy and does not want her life to change. Unfortunately, her life just get worse. She has no idea how to complete a family tree project. She gets in a fight with her best friend and ends up isolated at school. Her mother sends her over to help Iris, their aging neighbour, sort out her books. In the process, Iris and Macy become fond of each other. It turns out that Iris might have the key for how to get Macy's life back on track - so long as Macy doesn't do something really disastrous first.

5 stars

The Wherewood by Gabrielle S. Prendergast   🍁

Don't make a deal with the Fae. 
Salix (a Nixie) and Finola (a Faerie) have tricked Blue into going on another adventure into the Faerieland. They end up first in Wherewood, a land where lost things end up. It's a problem if you haven't lost anything, since the only way out is to find what you are missing. Things end up going from bad to worse when they eventually end up in Witherwood, a cursed land now ruled by Olea, the former evil queen of Nearwood. 
This is the second in Prendergast's Faerie Woods series from the Orca Currents collection. Imagine Holly Black for reluctant, struggling readers. Like The Crosswood, this is loaded with fast paced action and plenty of humour. I came to enjoy the characters even more and am looking forward to reading the last in the series. 

The Orca Currents collection are "are short, high-interest novels with contemporary themes written specifically for middle-school students reading below grade level. Reading levels from grade 2.0 to 5.0. Interest level ages 9-12"


The thing I enjoy most about Pratchett is that he takes well known stories and messes around with them. This book is a feminist look at war, religion, and gender roles. 
"Polly Perks joins the Discworld army to find her brother Paul. "Ozzer" cuts off her blonde braids, dons male garb, belches, scratches, and masters macho habits - aided by well-placed pair of socks. The legendary and seemingly ageless Sergeant Jackrum accepts her plus a vampire, troll, zombie, religious fanatic, and two close "friends". The best man for the job may be a woman."
When Polly Perks signs up to go to war to search for her brother, she soon discovers that the rest of the recruits in her regiment are women disguised as men. They end up rescuing the rest of the army by disguising themselves as women.
In the end, Polly reminisces, "You think you’re the hero, and it turns out you’re really part of someone else’s story."
 
ADULT FICTION


This was a book club book. We had previously read Meet Me at the Museum by the same author. Not only did everyone enjoy that one, we probably talked more about it than any other we have read together. 
I preferred the first one, but the characters in this are rich and unique. It's the story of friendship between three women from disparate walks of life. Eve has been let go from the job she worked at for 30 years. Sally has left her husband. Anastasia, the owner of the boat, has to have an operation to remove cancer. The most important thing about all of them is how they show us that we are never too old to come of age.
I found myself trying to convince my partner that we should go on vacation touring the canals of Britain. He told me that Britain is experiencing a drought and it isn't a good idea. 
I prefer the title, The Narrowboat Summer and wonder why the title of the book is changed to this in more recent publications. 

As a Jane Austen fan, this has been on my to read list since it was first published. When Bloomsbury Girls, the next in the series, became available, I went to remind myself what had happened previously. I was shocked to discover I hadn't read it. Luckily it was available immediately. I enjoyed it much more than I anticipated. Natalie Jenner has written some glorious characters. I appreciated the strong women and girls. I admired most of the men. I loved the sense of community, the love for Austen, and the multiple romances. I was shocked by the group's decision for Adam, and kept thinking it couldn't end like that. I'm still not sure I'm happy with that part of this book, but I still loved the story. 

ADULT NONFICTION


Grieving is hard work. It's triggered by places, events, and sensory experiences. For Michelle Zauner, it's H Mart, a Korean grocery store, that provokes overwhelming grief for her mother. 
This book is a memoir of her life with her Omma until she died of cancer when Michelle was only 25. It's a story of love, loss, learning, and coming as close to acceptance as we can. It's full of Korean culture and food. 
I am lucky to have a Korean daughter in law and two grandchildren from her. We have shopped together at H Mart and other Korean grocery stores. My daughter in law, like Michelle's mother, is beautiful inside and out. All this helped me to connect to her story at a personal level. I pray my granddaughters never have to go through what she did. 

