8 - 10 years

A Phonetic Reader

Written and Illustrated by Shelley Davidow

Geared towards early readers.

The Secret Pet follows the delightful Early Reader Series of books also written by Shelley Davidow.   In this first chapter book, we meet once again several of the characters from the introductory series, most notably the boy Tim and Jake the (magical) Snake.  Tim and Jake become fast friends, both of them deciding that they simply must be together.  This entails Tim sneaking Jake into his home (since Tim’s mother is not very fond of snakes) and into school (where pets really aren’t welcome).  Through their adventures, they both discover some truths about the differences between life in the wild and life in a home, and how it is that we change our habits and inclinations out of love for one another.  A perfect chapter book for young readers who are learning to decode consonant and vowel blends, punctuation meaning and sentence structure.

The author’s ability to create a humorous and thoughtful story is once again demonstrated; her beautiful drawings bring the story to life, capturing the attention of those early or struggling readers and keeping them reading until they finish the book.

Grades 2-3

Softcover, 112 pages.

Jalmar Press.

Printed in the United States.

 

Author Biography:

Shelley Davidow was born and raised in South Africa.  Her books for children, young adults and adults have been published in Africa, the United Kingdom, the United States and  Australia.  In 2002, her young adult novel, In the Shadow of Inyangani (Macmillan 2003), was a finalist in the Macmillan/Picador BBC World Writer’s Prize for Africa.  She has an MSEd from Sunbridge College in New York and has taught in schools, colleges and universities across the world.    She now lives on the East Coast of Australia with her husband and son.

 www.shelleydavidow.com

 

A Phonetic Reader

Written and Illustrated by Shelley Davidow

Geared towards early readers, Grades 2-4 (children ages 6-9 years old).

The Secret Door is the second chapter book in our phonetic reader series, and the follow-up to 'The Secret Pet'.  It continues with the phonetically-based principles that focus on ar, or, er,ir, ur, oo, ou, ow, oi, oy, au, aw, and ea words.

Filled with mystery and adventure, what better way to boost a new reader’s skill than to have them read a page turner!  Here is the reader of children’s dreams—a phonetically stepped adventure story!

Readers will follow Tim (who they will remember from the earlier Phonetic Readers) and his friends Mina and Jo through a mysterious secret door that leads into a magical world where fox, baboons, panthers and rats contend with each other with the kingdom being the prize and good winning the day as a must.

In addition to hardly being able to wait to find out what happens next, the by now very eager reader will discover new diphthongs and learn them without even noticing they have done so.  Mystery, adventure and phonetic compounds—what could be better?

Read a book excerpt from the publisher's page here.

Softcover, 140 pages.  5.5 x 8.5 inches.

Jalmar Press.

Printed in the United States.

 

Author Biography:

Shelley Davidow was born and raised in South Africa.  Her books for children, young adults and adults have been published in Africa, the United Kingdom, the United States and  Australia.  In 2002, her young adult novel, In the Shadow of Inyangani (Macmillan 2003), was a finalist in the Macmillan/Picador BBC World Writer’s Prize for Africa.  She has an MSEd from Sunbridge College in New York and has taught in schools, colleges and universities across the world.    She now lives on the East Coast of Australia with her husband and son.

www.shelleydavidow.com

A Phonetic Reader

Written and Illustrated by Shelley Davidow

Geared towards early readers, Grades 3-4 (7-10 years old).

Softcover, 128 pages.  5.5 x 8.5 inches.

Jalmar Press.

Printed in the United States.

 

Author Biography:

Shelley Davidow was born and raised in South Africa.  Her books for children, young adults and adults have been published in Africa, the United Kingdom, the United States and  Australia.  In 2002, her young adult novel, In the Shadow of Inyangani (Macmillan 2003), was a finalist in the Macmillan/Picador BBC World Writer’s Prize for Africa.  She has an MSEd from Sunbridge College in New York and has taught in schools, colleges and universities across the world.    She now lives on the East Coast of Australia with her husband and son.

www.shelleydavidow.com

By Mariam Gates; illlustrated by Leigh Standley

From the bestselling author of the Good Night Yoga series

Get ready to send your little one off to a good night’s sleep with Sweet Dreams: Bedtime Visualizations for Kids.

This book includes eight visualizations that help kids slow down, breathe, and become aware of their bodies so they can relax into a good night’s sleep. Whether they are envisioning flying a kite, making it rain, or rocketing to the moon, Sweet Dreams offers guided narratives that will spark their imaginations, as well as breathing techniques that encourage restful relaxation.

Inspired by the popular Cloud Journey Visualization at the end of Good Night Yoga, Sweet Dreams offers proven techniques to help children calm down and settle both physically and mentally so they can enjoy a good night’s rest.

Visualizations include Shrinking Down, Blowing Bubbles, Rocketing to the Moon, Making It Rain, Galloping Through a Meadow, Diving Underwater, Flying a Kite, and Bedtime Breathing.

Mariam Gates has helped thousands of children, parents, and teachers through her Kid Power Yoga program. With more than 20 years of experience working with young people, she has combined her dedication to teaching yoga with her skills as an educator to guide children in accessing their own inner source of strength, confidence, problem-solving, and creativity.

Recommended for ages 8-12 years, but older children and adults will also surely be lulled by these immersive visualizations.

