Category: Ages 8-12

Hilda and The Troll by Luke Pearson

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By Maureen Tai, 12 November 2018

“Such is the life of an adventurer.” – Hilda

IMG_8541I am proud to say that I discovered Hilda in her original comic form a few years before she became a Netflix phenomenon. Was it her blue hair, blowing freely in the breeze or her wide round eyes that appealed to me? Or was it the quirky creatures of her world: the creature made of wood with its round bald head completely separated from its tree-stump-like body? the snowy white fox with tiny antlers? the gigantic stone troll with its gaping toothy maw? Or was it the feel of the comic book, its surprising lightness and pages reminiscent of construction paper?

Whatever the reason, we’re Hilda fans, and we’re positive she’ll become a favourite of anyone with a smidgen of adventure in them. Continue reading →

Benno and the Night of Broken Glass by Meg Wiviott & illustrated by Josée Bisaillon

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By Maureen Tai, 10 November 2018

“Rosentrasse was still a busy street, but the people were no longer friendly.” – Benno

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The endpapers – the first and last two spreads of illustrations – in  Benno and the Night of Broken Glass convey the essence of the story.  In the first spread, an orange tabby cat pads along a street where only the pedestrians’ calves and colourful shoes are visible. The pace is leisurely, some feet stroll but most just stand, suggesting that people have stopped to chat, or to exchange some news. In the final endpapers, the tabby pads along the same street but the mood is palpably different. The menacing, clunky black boots of soldiers fill the pages and the other civilian feet hurry past. The cat’s face is expressionless but his tail is no longer happily upright. Instead, it is limp, and weighed down.

Something terrible has happened in Rosenstrasse.

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Up the Mountain by Marianne Dubuc

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By Maureen Tai, 26 September 2018

“Today is just like every other Sunday. Except a touch sunnier.”

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Up the Mountain is a charming, gentle and deeply evocative picture book about a chance friendship, the simple wonders of nature, the inevitable passage of time and the healing power of kindness.  The unlikely pair of friends are an older, wiser badger and a younger, curious kitten, and their relationship is reminiscent of that of a grandparent and a grandchild.

Fans of The Lion and the Bird, written and illustrated by the same author – the talented Canadian Marianne Dubuc – will fall in love with this beautifully told tale.  Continue reading →

The Journey by Francesca Sanna

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By Maureen Tai, 21 September 2018

“The war began. Every day bad things started happening around us and soon there was nothing but chaos.”

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The 21st of September has been designated the International Day of Peace. It is befitting that we read The Journey, a visually breathtaking picture book about the escape of a widow and her two young children from their war-torn home.

As they cross border after border, they don’t really know where they are going. All they know is that they are seeking peace. All they have are stories to keep them alive. Continue reading →