CURRENTLY

Bloomsbury Girls by Natalie Jenner  🍁
The Summer We Saved the Bees by Robin Stevenson  🍁

UP NEXT

The Lucky Ones by Linda Williams Jackson
Diggers by Terry Pratchet
Forbidden City by James Ponti
Kim Jiyoung, Born 1983 by Cho Nam-Joo

READING GOALS

#MustReadFiction 15/24

#MustReadNonFiction 12/18

Canadian Authors 46/100 

Canada Reads shortlist 5/5 

Indigenous Authors 12/25

2022 Big Book Summer Challenge 6 

Goodreads Reading Challenge: 173 /250

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#IMWAYR December 13, 2021

Hello everyone. It's #IMWAYR time again, when readers share what they have been reading and find out what others have been up to in the past week. Kathryn hosts the adult version of this meme at Book Date. Jen at Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee and Ricki at Unleashing Readers host the kidlit rendition. Whatever you are looking forward to in your next great read, these are fabulous places to start your search.

Hope everyone is doing well. Last weekend we were in full on steam ahead with house renovations and finishing up Christmas projects since our family was planning on coming home for the holidays. I just didn't have time to get a blog post written. 

Then last week we discovered that the highway between here and Vancouver will not open until some time in the new year. I have been full of mixed feelings ever since. Honestly, it was a huge relief since it means we don't have to panic about things like kitchen sinks delayed in transit. We don't have to settle for what is ok, but we don't really like, just to get it done. On the other hand, it will be our first Christmas without family since we were travelling around America way back in our mid 20s. I already ache about not seeing the grandchildren. Still, it really is just a day and we are talking about doing Christmas in February when British Columbia celebrates Canada Day - a new tree and all. 

Not only will I now have time for blogging, I will also have time to contemplate my year end #MustRead. Leigh Anne Eck at A Day In the Life will host the last update for 2021 and host us for 2022. 

Titles with a 🍁 indicate this is a Canadian or Indigenous Canadian Author and or Illustrator.

Clicking on the title will take you to the Goodreads page of the book.

PICTURE BOOKS

5 stars

It Fell from the Sky by Terry Fan & Eric Fan September 28, 2021 🍁

Believe it or not, I swear the Fan brothers get better with each new book. I ended up reading this a couple of times. Not only is it visually stunning, it's one of those books that addresses big issues and leaves us filled with questions about morality.
It's about beauty, greed, environmental degradation, and forces beyond our control. It's certain to foster rich conversation about power, joy, and the meanings of life.

5 stars

Amara and the Bats by Emma Reynolds July 20, 2021

Amara loves bats. You might even say she is obsessed by them. Then her family moves from their bat friendly environment to a new community. Amara discovers that there are no bats around, not even in the local park. After reading about other young activists who are making a difference in the world, Amara comes up with a plan. She inspires her classmates so they work together to raise money for bat homes and the community rehabilitates the park to provide a bat friendly environment.
I like that this book is loaded with bat facts. I love all the diversity in the characters in the book. I appreciate the naming of the other activists.
The front endpapers have diagrams of 18 different kinds of bats. The back matter is full of more bat facts explaining why they are a keystone species, things you can do to help them, and information about setting up bat houses.

NON FICTION PICTURE BOOKS

5 stars

The Wolf Mother by Brett D. Huson & Natasha Donovan (Illustrations) September 28, 2021 🍁

I adore this series. Each book follows a specific animal through a cycle of life. In this case we see a young wolf pup grow up and become a wolf mother in her own right. Readers learn the important role wolves play in maintaining balance in the environment.
The text uses Gitxsan terms and scientific vocabulary. Most of these words are explained in small text boxes on the same page. The back matter explains how the society of wolves parallels the different clans of the people.
The biological, cultural, and spiritual connection between wolves and people is integral to all books in this series. It’s there in the use of Gitxsan vocabulary in the text. It's there in Natasha Donovan’s stunning art. Her images, gorgeously coloured in the shades of the rainforest and river, integrate Gitxsan people in the background. What brings it all together is the use of traditional art into the landscapes.

