In 2010 a Winnipeg-based charity raised funds to build and ship a mosque to Inuvik, one of the most northern towns in Canada’s Arctic. A small but growing Muslim community there had been using a cramped trailer for their services, but there just wasn't enough space. The mosque travelled over 4,000 kilometers on a journey fraught with poor weather, incomplete bridges, narrow roads, low traffic wires and a deadline to get on the last barge heading up the Mackenzie River before the first winter freeze. But it made it just in time and is now one of the most northern mosques in the world. This beautiful picture book reminds us that the collective dream of fostering a multicultural and tolerant Canada exists and that people of all backgrounds will come together to build bridges and overcome obstacles for the greater good of their neighbors.
Poignant words from award-winning Indigenous author Monique Gray Smith about all the hopes adults have for the young people in their lives. The hopes we have for the children in our lives are endless. We want our young people to thrive and experience all that life has to offer, but we also feel protective of them. Using simple but powerful statements, Monique Gray Smith delivers a touching message about loving, nurturing and wishing the best for our children. Paired with Gabrielle Grimard's warm and enchanting illustrations, the message in I Hope will resonate with all parents, grandparents and caregivers. Orca Book Publishers is proud to offer this picture book as a dual-language (English and Plains Cree) edition.
This uniquely illustrated book follows a young bunny through their day while they make space for themselves and others, delivering a straightforward but impactful message about boundaries and consent. Inspired by the idea of teaching very young children how to maintain social distance, I Make Space evolved into a way of demonstrating the concept of personal space and how to recognize their own needs and the needs of others—because everyone needs space sometimes, even the people that love us the most.
Poignant words from award-winning Indigenous author Monique Gray Smith about all the hopes adults have for the young people in their lives. The hopes we have for the children in our lives are endless. We want our young people to thrive and experience all that life has to offer, but we also feel protective of them. Using simple but powerful statements, Monique Gray Smith delivers a touching message about loving, nurturing and wishing the best for our children. Paired with Gabrielle Grimard's warm and enchanting illustrations, the message in I Hope will resonate with all parents, grandparents and caregivers.
Grumble Yawn follows the onomatopoeic antics of a young girl and her cat as they resist the bedtime routine. This book is composed entirely of sounds and humor in a silly story that calls out to be read aloud with emphasis and humorous inflection. Howl moan squawk stomp—readers may recognize their own cacophonous bedtimes as the main character thwarts going quietly to sleep.
Meet different sharks from around the world in this rhyming board book. Did you know that some sharks have friends? Or that there are some sharks bigger than trucks, while others are smaller than ducks? There are sharks who can walk on land and others who play hide-and-seek in the sand. Shark expert and enthusiast Mark Leiren-Young's rhyming couplets are paired with striking photographs of many different kinds of sharks, introducing little ones to the wonder and variety of this often misunderstood fish.
Award-winning singer and songwriter Charlotte Diamond brings you her very first picture-book song collection! This illustrated compilation of Charlotte’s most popular animal-themed songs will bring delight to readers young and old, many of whom have been dancing to Charlotte’s music for decades.
Now that his parents are separated, Ludo has two homes: one in the country with his mom, and the other in the city with his dad. The young boy doesn’t like leaving the countryside and his friends to go to his father’s apartment in the city, but he does find some entertainment in the flashing traffic lights on the street corner under his window. Ludo convinces himself (with the help of his father) that the lights are controlled by a tiny gentleman who sits inside the signal pole, flipping switches all day and night. Ludo starts sneaking out to leave food for the man, and he soon makes a new friend in the big city. A tender story, complemented by vibrant illustrations, that reminds us empathy and generosity are marvelous tools to overcome one’s troubles.
Rooted in Indigenous teachings, this stunning picture book encourages readers of all ages to consider the ways in which they live in connection to the world around them and to think deeply about their behaviors. Addressing environmental issues, animal welfare, self-esteem and self-respect, and the importance of community, the authors deliver a poignant and universal message in an accessible way: Be a good ancestor to the world around you. Thought-provoking stanzas offer a call to action for each one of us to consider how we affect future generations. Every decision we make ripples out, and we can affect the world around us by thinking deeply about those decisions.
Igvillu is a little dog with big dreams. One of her favorite dreams is of becoming a sled dog. When Igvillu is adopted from her kennel by an Inuit storyteller and moves to northern Canada, she comes face-to-face with real sled dogs. Igvillu loves living in the North, chasing siksiks and dreaming about her future. She's a dog who believes anything is possible!
With soft illustrations and soothing text, this is a quiet story about learning to find calm in the busy world around you. When the party's over and the baby finally falls asleep, when the dog is all barked out and the screens are dark, the Silence pads in on soft, furry feet. A warm, comforting presence, the Silence curls up in a sun-beam like a cuddly cat and helps you read, think and be still. The Silence is friends with the Dark. Together they soothe the jagged edges left when the Noise has rolled on and gently launch the boats of your dreams into the night. When the day becomes overwhelming or other feelings become too big, the Silence slips in.
An engaging introduction for very young children to the basic facts of life in a way that is gentle, age-appropriate and accessible. Research shows that children are learning about sex at an increasingly young age and often from undesirable sources. The Q&A format, with questions posed in the child’s voice and answers starting simply and becoming gradually more in-depth, allows the adult to guide the conversation to a natural and satisfying conclusion. Additional questions at the back of the book allow for further discussion. Child psychologist Dr. Jillian Roberts designed the Just Enough series to empower parents/caregivers to start conversations with young ones about difficult or challenging subject matter. Other books in the series deal with diversity, death, separation and divorce.
