Category: Book of the Month

By Peggy CollinsPublished by Applesauce Press, 2009ISBN #978-1-60433-026-7 In her first book as both author and illustrator, Peggy Collins (illustrator of There’s a Spider in the Bath, and Quiet Tessa) was inspired by her young son’s experiences in their Ontario garden. The lively illustrations are full of colour and motion, showcasing the excitement of play…

By Melanie LittlePublished by Annick PressISBN #978-1-55451-117-4 Melanie Little’s free verse novel, The Apprentice’s Masterpiece, is set in medieval Spain during the Spanish Inquisition, revealing to readers the truth behind the Inquisition’s brutality. Because of the historical setting, some scenes of brutality and complexity of the politics, The Apprentice’s Masterpiece is best suited for readers…

An Aboriginal Carol. Written by David Bouchard, Illustrated by Moses Beaver, Translated and Sung by Susan Aglukark. Toronto: Red Deer Press, 2008. ISBN# 978-0-88995-406-9 To bring true Canadian Christmas spirit to your classroom, why not introduce your students to “The Huron Carol”? In 2008, Métis poet David Bouchard rewrote the “Carol’s” lyrics to reflect the…

By Christopher Paul CurtisPublished by Scholastic Press, 2007ISBN #978-0439023443 Winner of the Coretta Scott King Award and a Newbery Honour Book for 2008, Elijah of Buxton is another perfect choice for the classroom in February. Eleven-year-old Elijah Freeman is the first child born into freedom in Buxton, Ontario, a settlement of runaway slaves founded in…

By Sarah Ellis and Dusan PetricicPublished by Calgary: Red Deer Press, 2006ISBN #0-88995-329-1 In this charming picturebook from Vancouver author Sarah Ellis, (Next Stop, Odd Man Out), Queen Daisy simply cannot keep her spontaneous feet in check. Despite the queen’s efforts to wear proper shoes (instead of furry slippers), stay seated during boring speeches (instead…

By Donald Stokes, Lillian StokesPublished by Little, Brown & CompanyISBN #0316818127 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3204288134?utm_medium=api&utm_source=custom_widget A great easy to use birding book that provides a predictable format and pictures to support elementary school students to identify books on the West coast.

By Kim Bellefontaine and Illustrated By Per-Henrik GurthPublished by Kids Can PressISBN #9781554532353 Take your child on a journey of learning and discovery with this simplistic yet intriguing number board book. From three totem poles standing tall on the West Coast to ten tulips blooming on Parliament Hill, it is not so much the complexity…

By Eric WaltersPublished by Puffin Canada, 2009ISBN #978-0-14-331249-9 An appropriate book choice for February, the monthly home of both Valentine’s Day and Black History month, Eric Walter’s Black and White will make a lasting impression on your students. In the novel, protagonist Thomas is crazy about basketball and his best friend Steve is crazy about…

By Stephen Axel Anderson, Illustrated By Greg CouchPublished by Philomel BooksISBN #9780399234255, 039923425X Arguably the most significant impact on early childhood literacy is the ritual of the bedtime story. Curling up with your adored little one, and diving into the furthest corners of a child’s imagination not only make up precious moments sure to be…

By Janet WilsonPublished by Second Story Press ISBN #978-1-897187-84-5 Recently shortlisted for the Science in Society Book Awards, Our Earth is a heartfelt glimpse of young environmental activists who are initiating change in their communities. Wilson profiles ten preteens and teens, and each environmentalist is featured in their own double-page spread, with an absolutely beautiful…