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Young readers’ reviews

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Staff Picks

Staff Picks

by Jo-Anne Elder and Lisa Doucet

Le trésor d’Elvis Bozec

Françoise Enguehard

Illustrations by Denise Paquette

Cover by Danielle Loranger

Bouton d’or Acadie

Elvis Bozec lives in Grand’Terre, N.L., and isn’t like other boys his age. His mother’s love for Elvis Presley gave him a name that makes him vulnerable to teasing. He is devoted to speaking and reading in French, while his friends prefer English. Elvis listens enthusiastically to his grandfather’s stories and, like him, is determined to preserve the language and legacy of the Bozecs and other French settlers.

One summer, he undertakes a fascinating secret mission with his sister Anne and an energetic old man familiar with Île Rouge, a little island settled by Breton fishers who came to the French shore of Newfoundland every year. The cod moratorium and other problems led to the abandonment of the island. Together, the two young people and their knowledgeable guide and captain search for ruins of buildings. Their failure to find the fishing cabins and the doctor’s house Mr. Lecointe showed them in his photo album might have put an end to their project. However, when Elvis visits relatives on Cape Breton Island, he learns about archaeological digs and the reconstruction of the Fortress of Louisbourg. Before the end of the summer, he resumes his mission with his assistants, and carefully uncovers clay pipes and sooty bricks from the time of his ancestors.

Throughout her career, the history of her own Breton ancestors has inspired Françoise Enguehard, a prize-winning novelist and journalist from St. Pierre & Miquelon living in St. John’s. As a writer and a community worker, she has worked tirelessly to promote the French language and to raise awareness of the history of the French territories of the Atlantic provinces. This is a new edition of a beautifully crafted novel for people 11 and up.

Léo les chaussettes

Christine Arbour

Illustrations by Johanna Lezziero Bouton d’or Acadie

This new book by Christine Arbour for children six and up is about a special birthday celebration and a special person, Léo. This isn’t just any birthday, because Léo is unique. He has a child’s mind and heart in an adult body. Léo is… Léo!

As Léo’s brother Jean, who is half his age, plans a surprise party for him, Léo’s family and friends share what they love about him. Léo invents funny words and fantastic stories, wears mismatched socks, can carry children or a big load of corn cobs in his arm and is tall enough to hang clothes on a clothesline. He likes to sing and dance, smiles almost all the time and his sparkling eyes have earned him the nickname of Mr. Sun. He talks a lot and is also the best listener when Jean is worried.

Christine Arbour, who also wrote Grandes roues et petits pois (2018), reviewed in Atlantic Books Today, was raised on the Gaspé coast near the Baie-des-Chaleurs and now lives in Québec City. Léo is her third children’s book. The pictures are by Johanna Lezziero, who also illustrated Arbour’s La Boîte aux belles choses

Portraying characters with developmental or intellectual disabilities requires sensitivity. The author deals with prejudice carefully, reflecting Jean’s frustration with people who ignore or mock his brother and emphasizing Léo’s valuable contribution to the lives of those around him. She avoids heavy messages and sentimentality. Without ignoring Léo’s challenges, the text and images convey the affection Léo and his family and friends feel for each other, the fun they have when they are together, and the joy that Léo brings to the lives of others. The picture on the last page shows a moment of pure pleasure and reminds us of the importance of looking at differences rather than limitations.

JO-ANNE ELDER has translated more than 20 works of poetry, theatre, film, fiction and non-fiction from French to English and has been shortlisted for a Governor General’s Literary Award for translation three times.

A is for Anne

Mo Duffy Cobb

Illustrated by Ellie Arscott Pownal Street Press

In the first boardbook offering from Pownal Street Press, P.E.I.’s newest boutique publishing house, author Mo Duffy Cobb and illustrator Ellie Arscott conspire to bring beloved literary heroine Anne Shirley to a very young audience. In the form of an alphabet book, they capture the highlights of Anne’s life and world. From “D is for Diana” to “K is for Kindred” and “S is for sleeves, soft-puffed for the dance,” they incorporate familiar and significant elements from the original Anne of Green Gables story and highlight Anne’s love of the Island and its beauty.

Fans of L. M. Montgomery’s iconic character will be thrilled to have this charmingly illustrated book to share with youngsters. As an alphabet book, it is better suited to a slightly older audience, given that many of the words and concepts it features (kindred, cordial) are not ones that will be familiar to young children and each page includes only one word beginning with that letter. But for Anne’s many fans and/or visitors to Prince Edward Island who want to share fond memories of this place with a wee one, this is a wonderful book to pore over together. It references the people who became such an important part of her life, many of the noteworthy experiences of her time at Green Gables and the richness of the landscape that meant so much to her. Ellie Arscott’s gentle and loose-lined illustrations are delightfully expressive and filled with motion and light. While some of the word choices for the letters are obscure (“X is for everything Montgomery commands”), the creators have nonetheless succeeded in crafting a book that will appeal to adults looking to share the spirit of Anne with the youngest readers in their lives.

