Books written by our members
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Linda Aksomitis
"Adeline's Dream"
Coteau Books
ISBN 1-55050-323-5
209 pages
Book Description
Twelve-year-old Adeline Mueller has to fight to make a place for herself
when her family comes to Canada from Germany to join their father in their
new life. Adeline hasn't seen her father for four years, but his letters
promise a splendid new life and a house of their own. When they step off the
train in Qu'Appelle, Saskatchewan, the reality is very different. Home is a
sod house in "Germantown," a squatter settlement on CPR land, and for a long
time Adeline can't forgive her father for bringing her here. Life in her new
home is definitely dramatic. Adeline experiences a tornado, a devastating
fire, and relentless prejudice from Sarah, a girl in her class. But she also
makes friends. Minna, a Germantown girl, shows her how to pick wild berries,
and Henry, a boy with a physical disability, helps her get precious library
books. By Christmas, Adeline has begun to like Canada, forgiven her father,
and won respect from Sarah with her singing ability. Sarah considers setting
aside her own ambitions to choose Adeline to sing the solo in the Christmas
concert. Could this really happen?
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Fiona Bayrock
"Bubble Homes and Fish Farts"
Illustrated by Carolyn
Conahan
Charlesbridge Publishing
ISBN
978-1-57091-669-4
48 pages Ages 6-9
February 2009
A Junior Library
Guild Selection
Book Description
The publisher blurb reads: "Real-world
science meets tongue-in-cheek humour to describe how animals use bubbles."
Who knew
animals used bubbles in so many ways? Popping, fishing, talking, sailing,
breathing, riding, and even shooting hoops! Written in a kid-friendly
conversational style, each spread in this nonfiction book contains a brief
description of one animal's bubbles. The beautiful watercolour illustrations by
Carolyn Conahan, staff illustrator for Cricket Magazine, capture the science
with a whimsical touch.
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Rae Bridgman
"The Serpent's Spell"
Book Description
In the first of the MiddleGate Books, "The Serpent’s
Spell," the secret city of MiddleGate was rocked by the slaughter of
hundreds of snakes in nearby Narcisse. In their quest to solve the mystery,
two young sorcerers — Sophie Isidor and her cousin Wil Wychwood — discovered
that Wil's medallion may have once belonged to an ancient secret society,
the Serpent's Chain. The second book, "Amber Ambrosia," picks up where "The
Serpent’s Spell" leaves off…Tawari, kamahi, manuka, pohutukawa—With these
words, Wil and Sophie are cast into the secret world of the magical honey
bees of MiddleGate ('apis mellifera magykalis'). A world where magykalis
honey portends a future when the Serpent’s Chain—a secret magical
society—returns to power from Realms Unearthly, Realms of Myth. Sprinkled
with humorous Latin sayings at chapters’ beginning and Rae Bridgman’s
pen-and-ink drawings, this rollicking adventure is set in a secret city
accessed through one of the oldest and most architecturally stunning parts
of Winnipeg, Manitoba. "The MiddleGate Books" is a magical new series for
young readers aged 9 through teen years (and beyond!). If you have enjoyed
reading the Harry Potter books, you may enjoy reading this book.
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Eileen Cook
"What Would Emma Do?"
Simon Pulse
ISBN-13: 978-1416974321
Book Description
Thou shalt not kiss thy best friend’s boyfriend…again….
There is no greater sin than kissing you best friend’s boyfriend. So when
Emma breaks that golden rule, she knows she’s messed up big-time. Especially
since she lives in the smallest town ever, where everyone knows everything
about everyone else….and especially because she maybe kinda wants to do it
again. Now her best friend isn’t speaking to her, her best guy friend is
making things totally weird, and Emma is running full speed toward certain
social disaster. This is so not the way senior year was supposed to go.
Time to pray for a minor miracle. Or maybe, just maybe, it’s time for Emma
to stop trying to please everyone around her, and figure out what she wants
for herself.
What others are saying:
“Sassy and sly and sweet all at the same time, this book made me laugh
out loud.” – Meg Cabot, author of the
Princess Diaries
“Not since Judy Blume’s Margaret introduced herself to God has there been
such a funny, geuine, conflicted, wanna-be-sort-good-maybe-later girl as
Emma. Eileen Cook’s tone as she takes on the big ones – life, love, faith
and friendship is pitch perfect.” –
Jacqueline Mitchard, author of Deep End of the Ocean and Midnight Twins
“Smart and fun and full of heart.” –
Sarah Mlynowski, author of Bras and Broomsticks
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Lee Edward Fodi
"Kendra Kandlestar and the Box of Whispers"
Brown Books
ISBN: 1-933285-10-9 Hardback
ISBN:1-933285-11-7 Paperback
2005
Book Description
For over a thousand years the Box of Whispers has
guarded the most precious treasure in the Land of Een. But when the Box is
suddenly stolen, young Kendra Kandlestar finds herself swept away on a magical
adventure where doors speak in riddles, plants cast dangerous spells, and
strange monsters seem to lurk around every corner. Is Kendra the last hope for
the Eens?
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Judith Graves
"Under My Skin"
Leap Books
ISBN-13 978-1-61603-000-1
2010
Book Description
All her parents wanted was for Eryn to live a normal
life.
Redgrave, Alberta had its share of monsters before Eryn moved to town. Mauled
pets, missing children. The Delacroix family is taking the blame, but Eryn knows
the truth. Something stalks the night. Wade, the police chief’s son and Redgrave
High’s resident hottie, warns her the Delacroix are dangerous. But then so is
Eryn. In fact, she’s lethal. But she can’t help falling for one of the Delacroix
boys, dark, brooding human Alec. And then her world falls apart.
A normal life? Now that’s the real fairytale.
