A New Pet in the Family


John H. Carroll - 2011
    Aimed for readers age five to ten, Bookata’s books allow the users (parents and children alike) to change in a few minutes the whole content, from illustrations to text.

Uncle Shelby's ABZ Book


Shel Silverstein - 1961
    Uncle Shelby's Abz Book

The Gashlycrumb Tinies


Edward Gorey - 1963
    Gorey tells the tale of 26 children (each representing a letter of the alphabet) and their untimely deaths in rhyming dactylic couplets, accompanied by the author's distinctive black and white illustrations. It is one of Edward Gorey's best-known books, and is the most notorious amongst his roughly half-dozen mock alphabets.[2] It has been described as a "sarcastic rebellion against a view of childhood that is sunny, idyllic, and instructive". The morbid humor of the book comes in part from the mundane ways in which children die, such as falling down the stairs or choking on a peach. Far from illustrating the dramatic and fantastical childhood nightmares, these scenarios instead poke fun at the banal paranoias that come as a part of parenting.

I Love Being Free (Lolli's Happy Heart Rhymes #1)


Elena Paige - 2016
    A beautiful book of rhymes where the words and illustrations teach kids about life, how to navigate their feelings and that they are unique and special. Fun loving and inspiring characters, Lolli and Liquorice, from the Land of Colour take you on an adventure through life, with their fun rhymes. In Lolli's Happy Heart Rhymes, Lolli shares what she "loves" reminding kids to be themselves, have fun and that being human is never perfect. Includes 14 unique poems that rhyme, and are accompanied by gorgeous illustrations that bring the rhymes to life:  - I love every day - I love my friends - I love nature - I love animals - I love following my heart - I love being alone - I love daydreaming - I love learning - I love my feelings - I love telling the truth - I love hugs - I love me - I love adventures - I love being free Also in this series is "I Love Being Different" and "I Love Trying New Things."  Plus you can find Lolli's other books - Meditation Adventures for Kids - at http://www.superhappykids.com and download all the illustrations in this series for coloring in fun for FREE. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Elena Paige is a children's fiction author and health educator based in Melbourne Australia. Having studied bachelor degrees in Law and Psychology Elena has worked in Government within the field of community safety, crime prevention and building strong social connections. She has worked for the past 15 years in the health and counselling field in private practise. She continues to be a life long student of martial arts and the Chinese healing arts which influence her work. Elena Paige originally developed the character of Lolli to help her own children overcome their own issues around self esteem, sleeping issues, and friendships. Her work is influenced through her healing work and knowledge of basic human needs to love, acknowledgment and personal connection. Lolli is also featured in another series - MEDITATIONS ADVENTURES FOR KIDS. The meditations were developed to be fun, rather than what one may traditionally think of as meditation. Kids love the whimsical nature of following where Lolli takes them and they learn things coincidentally along the way. You can see more about Lolli and other books in progress by Elena Paige at http://www.superhappykids.com .

Sparkly the Unicorn


Mary K. Smith - 2015
    

Wild Symphony


Dan Brown - 2020
    Each has a special secret to share.Along the way, you might spot the surprises Maestro Mouse has left for you- a hiding buzzy bee, jumbled letters that spell out clues, and even a coded message to solve!Children and adults can enjoy this picture book as a traditional read-along, or can choose to listen to original musical compositions as they read--one for each animal--with a free interactive smartphone app, which uses augmented reality to play the appropriate song for each page when a phone's camera is held over it.

Canada and Other Matters of Opinion


Rex Murphy - 2009
    Johnson’s greatness to Bono’s gratingness, from doubts about Obama to utter belief in Don Cherry, from Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn’s outstanding oeuvre to — well, Pamela Anderson.The topics are as eclectic and wide ranging as the intelligence that put them together. The perspective is thoroughly Canadian, and so are many of the recurring topics and themes: of our domestic politics and our military involvements abroad, of our national identity, of human rights and human decency. You’ll find assessments of the reputations of Paul Martin, Conrad Black, Adrienne Clarkson, and Tim Hortons; tough but affectionate views of Newfoundland — of course — but also from Rex Murphy’s constant travels across Canada.But all the world is here, in all its glory and folly. The hard-hitting attacks on politicians, celebrities, those who would ban smoking, and anyone who uses the expression “global warming denial” will have you cheering or tearing your hair out, depending. You will be informed, infuriated perhaps, but always fascinated.

