Category: Canada

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Remembering Jean Little

Last night we were saddened to hear of the death of Jean Little, a beloved and distinguished member of the Canadian children’s literary community. Born in Taiwan in 1932 to Canadian doctors who were serving as missionaries, Jean was legally blind from birth. After obtaining a B.A. in English Language & Literature from the University of Toronto, she taught briefly before her first novel, Mine for Keeps, was published in 1962 and she went on to publish over fifty works including picture books, novels, memoir, short fiction, and poetry.

Jean was notably one of the first Canadian authors to write candidly about children living with disability. She also wrote about the immigrant experience in Canada, adoption and the foster care system, often drawing on her own family’s experiences. No matter what genre or form she chose to write in, Jean’s work celebrates the resilience of children and the strength of the human spirit.

Jean’s awards and honours were numerous, including the Ruth Schwartz Award, the Governor General’s Award, the Vicky Metcalf Award, and the Horn Book Honor Award. She was a member of the Order of Canada, a recipient of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal and was nominated multiple times for the prestigious Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award. In addition to her significant literary impact on generations of readers, Jean was one of the founding Members of CANSCAIP, an organization that fosters support and professional relationships among Canadian creators of children’s content. She is often cited by contemporary Canadian authors as an inspiration, and those who knew her remember her devotion to children, animals, and her very dry wit.

Join us in honouring Jean’s memory by getting lost in one of her many beautifully written books and share your memories of her with us on Twitter.

Once Upon a Golden Apple: 25th Anniversary Edition
By Jean Little and Maggie de Vries
Illustrated by Phoebe Gilman
26 Pages | Ages 0-3
ISBN 9780670070077 | Puffin Canada

A brand-new board book edition, to celebrate the 25th anniversary of this fractured fairy tale bedtime story. In this hilarious fractured fairy tale romp, everything goes awry. Goldilocks lives with the seven dwarfs, a princess kisses Humpty Dumpty, and she and the prince rescue the Wicked Witch of the West! Can all this mischief get sorted out so that everyone lives happily ever after? Jean Little and Maggie de Vries’s playful text and Phoebe Gilman’s magical illustrations make this twisted classic a delight to share with new generations of readers.

Mama’s Going to Buy You a Mockingbird: Puffin Classics Edition
By Jean Little
264 Pages | Ages 8-12
ISBN 9780143187875 | Puffin Canada

Jeremy is not having a good summer. His best friends have moved away, and he has to stay at the cottage with only his little sister Sarah and his Aunt Margery. His parents have remained in the city so his father can have an operation.

When Jeremy finally sees him again, he finds out that his father has cancer and isn’t going to get better. Suddenly, Jeremy’s life has completely changed. But then he finds an unlikely friend in Tess, who knows what it’s like to lose someone. As his friendship with her grows, through good times and bad, Jeremy discovers that his father has left him something that will live forever…

Stand in the Wind
By Jean Little
256 Pages | Ages 8-12
ISBN 9780143167600 | Puffin Canada

At a beach cottage, two sets of sisters who have never met before must spend a few days together without their parents. It looks as if it’s going to be the longest holiday ever, until Martha discovers something about Christine that changes everything.

“I stand in the wind and eat peanut brittle.”

Somebody Else’s Summer
By Jean Little
192 Pages | Ages 8-12
ISBN 9780143016434 | Puffin Canada

On a flight from Vancouver to Toronto, two girls meet, forming an unlikely friendship. Tall, athletic Samantha is going to spend the summer with a family friend while her father is in South America. Alexis, a shy girl who likes books, is being sent to a horse farm to learn how to ride while her mother and stepfather are travelling in Australia.

By the time their flight lands in Toronto, the girls have hatched their plots. They’re going to trade places for the summer. After all, the people they’re going to visit have never met them, and their parents are far away and hard to contact. But will they manage to pull it off? For how long? And with what consequences?

Tributes to Jean have been pouring in from fellow Canadians since the news broke. She will be deeply missed.

