Julia, Child by Kyo Maclear

Julia, Child is the story of two best friends that love to cook and love being kids and having fun.  One day the friends decide to create a recipe to help the grown-ups become young again.  The idea of turning all the grown-ups young is quite funny and I think young readers would have fun envisioning the adults in their lives as young.  

Julia, Child wasn't what I first expected it to be, but once I dismissed my expectations I quite enjoyed it.  This book is not about Julia Child but it does have some of her spirit.  Julia Child had wonderful friendships, she loved French food, she loved to cook and she wasn't afraid to learn and try new things; the story Julia, Child has all these things.

Both my children love to cook so I could picture reading this with them and then talking about what ingredients we might combine to make someone young.  Then we could head to the kitchen to make a batch of cookies or try something new and different just like Julia would do.

Kyo Maclear is a Canadian author.  Julia, Child will be published in July 2014 by Tundra Books.

Kung Pow Chicken Bok! Bok! Boom! by Cyndi Marko

Kung Pow Chicken is a new series of books that is sure to be a big hit with young boys.  The books are funny and filled with action.  The Kung Pow Chicken books have short chapters with hilarious pictures that will keep boys flipping fast.

Gordon and Benny were just normal chickens with normal lives until they fell in toxic sludge and got super powers.  They try to keep their super powers hidden which isn't always easy.  In Bok! Bok! Boom! Gordon and Benny attend a night at the opera when suddenly Gordon's tail feathers start to shake.  That's a sure sign something is about to happen!

Cyndi Marko is a Canadian author.

If You Happen to Have a Dinosaur by Linda Bailey

If You Happen to Have a Dinosaur how lucky are you!  I overheard the kindergarten teacher say the other day how her students just can't get enough dinosaur books.  Kids love dinosaurs!  This book is fantastic!  Linda Bailey is already a much loved Canadian author at my library.  Everyone loves The Farm Team and the Stanley books.  I know kids will love reading Linda Bailey's fun ideas on how to put a dinosaur to work.  They will love the illustrations as well.  

But what happens if you don't have a dinosaur???

Nine Words Max by Dan Bar-el

Nine Words Max by Dan Bar-el reads like a fairy tale.  Max is a prince that is full of facts that he likes to talk on and on and on about.  He bores his brothers so much with his boring rambling that one day the brothers ask the wizard to limit Max's talking to only nine words.  The brothers soon realize how important their brothers knowledge is when they Queen comes to visit.

This would be a great book for kids in grade 3 or 4.  I think it would be a real hit with some of the young boys that are obsessed with facts.

Dan Bar-el is a Canadian author.  I think this would make a great choice for the Silver Birch Express category next year!

Oddrey by Dave Whamond

Oddrey is a young girl that's just like her name, odd.  She likes to do things a little bit different.  This is a fairly short story.  I read it to the classes as part of the Blue Spruce program.  The kids enjoyed it but I found I did a bit of explaining.  I'm not sure it was necessary for all the kids but I found a did a lot of explaining.  Such as explaining that her name is Oddrey but most people would spell Oddrey as Audrey.  I'm not sure the kids really understood it all.  However, they all enjoyed the pictures.

The Ever After of Ashwin Rao by Padma Viswanathan

In 1985 the lives of 268 Canadians were lost during the bombing of Air India flight 182.  The Ever After of Ashwin Rao by Padma Viswanathan is a story based on fictional characters telling how the surviving friends and relatives coped with this loss.  Ashwin Rao is an established Indian psychologist.  After nearly 20 years have passed, two suspects are finally on trial for their roles in the bombing.  Ashwin decides to visit Canada to meet with some of the families and study how they are coping with their grief.  He quickly becomes attached and entangled in one family’s lives and secrets.  But what Ashwin isn’t quick to reveal is that he also experienced great loss during the bombing.  While trying to help others deal with their emotions; he ends up knocking down some of the walls he has built around himself.  This is a timely read as the tragic mystery unravels of what has happened to the missing Malaysia flight 370 and the 239 passengers on board.  Padma Viswanathan is a Canadian writer and this is her second novel.  

If You Hold a Seed by Elly MacKay

If You Hold a Seed by Elly MacKay is a beautiful book.  The pictures are stunning.  There is a short YouTube video describing how she makes the pictures and it is amazing the time and detail that she puts into each page.  It is the story of a small boy that plants a seed and watches it grow into a large tree.  As I read this book at school this week the kids enjoyed looking out the window to search for buds on trees and sprouts of flowers.  If You Hold a Seed is a nominee for this year's Blue Spruce Award.