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Past
Featured Books 4 - 8, A to H
A B C D E F G H
Books
are listed Alphabetically by Title:
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A Clever Beatrice Christmas |
Three children spy Clever Beatrice and hope she can answer their questions as they skate and make Buche Noel together. It is very nearly Christmas and they ask how Santa stays warm all Christmas night, how he travels and delivers a present to every child and why |
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Albert
Le Blanc |
| Albert Le Blanc, a white furry French bear has arrived at Mr. Jolly’s toy shop. As soon as the other toys see him, they are worried about his sad expression and decide to plan a show to tickle his funnybone. Shelves and shelves of toyshop toys ponder what they can contribute to the show. Pickle, a little mouse, thinks he’ll tell a joke – “But I can’t remember the funny bit at the end.” Sally, the ballerina hippo, decides on an “artistic dance”, and even Jack-in-the-box tries to do his highest bounce. All the while, Albert LeBlanc keeps trying to tell them, he isn’t sad – it just looks like he is from the way he was stitched together. The story ends in a surprise for everyone – even Albert LeBlanc! The illustrations are delightful and children will also enjoy looking for familiar faces in the story since Butterworth borrowed Kipper, Old Bear, Paddington, Snowman and other favourite story characters to grace the toyshop shelves. | |
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Algernon Graeves is Scary Enough |
| “In a dark, scary corner of his dark, scary attic, Algernon was trying to think of the scariest Halloween costume ever”. Will he be a ghost? a vampire? a skeleton? a mummy? a werewolf? Will he get his costume ready in time to go trick or treating with his friends? Very spooooooky pictures illustrate this story. Don’t read this book if you are easily frightened!! | |
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Alphabet Mystery |
| Little x is missing from Charley’s alphabet so the rest of the lower case letters go looking for him. They find him at the castle of capital M where he has a job playing the xylophone. The other letters are surprised when Little x says he doesn’t want to be rescued. He feels useful playing the xylophone at the castle whereas at home he was hardly ever used. When Master M wakes up and threatens to put them all in alphabet soup, Little x saves the day. When he gets home he gets the best job of all! A clever alphabet book with stunning digital pictures that look 3 - dimensional. Young readers will have fun searching for pictures of words that begin with the various letters. This is a great book for teaching letter recognition. | |
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Alphabeasts
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| An unusual animal alphabet book with rich, detailed illustrations set in a Victorian house. Some of the rhymes and the pictures are funny, and some of them are mysterious. Why is the bat carrying a hammer? Why is the vulture wearing a crown? Adults and kids with great imaginations will love this book. Winner of the 2002 Governor General's Award. | |
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Animal
Hedge, The |
| There once was a happy farmer who loved his three sons and his barnyard animals. When a drought hits and they are forced off their land, they move to a small cottage surrounded by a wild hedge. As each of the sons thinks about his future, the farmer trims the hedge and magically, answers appear as to what each boy should become. Finally, the farmer trims an ‘answer’ for himself and with his sons’ help, his future too is decided. Read to find out how their lives are changed by a simple hedge and enjoy the beautiful folk art paintings by Ibatoulline as well! | |
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Animalia |
| “Within
the pages of this book You may discover, if you look Beyond the spell of written words A hidden kind of beasts and birds.” This is a classic book for children of all ages, by an Australian author with a wonderful reputation for finely crafted classics (Jabberwocky, The Eleventh Hour, The Water Hole, Discovery of Dragons, Worst Band in the Universe, etc.) Each page is a fantasy feast about a letter of the alphabet. For example, “Jovial Jackals Juggling Jugs of Jelly in the Jungle” not only features the jackals, but a rich collection of other “J” animals and objects. Every painting also includes an image of Graeme as a young boy…if you can find it. This is a book that readers will never tire of for visual delight and brain teasing! |
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Anna’s Table |
| This
book is a treasure for all children who love the beauty of nature.
Anna’s Aunt Em buys a table for her niece and on it, Anna collects
all kinds of nature’s keepsakes: “I have a seagull’s skull/I found once/buried in the sand.… I have a caterpillar,curled and mummy black…” She has a fascinating collection and a loving appreciation of her surroundings. Readers will love the tour across Anna’s table and be inspired to share or begin their own collections. A simple but beautifully written story with vivid illustrations by Taia Morley. |
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Annie
Bananie |
| Annie has a pet porcupine and a very adventurous spirit. She swings from the clothesline and can be Ann from outer space or Princess Annie Bananie. Whatever she does, she has lots of fun. So the news that Annie is moving is devastating for her best friend. This is a story about friendship and making the best of an unhappy situation. A book that will help other children deal with the tragedy of a best friend moving away. | |
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Arnie the Doughnut |
| Meet Arnie, the doughnut, who has recently been mixed, cut, deep-fried, cooled, iced, sprinkled and named! He is more excited than any other jelly-filled doughnut, chocolate éclair, or powdered cruller about getting chosen by one of the Downtown baker’s customers. He can’t wait for his adventure with his new owner, Mr. Bing, to begin. However, when placed in a paper bag, and then onto a dinner plate, Arnie is curious about what that new adventure will be. Horrified, when Mr. Bing raises him to his mouth to eat him, he screams, “What are you doing?” The two of them, equally surprised, realize that they must work out a different kind of relationship. How can Arnie find a place in Mr. Bing’s life, other than as a food source? Read this zany story with its hilarious cartoon-like paintings to find out – it’s delicious fun! | |
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Baby Brains |
| Newly born baby Brains is certainly exceptional. The first morning after he comes home from the hospital his parents find him sitting on the couch reading the newspaper! That afternoon he fixes the car and the next day he goes to school! Baby Brains keeps doing more and more amazing things. But when he gets the chance to go into space and take a space walk, both Baby and Mrs. Brains discover that he is just a baby after all. This is a laugh-out-loud story with funny cartoon-like illustrations that both kids and adults will love reading and sharing. | |