“An acclaimed, multi-award-winning author, she was smart, funny and frank, someone I so enjoyed talking to when I had the chance. She is a legend in Canadian children’s literature circles, and all of us at Penguin Random House Canada feel lucky to have been able to be her publisher and thankful that she was able to write for as long as she did.”- Lynne Missen, Publishing Director, Fiction, Penguin Random House Canada Young Readers

“When I was young, and so nerdy, and always reading books in the library during recess, I was obsessed with her. I found her number in the phone book and called her, and we kept talking every few months for 2 or 3 years I think. She always remembered me and she was always happy to chat. I think it might have been the first time I realized authors were people and not Hollywood celebs.” – Zoe Maslow, Editor, Doubleday Canada

“Jean Little taught me so much about compassion and kindness and showed me lives very different than my own. I thought I was reading stories but I was learning to how to be a person.” – Kate Rennie, Indigo Sales Manager

“I remember walking by her house and getting a little thrill as a little kid.” – Justin Sorbara-Hosker, District Sales Manager

“I loved all of Jean Little’s books and her spiky but good intentioned heroines. The moment I remember the most is my grade five teacher coming up and touching my shoulder during Math, because I was so engrossed in From Anna I hadn’t realized that reading time was over.” – Vikki VanSickle, Director, Marketing & Publicity, Penguin Random House Canada Young Readers

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Amazon Best Book of the Month: Megabat is a Fraidybat

We are thrilled to share that Megabat is a Fraidybat, the third book in the adorable chapter book series by Anna Humphrey with illustrations by Kass Reich, was one of Amazon’s Best Book of the Month for April in the ages 6-8 category! Congratulations Anna and Kass!

Megabat is a Fraidybat officially flies onto shelves today! If you haven’t already started this charming series about a boy and his talking bat, we highly recommend it!

Megabat Is a FraidybatMegabat Is a Fraidybat
By Anna Humphrey
Illustrated by Kass Reich
192 Pages | Ages 7-10
ISBN 9780735266025 | Tundra Books

Daniel is not so sure about going to camp. There will be bugs. And uncomfortable beds. And leeches! Megabat can’t WAIT to go to camp! There will be so much smooshfruit, and he loves a good sing-along.

Daniel starts to think camp isn’t so bad. He’s made friends, and his bed isn’t THAT uncomfortable. Megabat has made a new friend too. But his new friend wants him to go flying to spooky caves. And her mom is very toothy.

 

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Hoppy Easter Reading!

THE EASTER SHOP
Here are our recommendations for those celebrating Easter from ages 9-12!

A Grumpy Easter
By Frank Berrios
Illustrated by Patrick Spaziante
ISBN 9780593122648 | Random House Children’s Book

A full-color Easter storybook featuring cards, stickers, and everyone’s favorite feline: Grumpy Cat! Chocolate bunnies? Meh. Easter baskets? No way. Grumpy Cat is not excited about Easter in this storybook featuring all-new, full-color art, plus cards and over 30 stickers!

Aggie Morton, Mystery Queen: The Body under the Piano
By Marthe Jocelyn
Illustrated by Isabelle Follath
ISBN 9780735265462 | Tundra Books

Aggie Morton lives in a small town on the coast of England in 1902. Adventurous and imaginative but deeply shy, Aggie hasn’t got much to do since the death of her beloved father . . . until the fateful day when she crosses paths with twelve-year-old Belgian immigrant Hector Perot and discovers a dead body on the floor of the Mermaid Dance Room! As the number of suspects grows and the murder threatens to tear the town apart, Aggie and her new friend will need every tool at their disposal — including their insatiable curiosity, deductive skills and not a little help from their friends — to solve the case before Aggie’s beloved dance instructor is charged with a crime Aggie is sure she didn’t commit.

Archie: Modern Classics Vol. 2
By Archie Superstars
ISBN 9781645769675 | Archie Comics

This is Archie’s new sister series to our all-time best-selling graphic novel series, featuring a focus on the latest and greatest stories from the previous year of digests. After 75+ years of humorous tales, the Riverdale gang are still going strong! Archie is proud to present the best stories from 2019 – collected for the first time ever. Don’t miss these modern classics!