Simon tries to be kind. But sometimes he loses his temper and acts without thinking, which almost always gets him into trouble. As Simon begins to understand his outbursts, he imagines himself in a boxing ring with his emotions. Can he come out on top and learn how to acknowledge his feelings?
Both the shepherd and the wolf live on the mountain. They love their home and want to feel safe there. This book tells the same story, in identical words, from both the wolf’s perspective and that of the shepherd. Read the wolf’s story then flip it over and read the shepherd’s story and see the landscape that each of them sees. A good reminder of how humans should behave in the wild and on this earth that we share.
In Big Whales, Small World you will meet whales from around the world. This rhyming photographic picture book visits the oceans of places like New Zealand, Russia and South America. Writer, filmmaker and orca activist Mark Leiren-Young introduces young readers to blue whales bigger than dinosaurs and tiny vaquitas who swim close to shores.
Follow our little cloud on an adventure through the sky and learn the science behind how it transforms from a simple cumulus cloud to a full-blown hurricane. Beautifully detailed illustrations from award-winning artist Julie McLaughlin integrate science with storytelling. Children will enjoy finding new gems of information even after several reads, thanks to a whimsical and rich layout. And meteorologist Johanna Wagstaffe weaves a comprehensive narrative about a powerful weather system that’s so compelling readers won’t even realize they are on their way to becoming budding meteorologists.
What makes bath time fun for baby? Bath toys! From parading penguins and splashing seals to frolicking frogs and bathing beavers, these joyful animal toys are ready to play. Join the splashy party in the tub…you may even get wet too! Bright, vibrant illustrations from Christine Battuz match the energy of a baby in the bath as you’re introduced to Eric Walters’s animal alliterations across each page. It’s just good clean fun!
This illustrated nonfiction picture book by child psychologist Dr. Jillian Roberts introduces children to the important topic of the environment. Crafted around a conversation between a grade-school-aged child and an adult, this inquiry-focused book using age-appropriate language and tone will help children shape their understanding of the natural world and how they participate in protecting it. Dr. Roberts starts the discussion with the types of pollution and trash that children might notice on a nature walk or a trip to the beach, how they are caused and how to work to improve things in their own lives and communities. The World Around Us series introduces children to complex cultural, social and environmental issues they may encounter outside their homes, in an accessible way. Sidebars offer further reading for older children or care providers who have bigger questions. For younger children just starting to make these observations, the simple question-and-answer format of the main text will provide a foundation of knowledge on the subject matter. This is the newest title in The World Around Us series, following books that address poverty, tragedy, prejudice, online awareness and body safety and body image.
In this sweet little book, a monster tries to scare a young child. But the child insists the monster is not scary but actually quite huggable. From the prolific and beloved author and illustrator Elise Gravel comes this funny and cute board book for the littlest readers.
Every summer morning, Ellie and her Nonna go to the beach. They swim and build sandcastles, and while Nonna reads, Ellie watches the other children play. One day Ellie builds up the courage to approach an older girl playing on her own in a beached rowboat. Piper has a gift, an imagination so great that she whisks Ellie off on grand adventures, going high in the air, deep below the ocean and everywhere in between in their little blue boat, their magic boat. When Piper has to leave, Ellie discovers she has her own vivid imagination.
A young child walks along a country road into town where there’s a parade on. The experiences of the day, and the child’s eventual homecoming and bedtime, are chronicled and compared to the sun. The sun takes the form of the yolk of an egg, a spool of thread, the eye of a bird, an ice-cream cone and a dandelion. Each round, yellow item on the page hints at the big golden ball in the sky. Stunning illustrations by Josée Bisaillon capture how imagination shapes the environment around us. This simple board book shows children that the way they see the world—by heart, mind and imagination—is just right. Revelling in metaphor, The Sun is a Peach encourages that magical leap of imagination and asks the reader to look at everyday objects from a different perspective.
Lucy has a new luge sled, but she isn’t sure about this unique sliding sport. You have to lie on your back and steer with your legs? The luge track’s twists and turns look pretty scary too. But with her parents’ support and a bit of courage, Lucy jumps on her sled for a speedy adventure! Lucy Tries Luge is the first book in the Lucy Tries Sports series, which aims to promote physical literacy and encourage young readers to get involved in sports. Research shows that developing fundamental movement and sport skills at a young age benefits kids for their entire lives, promoting an active and healthy lifestyle. The Lucy Tries Sports series reinforces the HIGH FIVE principles of healthy child development needed for quality programs, including the support of a caring adult, the opportunity to participate, to play, to make friends and to master skills.
Celebrated poet Susan Musgrave weaves the purity, strength and sweetness of love with simple joys from nature experienced through the seasons. Marilyn Faucher's vibrant illustrations are a lovely complement to Musgrave's prose, and together these elements introduce babies and toddlers to the delight of cold summer plums, a shower of cherry blossom petals and the endlessness of love. A perfect read-aloud, this poetic board book will foster warmth and closeness with the littlest ones in your life
Every spring the Great Bear Rainforest becomes a nursery to some of the most adorable baby animals out there. Award-winning nature photographer Ian McAllister has photographed the cutest of the cute to teach the little ones in your life about some of the little ones found in this temperate rainforest on British Columbia's Pacific coast. Orca calves, wolf cubs, seal pups and herring eggs (arguably not traditionally cute but still interesting!) feature in this vibrant exploration of one of the most beautiful great outdoors on offer in this big wild world.
One yellow ribbon unties itself from a child's hair and transforms into a winter scarf, a farmer's field and a lion's mane, among many other magical things, in this delightful board book by celebrated pa-per artist Marthe Jocelyn. Jocelyn's paper collages in this wordless search-and-find adventure will encourage little ones to look closely at the world around them and explore what they see.