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Bad Boys |
| The bad boys in this story are two wolves named Willy and Wally who come up with a plan for hiding out from the “law”and getting themselves some tasty dinner at the same time. They disguise themselves as sheep, call themselves Willimina and Wallanda, and join a flock. But three of the sheep are not fooled and the bad boys get an unexpected taste of life as a sheep. Lots of word play and hilarious illustrations make this a great read aloud story. Check out the author’s fun web site. | |
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Baking Book |
| YUM! Cookies, monkey bread Scones, tweetie pies Sponge cakes, meringue mountains Braided breads, and pies! YUM! All these child-friendly foods and the simple instructions to make them in another of Jane Bull’s attractive books! You will want to try every one of the baked goods (with some sample tasting along the way) and show off your baking expertise to family and friends. Chefs – roll up your sleeves, wash your hands, and begin! |
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Ballad of Valentine, The
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| “In a cabin, in a canyon near a mountain laced with pine, lived a girl who was my sweetheart, and her name was Valentine.” The young man in this story keeps trying to send Valentine a message but everything goes wrong - the mailman couldn’t find her address, the homing pigeon went to Madagascar, smoke signals are lost in a cyclone. Meanwhile Valentine goes about her daily chores until the end when she surprises the young man with a special Valentine treat of her own. With humorous illustrations, this is a charming, fun story that you can read or sing to the tune of “Clementine”. | |
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Balloon Tree, The
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| Princess Leora loves balloons, but when her father, the King, leaves to visit a neighboring kingdom, the Archduke destroys all the beautiful balloons in the land and locks Princess Leora in a high tower. With the help of her friend, Wizard, Leora discovers that a magic spell can once again fill the kingdom with balloons and signal her father that she needs to be rescued. She needs to plant one balloon beneath a tree and say the magic words. But where will she ever find a balloon? Will the evil Archduke take over the kingdom? This lovely picture book is a Canadian classic, a story to be enjoyed over and over again. | |
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Bat Loves the Night |
| A beautiful non-fiction book which is written as a story. Gorgeous illustrations and lovely text describe the life of a pipistrelle bat. The text of the story is in large print while interesting facts about bats are sprinkled throughout the book in a smaller print. A wonderful book to introduce children to these beneficial creatures. | |
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Beetle Alphabet Book |
| If you love bugs and creepy crawlies, this is the book for you! And, even if you don’t, this book may change your mind! With every letter of the alphabet, the author describes some fascinating facts about a beetle whose name begins with that letter. On a few pages, he describes something that is not a beetle, so that the reader can learn the characteristics that make a beetle a ‘beetle’. (“I am a spider, not a beetle. Spiders have eight legs, not six.”) The illustrations are wonderfully large, colourful and bold and will have readers poring over the details again and again. An amazing book for all critter-lovers! | |
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Belly
Button Boy |
| Billy loves to play in the dirt but he doesn't like to take baths. The next thing you know, a plant starts to grow in Billy's belly button. It grows and grows and no one knows how to get rid of it. This is a book that will keep kids giggling all the way through the story. | |
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Bertie's
Picture Day |
| Second grader Bertie plans to look spiffy for picture day on Monday, but over the weekend he loses his teeth, gets a black eye and a "terribly interesting" haircut from his sister. In spite of his mishaps Bertie carries on with good humour. A funny easy to read book with cartoon drawings on every page. | |
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Betsy Who Cried Wolf! |
| Gail Carson Levine is famous for her spin-offs of traditional tales (eg. Ella Enchanted), and this is a hilarious version of the ‘Boy who cried Wolf’ story, in picture book format. Betsy is a trained shepherd who is determined that no wolf will gobble up the sheep under her care. Zimmo, the clever wolf, is determined to trick the shepherd and has devised a plan to feed his hungry tummy. Twice he is successful in making Betsy cry “Wolf!” and appear foolish, but look out – Betsy is a shepherd that even the wily Zimmo is not ready for. The ending twists and turns hilariously and finally, in good storytelling tradition, the silly sheep give us five morals to end the tale. Illustrations by Scott Nash will add even more chuckles to this delightful read! | |
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Bigbeard’s Hook |
| Nathaniel McDaniel is thrilled when he discovers his grandfather’s attic is full of fascinating old artifacts and treasures - suits of armour, an Egyptian mummy, lanterns, compasses and even a rusty pirate’s hook. But when Nate picks up the pirate’s hook to examine it, he is transported back in time to a real pirate’s ship. He comes face to face with the meanest pirate of all, Captain Bigbeard. Bigbeard wants his hook back and he wants to punish Nate! How will Nate escape Bigbeard and get back home to his grandfather’s attic? Lots of action, a fast-moving rhyming story and loads of illustrations make this a great read for those of you who love adventure! | |
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Big Brown Bear’s Up and Down
Day |
| Big Brown Bear is visited by Rat who wants to use one of Bear’s slippers for a cozy bed. When Bear refuses to give up one of his slippers, Rat tries to trick him out of it. Bear is not easily fooled but, eventually, a solution is found and everyone is happy. This is a warm, gentle story about caring and sharing. Beautiful watercolor and pen- and-ink drawings capture the mood of the story perfectly. A great read aloud to share with younger children. | |
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Birdbrain Amos |
| “Help
Wanted. Bird needed to remove bugs from hippopotamus. Excellent pay and benefits. Experience a must. Contact Amos.” Amos the hippo’s advertisement really does get answered. He interviews a thrush who can sing Bach and the Beatles, and then a vulture who chillingly states she hasn’t removed bugs, but she has removed flesh! Finally Amos hires Kumba, a real tick bird, and his life is changed forever. Simple-minded Kumba builds a nest on Amos’ head when he suggests she “make herself at home”. Pretty soon Amos has eggs on his head and is hosting a tick bird baby shower! The river animals make great fun of Amos, but he has grown fond of Kumba and in the end proves his friendship. A wonderful, laugh-out-loud book for animal loving kids! |