"Second Skin"
Leap Books
ISBN-13 978-1-61603-006-3
2011
Book Description
With FIENDS Like Eryn…
Eryn struggles to resist the beast clawing at her soul as darkness settles over
her like a second skin. She’s made a deal, and she can’t let a dead man down.
Not unless she wants her friends and family to relocate – six feet under.
When Eryn and her crew each face their own demons, loyalties are tested and
temptations abound. Can she share a future with the brooding, noble, human Alec
– the hunter after her heart? Or will she succumb to her enemy’s son, Wade, a
seductive predator as bloodthirsty as she is?
What happens when you’re both the beauty and the beast?
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Laura Hesse
"The
Great Pumpkin Ride"
Running L Productions
ISBN: 0973401311
133 pages
Book Description
If you camped out at a haunted cabin in the woods on Halloween
night, would you leave your horse saddled? Everyone knows that ghosts walk the
trail to Pumpkin Alley during the great Pumpkin Ride so when a group of young
teens ride out into the night afterwards, none of them are prepared for what
happens next!
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Jan Markley
"Dead Frog on the Porch"
ISBN: 978-1-926691-06-0
252 pages
Gumboot Books (2009)
Book Description
Dead Frog on the Porch is first in the
Megabyte Mystery series.
Twin sisters Cyd and
Jane are propelled into an international plot involving evil scientists and
giant, genetically stretched frogs. Will the twins win this hilarious race to
save the frog kingdom?
"It's Nancy
Drew for the ipod generation" Shenaaz
Nanji
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Jan Markley
"Dead Bird Through the Cat Door"
Dead
Bird through the Cat Door
ISBN: 978-1-926697-15-2
Once
again, Cyd and her animal loving twin Jane are up to their bird
beaks in
intrigue cracking the latest Megabyte Mystery. Dead
Birds?
Stolen cats? C’est what? When Cyd and
Jane’s cat Yin gets kidnapped – that’s when it gets personal. The director of
the bird
sanctuary, Aviary Finch,
is stealing cats to kill birds. But why?
The twins use the latest technology and Shakespeare’s Macbeth to
help crack the case. Methinks the culprits doth protest too much! Will Cyd and
Jane save the sanctuary, free the birds, and return the cats to their natural
habitat of their owners’ laps? It’s predator eats predator when evil meets
crazy!
"This delightful novel places author Jan Markley in the catbird seat among funny
mystery writers." Marty Chan
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Sheri Radford
"Penelope and the Preposterous
Birthday Party"
Book Description
Please visit:
http://www.sheriradford.com
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Scot Ritchie
"Follow That Map"
Kids Can Press
ISBN# 978-1-55453-274-2
Book Description
Maps are about far more than getting
from a to b. Maps can help children understand and explore both their everyday
environment and faraway places. With an appealing search-and-find technique,
Follow That Map! is an interactive picture book that explains and demonstrates
key mapping concepts. Kids will enjoy following Sally and her friends as they
search for Max and Ollie, a mischievous dog and cat on the lam from the
backyard. Sally and friends take an imaginative trip through the neighborhood,
city and country, around the world and beyond.
Kids can join in the search
for Max and Ollie, who are hiding somewhere in every map. An activity at the end
of the book shows children how to make a map of their bedroom.
Some
reviews:
... funny (the cartoon
characters look after that) and useful book about maps and mapping for
beginners.
The Globe and Mail, April 2009
The bright, easy-to-follow illustrations do an excellent job of highlighting all
the major concepts ...
Quill & Quire, March 2009
With an appealing search-and-find technique, an interactive picture book
explains and demonstrates key mapping concepts.
Books for Growing Minds, March 2009
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Simon Rose
"The Doomsday Mask"
Published by Tradewind Books
The legendary crystal ceremonial mask of Kulkaan,
high priest of Atlantis, was believed to have been endowed with incredible
powers. In the ancient civilization’s destruction, the mask was thought to
have been shattered and irretrievably lost, eventually being forgotten. Long
considered to be a mere myth, the crystal fragments have now been found and
the mask of Kulkaan reassembled, with deadly consequences for all mankind. In
a desperate race against time, Josh and Erica must prevent the mask from
falling intact into the hands of the shadowy Crystalline Order, to save the
world from catastrophe.
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Mary McKenna Siddals
"Compost Stew: An A to Z Recipe for the Earth"
Illustrated by Ashley Wolff
Tricycle Press
ISBN 978-1582463162
Picture book
From Apple cores to Zinnia heads, here’s a recipe in rhyme
for mixing up a batch of dark and crumbly, rich and sweet compost, the perfect
treat for Mother Earth. Vibrant collage illustrations made with recycled and
found materials show young environmental chefs just how easy it is to add to the
pot and let it all rot into Compost Stew!
Take a peek inside the book and explore its Activities, Teaching Resources,
Lesson Plans & Reviews at
http://www.siddals.com/compost-stew.html
For all the latest news and updates on illustrator events, as well as activities
and special behind-the-scenes glimpses at early sketches & collage in the
planning stages, become a friend of Compost Stew on Facebook and join in
compiling tantalizing tidbits of compost news at
www.Facebook.com/CompostStew
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Crystal Stranaghan
"Then it Rained"
Gumboot Books
ISBN: 978-0-9784047-8-9
Book Description
Then it Rained is a triumphant story of one child’s determination to
challenge conventional wisdom, make his voice heard and live his life to
the fullest - whatever the weather! James finds his frustration mounting
as time and again his plans are called off because of the rain. Finally
pushed to the breaking point, he makes his voice heard:
“I was four and then five, pretty soon I’ll be seven. I’m NOT staying
inside until I’m eleven!”
This book is the perfect reminder for everyone that sometimes in life, you
just have to put your gumboots on and jump in with both feet!
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