Tag: book review

Butt Sandwich and Tree by Wesley King

July 13, 2023

Cheese sandwiches, Crocs, and PlayStation. These are eleven-year-old Green Bennett’s favourite things. Green is excellent at math, reads a lot of books such as The Hardy Boys, and is happy with who he is. Oh, and he has autism spectrum disorder, also known as Asperger’s Syndrome, but that is his least defining quality of all. However, when Coach Nelson’s necklace holding his late wife’s ring goes missing, Green is the first person everyone suspects because he’s different. His older brother, Cedar, is the thirteen-year-old star player on the basketball team and the only one who believes Green’s innocence. … More Butt Sandwich and Tree by Wesley King

Once There Was by Kiyash Monsef

July 6, 2023

Every adult knows the awe and wonder make-believe stories instilled in us as young children. We all imagined ourselves riding a unicorn or fighting a dragon or dancing with fairies. But what if these magical beings turned out to be real? And you were the only one who could help save them? This is exactly what happens to Marjan Dastani in Kiyash Monsef’s book, Once There Was. In this epic debut, readers follow Marjan as she begins to discover a secret world of mythical creatures– and all the dangers that come with it. … More Once There Was by Kiyash Monsef

he called me kid by Tita M. Kyrtsakas

June 22, 2023

The way I picture the relationship between 22-year-old Turner and 18-year-old Clementine can be explained via citrus: Turner is a rather pompous orange, while Clementine is, well, a clementine. Despite being a smaller fruit, a clementine is not inferior to its larger citrus counterpart. However, an impressionable clementine might be convinced that it should marvel at the orange’s pretense of maturity and knowledge – claims leaning on the simple fact that it is bigger. To solidify this dynamic, the pompous orange might even call the  clementine “kid.” … More he called me kid by Tita M. Kyrtsakas

My Lala by Thomas King, illus. Charlene Chua

June 20, 2023

As any harried parent or caregiver will tell you, stickers are perfect for rewarding and placating children’s behaviour. Didn’t cry at preschool today? You deserve a sticker! Ate all your broccoli? Take two! Whether they are used as a reward or to motivate behaviour, stickers are popular with young children and a boon for parents. In My Lala, a picture book by Governor General Award-winning author, Thomas King, stickers are used to denote possession. Not a terrible thing, especially when you have siblings or are forgetful. However, Lala uses them everywhere, and I mean everywhere. … More My Lala by Thomas King, illus. Charlene Chua

Heart Sister by Michael F. Stewart

June 15, 2023

Emmitt’s world comes crashing down the day his twin sister Minnie is officially declared brain-dead following a devastating accident. His family is on the brink of falling apart, and the thread holding them together has snapped. With nothing to lose, Emmitt sets out to make a film starring all the fortunate recipients that received an organ from his 16-year-old twin — a film that he hopes will piece his family back together and mend his mother’s shattered heart.  … More Heart Sister by Michael F. Stewart

House of Hollow by Krystal Sutherland

June 8, 2023

What if you weren’t at all who you thought you were?

Iris Hollow and her two sisters Vivi and Grey went missing mysteriously ten years ago. When they returned home one month later, their dark hair turned white, their eyes went black, and strange, magical things started happening around them. No one knows what happened to them during the month they were gone, and neither do the three girls. One day, Grey disappears again, leaving her sisters a cryptic note. Iris and Vivi set out in search of her, but the clues reveal that Grey and their parents have been keeping a much more dark and ominous secret from them. … More House of Hollow by Krystal Sutherland

Below the Surface by Allison Finley

June 6, 2023

A buried treasure has the potential to refresh a town’s understanding of its own history. In Below the Surface, thirteen-year-old, curly-haired Theo is on summer break uncovering Cedarbrook’s most puzzling mysteries. The river under Sawyer’s Bridge is Theo’s favourite place in the town, but the bridge is said to be haunted by the ghost of an old traveller. He isn’t convinced, and instead visits regularly to search for treasure. That is, until he finds a pocket watch linked to the ghost, and the rumours begin to feel more possible. … More Below the Surface by Allison Finley