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Big Week for Little Mouse |
| “Little
Mouse has just begun. She has one week to get things done. Seven days with lots to do. But she’ll have fun when she is through.” What is Little Mouse up to? For every day of the week, she has a set of chores to do leading up to some grand event. We do not know what she is planning, although you may be able to guess as the week progresses. Do not peek at the end page or you will spoil the surprise. You will love the intricate plasticene artwork along the way done by Eugenie’s daughter, Kim. |
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Birdwatchers, The |
| Jess’ Granddad has always told her unbelievable stories about his birdwatching adventures - “…when I make drawings of the birds, sometimes they make drawings of me, too.” One day Jess decides she just has to find out for herself what this hobby is all about. On their first outing, Jess sees nothing, - anywhere! But, once they get behind a birdwatching hut and use binoculars, the world opens up for her and she is amazed by the bird life she discovers. By the end of the day, Jess is ready to spin a birding story of her own, which even Granddad finds amazing. The author leaves us with an illustration that surprises everyone! A warm and wonderful tale about a little girl, her Grandfather, and the simple things in life. | |
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Bob |
| Bob, the rooster, can cluck as well as any of the hens in the barnyard. But, one day Henrietta cat explains the truth to Bob – he is a rooster and he needs to learn how to crow so that he can “…wake up the girls every morning. That’s what roosters do.” And so, Bob’s education begins, as he set out on a journey to find a rooster who can teach him how to crow. Dogs, frogs, cows, owls, bugs all greet him on his way and soon Bob has learned a whole range of animal sounds. Will he ever learn his own? How can he use all the sounds he has learned? Read Bob to find out! This is a hilarious adventure with lively, bright watercolour illustrations to add even more fun! | |
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Bones of Fred McFee, The
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| A boy and his sister bring home a plastic skeleton, hang it in their sycamore tree and name it Fred McFee. Strange things start to happen. The animals won’t go near the tree, the dog howls and the bones rattle and clatter in the darkness. But the strangest, spookiest event related to Fred McFee is discovered on the day after Halloween. The story is told in rhyme with rich, descriptive language and illustrated with realistic images. Children who enjoy a good shiver will love this spooky tale, perfect for a Halloween read aloud. | |
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Buddy the Bluenose Reindeer
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| You already know the story of Rudolph, the red-nosed reindeer. This is the story of Rudolph’s cousin, Buddy, the blue-nosed reindeer from Nova Scotia. When Buddy uses his shiny blue nose to help rescue a lost fishing schooner, Santa notices and gets Buddy to help him when Rudolph becomes sick. Will Buddy be able to do the job and guide Santa’s sleigh? This “dear” little book is full of puns and humour. Colorful illustrations throughout make it even more fun to read. | |
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Bunny Mail |
| Max and Ruby are at it again in this fun, lift-the-flap story. While Ruby is busy sending out invitations for her July picnic, Max decides to write a letter to Santa to ask for a red motorcycle, just like the one that Wilma Warthog owns. The mailman delivers Max’s letter to Grandma, along with the invitation to the picnic. Grandma doesn’t understand Max’s letter but she writes back to him. The mysterious letters go back and forth until eventually it’s all sorted out. Readers will have fun lifting the flaps and reading the letters in this humorous, brightly colored, clever book. | |
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Buttons |
| An old man eats too much, bursts his britches and loses all his buttons. His three daughters try to find him some new buttons. Each daughter tries to get new buttons for her father in a silly, unusual way. The story has a happy ending and kids will enjoy the silliness of the story and the fun illustrations. | |
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C is for Chinook: An Alberta Alphabet |
| A is for Awesome! B is for Beautiful! C is for Chinook: an Alberta Alphabet book! Even if you thought you knew everything about Alberta, you’re bound to find something new and fascinating in this wonderful alphabet book! Each letter of the alphabet focuses on a landscape feature, famous people, history or events of Alberta. For example, “Dinosaur begins with the letter D./Near the Red Deer Valley they roamed./Today we excavate to find/Raptor and duckbill bones.” Each letter has a short rhyming verse, a beautiful watercolour illustration, and a sidebar with further fascinating factual information. From dinosaurs to the Famous Five, to Turtle Mountain and petroglyphs, to Mary Percy Jackson and giant Ukrainian Easter eggs – this is a great read for Alberta’s 2005! | |
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Cabbage
Soup Solution |
| Elsie is a little old lady who lives on a farm with her two cats, and grows cabbages. Every morning she picks the fresh green veggies and takes them to market in her truck. But, one day she toddles out to her field only to find that the cabbages are gone – green stumps are left where her plump cabbages once grew! Elsie is determined to discover what has happened, and she plunks herself down in the field to watch all night. Unfortunately, she falls asleep and only the reader knows what has happened. Elsie wakes to find that even more cabbages have disappeared and that she has developed a nasty cold! Her two cats must come to her rescue and solve her problem. A wonderfully, warm story about friendship, with beautiful watercolour illustrations. Sure to bring smiles! | |
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Can you see what I see? Night before
Christmas |
| You will be seeing much more than sugarplums and tiny reindeer in this book! Using a shortened version of the old poem, A Visit from Saint Nicholos by Clement Moore, Walter Wick has made a very challenging set of photo puzzles and riddles to solve. As photographer of the very fun I Spy series of books, he has created another amazing, eye-catching work that you will spend hours poring over. A perfect book to find under the Christmas tree and to snuggle up with over the holidays. | |
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Can
