I Read Canadian!

February 19th, 2020 marks the debut of 'I Read Canadian' Day which celebrates Canadian children's literature. Students, parents, teachers, librarians, any and all, are being encouraged to drop everything and read Canadian for 15 minutes on this day.

Author Eric Walters initiated the program with the help of colleague, writer and President of CANSCAIP, Sharon Jennings, along with Shelagh Paterson (OLA), Meredith Tutching (Forest of Reading) and Rose Vespa (CCBC).

So get ready to read!

And for some inspiration...

Here a seven fabulous books which were chosen for Gallery Stratford's BABY ART WALK program during Fall 2019. Special guests Shannon Taylor, Graylen Howard, Kris Von Kleist, Jennifer Paquette, Claire Chapple, Liza Balkan and Terry Manzo, helped us celebrate Canadian children's authors, illustrators, publishers, each in their own unique way. And any one of these books would be a remarkable read for 'I Read Canadian' Day!

Actor Shannon Taylor read the beautiful picture book Cloth Lullaby (words by Amy Novelsky & pictures by Canadian illustrator, Isabelle Arsenault) on September 27th and engaged parents, caregivers and babies with rhythm, movement and imagination, using nursery rhymes/fingerplays, Itsy Bitsy Spider and Little Miss Muffet.

On October 11th, Graylen Howard, music therapist and musician, provided a gentle background of calming cello music as the board book Forest Baby by Laurie Elmquist and Shantala Robinson was read aloud. A kinder circle followed with guitar music, singing, playing of instruments both conventional and homemade.

Julie Morstad's beautiful book, how to, was read by Claire Chapple of The Yoga Chapple on November 22nd as she took us all on a joyful journey of exploration, movement, meditation and yoga.

Kris von Kleist, local Stratford videographer shared her incredible skills of capturing unique moments with babies on October 25th. The SITE nature-themed exhibit by Tracey-Mae Chambers was a perfect companion to THE HONEYBEE, another book illustrated by Montreal-based artist Isabelle Arsenault with words by Kirsten Hall.

Jennifer Paquette joined us on November 8th to share her tender picture book wish stunningly illustrated with paintings by Shane Norrie. The fabulous and inventive follow-up baby painting activity was enjoyed by all.

This is Sadie was shared by Liza Balkan. There were babies and boxes, flying horses, swimming fish and a mermaid in the deep blue sea, a howling wolf/dog, birds chirp-chirping in trees, a big, big box which became a boat, then a castle and of course, there was Sadie! Such fun.

And Terry Manzo, Stratford photographer extraordinaire, read the lovely Moon Wishes, with words by Guy and Patricia Storms, and pictures by Milan Pavlovic, and showed us how to take phenomenal photos of little ones.

So, it seems, any day is a good day for reading Canadian.

Books can provide enjoyment, inspire us to use our imaginations, take us on a special journey, get us moving, help us to make sense of our world and so much more.

What will you be reading on Wednesday, February 19th?

I'm still deciding. But in the meantime, I'm making something sweet to accompany my read on this chilly but otherwise heartwarming February day.

Baked Rice Pudding with Maple Syrup

Serves 4 - 6 

Inspiration:  a memory of my mother's creamy baked rice pudding

Be patient as this recipe takes some time to bake!

1/3 cup (75 gr) arborio rice or other short-grained rice

1/4 cup (50 gr) golden cane sugar

3 cups (750 ml) of milk and 1 cup (250 ml) of heavy cream

1 cinnamon stick

1 dollop butter

pinch of sea salt

1/8 cup (20 gr) raisins (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C).

2. Mix all ingredients together in a 4 quart (4L) ceramic/glass pan.

3. Place in preheated oven for approximately 30 minutes. Give a stir. Bake for another 30 minutes. Stir again. 

4. Continue baking and stirring every 10-15 minutes or so until the mixture becomes creamy, rice is cooked and most, but not all, of the milk has been absorbed by the rice.

5. Remove from oven. Let pudding rest and cool down a bit.

6. Scoop into serving dishes. Serve warm, at room temperature or chilled with a drizzle of  classic Canadian maple syrup or maple whipped cream and a few toasted walnuts or sliced almonds. The pudding can be stored in the fridge and enjoyed within 2 days - if there's any left over, that is.

Happy Reading! Happy 'I Read Canadian' Day!

And on Friday, February 21st, join Gallery Stratford's Baby Art Walk program as it, too, continues to celebrate Canadian authors, illustrators and publishers.

On y va?

Shall we go and join Arlo on his adventure?

                         

   

I know I'm ready. Ready to hop into the passenger seat of that little red Citroën DS (I think I'll let Arlo drive) and become immersed in the magical sights, sounds, and especially, the tastes of Paris - all in the company of an armadillo. Such fun. Come along, get your imagination in gear - a fabulous journey awaits...c'est parti!

HERE is what I know...

I've had the book, I KNOW HERE, written by Laurel Croza, illustrated by Matt James and published by Groundwood Books in 2010, on my bookshelf for a while. We're in the midst of book awards time across this country right now and I recently received an email from the Canadian Children's Book Centre about the nominations for the 2015 TD Children's Literature Book Awards. One of the finalists, FROM THERE TO HERE, which is the sequel to I KNOW HERE, is a nominee for the Marilyn Baillie Award for Best Picture Book. So, this was a little reminder to revisit that book on my shelf which received an abundance of  honourable mentions, has been a part of many best book lists and won numerous awards.

And deservedly...the book has such a poetic feel - the descriptive language, the movement in the words, the imagery, the repetition throughout. And in all of what the little girl knows of her HERE, the reader gains an understanding of how this family lives - what the climate and terrain and community and surroundings are like, and, what is important to this narrator. 