 

Easter Eggstravaganza Mad Libs
By Mad Libs
ISBN 9781524790677 | Penguin Young Readers Group

Get ready, the Easter NOUN is coming to town! These 21 Easter-themed stories are now available in a large, gifty version perfect for baskets. The larger trim is the perfect size for Easter baskets and also makes writing, playing, and sharing with friends a real (Easter) treat! It even includes a sheet of themed stickers.

 

Hilo Book 6: All the Pieces Fit
By Judd Winick
ISBN 9780525644064 | Random House Children’s Book

Being a hero isn’t easy. But Hilo had no idea it would be this hard. Hilo came to earth because he was running from Razorwark. But he’s done running. Razorwark has come to earth. And the time has come for one final face to face showdown. What happens will decide the fate of the robot world . . . and Hilo’s future. The sacrifice will be great. But with Izzy’s help, Hilo finally knows what he has to do. Because THIS is how all the pieces fit.

 

Middle School Bites
By Steven Banks
Illustrated by Mark Fearing
ISBN 9780823445431 | Holiday House

Thanks to a series of unfortunate bites, eleven-year-old Tom is a triple threat: he’s a Vam-Wolf-Zom. And just in time for the first day of middle school. So much for his Invisible Tom Plan. He never thought to make a What If I Turn Into A Vampire Werewolf Zombie Plan. Maybe it’s time for a Run Away and Live Somewhere Else Plan? With the help of his irrepressible best friend, Zeke, Tom tries to accept his future. Zeke thinks being a Vam-Wolf-Zom sounds EXCELLENT! (Zeke thinks everything sounds EXCELLENT!) At least he’ll be able to stand up to the sixth-grade bully. The question is will the rest of Hamilton Middle School accept the Vam-Wolf-Zom, too?

Middle School’s a Drag, You Better Werk!
By Greg Howard
ISBN 9780525517528 | Penguin Young Readers Group

Twelve-year-old Mikey Pruitt–president, founder, and CEO of Anything, Inc.–has always been an entrepreneur at heart. It isn’t until kid drag queen Coco Caliente, Mistress of Madness and Mayhem (aka eighth grader Julian Vasquez) walks into his office (aka his family’s storage/laundry room) looking for an agent that Mikey thinks he’s finally found his million-dollar idea, and the Anything Talent and Pizzazz Agency is born! Soon, Mikey has a whole roster of kid clients looking to hit it big or at least win the middle school talent show’s hundred-dollar prize. As newly out Mikey prepares Julian for the gig of a lifetime, he realizes there’s no rulebook for being gay–and if Julian can be openly gay at school, maybe Mikey can, too, and tell his crush, dreamy Colton Sanford, how he feels.

Planet Omar: Accidental Trouble Magnet
By Zanib Mian
Illustrated by Nasaya Mafaridik
ISBN 9780593109212 | Penguin Young Readers Group

Welcome to the imaginative brain of Omar! Omar and his family have just moved, and he is NOT excited about starting at a new school. What if the work is too hard or the kids are mean or the teacher is a zombie alien?! But when Omar makes a new best friend, things start looking up. That is, until a Big Mean Bully named Daniel makes every day a nightmare! Daniel even tells Omar that all Muslims are going to be kicked out of the country . . . Could that possibly be true? Luckily, Omar’s enormous imagination and goofy family help him get through life’s ups and downs.

The Legend of Korra: Ruins of the Empire Part Three
By Michael Dante DiMartino
Illustrated by Michelle Wong and Killian Ng
ISBN 9781506708966 | Dark Horse Books

Thanks to Commander Guan and Doctor Sheng’s brainwashing technology, all hope for a fair election in the Earth Kingdom is lost. Korra works with Toph, Su, and Kuvira to plan a means to rescue not just the brainwashed Mako, Bolin, and Asami, but everyone else caught up in Guan’s plan! With the Earth Empire potentially on the rise again, Kuvira pulls another trick from her sleeve . . . but whose side is she truly on?