First Week, Worst Week


Raymond Bean - 2011
    The books are written with you in mind. They're fast paced, have quick chapters (we promise), and are shorter than the average book (you're welcome).Book # 1, First Week, Worst Week is a quick and fun read. Give it a try. It will be over before you know it.Justin is not a fan of school. The last few days of summer are quickly vanishing. His mom is in full blown back to school mode, and he can't do anything to stop it. Over the final forty eight hours of summer he's been dragged shoe shopping, clothes shopping, and the worst store shopping of all, school supply shopping.The first three days of school only get worse when he loses his pet snake, all the money in his savings account, and nearly his own life.Oh, and he has the meanest teacher in the whole school, Mrs. Cliff. She's been around so long she taught his dad when he was a kid. The thought of spending a whole school year in her class makes him want to hop the first bus to Canada. Unfortunately, he can't afford a bus ticket to Canada, so he'll just have to suck it up.

Pomodoro Penguin Makes a Friend


Bryce Westervelt - 2013
    Join a little red, pasta-loving penguin named Pomodoro on his quest to cure boredom and find friendship.Pomodoro encounters a bully, but in the end, it is his love of all things pasta that helps him find an unlikely dinner partner!

Lola The Mermaid and The Splish Splash Olympics


Lily Lexington - 2012
    

The White Cat and the Monk: A Retelling of the Poem “Pangur Bán”


Jo Ellen Bogart - 2016
    He studies his books late into the evening and searches for truth in their pages. His cat, Pangur, leads a simple life, too, chasing prey in the darkness. As night turns to dawn, Pangur leads his companion to the truth he has been seeking.The White Cat and the Monk is a retelling of the classic Old Irish poem “Pangur Bán.” With Jo Ellen Bogart’s simple and elegant narration and Sydney Smith’s classically inspired images, this contemplative story pays tribute to the wisdom of animals and the wonders of the natural world.

How To Be A Super Villain


Rachel Yu - 2011
    This fun, witty, humorous story will point you in the right, or you can say, BAD, direction. For all you hopeful apprentices, this entertaining guide will guarantee loads of fun and laughter.

The 25 Weirdest Animals in the World! Amazing facts, photos and video links to the strangest creatures on the planet. (Amazing Animals Series)


I.P. Factly - 2012
    Using video links, IP Factly's Amazing Animal series has been designed to encourage and bolster independent reading. The animals are accompanied by pictures and facts plus video links so children can see the animals and how they behave.

The Western Light


Susan Swan - 2012
    Mouse’s world is constrained by a number of factors: her mother is dead, her father – the admired country doctor – is emotionally distant, her housekeeper Sal is prejudiced and narrow, and her grandmother and aunt, Big Louie and Little Louie, the only life-affirming presences in her life, live in another city. Enter Gentleman John Pilkie, the former NHL star who’s transferred to the mental hospital in Madoc's Landing, where he is to serve out his life-sentence for the murder of his wife and daughter. John becomes a point of fascination for young Mary, who looks to him for the attention she does not receive from her father. He, in turn, is kind to her – but the kindness is misunderstood. When Mary figures out that the attention she receives from the Hockey Killer is different in kind and intent from the attention her Aunt Little Louie receives, her world collapses. Set against the beautiful and dramatic shore of Georgian Bay, the climax will have readers turning pages with concern for characters they can’t help but love.Praise"Mouse Bradford is a unique and luminous creation... Gentleman John Pilkie, the hockey killer with a heart of gold, is dressed and ready to become a legend." — Paul Gross

The Dead Are More Visible


Steven Heighton - 2012
    These 11 profoundly moving and finely crafted stories encapsulate wildly divergent themes of love and loss, containment and exclusion. In the title story, a parks & rec worker faces an assailant who does not leave the altercation intact. A medical researcher and his claustrophobic fiancée are locked in the trunk of their car after a failed carjacking (the thief can't drive standard). A young woman enters a pharmaceutical trial in the outer reaches of suburbia and slips between sleeping and waking with increasingly alarming ease. Pairing the cultural acuity of Lost in Translation with the compassion and reach of The World According to Garp, Heighton breathes new life into the short story, a genre that is finally coming into its own.