Go wild!

The summer berry season has been amazing this year. In June - sweet strawberries. In July - raspberries, both red and golden. And August - blueberries! And oh, those wild ones are the best. Wild blueberries can be difficult to track down. It seems one needs to travel north to find them. And they have such a short season. They're also rather pricey but well worth the once-in-a-while treat as they have a completely different taste, texture and scent from cultivated blueberries. Fresh, fragrant and, yes, wild.

And, there's a perfect read to go with these delicious, almost frost-skinned, teeny-tiny berries - Wild Berries written and illustrated by Julie Flett and published by Simply Read Books. The book is a lovely tale of tradition - a story of a grandmother and a grandchild and their search for wild blueberries. The illustrations are earthy, graphic - and the expressions and postures of the characters (both human and animal) convey so much with such seemingly simple shapes, colours and lines. And oh, that gorgeous globe of persimmon sun. The circle of life. What goes around comes around. Yes. Tradition. Customs. Habits. Patterns one can count on. 

I was introduced to the work of Julie Flett through an instructor of mine, Kerry Clare, while at The School of Continuing Studies, University of Toronto. Kerry taught last October's The Art of Blogging course. And she posted an engaging interview with Julie on the 49th Shelf website in the fall of 2014. 

It all adds up...

When I first read the title of this book, The Highest Number in the World, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. Was this a picture book about counting? Perhaps about a googol? Maybe something to do with infinity? I looked at the cover. A bird's eye view of a girl geared up for hockey. Standing in the middle of an ice rink. Looking upward. At some sort of banner. But what exactly was so important about the banner and what did this 'highest number' mean, I wondered. 

A midwinter's tale

“Once upon a northern night
while you lay sleeping,
wrapped in a downy blanket,
I painted you a picture.

It began with one tiny flake,
perfect
and beautiful
and special,
just like you.
Then there were two,
and then three.

Soon 
the night sky filled with sparkling specks of white, crowding,
and floating,
tumbling down to the welcoming
ground
until the earth was
wrapped in a downy blanket, just like you.”

And so begins Once upon a northern night (Groundwood Books) by Jean E. Penziwol with illustrations by Isabelle Arsenault, a beautiful book which was listed as a Finalist for the 2014 TD Canadian Children's Literature Award.

A better way...

When I think of ‘spic and span’, I think of neat, clean, fresh and everything in its place. In author Monica Kulling’s case, SPIC-AND-SPAN! , published by Tundra Books, is a picture book biography about Lillian Gilbreth, a woman who wanted to make things better - that is, 'spic and span'. This book is the latest addition to Monica's Great Ideas Series about inventors. To be honest, I'm rather fond of fiction. But I was quite captivated by this book of non-fiction. I love that it opens with a pleasant poem, Lillian's Time. It sets the tone for the story and the state of mind - calm, restful and relaxed - that Lillian was hoping to help others achieve through her innovations.

Remind me again, please?

They say that an elephant never forgets.

But in Cybèle Young's latest and lovely picture book published by Tundra Books, Nancy Knows, an endearing elephant is having trouble remembering. I suppose even elephants have their moments of forgetfulness. Nancy knows that something is missing, but she's not sure what. She begins thinking, trying to recall that single important thought but she seems to have a lot of other things on her mind. When she stops trying so hard to remember, the special memory finally comes to mind. 

And isn't that often the way -  taking a break, having a rest, not overthinking things...and one may just remember the very thing that's been forgotten.

Tell me a story...

I only recently discovered When I Was Small written by Sara O'Leary and illustrated by Julie Morstad, and I have to say, I've found yet another picture book which I've fallen in love with.

The book had me at the cover of petal pink and raspberry red – that combination of colours captivated me from the get-go, as well as the simple book jacket and linen-covered spine - it's almost a bit of a nod to another era in its mood and design. The story is about a little boy named Henry who is wondering what his mother was like when she was little (incredibly little!) and the tales they share about being small together. This book led me to an itsy-bitsy place where I wanted to be that tiny, that small – just for a while. 

Digging it!

A Christmas-time tradition that we started in our family a number of years ago is giving a book to our each of our twenty-something-aged children – usually written by a Canadian author. It might be a literary prize-winning book, perhaps a biography or even a mystery. We match the book to our reader.

Lately, I've been on the lookout for some new picture books - not necessarily for our grownup children - although it might be kind of interesting to give them an illustrated children's book in their stocking for a change...hmm, what a surprise that would be. While wandering through a local bookshop last weekend, 'Sam and Dave Dig a Hole' by Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen (among so many other brilliant picture book reads) seemed to be stacked everywhere. I had saved a Book Review section from the NY Times dated September 21, 2014 for a number of the reviews of children's books. 'Sam and Dave Dig a Hole' was one of the books critiqued by Maria Russo in Bookshelf/Laughs. And laughs this book delivers. I was speaking with a clerk at the store who said that one of her colleagues and her grandson just couldn't stop laughing, page after page, while reading this book together. And isn't that just what a picture book is for - snuggling up, giggling, thinking, questioning, connecting, sharing? I miss those times with my own children - those days seem so unbelievably long ago and far away now...

it all begins with cake...

...yes, it begins with cake and continues with cake. 

Today, it's actually petits gâteaux, as created in Julia, Child, a charming picture book with words by Kyo Maclear and pictures by Julie Morstad and published by Tundra Books for children aged Kindergarten to Grade 2. I love this picture book - from the clever title to the subtle, muted colours of the illustrations to the end papers to the poster inside the book jacket and everything else in between. It's a delightful, yummy read for all ages. I wish I'd written and illustrated this one! Oh, what fun it must have been to put this book together...