Find these books at your favorite local book store or at Indigo’s Easter Shop.

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A List of Easter-iffic Books

THE EASTER SHOP
Here are our recommendations for those celebrating Easter from ages 6-8!

DreamWorks Trolls World Tour: One Big Party!
By Elle Stephens
ISBN 9780593122440 | Random House Children’s Books

In the beginning, it’s all glitter and happiness in Troll Village until Queen Poppy and Branch make a surprising discovery–there are other Troll worlds beyond their own, each defined by a different genre of music! When a mysterious threat puts all the Trolls across the land in danger, Poppy, Branch, and their band of friends must embark on an epic quest do the impossible: create harmony among the diverse Trolls to unite them against certain doom.

Elbow Grease: Get Out and Play
By John Cena
Illustrated by Dave Aikins
ISBN 9780525577584 | Random House Children’s Book

A fun-filled leveled reader from multi-talented mega celebrity John Cena! Elbow Grease loves to race, splash and play with his four monster truck brothers: Tank, Flash, Pinball and Crash! The brothers enjoy a play day in this Step 1 reader based on John Cena’s Elbow Grease picture book series!

 

Elbow Grease: My Monster Truck Family
By John Cena
Illustrated by Dave Aikins
ISBN 9780525577553 | Random House Children’s Book

A fun and fast-paced leveled reader from multitalented mega celebrity John Cena! Elbow Grease has four big brothers–each one special and unique in his own way. Meet tough Tank, fast Flash, smart Pinball, brave Crash, and of course Elbow Grease, who never gives up, in this Step 1 reader based on John Cena’s Elbow Grease picture book series!

God Gave Us Easter
By Lisa Tawn Bergren
Illustrated by Laura J. Bryant
ISBN 9780307730725 | WaterBrook

In this new addition to a popular line of illustrated books for readers aged three and up, God Gave Us Easter features the adorable polar bear Little Cub, talking with her father and learning about God’s design for the Easter season and what it really means to Little Cub and her family.

Happy Easter, Little Critter
By Mercer Mayer
ISBN 9780307117236 | Random House Children’s Book

Mercer Mayer’s Little Critter is celebrating Easter in this classic, funny, and heartwarming book. Whether he’s dyeing eggs, searching for baskets, or snacking on sweets, both parents and children alike will relate to this beloved story. A perfect way to celebrate the Easter holiday!

Minecraft Woodsword Chronicles: Ghast in the Machine! 
By Nick Eliopulos
Illustrated by Alan Batson
ISBN 9781984850621 | Random House Children’s Book

The adventures continue in the fourth Minecraft chapter book based on one of the most popular video games of all time. Jodi, Ash, Morgan and their fellow Minecraft players go out into the real world to find clues to the identity of the mysterious and sinister Evoker King. Not only do they need to find out who–or what–he is, but they need to know if it’s really possible for him to escape the game! Because if he can, that could spell big trouble both in the game and out!

Mulan
By Mary Tillworth
ISBN 9780736440530 | Random House Children’s Book

Join Mulan and her friends Mushu, Cri-Kee, and more as they set out to save Mulan’s father and the Chinese empire from an enemy invasion. This Step 2 deluxe Step into Reading leveled reader is based on the classic Disney Princess film Mulan. Step 2 readers use basic vocabulary and short sentences to tell simple stories. For children who recognize familiar words and can sound out new words with help.

Narwhal’s Otter Friend: A Narwhal and Jelly Book
By Ben Clanton
ISBN 9780735262492 | Tundra Books

Dive into three new stories about the joy of adventure and the power of friendship! In the first story, Otty the otter makes her debut splash; while Narwhal greets her with immediate enthusiasm, Jelly’s not so sure about her . . . mostly because he worries she’ll take his place as Narwhal’s best friend. Readers will easily see why Narwhal’s so excited to meet Otty, a boisterous explorer who even has a snail friend who’s a real live sea captain! But readers will also relate to Jelly’s uneasiness seeing his best friend making a new pal.

