Meet Louis, a young boy who shuttles between his alcoholic dad and his worried mom, and who, with the help of his best friend, tries to summon up the courage to speak to his true love, Billie.
Louis Undercover
Canada
Materials from Canada
Town Is by the Sea
A young boy wakes up to the sound of the sea, visits his grandfather’s grave after lunch and comes home to a simple family dinner, but all the while his mind strays to his father digging for coal deep down under the sea. Stunning illustrations by Sydney Smith, the award-winning illustrator of Sidewalk Flowers, show the striking contrast between a sparkling seaside day and the darkness underground where the miners dig. With curriculum connections to communities and the history of mining, this story brings a piece of history to life. The ever-present ocean and inevitable pattern of life in a maritime mining town will enthrall children and move adult readers.
Pikiq
In the far, far north, Pikiq finds paint, paintbrushes and a book with pictures of tropical animals and faraway places, abandoned in the deep snow. Inspired, he draws fantastic creatures everywhere, and color bursts onto the white landscape.
Federica
Federica’s busy family can’t keep their house clean! To get away from the buzzy, buggy mess, she escapes to the peaceful park where she can spend time with her animal friends–which gives her an idea.
Goodnight, Hockey Fans
Andrew Larsen’s simple yet evocative story sets the right tone for the youngest children, who can relate to the boy’s disappointment about missing the exciting nighttime game and his fears that he won’t be able to fall asleep. Jacqui Lee’s illustrations in soothing greens and blues are done in a blend of nostalgic and contemporary styles that suit the story’s timelessness. This book provides all of the appeal of the perfect bedtime story: the reassurance of caring parents tucking the boy in and then coming back later to check on him, the bedtime routine, the atmospheric winter night outside while it’s cozy and snug inside, and the promise of dreams come true.
Milo And Georgie
When Milo’s family moves to a new city, he vows to officially retire from having fun. So he stays inside for days while his little sister, Georgie, yearns to explore the new neighborhood. Finally, Milo ties Georgie to the end of a ball of yarn so she can go out, on one condition: she has to come home when he tugs the string twice. But one day, Georgie isn’t at the end of the string. Which means Milo might just have to step outside and discover everything he’s been missing.
Once In A Blue Moon
Inspired by the expression “once in a blue moon,” Danielle Daniel has created a book of short poems, each one describing a rare or special experience that turns an ordinary day into a memorable one. She describes the thrill of seeing a double rainbow, the Northern Lights or a shooting star as well as quieter pleasures such as spotting a turtle basking in the sun or a family of ducks waddling across the road.
Idaa Trail: In the Steps of Our Ancestors
Etseh and Etsi traveled the Idaa Trail when they were children and as they paddle north with their grandchildren, they pass along their knowledge of special sites along the way — the history behind an abandoned village, the legend of the wolverine and its babies at the Sliding Hill, the story of a mysterious gravesite. They also explain how their people survived in the old days – building birch bark canoes, fishing with willow lines and muskrat-tooth hooks, and ambushing herds of caribou.
Missing Nimâmâ
A young mother, one of the many missing indigenous women, watches over her small daughter as she grows up without her nimama, experiencing important milestones – her first day of school, first dance, first date, wedding, first child – from afar.
Tecumseh
Two hundred years after his death, the Shawnee chief Tecumseh is still considered one of the greatest leaders of North America’s First Peoples. This pictorial biography tells the story of his remarkable life, culminating in the events of the War of 1812.