5 stars

Niki Nakayama: A Chef's Tale in 13 Bites by Debbi Michiko Florence, Jamie Michalak & Yuko Jones (Illustrator) September 14, 2021

I had never heard of Niki Nakayama until reading this book. Kaiseki is also a completely new concept in dining for me - one that I now hope to experience some day.
I love that this book is organized in the same format as kaiseki: a storytelling feast. I appreciate that this book shows the challenges Niki Nakayama experienced as a woman determined to break into realms previously considered men’s domain. On top of all this, it’s truly beautifully illustrated. The back matter contains a timeline, additional information about kuyashii and kaiseki, and a recipe for wonton pizza.
Now I’m keen to go and track down the session of Cook’s Table that highlights her.

GRAPHIC NOVELS

5 stars

Burt the Beetle Doesn't Bite! by Ashley Spires June 01, 2021 🍁

I opened this book and read the endpapers. I flipped to the back and read those. All those super bugs! I already knew I would love this book. I was not disappointed. This charming beginner graphic novel is packed full of facts about different backyard arthropods. At the same time, it's a delightful story about Burt, a Watermelon June beetle, and the dangers for creatures like him. He might not have the kinds of super abilities many other insects have, but when it matters, he knows how to save his friends.

CHAPTER BOOKS


Badger and Skunk are some of the sweetest characters to come out of children’s literature. Their ‘odd couple’ friendship is full of love, compassion, and just the right amount of irritation to make it real. In this episode the two of them go on a camping trip. Skunk wants distraction from the thief who steals his New Yak Times book review section. Badger will search for rocks to replace the amber that was stolen from him by is nefarious cousin, Fisher.
I salivated over the many descriptions of food. I laughed at Skunk’s idea of necessary camping equipment. What I loved most was how almost all of the animosity between the different characters was resolved positively.
I adore this quote about reading book reviews.
“Sometimes it is enough to imagine all the enjoyment you would get from reading this or that book.”

NOVELS


A book that can bring me to tears is a good book. A book with characters that feel so authentic I think I could run into them in the street, is a good book. A book that comforts me and at the same time, addresses big issues, is a good book. A book that shows the power of family and community is a good book. These are only a few of the many reasons that I continue to read about the Vanderbeekers.
In this one the children in the family deal with loss and grief in their own way.


Remote Control by Nnedi Okorafor January 19, 2021

If you have never read a Nnedi Okorafor book, you are living a deprived life. If she writes it, I will read it. She calls what she writes afrofuturism. She combines African culture and mythology with science fiction to create worlds and characters that are both profound and unforgettable.
Fatima, a young girl, is gifted with a box containing a seed. She doesn’t understand it’s power, but soon afterwards it is sold by her parents. At the age of seven, she is transformed into Sankofa, adopted daughter of death. Technology dies at her touch. Fear and anger cause her to glow green and kill those around her. She leaves her dead community and walks the land in search of the box and seed.


This book is intense. It's so intense I had to stop listening every once in a while and play soothing music. 
The world of these characters in Marrow Thieves was pretty horrific, but in this sequel, it gets even worse. Readers see what life inside the 'schools' is like. Inside the school, French meets his brother who has become a recruiter and begins the training program himself. Outside the school there are all kinds of dangers for our protagonists to navigate - vampire cults, vigilantes, and spies.


This is my third reread. Peter Grant is called in to a drug overdose at a party attended by the daughter of Cecilia Tyburn Thames, aka Lady Ty, the goddess of the River Tyburn. He's ordered to keep the daughter out of it. But when the dead girl turns to have been riddled with the effects of too much magic, the case takes off into all kinds of weird territory with all kinds of international ramifications. I like the addition of Muslim policewoman Sahra Guleed, as Peter's new partner. If you like police procedural types of books with magic and paranormal characters thrown in for good measure, you will probably like this series. Also Kobna Holdbrook-Smith's narration is swoonworthy. 