Onward: A Day with Dad
ISBN 9780736440516 | Random House Children’s Book

Kids will love this Step 3 Step into Reading leveled reader based on Disney/Pixar Onward-with more than 30 sparkling stickers! Step 3 readers feature engaging characters in easy-to-follow plots about popular topics. For children who are ready to read on their own.

Onward: Oh, Brother!
ISBN 9780736439497 | Random House Children’s Books

Kids will love this Step 2 Step into Reading leveled reader- based on Disney Disney/Pixar Onward–with more than 30 stickers! Step 2 readers use basic vocabulary and short sentences to tell simple stories. For children who recognize familiar words and can sound out new words with help.

Onward: The Deluxe Junior Novelization
By Suzanne Francis
ISBN 9780736440509 | Random House Children’s Books

Set in a suburban fantasy world, Disney/Pixar’s Onward introduces two teenage elf brothers who embark on an extraordinary quest to discover if there is still a little magic left out there. The voice cast includes Chris Pratt (Guardians of the Galaxy), Tom Holland (Spider-Man: Homecoming), Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Veep), and Octavia Spencer (The Shape of Water). Hardcover deluxe edition.

Onward: The Junior Novelization
By Suzanne Francis
ISBN 9780736439657 | Random House Children’s Book

Set in a suburban fantasy world, Disney/Pixar’s Onward introduces two teenage elf brothers who embark on an extraordinary quest to discover if there is still a little magic left out there. The voice cast includes Chris Pratt (Guardians of the Galaxy), Tom Holland (Spider-Man: Homecoming), Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Veep), and Octavia Spencer (The Shape of Water).

PAW Patrol: Mighty Twins
By Tex Huntley
ISBN 9780593121344 | Random House Children’s Book

Adventure Bay is in trouble and it’s up Chase, Marshall, and the rest of Nickelodeon’s PAW Patrol to save the day! This time they get a little help from two new Mighty Pups. Step 1 readers feature big type and easy words. Rhymes and rhythmic text paired with picture clues help children decode the story. For children who know the alphabet and are eager to begin reading.

Paw Patrol: The Pups Save the Bunnies
Illustrated by Mike Jackson
ISBN 9781101931684 | Random House Children’s Books

There are lots of creatures in the woods. Where are they hiding and what are they doing? In this innovative lift-the-flap book, little ones can pore over the beautiful collaged pages and explore under rocks and logs to learn lots of interesting facts about the forest. This is a perfect introduction to the outdoors.

Plants vs. Zombies Volume 15: Better Homes and Guardens
By Paul Tobin
Illustrated by Christian Gillenardo-Goudreau
ISBN 9781506713052 | Dark Horse Books

Plant pals Nate and Patrice suggest a brilliant idea: thwart any attack from the zombies by putting defending plants named “Guard-ens” inside homes, as well as in yards! But as soon as Mr. Stubbins informs zombie leader and Pop Smarts lover Dr. Zomboss, he quickly becomes obsessed with circumventing this idea with an epically evil one of his own–building cages disguised as homes to trap all the tasty brains (and the people they reside within) before the Guard-ens can get there. The plants, Nate, Patrice, and Crazy Dave must now counter Dr. Zomboss’s havoc-filled scheme!

The Princess in Black and the Bathtime Battle
By Shannon and Dean Hale
Illustrated by LeUyen Pham
ISBN 9781536202212 | Candlewick Press

The Princess in Black is in a very stinky situation. A foul cloud is plaguing the goat pasture, and it smells worse than a pile of dirty diapers or a trash can on a hot summer day. But every time the Princess in Black and her friend the Goat Avenger manage to get rid of the odor, they accidentally blow it to another kingdom! Other masked heroes and their trusty companions show up to help, but how do you battle a stench when your ninja moves fail? Fans with a nose for slapstick will be tickled to see the six stalwart friends join their wits to take on an impossibly beastly stink.