You See What I See? Once Upon a Time: Picture Puzzles to
Search |
With bright scenes from eleven favorite fairy tales, you have your 'I Spy' skills put to the test with this new book from Walter Wick! Each amazing picture has a rhyme beside it listing items to be found within the fairy tale story. Highlights of each tale are captured in the words and in the astounding collection of items that make up the fairy tale setting. Visit Walter's fascinating website to see how he makes these remarkable books. |
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Catwings |
| A lovely little chapter book about four homeless kittens who are born with wings and learn how to fly. Their mother, Mrs. Jane Tabby, is happy that she can send them away from their dangerous city life. The kittens fly away to the country and have many adventures before finally finding a loving home. Sequels to this story include Catwings Return, Wonderful Alexander and the Catwings, and Jane On Her Own. | |
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Charlotte's
Web |
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The classic story of the bashful pig Wilbur who befriends a spider named Charlotte who saves his life and makes him a better pig. A beautiful story about friendship and the wonder and miracle that can be found in the simplest of things. |
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Cheese
Louise |
| What really goes on in the kitchen when the lights go out? This is the story of Cheese Louise, a slice of Swiss cheese, and her friends who live in the refrigerator. Clever computer generated illustrations and interesting use of different fonts make this a fun story to read. |
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Christmas Eve Magic Author: Papineau, Lucie 2006 Picture Book Age: 4-8  |
This simpler version of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol tells of Barton the pig, a rich, but miserly, orphan who hates Christmas because it reminds him of the family he has lost. One night he is visited by a magical mouse who takes him on a tour of Christmas Eve, past, present, and future. When Barton sees what his life might become he decides that he should change and his life takes a turn for the better. Richly colored, elegant illustrations add wonderful detail to this classic tale. |
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Christmas for a Kitten
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| Here is a lovely Christmas story to tug at your heart. An abandoned kitten struggles to survive in the forest and longs for a warm home. When a family carries in their Christmas tree, the kitten gets inside. But a fierce dog guards the house so it is not a safe place for the kitten. However, on Christmas Eve something magical happens and the kitten finds a loving home after all. | |
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Cinderella |
| So you thought you knew the Cinderella story? Have a look at this beautiful version of the traditional tale (first written by a French man named Charles Perrault). The illustrations are elegant and the author spent time in Paris studying the palaces, costumes, and hairdos that were part of old France to create this version. For fun, she also has drawn in her own cat on most pages, so you can look for Pip as you pour over this story. Enjoy Cinderella all over again! | |
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City Through Time, A
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| Imagine
the city you live in 14 000 years ago! Who lived there? How were their
lives like yours? What activities filled their days? This is another in a series of fascinating books showing how a location has changed through time (read A Street through Time and The Story of the Nile). Every double page is packed with colourful cutaways, cross-sections and close-ups. This one looks at a city from its beginnings as a Greek colony (550 BC) through the Middle Ages and other times up to a modern city (2005 AD). Various characters that lived at the time period are described – a who’s who of pedlars, slaves, gladiators, sailors, musketeers, lamplighters, paramedics, commuters, etc. Look for extra information at the end of the book about Greek, Roman, Medieval, 17thC, 19th C and modern times. There’s even a time-traveling quiz! You will pour over this book for hours! |
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Clorinda |
| Clorinda the cow follows her dream of being a ballet dancer by moving to Manhattan, getting a job as a waitress and trying out for ballet parts. She finally gets her big chance to perform on the stage but things don’t go quite the way she expected! This is a very funny story with lots of clever word play and hilarious, detailed illustrations by Steven Kellogg. You will laugh and laugh and want to read this one over and over again! | |
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Crazy Hair Day |
| We’ve all had “one of those days”! In this delightful story, Stanley Birdbaum is incredibly excited about doing his hair in a really different, zany way for his school’s “Crazy Hair Day”. When he struts off to school with a very fine and unusual tri-coloured hairdo, he cannot imagine what problem could possibly arise…until he sees his classmates and hears a reminder about the upcoming Crazy Hair Day. Hilarious yet touching illustrations of a very confused hamster and his friends add to the charm of this story. A must read for everyone who has ever had an embarrassing moment…and survived! | |
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Creepy Case of Vampires, A
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| Hilarious adventure awaits the Barnes and Brains kids! Brother and sister Kevin Tina Quark, local ‘geniuses’, join up once again with their friend Giles Barnes to solve another mystery. When Giles and Kevin walk past the churchyard one windy evening, they spot a dark, caped figure on the bell tower apparently pointing at them. Instantly, he vanishes and a swarm of bats swoop down towards them. The boys are convinced they are vampire bats and the church minister is being really bothered by them as well. So…the team takes on perhaps their scariest adventure ever with its own unique twist at the end! Others in the series include A Bad Case of Ghosts and An Incredible Case of Dinosaurs. | |
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Day
the Babies Crawled Away, The
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| The grown-ups are all busy at the community picnic and don’t notice when all the babies crawl away. Luckily a small child does notice and follows the babies. They get into one scrape after another and must be rescued from bees, caves and cliffs. In the end they are all returned safely to the picnic and the small child is the hero. This picture book is a unique work of art as the illustrations are all done in silhouette against lovely glowing pastel backgrounds. A visual treat and a story that is fun to read. | |
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Dear Santa, the Letters of James B.