CURRENTLY

Lies Sleeping by Ben Aaronovitch & Kobna Holdbrook-Smith (Narrator)

Doughnut Economics: Seven Ways to Think Like a 21st-Century Economist by Kate Raworth

UP NEXT 

What Strange Paradise by Omar El Akkad

"Indian" in the Cabinet by Jody Wilson-Raybould

More picture books from my #MustReadList

PROGRESS ON MY READING GOALS

#MustReadIn2021 31/25 

#MustReadNFIn2021 12/12 

#MustReadPBIn2021 70/100 

Big Book Summer Challenge 9 

Books by Canadian Indigenous Authors 38/25

Books by Canadian Authors: 118/100

Canada Reads 2021 5/5 

Discworld Series 41/41

Goodreads Reading Challenge: 415/333 



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#IMWAYR November 29, 2021

Hello everyone. It's #IMWAYR time again, when readers share what they have been reading and find out what others have been up to in the past week. Kathryn hosts the adult version of this meme at Book Date. Jen at Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee and Ricki at Unleashing Readers host the kidlit rendition. Whatever you are looking forward to in your next great read, these are fabulous places to start your search.

There is some positive news regarding the recent flooding and road closures in my part of the world. Routes for essential traffic have opened up so the mail and other necessities are being delivered. The grocery store shelves are stocked and life seems pretty normal. We are a bit worried about whether our sons and their families will be able to make it for Christmas because of road conditions, but have already determined to celebrate later if it doesn't work out. 

We've had a wonderful week here. Well, except that we have piles of cupboards taking over the main floor of the house ready to install as soon as the valence is finished. Everything takes a lot more time than you anticipate. I'm making progress on my baby quilt, so hopefully it won't be true for it.

Titles with a 🍁 indicate this is a Canadian or Indigenous Canadian Author and or Illustrator.

Clicking on the title will take you to the Goodreads page of the book.


This picture book/graphic novel hybrid is hilarious! Princesses and dinosaurs argue over whose book this is. Each group brings in their big guns - a T Rex for the dinosaurs and a dragon for the princesses. It doesn't turn out like the original two groups planned.
I appreciate the diversity in the princesses. I love that by the end of the book the princesses and the dinosaurs have learned to appreciate one another and have fun together.
The colourful artwork was created digitally.

5 stars

The Little Ghost Who Was a Quilt by Riel Nason & Byron Eggenschwiler (Illustrator) September 1, 2020  🍁

This is a sweet story about being different, and coming to accept yourself just are who you are. I love that because the little ghost is a quilt instead of a sheet, it gets treated and admired just like regular quilts are. Riel Nason is a Canadian quilter and author. Check out some samples of her work here. You can see examples of Byron Eggenschwiler's other artwork here. 


After finishing this book I really wished I wasn't allergic to creatures with fur. It made me miss my childhood cat terribly.
I read this first and then went in search of Buffy singing this song. It was even better when I reread the book with her voice and the rhythm of the music in my head.
Ben Hodson's digitally rendered artwork is loaded with charm. It shows the story of a young girl and her diverse family adopting a dog from a shelter.
The back matter includes song lyrics and music, photographs of Buffy Sainte-Marie with some of her animals and a note from the author.
Listen to the song here. https://youtu.be/bLMUjeuhKkU

4 stars

Knot Cannot by Tiffany Stone & Mike Lowery (Illustrations) April 7, 2020   🍁

This book is a lot of fun!
The blurb says it is "a pun-packed look at friendship, jealousy, and being yourself." That's pretty much it. Knot envies Snake who can do a lot that Knot cannot. But when danger lurks, it's Knot who saves the day. If this isn't enough to encourage you to purchase a copy, The language is mostly simple enough to add to your reader shelf. I love the different kinds of knots at the end of the book.