Find these books at your favorite local book store or at Indigo’s Easter Shop.

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Eggs-cellent Easter Reads

THE EASTER SHOP
Here are our recommendations for those celebrating Easter from ages 3-5!

Dot Unplugged
ISBN 9781536209839 | Candlewick Press

It’s pouring rain, and the power’s gone out at Dot’s house. Should they take it as a challenge to honor the National Day of Unplugging? Playing outside is out of the question, and so is using the many devices Dot is accustomed to. But what might the basement hold? Dot, her friend Hal, Mom, Dad, and Scratch find lots of exciting stuff, including an old spinner game. It turns out it’s super fun to watch Dad do charades, Mom speed-sculpt from clay, Hal tweet-sing a song, and Dot hunt for something surprising. Their improvised game keeps them so entertained, they just might decide to stay unplugged a bit longer!

Dream Big, Little Scientists
By Michelle Schaub
Illustrated by Alice Potter
ISBN 9781580899345 | Charlesbridge

Twelve kids. A dozen bedtimes. Endless sweet ways to say goodnight with science! Spark curiosity and exploration with this innovative bedtime story for budding scientists that introduces eleven branches of science. From astronomy to physics to chemistry to geology, this STEM picture book will help kids get excited to explore. Includes further information about each branch of science.

Emergency Kittens!
By Jody Jensen Shaffer; iilustrated by Dave Mottram
ISBN 9781984830081 | Random House Children’s Books

Meet the Emergency Kittens, a trio of furry, gentle superheroes who come to the rescue with their incredible cuteness when the going gets tough. When bullies steal Sheldon’s ball in the playground, a pack of your usual, everyday, human caped crusaders leaps to the rescue. But when their showy feats of strength and agility fail to impress, some real heroes step in to save the day: EMERGENCY KITTENS!!! With their unending cuteness and unforgivably adorable purrs, this mighty trio of fluffy goodness turns any sticky situation into one of pure cuddles.

Lilah Tov Good Night
By Ben Gundersheimer
Illustrated by Noar Lee Naggan
ISBN 9781524740665 | Penguin Young Readers Group

As the moon rises, a family steps into the night on a journey toward a new beginning. Along the way, their little girl delights in the wonders of nature, saying good night–lilah tov–to the creatures and landscapes they pass. Wherever she looks–on land, in the sky above and even, eventually, in the water below her boat–there are marvels to behold. “Lilah tov to the birds in the trees, lilah tov to the fish in the sea.” Then, when their travels are finally over, her parents tuck her in tight, safe and ready for dreams in their new home.

Llama Llama Very Busy Springtime
By Anna Dewdney
ISBN 9780593094198 | Penguin Young Readers Group

Look out, world–Llama Llama is a TV star! The beloved character, made famous by Anna Dewdney’s best-selling picture books, is the star of his own original series, now airing on Netflix. In this episode-based 8×8, Llama Llama plans a bit too much for one day, but comes up with a solution and learns important lessons along the way. Your little llamas will love relating to their favorite picture book character as he faces new and challenging situations.

Sharon, Lois and Bram’s Skinnamarink
By Sharon Hampson, Lois Lilienstein and Bram Morrison, with contributions by Randi Hampson
Illustrated by Qin Leng
ISBN 9780735264069 | Tundra Books

What does “skinnamarink” mean? You may not find its definition in a dictionary, but the meaning is clear to the generations of children who sang along: friendship, happiness, sharing, community and, ultimately, love. This song has been sung in weddings and in classrooms. It can be fun and silly – especially with the accompanying actions! And it has a way of bringing people together.

Teddy Bear of the Year
By Vikki VanSickle
Illustrated by Sydney Hanson
ISBN 9780735263925 | Tundra Books

Ollie is a regular bear with a regular job. He listens to his girl’s stories about her days, he snuggles her to sleep and he is there waiting when she gets home from school. Just your typical teddy bear stuff. So when he is whisked away to the annual teddy bears’ picnic, he feels insignificant compared to the other bears who do daring and daunting things: sleepovers, hospital stays–even a night in the lost and found! Ollie feels even more small and unimportant but he soon learns that it’s not just the big things that matter, it’s the little things too.