I Want to Build a Seahouse

Whitney Moran

Illustrated by Josée Bisaillon Nimbus Publishing

A new addition to one’s household can elicit many strong emotions, and the narrator of this jaunty tale can attest to that. Faced with a major life change, she decides that, “I want to build a seahouse/ A home that’s just for me.” And what a magnificent home this will be with a foghorn doorbell, sea-glass windows and a seaweed garden to provide much-needed snacks. As she imagines her idyllic seahouse life she determines that she’ll forage for food, send messages in bottles, and keep a parrot for company. But she also knows that there will be stormy days when she’ll want to get away until calmer waters return. Frolicking with seafriends and sailing beneath the stars sounds truly wonderful, and yet … is it possible that her family may miss her, and that she may miss them too? Our imaginative young protagonist knows just how to reconcile both of her worlds.

Filled with warmth and whimsy, Whitney Moran’s debut picture book is a playful, spirited tale. Rollicking rhymes dance blithely off each page as the seafaring adventuress envisions her new nautical life. With a lilting lyricism, the text is vibrant and energetic, and captures a sense of exuberance while also subtly and sensitively depicting the conflicting emotions that a child experiences with the arrival of a new sibling. Her touching and tender realization that “no house could be a home unless it’s filled with you” provides just the right amount of gentle reassurance for both the protagonist and readers. Josee Bisaillon’s dynamic and cheerful illustrations are a perfect complement to the joyous verse. Delicate and detailed, they vividly render this imagined life at sea and capture a sense of movement on each page, depicting both action and introspection as the narrator celebrates seahouse living, but also begins to ponder her situation. A colourful and charming read-aloud, this is also a refreshing story of accepting and adapting to change.

What’s in Flora’s Shoebox?

Sarah Jane Conklin

Illustrated by Venus Angelica Monster House Publishing

Flora and her father, a pair of adventure-seeking environmental scientists, have travelled the world and seen many magnificent things. From the icy Arctic to scorching deserts, from the Rockies to the Cliffs of Moher, they have explored a tremendous variety of places. They have seen beautiful coral reefs and hiked fjords and trekked through wild jungles. All the while they have always sought to be respectful of each place they have visited, hoping to help heal the Earth by their actions. But how has Flora preserved her cherished memories of all her exotic travels? What exactly does she keep in the small red box that lies “beneath her bed, among her books and socks”?

Author Sarah Jane Conklin invites readers to ponder the question of what exactly Flora keeps in that special shoebox. The rhyming text is lyrical and lovely, a beautifully-cadenced celebration of Flora’s joyful wanderings around the world, with the repeated refrain reminding readers/ listeners to keep wondering about the contents of that box. The verse is fresh and fun, and it never falters, making it a delight to read aloud. Flora’s ever-present delight in all of the wonders that she encounters on her travels is paired with her unmistakable concern for the earth and its creatures and her awareness of the need to respect and protect the planet. Venus Angelica’s richly hued and stylized illustrations featuring lots of warm orange and green tones have a retro feel that adds to the story. Using bold, thick outlines and playful perspectives, the images are energetic and bursting with whimsy. Together, the author and illustrator have created a book that is a joy to read and which features an important and timely message.

When You Can Swim

Written & illustrated by Jack Wong Scholastic Canada

When you can swim, first I’ll take you to the ocean.” And oh, what wonders, what freedom, what magnificent discoveries await! This quietly beautiful, emotionally resonant depiction of something that many people take for granted celebrates in words and images what a gift it is to be able to swim. Whether you watch the world as you float on your back or discover wondrous underwater vistas, whether you swim in the hush of the early morning hours or as dusk falls, whether you leap off bridges or set your sights on a destination that starts to feel just out of reach … no matter who you are, swimming can be a source of joy, a chance to see the world differently and an invitation to challenge yourself in new ways.

In his debut picture book, author and illustrator Jack Wong has created a thoughtful, luminous and pensive paean that depicts the joy to be found in watery worlds. With prose that is wistful and poetic, he captures a sense of awe and wonder on every page. His painterly illustrations are expressive and filled with motion and light. The varied perspectives add depth and dimension, and they invite readers to immerse themselves into the experience. Each spread is soft and inviting, and the facial expressions are candid and earnest, depicting a realistic range of emotions. There is a musical quality to the text with its measured cadence and repeating refrain of “when you can swim,” and its understated elegance heightens the book’s emotional impact. Reverent and evocative, this book invites readers to think about their own relationship to water and to the natural world in general, and to also reflect on the barriers that exist for some.

