When the Banyan Sways, Folktales from India
Artist: Radha RaulgaonkarEditor: Dushy GnanapragasamPublisher: Running the Goat$21.99Four folktales from India—full of magic and wisdom.
Fitch & Smith Treasury
Artist: Sydney SmithPublisher: Nimbus Publishing$25.95A beautiful collector’s edition of three Sheree Fitch-tastic tales with illustrations from Hans Christian Andersen Award–winning illustrator Sydney Smith.
- What if there was a purple planet with purple people on it?
- I stuck my toes / In my nose / And I couldn’t get them out
- There were monkeys in my kitchen / They were climbing / Up the walls
In a lovely hardcover edition bursting with vibrant colour, The Fitch & Smith Treasury presents the time-tested, rollicking rhyming books from Canada’s Dr. Seuss and illustrated by Hans Christian Andersen Award–winning illustrator Sydney Smith, Mabel Murple, Toes in My Nose, and There Were Monkey’s in My Kitchen, to a whole new generation.
Every Leaf on Every Tree
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$14.95A tender and playful baby board book bursting with declarations of love from the bestselling author/illustrator of The Hidden World of Gnomes.
Black Boy, Black Boy (pb)
Artist: Ibeabuchi AnanabaPublisher: Nimbus Publishing$14.95A powerful spoken-word poem encouraging Black boys of every shade, size, and passion to reach for the stars. Features vibrant artwork depicting famous Black men such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Chadwick Boseman, and more.
The Friendship Centre
Artist: Zeta PaulPublisher: Nimbus Publishing$13.95A modern story of traditional Indigenous knowledge from the author of The Sharing Circlethat teaches young readers about the importance of the Friendship Centre for urban Indigenous peoples.
Matthew is visiting his uncle in the big city! He can’t wait to tour the Friendship Centre, where Uncle Hunter works, and enjoy all the food, activities, and resources it has to offer. With language classes, drumming circles, feasts, and more, Matthew learns that the Friendship Centre provides a home away from home for urban Indigenous people. It’s a space created for Indigenous people by Indigenous people, and Matthew feels welcomed right away. Matthew drums, smudges, and tastes freshly baked bannock, but his favourite parts of his visit are the people he meets.From the author of Sweetgrass, The Gathering, and The Sharing Circle, and the illustrator of Muinji’j Asks Why, this story welcomes all into a safe and inviting community space.
Toes in My Nose
Artist: Sydney SmithPublisher: Nimbus Publishing$16.95The twenty-fifth-anniversary edition of Canada’s nonsense poet’s classic book, illustrated by Governor General’s Award-winning illustrator Sydney Smith, portrays a neighbourhood of kids flying to the moon, playing banjo with orangutans, and bathing with submarines. Now available in paperback.
Joe & the Wreck of the Tribune
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$14.95Middle grade historical fiction inspired by the real 18th-century shipwreck off Halifax Harbour, and the local boy who risked his life to save those on board.
Tummy Time Friends A fold-out book
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$12.95Your baby will love to look at the smiling baby faces in this fun, accordion-style book. Unfold it on the floor during tummy time (an important developmental activity to strengthen baby’s neck and back muscles) and your baby can say hello to their new friends, and gaze at their own face in the mirror at the centre of the book. Perfect for new parents or as a gift.
Butter Tart Island
Publisher: Acorn Press$17.95Twelve-year-old Jane Smith isn’t surprised when her parents announce they’re relocating, but her life is about to change, big-time. Maybe she isn?t the only one with secrets.
Be a Weather Detective Solving the Mysteries of Cycles, Seasons, and Elements
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$14.95Unravel the secrets of weather, from hurricanes to snowflakes, with naturalist Peggy Kochanoff’s newest book in the Be A Nature Detective series. This fascinating and entertaining guide, packed with detailed watercolour illustrations, is the perfect tool for young readers to learn about the mysteries of weather patterns in Atlantic Canada and beyond.
Be a City Nature Detective
$14.95How do bedbugs get into your home? Why are some grey squirrels black? Does goldenrod cause hay fever?
Naturalist and artist Peggy Kochanoff answers these questions and more in this illustrated guide to solving nature mysteries in the city.
From the author of Silver Birch-nominated Be a Nature Detective series comes a new adventure full of fascinating facts and original watercolours. From scuttling cockroaches to waves of starlings to burdock heads on your clothes, Kochanoff takes the reader through city streets to show them the amazing nature growing there. Features a glossary, identification page, and further reading.