NON FICTION PICTURE BOOKS

5 stars

Gizmos, Gadgets, and Guitars: The Story of Leo Fender by Michael Mahin & Steven Salerno (Illustrations) September 7, 2021

This is absolutely wonderful!
If you know anything about guitars and music from the past 6 or 7 decades, you will have heard of a fender guitar. This is the story of how Leo Fender went from tinkering away at broken radios to making world famous musical instruments.
Steven Salerno's art is the perfect accompaniment. The original illustrations were created crayon, ink, gouache, and pastel on paper. They were scanned, imported into Photoshop, and finished. I love how a history of technology and musical genres is revealed through these images.
The back matter contains an author's note with additional information about Leo Fender, a bibliography, and glossary.

GRAPHIC NOVELS

4 stars

Phoebe and Her Unicorn by Dana Simpson September 2, 2014

My four year old granddaughter is crazy about unicorns. This series was always popular in my school library, so I thought I would read this to see if it might work for her. I now see why it was always checked out. Alas, although this story about a girl who becomes best friends with a unicorn is witty, heartwarming, and precious, it's still too old for her. I'm open to alternative suggestions if you have any. 

5 stars

Living with Viola by Rosena Fung  🍁

I'm in the process of writing a full book review for this graphic novel. It's an intense look at how personal anxiety is exacerbated by external situations. It's heartbreakingly brilliant.

NOVELS


When I get into a series, it's because of the characters. Sure the writing is good, but it's that writing that creates individuals that my brain and heart comes to think of as real. A new book is like a visit with an old friend. That's how I feel about Ben Aaronovitch's Peter Grant series. Peter is a bit young to be an old friend, so I think of him as a kid I've watched grow up. He's a police office who is also a wizard in training. In this adventure he ends up in the countryside tracking down two kidnapped girls. Unicorns and the Fay are involved in the abduction.

I've read these with my eyes and ears. Kobna Holdbrook-Smith is Peter Grant to me! If you are a fan of mysteries, fantasy and like clever wit in your reading life, I highly recommend this series!

Now that I've finished rereading it, I swear it's better the second time round. 


The Furthest Station by Ben Aaronovitch & Kobna Holdbrook-Smith

Mystery, encounters with ghosts, talking foxes, river gods and goddesses, and magic are what I have come to anticipate and love from this series. In this novella. an increase in victorian ghost sightings causes Peter Grant; Jaget Kumar, his counterpart at the British Transport Police; Abbigail, Peter's young cousin; and Nightingale to patrol the underground. They track down and interview the spectres hoping to find out what is causing this increase in hauntings. It turns out to have it's origins in modern reality.

I first read this with my eyes, but without Kobna Holdbrook-Smith's narration, Peter Grant's character didn't come through. This time I was delighted to listen to it.  

NONFICTION


This book blew me away. George M. Johnson's memoir put me in mind of Thomson Highway's Permanent Astonishment, a memoir I recently finished. While they are decades apart in age, both of these queer men are from diverse backgrounds. Johnson is black while Thomson is Indigenous. Both of them radiate love and joy. Both are important reads for other boys like them who aren't blue, and for the rest of us who want to be allies. 

CURRENTLY

The Hanging Tree by Ben Aaronovitch
Goldilocks: Wanted Dead or Alive by Chris Colfer & Jon Proctor (Illustrator)

UP NEXT 

Hunting by Stars (A Marrow Thieves Novel) by Cherie Dimaline
The Vanderbeekers Lost and Found by Karina Yan Glaser
More picture books from my #MustReadList

UPCOMING BLOG POSTS

Living With Viola by Rosena Fung

PROGRESS ON MY READING GOALS

#MustReadIn2021 29/25 

#MustReadNFIn2021 12/12 

#MustReadPBIn2021 70/100 

Big Book Summer Challenge 9 

Books by Canadian Indigenous Authors 36/25

Books by Canadian Authors: 113/100

Canada Reads 2021 5/5 

Discworld Series 41/41

Goodreads Reading Challenge: 405/333 


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