The Bear Must Go On
By Dev Petty
Illustrated by Brandon Todd
ISBN 9781984837479 | Penguin Young Readers Group

Bear and his woodland friends are putting on a show, and there are lots of plans to be made. Their curtains need sequins! Their hats must be very, very tall! And their tickets have to be shiny! (No one will come if the tickets are dull.) Behind the scenes, shy Bear takes notes on every detail until his paws ache. But at least he won’t have to go on stage. He could NEVER do that! . . . Or could he?

The Bug Girl
By Sophia Spencer and Margaret McNamara
Illustrated by KERASCOET
ISBN 9780735267527 | Tundra Books

Sophia Spencer has loved bugs ever since a butterfly landed on her shoulder–and wouldn’t leave!–at a butterfly conservancy when she was only two-and-a-half years old. In preschool and kindergarten, Sophia was thrilled to share what she knew about grasshoppers (her very favorite insects), as well as ants and fireflies . . . but by first grade, not everyone shared her enthusiasm. Some students bullied her, and Sophia stopped talking about bugs altogether. When Sophia’s mother wrote to an entomological society looking for a bug scientist to be a pen pal for her daughter, she and Sophie were overwhelmed by the enthusiastic response–letters, photos and videos came flooding in. Using the hashtag BugsR4Girls, scientists tweeted hundreds of times to tell Sophia to keep up her interest in bugs–and it worked!

The Button Book
By Sally Nicholls
Illustrated by Bethan Woollvin
ISBN 9780735267152 | Tundra Books

From a blue singing button to a purple tickle button, from a rude sound button to a mysterious white button, there’s only one way to find out what they do: press them all! And thankfully, there’s even a sleeping button to lull the animals to sleep after a busy day. A lively introduction to colors and shapes, The Button Book is the perfect interactive book for storytime (and bedtime!).

The Imaginaries: Little Scraps of Larger Stories
By Emily Winfield Martin
ISBN 9780553511031 | Random House Children’s Books

From mermaids and giant flowers to magical robes and mysterious characters, this full-color collection of old and new art from Emily Winfield Martin will inspire the artist and writer in you! Each glorious image is given a mysterious or magical one-line caption–the beginning of a story, or maybe the middle–you imagine the rest.

 

The Serious Goose
By Jimmy Kimmel
ISBN 9780525707752 | Random House Children’s Books

Written, illustrated, and lettered by Jimmy Kimmel, this picture book challenges young readers to bring the silly out of a very Serious Goose. Inspired by Jimmy’s nickname for his kids, The Serious Goose reminds us to be silly in a serious way. Put your little comedians in front of a mylar mirror and challenge them to make this no-nonsense goose smile. This delightful read-aloud is guaranteed to create gaggles of giggles time and time again!

Vote for Our Future!
By Margaret McNamara
Illustrated by Micah Player
ISBN 9781984892805 | Random House Children’s Books

Every two years, on the first Tuesday of November, Stanton Elementary School closes for the day. For vacation? Nope! For repairs? No way! Stanton Elementary School closes so that it can transform itself into a polling station. People can come from all over to vote for the people who will make laws for the country. Sure, the Stanton Elementary School students might be too young to vote themselves, but that doesn’t mean they can’t encourage their parents, friends, and family to vote! After all, voting is how this country sees change–and by voting today, we can inspire tomorrow’s voters to change the future.

What’s Up, Maloo?
By Genevieve Godbout
ISBN 9780735266643 | Tundra Books

No other kangeroo can hop like Maloo! But one day Maloo’s friends find him stepping instead of hopping. What’s wrong, Maloo? His pals look for ways to help Maloo regain the spring in his step. With patience, support and a little “hop” from his friends, Maloo gets his bounce back.

Find these books at your favorite local book store or at Indigo’s Easter Shop.

Tundra Book Group