Category Archives: Michigan author/illustrator

Camo Girl

Posted on August 1, 2019 by

Kekla Magoon‘s middle grade novel Camo Girl is unexpected in all the best ways. Ella, the narrator, is friends with Z, the strangest boy in the whole grade. Both of them are ostracized, and they cope by creating an imaginary … Continue reading →

Posted in Children's novels, Michigan author/illustrator, social issues, strong characters, Voice | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

All the Animals Where I Live

Posted on May 26, 2018 by

Philip C. Stead‘s picture book, All the Animals Where I Live, wanders through life in the country, stream-of-conscious-style, and introduces us to the characters the author (and his ninety-year-old neighbour) sees on any given day. The quiet life, the artistic life, … Continue reading →

Posted in Love that art, Michigan author/illustrator, Picture books | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Nuts to You

Posted on October 6, 2015 by

Nuts to You is a highly entertaining and wise account of squirrels rushing around the forest, wondering what the humans are doing cutting down trees along the buzz path. When Jed, TsTs, Chai and Tchke figure this out, they are off … Continue reading →

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The Pout-Pout Fish and What On Earth Is A Pout?

Posted on December 1, 2014 by

Here’s a pair of picture books: one fiction and one non-fiction, both about pouty fish. First, Deborah Diesen‘s The Pout-Pout Fish, illustrated by Dan Hanna, is a funny book about Mr.Fish’s penchant for spreading the dreary-wearies all over the place. “It’s just … Continue reading →

Posted in Books with science links, Michigan author/illustrator, Picture books, Rhyme, Word choice | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Symphony City

Posted on November 24, 2014 by

In Symphony City, a young girl gets lost in the subway and street music shows her the path back home. Spare text coupled with Amy Martin‘s bold lines and contrasting colour scheme make this picture book a visual treat. Also, find the … Continue reading →

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Ice Caves of Leelanau

Posted on October 16, 2014 by

This visual feast captures the ice on the Great Lakes from Winter 2013-14, a year that resulted in 90% of the Great Lakes covered in ice. But the lakes weren’t just frozen, they were covered in caves, ice balls, pancake … Continue reading →

Posted in Books with science links, Love that art, Michigan author/illustrator, Nonfiction, Picture books | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

The Blessing Cup

Posted on October 31, 2013 by

Patricia Polacco‘s family history is reminiscent of Fiddler on the Roof  for kids. This beautiful book has everything you’d expect from Polacco, complete with gorgeous, mainly black and white, illustrations in pencil and marker. Key elements, such as the blessing cup, … Continue reading →

Posted in Books with social studies links, Michigan author/illustrator, Picture books | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

The Story of Paper

Posted on September 19, 2013 by

Ying Chang Compestine and YongSheng Xuan have created a Chinese folk tale complete with mischief and historical flavour. Read the story, then the author’s note in the back which tells of the oldest pieces of paper in the world. There’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Books with social studies links, Love that art, Michigan author/illustrator, Picture books | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

If You Want To See A Whale

Posted on July 17, 2013 by

From the team that gave us And Then It’s Spring comes another delightful book about watching and waiting. At first, it has the circular structure of If You Give A Moose A Muffin; there are a multitude of interruptions when you are waiting to … Continue reading →

Posted in Books with science links, Michigan author/illustrator, Picture books | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

All My Noble Dreams and Then What Happens

Posted on July 2, 2013 by

There aren’t many upper middle grade books set in 1920s India. Rosalind, from a British colonist family, loves India and consorts with Ghandi followers, much to her military father’s chagrin. She tries to meld her two worlds: the one where … Continue reading →

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