The Hippie Pirates

Lana Shupe

Illustrated by Caroline Clarke

Running the Goat Books & Broadsides

Siblings Kent, Ryan and Amy are thrilled to be reunited with their grandparents and anxious, as always, to hear about all of their latest adventures. The three youngsters love their unconventional Grandma and Grandpa even though they are very aware of how unlike other grandparents they are. Because their grandparents are pirates! Hippie pirates who travel all over the world in a VW pirateship bus called the SS Fiona. Home again from their latest ramblings, the hippie pirates have a wonderful surprise for the children: it is time for the three of them to join their thrill-seeking grandparents on their next voyage! Kent, Ryan and Amy are beside themselves with glee. Where will they go, they wonder. Maybe they would head to Liverpool in England, or Australia, or possibly to Norway to see polar bears in the wild. Alas, their hopes are dashed when the hippie pirates announce that they will be exploring closer to home. Their maiden voyage on the SS Fiona will be to Shelburne, Nova Scotia. The children are disappointed but do some research on their destination and soon regain their enthusiasm. And when their first pirate adventure begins, they discover that their grandparents (and the SS Fiona) still have a few surprises up their brightly coloured sleeves. This novel for younger readers features a road trip with a time-travelling twist that will delight its audience. The hippie pirates are quirky, endearing characters whose curiosity and sense of adventure are infectious, and the bond that the children share with them is heartwarming. As the children scour the internet for information in preparation for their trip, they learn about the Black Loyalists of Birchtown. But they gain a greater understanding of the hardships and injustice that the Loyalists faced when they experience it firsthand, giving contemporary readers insight into that community and that particular time in history.

The Island

Written & illustrated

by Lori Doody Running the Goat

Books & Broadsides

“A small windswept island weathers the sea.” And on this island, there are families who fish and farm the land. They go to school and to church. They are friends and neighbours. Until the man from the government comes and tells them that they will have to leave. One by one, the islanders pack up their homes and their lives and move to the larger island across the bay. There they have more conveniences and amenities, like cars and electricity. Time passes and the houses on the small windswept island fall into disrepair. There are no more visitors; the island isn’t home to anyone anymore. And yet, even after many years, there are still a few islanders left, and “now and then the lucky ones return to their first home, in their dreams.”

Once again, Lori Doody uses bold, bright colours and delicate lines to depict her distinctive island landscape. But this time, her tale is poignant and wistful in tone as the islanders are forced to relocate to new homes and new lives across the bay. The economical text effectively conveys a wealth of emotion and captures a full range of feeling. Precise, spare and carefully crafted sentences outline the events, while the spaces between the sentences tell their own story. The folk-art style that she employs in her illustrations brings the setting to life. Tidy and detailed, the colour-saturated and expansive scenes depict the close-knit community as well as its gradual decline. Doody’s author note provides further information about this true story and her own personal relationship to this event. This story is touching and heartfelt, and will speak to readers of all ages.

Publishing

Jacob’s Dilemma Daphne Greer Nimbus

While Jacob had initially been resistant to the idea of going to rural Nova Scotia and getting acquainted with the grandparents he had never known, his summer in Newport Landing has given him a new outlook. Although he is still processing his father’s recent passing and all the sadness and grief that threaten to overwhelm him at times, he has also grown very fond of his grandparents, Pearl and Frank, with all their quirks. And he is so grateful that his former neighbour, Maggie, is going to officially adopt him and move to Newport Landing, once she gets things organized back in Ottawa. But things in Jacob’s life become more complicated when he starts receiving letters from Jade, his birth mother who left when he was a baby. Jacob is torn: does he want to meet her after all these years? Can he trust her? What should he do? He also feels the burden of carrying this secret. How can he keep from making a mess of everything and hurting the people that he loves?

In this follow-up to Jacob’s Landing, Daphne Greer picks up where the first book left off. She provides an intimate look into the mind and heart of a boy who has had a lot to contend with. The descriptions of his feelings of missing his father and the unexpected moments of grief are poignant, as is his anxiety about Maggie’s leaving. And his confusion around Jade is vividly rendered: the hurt and anger coupled with wondering “what if she has changed”? His uncertainty, his desire to believe in her, and the weight of his guilt in keeping her a secret from Maggie, make him a highly sympathetic and believable character. Greer once again creates an evocative portrait of a close-knit community and the complexities of family dynamics.

Standing on Neptune Valerie Sherrard

Cormorant Books

On an ordinary Monday morning, Brooke realizes that her period is five days late. This could be simply a late period. Or it could be something life-changing, for both her and her boyfriend Ryan. In the days that follow, she holds this secret close. She tells only Ryan, and his reaction is not what she had hoped for. She goes to school and spends time with her family and friends, immerses herself in a homework assignment on the planet Neptune, and carries on as if nothing has changed in her world. But inside, she knows that in spite of the uncertainty, everything has changed. She decides that by Saturday she will take a test and find out for sure. When Saturday arrives, she is surprised to discover that she is ready to know. And that she has already learned more than she ever could have imagined about herself, the people in her life … and even about Neptune.

In this penetrating novel in verse, as Brooke carefully navigates her feelings, we are invited to think about how one never knows what burdens or secrets lay beneath the surface of the people we encounter every day. By also including Ryan’s voice in three separate chapters, Sherrard enables readers to see how differently the two teens see their relationship and this situation that they may be in. She beautifully, succinctly captures Brooke’s sense of loneliness and isolation, her uncertainty and fear, and both her desire to know and her dread of knowing. Her ultimate realization that there are people in her life that she could have turned to, and that she will be able to count on if she needs to, feels profound and heartfelt. And her recognition that her solitary journey has given her a clarity that she may not otherwise have gained is equally significant. This is an insightful, thought-provoking and perceptive novel, a brief but impactful exploration of the complexities of the human heart. ■ dartmouthbookexchange.ca

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