Primary (ages 6-9)

Material appropriate for primary age groups

The White Stone in the Castle Wall

It may not be true but it could be – this story of how a single white stone came to be in the wall surrounding Casa Loma, the magnificent medieval castle that stands in the middle of Toronto. John Tommy Fiddich lives in Yorkville, tends the family vegetable patch, and considers himself the “luckiest boy in town.” When a hailstorm wipes out the vegetables, he goes from being the luckiest to the unluckiest. Then word gets out that Henry Pellatt, the eccentric millionaire who brought light to the city and built Casa Loma, is offering one dollar for brown stones to place in the wall going up around the castle. After trudging through the city all day with his stone, John reaches the castle only to find that rain has washed it white. But Henry Pellatt accepts the stone for his wall, rewarding John for his hard work, making him again “the luckiest boy in town.” The trip through the streets of Toronto, from Yorkville to Casa Loma, makes for a book as enchanting to young and old as the fabulous castle that inspired it.

Pika: Life In The Rocks

A pika scurries across a rock pile high in the Rocky Mountians. He watches out for hungry hawks and weasels. Quickly, he nips leafy twigs off bushes and carries them to his rocky den.  This hamster-size cousin of the rabbit is storing up food.  He will build a “hay pile” as big as a bathtub.  As summer changes to autumn and winter settles in, the pika feeds from his hay pile and tunnets through the snow.  In the spring, he sings for a mate.  Soon, pika pups are climbing on the rocks.

Stunning photographs catch the pike in the act of living naturally.  A fact-filled text tells the story of how one of the world’s cutest animals can survive when life is pretty rocky.

A Pioneer Alphabet

A is for Abigail and Anna, Zebediah’s two sisters. He is making them an alphabet book. From B, which stands for bandalore, a forerunner of the yoyo, H for the hornbook that taught children to spell, and on through the pigeons that blackened the sky, to the uniform that Papa wore when he defended the king, right through to X for the eXhaustion of parents who are homesteading. This lovely romp through the seasons on a pioneer farm is full of fascinating information. Artist Mary Jane Gerber has placed numerous items in each of her paintings and detailed borders, and there is a useful list of them for readers to find. Author Mary Alice Downie has included detailed background notes, making this a sweet introduction to our history. From the Hardcover edition.

Munsch at Play: Eight Stage Adaptions for Young Performers

Presents simple stage adaptations, suitable for school use, of eight stories by Robert N. Munsch, along with staging suggestions and ideas for easily obtainable sets, props, and costumes.

The stories included are: • Angela’s Airplane • Stephanie’s Ponytail • Mortimer • 50 Below Zero • Mud Puddle • Millicent and The Wind • Murmel, Murmel, Murmel • The Paper Bag Princess

Scaredy Squirrel at Night

Exhausted due to lack of sleep because he wants to avoid having bad dreams, Scaredy Squirrel finally devises a Bad Dream Action Plan which includes a fire extinguisher to snuff out dragons and a fan to blast away ghosts.

Arctic A To Z

A beautifully illustrated dictionary of 26 key aspects of life in the Arctic.World-class photographer and science writer Wayne Lynch takes readers to one of his favorite parts of the world: the Arctic.Using a plant, an animal or a phenomenon for each letter of the alphabet, Lynch describes the unique ways in which systems for living differ where temperature and light can be amazingly extreme. But Lynch also dispels the myth of the Arctic as a perpetually frozen landscape by introducing us to the birds, mammals, insects and plant life that thrive in the short yet glorious sun-filled days of summer.

Life In The Boreal Forest

The great northern forest—the boreal forest—is home to a unique ecosystem of animals and plants. It covers one-third of the earth’s total forest area and is home to so many birds that it is known as “North America’s bird nursery.” The forest is a treasure trove of riches, but it’s threatened by increased human development and climate changes. This gorgeous book teaches readers about the boreal forest and reminds them that it’s up to us to make sure the beauty and bounty survive.

Clemente!

A little boy named Clemente learns about his namesake, the great baseball player Roberto Clemente, in this joyful picture book biography. Born in Puerto Rico, Roberto Clemente was the first Latin American player to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, and the only player for whom the five-year initiation period was waived. Known not only for his exceptional baseball skills but also for his extensive charity work in Latin America, Clemente was well-loved during his eighteen years playing for the Pittsburgh Pirates. He died in a plane crash while bringing aid supplies to earthquake victims in Nicaragua. Willie Perdomo’s rhythmic text and Bryan Collier’s energetic art combine to tell the amazing story of one of baseball’s greats.