Muin and the Seven Bird Hunters
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$12.95The story of Muin and the Seven Bird Hunters is a very old Mi’kmaw legend. It happens in the North Sky as the stars that show the story of Muin and the Seven Bird Hunters move around Tatapn, the North Star.
In pictures in this book you can see how these stars, shown as they appear two hours before dawn, move through the night sky. They are in a different position each of the seasons because they are the time-keepers, the calendar. All through the year, as the stars and plants travel through the sky, the Mi’kmaq watch the story of Muin and the Seven Bird Hunters as it unfolds before their eyes.
A Harbour Seal in Halifax
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$22.95Seal went for a stroll…
The icy puddles were too small for swimming
The rocks were too tall for climbing.
Seal saw bright lights. They sparkled.
Seal liked the snow.
One snowy night in downtown Halifax, Nova Scotia, a strange figure peeks out from behind a parked car. A woman screams! So begins a lost harbour seal’s adventure through the steep streets of the sleepy winter city. Soon, Constable and Officer are on the case, and if they work together, they just might be able to help the harbour seal find his way back home.
Celebrated children’s author and illustrator Doretta Groenendyk brings the true story of Halifax’s famous winter 2015 flipslippery visitor to life with colourful paintings and simple text. A Harbour Seal in Halifax is destined to become a local family favourite.
The City Speaks in Drums (pb)
Artist: Susan TookePublisher: Nimbus Publishing$12.95Available for the first time in paperback, the award-winning The City Speaks in Drums follows two boys from North End Halifax as they explore their neighbourhood and the city beyond, finding music everywhere. At the skate park, by the Public Gardens, down Spring Garden Road, and on the boardwalk, drums and saxophones and dancers and basketballs create the jumbled, joyful, pulsing rhythm of Halifax. Shauntay Grant’s playful spoken word-style poem and Susan Tooke’s vivid illustrations create a wildly energetic and appealing journey through the big, bright city.
Apples and Butterflies
Artist: Tamara Thiébaux-HeikaloPublisher: Nimbus Publishing$12.95From patchwork-quilt farmland to the winding red roads, from sandy beaches to the endless stars at night, Apples and Butterflies shows Prince Edward Island shining in the bright blue and gold light of fall. Shauntay Grant’s award-winning poetry and Tamara Thiébaux Heikalo’s rich and wild illustrations pull the reader towards the wide-open space of the island. New softcover edition.
Be a Beach Detective Solving the Mysteries of Lakes, Swamps, and Pools
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$14.95Can anything eat prickly sea urchins? Can dead jellyfish still sting you? Why does water squirt up when you walk along the beach?
Biologist and artist Peggy Kochanoff answers these questions and more in this illustrated guide to solving beach mysteries. From the puzzling tidal life of barnacles to the stunning variety of seaweeds, Kochanoff dives deep into our coastal habitats and comes up with an entertaining and enlightening look at life by the ocean. Full of fascinating facts and surprising solutions, Be a Beach Detective is the perfect book for curious beachcombers of any age!
Be Prepared! The Frankie MacDonald Guide to Life, the Weather, and Everything
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$16.95Ever wonder where clouds come from? Or how meteorologists predict the weather? This brand new book, starring Nova Scotia’s favourite weather reporter, Frankie MacDonald, and written by author Sarah Sawler, shares stories from Frankie’s early years, along with facts about all things sunny, rainy, snowy, and stormy. Filled with pictures, graphics, and advice from Frankie himself, this book has everything you need to Be Prepared!
Jujijk Mi’kmaw Insects
Artist: Gerald GloadePublisher: Nimbus Publishing$10.95The English language is noun-based, referring to people, places, and things. Jujijk, an illustrated bilingual guide to bugs and insects in Atlantic Canada, showcases the beautiful verb-based Mi’kmaw language. Featuring vibrant artwork and concise, fascinating descriptions, Jujijk will have you searching out “the one that looks like a little owl” (moth) and “the one that sings before she bites you” (mosquito).
Created to promote and preserve the Mi’kmaw language, this book includes a pronunciation guide, a Mi’kmaw-English matching game, and an abridged version of the Smith-Francis orthography.
Evangeline for Young Readers
Artist: Patsy MacKinnonPublisher: Nimbus Publishing$17.95Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s epic poem, Evangeline, tells the story of two young people deported from beautiful Acadie just before they are to be married and their search for each other that lasts the rest of their lives. First published in 1847, the poem has been important to Acadian identity ever since.