Dobbins |
| “Dear Santa, I have been very good this year....I even ate Aunt Marjorie’s cranberry stuff and I didn’t throw up, though I felt like it.....And I have not done anything horrible to Jessica even though she is the most annoying four-year-old sister on the planet”. Through a series of letters, James Dobbins tells Santa what he, his friends and family would like for Christmas and tries to explain his “not-so-good” behavior over the past year. The letters will make you laugh and you will enjoy all the comical details in the illustrations. A fun book to enjoy this holiday season. | |
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Detective
LaRue, Letters from the Investigation
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| When two of the neighborhood cats disappear, Ike, the dog, ends up in jail as the number one suspect. In a series of letters to his owner, Mrs. LaRue, Ike describes his terrible time in jail (in reality he is eating doughnuts and playing checkers with the police), then his escape and his efforts to locate the missing cats. Amusing, detailed illustrations accompany Ike’s melodramatic descriptions. A very funny book to be enjoyed by all ages. | |
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Diary of a Spider |
| In this funny book, we learn about the daily life of Spider through his diary. He takes his Grandpa to school, sleeps over at Worm’s house, has vacuum drill at school (vacuums are very dangerous for spider webs), tries to seesaw with his sister (it doesn’t work) and plays with his friend, Fly. Humorous pictures and speech bubbles add to the silliness of this the story. If you liked Diary of a Worm, you will enjoy this, too. | |
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Diary of a Wombat |
| This fun story from Australia is about a wombat with attitude. Written in diary format it describes how the wombat sleeps, scratches, digs and loves to eat. She lives in the yard of a patient family who she is training to feed her carrots and rolled oats. Unfortunately she causes some disruption while she is trying to get their attention. The hilarious illustrations of the wombat’s antics and the short, funny diary entries make this a book to treasure. You may decide that you would like to have your own wombat for a pet - or maybe not! | |
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Diary of a Worm |
| Read about the daily life of a worm through his diary where he describes eating his homework, making his friend spider laugh, making little kids scream and telling his sister that her face looks just like her rear end. He tells us that there are good things about being a worm and bad things about being a worm, like not having to take a bath, but not being able to chew gum. There are even a few facts about worms and how they are helpful to the earth. Great cartoon illustrations help us to get a worm’s-eye view of the world in this hilarious book. | |
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Dinnertime! |
| "Run, fat rabbits, run, run, run. The fox wants to eat you, one by one" is the warning call to the six fat rabbits who don't notice that they are being chased by a fox who wants them for dinner. One by one the rabbits disappear down the rabbit hole as they answer the call of "dinnertime"! This story has some scary moments but is lots of fun and children can look at this book again and again and still find something new. A great story for beginning readers. | |
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Dinosaur
Hunt |
| This is a must-read for dinosaur lovers. The stunning, realistic illustrations have a 3-D quality. This is the story of the life of the predatory Acrocanthosaurus, from hatching to adult. The author based her story on tracks that were discovered in Texas that scientists believed showed the attack of a carnivore on a slow moving sauropod. Readers will spend hours looking at the fabulous illustrations that depict life in the Cretaceous period. | |
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Discovering
Emily
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| Young Emily Carr has no interest in behaving like a lady. She likes to be outside, loves animals and would rather try to ride the family cow than play with dolls! But Emily discovers that the thing she loves to do the most is draw. Instead of learning the things that young girls in nineteenth century Victoria, B.C. are expected to learn, Emily likes to spend time with her pencils and her paints. Will Emily be able to do what she really wants and become an artist? Or will she have to behave like all the other young girls? This is a charming, fact-based story about one of Canada’s most well known artists. | |
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Dunc's
Doll
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| Dunc Culpepper and his accident-prone friend Amos get involved in solving the mystery of a valuable stolen doll that once belonged to the daughter of Charles Dickens. They trail the doll to a mansion on the outside of town, guarded by a powerful Rottweiler dog. This is much funnier than the Hardy Boys. If you like this title there are several others in the Culpepper series. | |
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Dusty
Locks and the Three Bears |
| This is a Wild West version of the familiar tale of Goldilocks and the three bears. In this story, a rugged little girl named Dusty Locks arrives at the grizzly bears' cabin in a cloud of dust and wreaks havoc before being chased home to her mother. Funny illustrations and Dusty's expressions such as "Well, I'll be bumfuzzled" make this an enjoyable take-off on the original story. | |
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Ellsworth's
Extraordinary Electrical Ears and Other Amazing Alphabet Anecdotes
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| This is a treat for all ages, but especially for readers who love the "I Spy" series. Twenty-six photographs of collections of miniatures show each letter of the alphabet in an amazing way. Meet Allistair an alligator with an alarming appetite for acrobats and search for other things that start with "a" in the picture. And how about Ellsworth's extraordinary electrical ears? The illustrations in this book are very engaging and will entertain kids and adults for hours. | |
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Emma’s
Eggs |
| Emma, the young hen, is surprised when she lays her first egg. Then, she wonders, what is she supposed to do with it? After peaking in the farmhouse window, Emma thinks she knows what to do. But noone is pleased when she scrambles her egg. So, Emma tries again and again to get it right - but she never seems to do the proper thing. Finally, after she has given up trying, Emma discovers exactly the right thing to do with her eggs. This is a charming story with big, bright, funny illustrations - a perfect read aloud for spring. | |
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End of the Beginning, The
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| A small snail named Avon is worried that all characters in books have adventures, and he has never even had one! How can he have a happy life without experiencing adventure? So, he puts his house in order and prepares to depart. A small ant, Edward, decides to go along on the journey. As they slowly advance at a snail’s pace down the tree branch, they meet various creatures including a dragon (every adventure must have a dragon!), a caterpillar, a cricket and another snail. The book is full of word plays – when they meet a confused worm who cannot tell which end of him is which Edward impatiently says, “If we can’t help, you are doomed to a life without an end.” When they finally arrive at the end of their journey it looks suspiciously like the beginning. Readers will chuckle about these simple characters as they uncover some profound mysteries of life along a tree branch. | |
