Category: Middle Grade

Eric by Shaun Tan

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By Maureen Tai, 4 May 2018

“Some years ago we had a foreign exchange student come to live with us. We found it very difficult to pronounce his name correctly, but he didn’t mind. He told us to just call him ‘Eric.'”

IMG_2155I have a soft spot for exchange students. I was one myself over two decades ago.  I still acutely remember the feelings of anxiety, excitement, fear, homesickness and nervousness, all mixed up in a gigantic ball in my gut as I landed in Narita Airport, Tokyo, unable to speak or read a word of Japanese.  It was 1989, and a few days later, Emperor Hirohito would pass away, marking the end of the Showa era.

I have a soft spot for Shaun Tan as well, but that is because he is an absolute genius.  Continue reading →

Pax by Sara Pennypacker

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By Maureen Tai, 1 May 2018

“So which it is? You going back for your home or for your pet?”
“They’re the same thing,” Peter said, the answer sudden and sure, although a surprise to him.

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My interest was piqued by the author’s name.  And the illustrations are gorgeous, as you’d expect from the maestro of minimalism, Jon Klassen.  The cover captivated me – the back profile of a red fox, ears pricked and alert, watching the egg yolk of a sun sink into the horizon.

A word of warning though. Despite being easy on the eye, Pax is not an easy book to read.  Continue reading →

The Nest by Kenneth Oppel

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By Maureen Tai, 30 April 2018

“I tried to look more closely at the angel in front of me. Her head alone seemed as big as me. It was a bit like standing before that huge stuffed lion at the museum, except the mane and whiskers were all light, and the eyes were huge, and the mouth never moved.  She was magnificent, and I wasn’t sure she had a mouth at all, but I was aware, every time she spoke, of something grazing my face, and of the smell of freshly mown grass.”  – Steven

The Nest

I met Kenneth Oppel before I read The Nest.  Canadian, living in Toronto, a graduate of Trinity College (my own alma mater), a husband and father, and a writer.  An amiable fellow, with a dry sense of humour and smiling eyes. So his book – illustrated by Jon Klassen, another Canadian and celebrated children’s book writer and illustrator – would be a gentle, calming read with hints of sarcasm.  Right?  Continue reading →

The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

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By Anna, 14 April 2018

“There was a Before Dunkirk version of me and an After Dunkirk version. The After Dunkirk version was stronger, less afraid. It had been awful, but I hadn’t quit. I had persisted. In battle I had won.” – Ada

In The War That Saved My Life, the main character is a ten-year-old girl called Ada who lived with her little brother Jamie and their cruel mother.

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Continue reading →