In Evangeline for Young Readers, the tragic story of Evangeline and Gabriel’s Deportation is recounted to a new generation. In simple prose true to Longfellow’s poem, Hélène Boudreau describes the utopian village of Grand-Pré where Evangeline grows up, the traumatizing Deportation, and Evangeline’s relentless search across America for her true love. Patsy MacKinnon’s stunning illustrations bring the story to life in full colour.
Evangeline for Young Readers is a vital interpretation for children of Longfellow’s classic.
The Children of Africville (2nd edition)
$17.95The children of Africville, Nova Scotia, lived in a special community where everyone knew their neighbours, and all helped and cared for each other. It was the perfect place for children to play and grow up. The Children of Africville is the remarkable story of these children during the community’s final years, before it was torn down and its families were relocated. Full of photographs and stories from Africville people, this book is an important celebration of Nova Scotia black history, its vibrant community, and the children who lived there.
The Sky’s The Limit! Canadians Who Blazed a Trail in Aviation
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$19.95The first juvenile non-fiction book celebrating diverse Canadian aviators, from the author of Birchtown and the Black Loyalists.
Thank You for My Bed
Publisher: Acorn Press$12.95Doretta Groenendyk’s whimsical illustrations bring this lyrical bedtime story to life. Cuddle up for a cozy adventure as we see how children from all over the world snuggle up and say ‘Thank you for my bed”. Children will realize that although cultures may differ, we are all the same in that each night, we all go to bed. It was shortlisted for the 2012 Lillian Shepherd Award for Excellence in Illustration!
Atlantic Puffin
Artist: Jeffrey DommPublisher: Nimbus Publishing$12.95The Atlantic Puffin is a familiar symbol of the Atlantic region, earning it the nickname “Little Brother of the North.” This wonderful story is told from the point of view of a puffin, drawing the reader effortlessly into the natural habitat of a puffin’s world. Accompanied with beautiful illustrations, Atlantic Puffin details habitat, breeding cycles, eating and nesting habits, and more, about the life of this fascinating animal. Artistically rendered, carefully researched, this latest installment from the popular writing and illustrating team of Kristin and Jeff Domm will delight any child or adult who seeks to learn more about the treasured Atlantic Puffin.
Lobster in my Pocket 2nd edition
Artist: Brenda JonesPublisher: Nimbus Publishing$12.95This Maritime classic tells the magical story of Lee, a lonely girl in a coastal fishing village. One day she meets Lucky, a talking lobster trapped in a crate on the wharf. Lee sets Lucky free, and the two become friends. When Lee falls into the ocean during a terrible storm, Lucky shows how much he cares about her! Now in a new, full-colour edition, Lobster in my Pocket is a joyful tale of friendship that will delight readers of all ages.
Gary the Seagull
Artist: Paul HammondPublisher: Nimbus Publishing$12.95It’s a hot summer day and Gary is hungry. The beach is packed with people…and packed with people’s lunches. Though he’s been known to eat everything from minnows to garbage, it’s beach lunches Gary loves most of all. With his patented seagull cunning, Gary takes increasingly ridiculous measures to trick a young boy into sharing his lunch. Will the boy hand over his ketchup chips and watermelon?
This uproarious read-aloud from beloved Ontario-based songwriter and entertainer, better known by his stage name, B. A. Johnston, will have parents hugging their beach coolers a little tighter and kids shouting “SHOO, BIRD! SHOO!” Halifax-based illustrator-cartoonist Paul Hammond provides bright and bold illustrations and hand-lettered embellishments for a salty good read.
Oak Island and the Search for the Buried Treasure
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$19.95Are Shakespeare’s lost manuscripts buried deep in the notorious Money Pit? Do booby traps conceal the Holy Grail of the Knights Templar or Blackbeard’s pirate loot? The mystery of Oak Island’s rumoured treasure has stumped explorers and researchers for over two hundred years. In this fascinating nonfiction account, librarian Joann Hamilton-Barry introduces young readers to the treasures rumoured to be hidden on Nova Scotia’s famous question mark-shaped island and the curious adventurers who sought it out.
With over 50 maps, photographs, and artefacts, highlighted by educational sidebars, this accessible, entertaining book takes readers from the island’s first treasure hunters to present-day adventurers, and shares tales of pirate gold, mysterious messages, and the famous Oak Island curse.