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Eoin Colfer’s Legend of Captain Crow’s Teeth |
| This is a short, easy-to-read novel that is packed with fun and adventure. While vacationing at the seashore with his three brothers, Bert hears the tale of the ghost of Captain Crow. Whenever the Captain’s teeth glow under the water at high tide, his ghost is there searching for a young cabin boy to take to his ghost ship. Bert doesn’t want to believe this tale but, one night, as he is on his way home, something happens that gives him the fright of his life and makes him think that the story is true. Does the ghost of Captain Crow really exist? This book is scary and funny at the same time. | |
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Epossumondas |
| ‘Sweet little patootie’ Epossumondas is loved so much by his Mama and his Auntie, that they patiently put up with his silly mistakes as he tries to bring home things from his Auntie’s house to Mama. Cake is squashed, butter melted, a puppy wrapped in leaves, bread crumbled and so on as with each trip, the little possum tries to follow his Mama’s instructions. Mama and Auntie look like grand motherly humans and are dressed in wild floral hats, earrings and pumps, while Epossumondas is an adorable, dopey little noodlehead. This is a delightful retelling of the classic foolish Jack folktale with illustrations by Janet Stevens (Tops-n-Bottoms, Cook-a doodle-do) which perfectly capture the silliness and love in this timeless tale. Be sure to have this one read to you and spend lots of time smiling and giggling along the way! What do you think Epossumondas will bring home next? | |
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Extinct
Files, My Science Project, The |
| The author of this book wants to prove that dinosaurs are alive. Through detailed notes, descriptions, diagrams and photographs that follow the scientific method Edwards shows us that dinosaurs are alive and living among us. He shows what they eat, where they live, how they communicate, keep fit and much, much more. Great illustrations, lots of word play and imagination make this a book that is fun for everyone. | |
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Farm Team, The |
This book is a treat for hockey fans of all ages.The Farm Team, a bunch of farm animals, (pigs, ducks, cows, goats, chickens) has been dreaming of winning the Stolksi Cup. To do so they must beat the Bush League Bandits, a mean, dirty gang that includes a porcupine, a grizzly, weasels, porcupine and a skunk that plays goalie.The Farm Team is the underdog but they are determined to play well. Can they win the Stolski Cup? Who will be the surprise heroes of the hockey game? Lots of ice action and hilarious illustrations make this fun book a winner. |
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Farm Year |
| This is the gentle story of Anna, a Holstein calf, that is purchased at auction and taken to live on a Manitoba beef farm. Anna’s owner, Victor, gives the calf to his young son, Jan. Jan loves taking care of Anna even when she gets into trouble. This lovely book describes a year on the farm for Jan and Anna. They go through blizzards, a muddy spring thaw, summer drought and a brush fire, fall thunderstorms and hailstorms. Warm, watercolor illustrations add detail to the wonderful descriptions of life on the farm. | |
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Feel the Summer |
| This one will have you thinking early about summer, and all those fun activities that will be a part of it for you. “We’re going to our friend’s house./He doesn’t have a pool./But if he gets one/we’ll be ready.” Whether you visit the beach, chase butterflies, or like to lean into deep cool freezers for treats, this will have you thinking about those long, lazy July and August days ahead. A hot read for summertime! | |
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Fiddles and Spoons:
Journey of an Acadian Mouse |
| The mice that live under the floorboards of the Dubois family enjoy the delicious cornbreads, meat pies, apple tarts, cheese and taffy that fall onto the floor. They also love the toe-tapping fiddle music that gets everyone up dancing and squeaking in happiness. Their home is in a place called Grand Pre, a small Acadian village, in 1755 Canada. Little did they know that their life there would be changed forever when soldiers arrive and the Dubois family is forced to move away from their home. Follow the Souris family of mice in this heart-wrenching story from a real time in Canada’s past. | |
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Flea's Sneeze, The
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| A fun rhyming, repetitive story about what happens in a barn full of sleeping animals when first the flea sneezes and wakes them all, then the pig sneezes and so on. A great book for beginning readers and lots of fun for parents to read to their children. | |
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Fletcher and the Falling Leaves |
| Here is a sweet, charming story for autumn. Fletcher, the young fox, is worried about his favorite tree because the leaves have started to change. When the leaves begin to fall Fletcher tries to help by tying them back on to the branches. But the wind continues to blow the leaves away and Fletcher feels that he has failed his tree friend. Then one morning Fletcher finds that his tree has turned into a shining, glittering surprise and he knows his friend will be fine. Lovely illustrations add to the warmth of this gentle story, a perfect read for the fall season. | |
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Flotsam |
This is the 2007 Caldecott Medal Winner. Author/illustrator David Wiesner is the winner of two past Caldecotts (Tuesday, and The Three Pigs) and two Caldecott Honors (Sector 7, and Free Fall). You will want to spend some time with this amazing wordless book. A boy finds an old-fashioned underwater camera while beachcombing, and gets the film inside it developed. What he finds on the camera’s photos is stunning and he decides to study them further using his magnifying glass and then his microscope. He becomes really amazed and fascinated with the images and people he discovers! You will too! Any budding artists out there will also be delighted with the watercolour illustrations – close-up, landscape…unusual. |
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Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich |
| In this hilarious book of poetry we get a look at the lives of several famous monsters - Frankenstein, The Creature from the Black Lagoon, The Phantom of the Opera, Dracula and many others. Frankenstein is upset that the villagers have pelted him with garbage until he realizes he can create a great sandwich from all that food. The Phantom of the Opera can’t get the “It’s a Small World” song out of his head and is going crazy. Count Dracula has spinach in his teeth and no one will tell him. The illustrations are creepy and funny at the same time. This is a book guaranteed to bring you lots of Halloween howls (of laughter). | |
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Froggy
Eats Out |
| Froggy's parents take him out for dinner to Chez Yum to celebrate their anniversary. Froggy does his best to follow the rules - "Be neat, be quiet and don't put your feet on the table" but manages to cause chaos and destruction anyway. This story, like the others in the series about the young frog is very funny and kids will love it. | |
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Garbage
Delight: Another Helping |
| This is a delightful update of an old favorite. In this newest version, Dennis Lee has kept 25 of his original poems and written 13 new ones. Maryann Kovalski, a popular Canadian illustrator, has illustrated the whole book with an adorable family of garbage-rummaging raccoons, which will be sure to tickle young readers. From zany poems on the endpapers to new verses of “Alligator Pie”, and all the humour in between, Garbage Delight: Another Helping is sure to be a favorite. | |
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Gingerbread Rabbit, The
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| A mother decides to surprise her little girl by making her a beautiful gingerbread rabbit. But before she can bake it in the oven, the gingerbread rabbit finds out what’s in store for him and runs away. The mother chases him into the forest but the gingerbread rabbit is befriended by a wily fox claiming to be a rabbit (the kind with red fur, short ears and a long bushy tail) and offers to hide him in his den. Has the gingerbread rabbit escaped the oven only to become dinner for the fox? Luckily a big brown rabbit and a silvery gray rabbit come to the rescue and offer the gingerbread rabbit a home in a cozy cave full of carrots and lettuce. Enhanced by lovely black and white illustrations, this is a classic read-aloud for younger children. Competent readers ages 8 and up will be able to enjoy this on their own. | |
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Girl,
the Dragon and the Magic, The |
| Even though she tries really hard, Rhianna is failing magic school. Then a wizard appears with some incredible news. Rhianna is a Wild Talent, her magic is very strong - strong enough to suck up all the other magic around it! She must take special lessons in order to learn to control her wild magic. Will she succeed? Will she be able to save her town from a marauding dragon? This is the first book in The Rhianna Chronicles. Look for other adventures of Rhianna, including The Girl, the Apprentice and the Dogs of Iron and The Girl, the Queen and the Castle. | |
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Giving
Thanks |
| When a young boy’s father says ‘thank you’ to the fox, the frogs, the crickets, the mushrooms, Grandmother Moon, and everything else he sees on a walk his son feels a little embarrassed. He wonders why his Dad needs to do all this on an autumn trip through the woods. By the end of the hike though, someone else is appreciating nature and doing some thanking themselves. Glorious autumn oil paintings make this a treasure at Thanksgiving or anytime! | |
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Granny
Torrelli Makes Soup |
| When Granny Torrelli comes over and starts to rummage through the refrigerator for soup ingredients, Rosie knows her problems with her very, very best friend Bailey, will soon be over. At the moment Rosie is feeling a little frustrated with him “…my buddy, my pal for my whole life, knowing me better than anybody, that Bailey, that Bailey I am so mad at right now, that Bailey, I hate him today.” While Granny cooks up the broth and chats to Rosie and then to Bailey, her wisdom and amusing storytelling allow the best friends to think about their feelings and problems. A healthy, delicious cuppa of “zoopa” for readers of all ages. | |
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Great Blue House, The |
| The main character in this beautiful book is a house! In summertime, the great blue house is alive with the voices of young children playing. In autumn, “Suitcases bang closed. Car doors slam shut.” and the house is abandoned by the holiday people. As winter slowly arrives, the reader sees that the house has not really been left alone. Who is it that keeps the house company until spring arrives once again? You will be surprised to see! All you budding artists will love the rich paintings that fill the pages of this book. | |
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Great Fuzz Frenzy, The |
| A big, round, strange, scary, fuzzy thing (a tennis ball) has landed in the midst of an underground prairie dog town. The prairie dogs are in a frenzy – what is it? whose is it? As they feel it and pull it apart, they delight in donning the pieces of fuzz. Unfortunately, sharing becomes a bit of a problem, and the prairie dogs are soon quarreling with each other and mayhem has broken out. How will the great fuzz frenzy get solved? Who will take charge? This is a hilarious read with wonderfully fun and colourful illustrations by Janet Stevens (Tops and Bottoms, Cook-a-doodle-doo and others). You will chuckle over this one for sure! | |
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Greatest Power, The
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| What is the greatest power in the world? Emperor Ping issues a proclamation inviting all the children to take part in a yearlong quest to find the greatest power in the world. At the end of the year, the Emperor has a parade where all the children show him what they have found. Some believe the power is weapons, some think it is beauty, some think money. A little girl named Sing has a different idea that pleases the emperor. What did Sing discover as the greatest power? The answer may surprise you! Beautifully designed artwork, touched with gold leaf compliments this lovely Chinese story. | |
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Gummytoes |
| For all of you frog lovers - meet Gummytoes! When the little gray tree frog tries to impress some children with his tongue-snatching and climbing tricks, they take him home as a treasure and place him in a terrarium. Before long though, Gummytoes realizes that the human world is not where he belongs. How can he escape and return to his own quiet, safe, natural tree home? An interesting look at our world through Gummytoe’s eyes that will hopefully add to your appreciation for all life and respect for nature. | |
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Halloween Book, The
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| Filled with creepy crafts, monstrous masks, hanging horrors, and beastly buffets, this is a must read before Halloween hits! The colourful photo pages provide many excellent ideas for jack-o-lantern faces, face paints, treat baskets, masks, games, decorations and safety tips. It also includes snack recipes such as Gruesome Sausage Fingers, Monster Mouthfuls, Cauldron Cocktails (eg. Vampire Broth), and Dangling Donuts. The ideas are not only ingenious, but practical and easy. Recommended for a hair-raising Halloween! | |
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Hank Zipzer: Summer School! What Genius
Thought That Up? |
| His friends are heading to the summer program Junior Explorers, and Hank Zipzer (world’s greatest underachiever) is headed to summer school to improve his fourth-grade education. Things couldn’t look gloomier! Another comical adventure in Zipzer’s world. Check out the rest of the books in this zany series based on Henry Winkler’s true experiences. | |
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Hannah's
Collections
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| Hannah has so many collections that she has a difficult time choosing when her teacher asks her to bring one to school. She ends up bringing a brand new collection to show her teacher. This book is special because of the beautiful collage illustrations. If you don't collect something already, you will want to start after reading this book! | |
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Hector Springs Loose |
| Hector the wumblebug lives a quiet, wonderful bug life in his cozy, little hole underground. One fine spring day however, adventure arrives down his tunnel. His home is suddenly invaded by the Hopping Flea Circus – the greatest little show on Earth! When he sees trapeze fleas crashing into his dishes, a flea shot out of a cannon onto his grandmother’s portrait, and a unicyclist flea practising on his new carpet, Hector is stunned. What is he to do? Where will he find another home? Off he sets, backpack on his back, on the adventure of a lifetime. Read to find out what waits for this shy little creature in the great wide world. Check out the other books in this series starring Hector Fuller – wumblebug and fun adventurer! | |
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Hedgie Blasts Off! |
| He's
back! In this new Jan Brett story, Hedgie the hedgehog has left his
woodland home and is working on the clean up crew at Star Lab. His
boss is “in charge of outer space.” When Big Sparkler
on Planet Mikkop stops shooting out its usual bursts of sparkles,
the science Professor designs a rescue robot and rocketship to check
it out. However, when the robot breaks down, the Lab needs to find
a ‘small replacement. Before he knows it, Hedgie is rocketing
through space to solve the problem! 5-4-3-2-1 Blast off into Jan Brett’s stunning space adventure! |
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Hello
Ocean |
| This beautiful picture book celebrates the ocean through fact, poetry and stunning artwork. A young girl's day at the beach is described in terms of what she hears, sees, tastes and feels. This is a wonderful introduction to the sea for children who have not had the opportunity to experience a day at the beach. | |
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Henry and Mudge and a Very Merry Christmas |
| That winning combination of boy and dog doesn’t get any better than Henry and Mudge! In this, their 25th adventure, the two share all that makes Christmas one of their favorite times of year – making cookies together, going outside to sing Christmas carols for the neighbours, having the relatives over Christmas morning for gift opening and breakfast, etc. Mudge, the big lovable dog, gets an old shoe for his part in the carol singing, lots of food falls ‘accidentally’ under the table on Christmas morning, and his present from the family is just perfect. This is a warm and cozy tale of a special friendship that will make even the oldest reader smile. | |
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Henry Bear’s Christmas
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| Henry Bear loves everything about Christmas, but most of all he loves having a fine, beautifully decorated tree. In this story Henry sets off to find a perfect tree but finds that all of the “best” trees have already been taken. Then he discovers a truly magnificent one at the church tree lot. But, alas, the tree is not for sale, it is to be raffled off. So Henry spends all his money on raffle tickets, confident that he will be the one to win the tree. Henry’s friend, Stanley, is worried. What if they don’t win the tree? Will Henry’s Christmas be ruined? This charming story with lovely illustrations is sure to get you in the Christmas spirit. | |
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Here’s
What You Do When You Can’t Find |
| A very funny poetry book that describes some unusual inventions for solving pesky problems. There is the Sure-footed Shoe Finder, the Tooth Fairy Forklift and the Super Spider Spotter (so you will never be surprised by a spider again!). How about Veggie Be-Gone spray for repelling vegetables from the grocery cart and the Crumbunny for getting crumbs out of the sheets or Filbert’s Footsie Floss for getting the “stuff” out from between your toes? Scratchy writing and drawings loaded with amusing details add to the fun of this book. If you like the poetry of Shel Silverstein or Jack Prelutsky, this is the book for you. | |
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Hi!
Fly Guy |
| A fly went flying. A boy went walking. The fly was looking for something to eat and the boy was looking for something to catch for The Amazing Pet Show. The boy catches the fly in a jar and names him Fly Guy. When the fly says, “buzz”, the boy is amazed because that is his name - Buzz. Buzz decides to enter his pet in the contest. Will Fly Guy amaze everyone at the Pet Show or will they think he is just a pest? This fun story with hilarious cartoon illustrations will make you laugh out loud. | |
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Hippo-not-amous,
The |
| Have you ever thought how fun it might be to be something else? Well check out the adventures of Portly the hippopotamus! He decides one day that he has had it with the boring routine of a hippo’s life. “I’ve been a hippo for long enough, and now I want to be something else.” So, Portly heads off through the jungle to see what other possibilities might be out there. After meeting the rhinocerous, he makes his own ‘spikes’ out of wood; after the bat visit, he is seen wearing hooks made out of bananas and trying to hang upside down, etc. Needless to say Portly looks hilarious as he tries to become like the other animals. A delightfully funny story! | |
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Home |
| This is a wordless picture book with beautiful, detailed, collage illustrations that tell the story of baby Tracy and her neighborhood. The story is told on double page spreads in which we look through a window and see what is happening in Tracy’s neighborhood. At first the view is very unpleasant with garbage and graffiti spoiling the surroundings. As Tracy grows up we see that the people in the community are making changes for the better. Plants and trees are growing and the birds are returning. By the time Tracy has her own family her neighborhood is a beautiful place. This is a marvelous book with illustrations that you can look at over and over again and discover something new each time. | |
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How
Do Dinosaurs Say Good Night? |
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Kids will recognize all the different ways that youngsters behave and misbehave at bedtime in this book. Great pictures and wonderful verse make this a perfect story book for reading before bed. |
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How
I Spent My Summer Vacation |
| A very funny version of the "How I Spent my Summer Vacation" tale! When student Wallace Bleff gets the chance to read his essay about his summer, no one is quite prepared for his imaginative adventures, especially his rather old-fashioned looking teacher! What Wallace hasn't done over the summer - from being kidnapped by cowboys to becoming an expert rider and roper, to reversing the direction of a stampeding herd by turning into a matador! Wallace's summer is like no one else's! The chalkboard behind him turns into a colorful canvas of his adventures, the story is told in hilarious rhyme, and we are left imagining Wallace's Show-and-Tell opportunity! A great way to prepare for your own version of how you spent summer vacation! | |
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Humpty
Dumpty Egg-splodes |
| This book tells the story of Humpty Dumpty - the bad egg with a temper - who wants revenge. Humpty Dumpty goes on a rampage in Mother Goose Land in a Godzilla-like way. A fast, funny story with lots of puns and word play on the traditional nursery rhymes. Outrageous, vivid illustrations add to the fun. This is sure to be a hit with kids. | |
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Hunwick’s
Egg |
| Hunwick, the Australian bandicoot, lives on the edge of a desert. When a wild storm hits one night, and “the world (is) tossed inside out and upside down”, Hunwick discovers an extraordinary egg near his burrow. No one seems to know whose it is, or what will arrive when it hatches. Hunwick tenderly carries it home. Emu, Echidna, and Cockatoo begin to worry about their little friend who seems to love the ‘un-hatching’ egg. He will be very disappointed they fear. But, Hunwick is holding onto a grand secret. You must read to find out what that is. Along the way, delight in the adorable illustrations by Lofts. | |
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