Hardcover, 32 pages.

Sounds True publishing.

 

About the Author/ Illustrator:

Mariam Gates holds a master’s in education from Harvard University and is the creator of the renowned Kid Power Yoga. She is the author of the bestselling Good Night Yoga and many other yoga-related books for children. She lives in Northern California. For more, see mariamgates.com.

LEIGH STANDLEY is the artist and owner of Curly Girl Design, Inc. She lives in Boston. For more, visit curlygirldesign.com.

Written by Kallie George, illustrated by Stephanie Graegin

When Mona the Mouse stumbles across the wondrous world of the Heartwood Hotel in the middle of a storm, she desperately hopes they'll let her stay. As it turns out, Mona is precisely the maid they need at the grandest hotel in Fernwood Forest, where animals come from far and wide for safety, luxury, and comfort. But the Heartwood Hotel is not all acorn souffl and soft moss-lined beds. Danger lurks, and as it approaches, Mona finds that this hotel is more than a warm place to spend the night. It might also be a home.

This delightfully enticing start of a new chapter book series tells a tale of friendship, courage, and community, with exquisite black-and-white illustrations throughout.

Recommended for readers ages 7-10 years old.

Softcover.

Published in Canada by HarperCollins

Download the teacher's guide from the publisher here.

Reviews

Imagination Soup
Lost in a storm, with no home or destination, Mona the Mouse discovers a beautiful hotel for forest animals. There she works as a maid to earn her room and board. But more than that, she helps solve problems and learns about her family connection to the lovely hotel where she’s invited to stay as long as she wants. This is a sweet, warm-hearted adventure of resiliency and friendship. 

Publisher's Weekly
Seeking shelter in a storm, a mouse named Mona stumbles on the Heartwood Hotel, a swanky getaway for woodland animals located within a tree, then gets hired as a maid. In this compassionate and comforting first book in the Heartwood Hotel series, George (the Magical Animal Adoption Agency series) introduces a supremely cozy setting in the hideaway hotel and a well-developed cast of staffers and guests. Mona’s innate kindness goes a long way at an establishment whose motto is “We live by ‘protect and respect,’ not by ‘tooth and claw.’”

Irene Roth's Canadian Book Reviews
This is a wonderful middle grade novel for kids. It is a super-cute story, one that will transport kids to realms of magic and what it means to have a true home.

Carla Loves Store
This is a delightful story for late primary readers who are ready for more difficult chapter books… Children will be amused by the delightful world within this Hotel, as well as the many life lessons that Mona learns and teaches others along the way. The various animals at the hotel are all varied and have different talents and interests. The owner, a badger named Mr. Heartwood, is kind and generous to a fault. The guests all have different needs that must be taken care of. It is a wonderful cast of characters. There is some adventure, problem solving as well as a little danger. This would make a nice read aloud in a primary class where there is a chapter read each day with some good discussions to follow. I really like the ideas about friendship, class structure as well as facing your fears and helping your friends. There is also lessons about loss, self-confidence and to some degree bullying. It is not in your face, but the ideas are all there. A good addition to a school or class library.

The Little Crooked Cottage
We love reading chapter books aloud on summer nights in our house. Kallie George’s heartwarming first book in the Heartwood Hotel series is a perfect chapter-a-night read. Young readers will enjoy being be transported to the tiny woodland world where Mona the Mouse discovers the Heartwood Hotel while seeking shelter from a rainstorm. Mona is quickly welcomed into the fold—where a cast of characters, soft moss-lined beds, and a little adventure (and danger!) awaits. 

Mundie Kids
A cute woodland story about friendship, courage, overcoming challenges, and the true meaning of home.
Heartwood Hotel is an enjoyable read that takes readers into the heart of the woods, and introduces them to a variety of woodland animal (and a few insect characters too). With Graegin's illustrations (I love this cover), and George's storytelling, this story is one that will make you wish you could spend longer than the time it takes to read this book, with Mona and her woodland friends.

One of the things I really enjoyed about this story, is that it encompasses topics that young chapter book readers can understand. Like feeling lonely, feeling like you belong, finding new friends, doing your best despite feeling you're too small to do anything, friendship, jealously, helping others, and doing your best. Mona the mouse is a character who starts off feeling scared, lonely and a little insecure, and ends up finding she's brave, courageous, a good friend, and strong in knowing who she is.

Heartwood Hotel is a charming, enchanting woodland story. This is a great book to pick up for kids that are reading chapter books. It also makes for a great read aloud. We're looking forward to reading the next book in this adorable series.

Batch of Books
I can’t wait to tell you about the CUTEST new chapter book series! My two older girls and I all read the first two books in the Heartwood Hotel series by Kallie George and these books are ADORABLE.

These two books brought back so many happy memories of reading Old Mother West Wind, The Wind in the Willows, and writing my own stories. In all honesty, I fell hard in love with this series. These are happy, feel-good books that warm you from the inside out. The best part is that after she finished reading the books, I “borrowed” it from her and read them myself. We’ve been discussing the characters and how cute the stories are. Now, my nine-year-old says she needs to read them too.

Just One More Chapter
Heartwood Hotel, with the secret entrance hidden in a tree, a place of refuge for lost creatures of the wilderness, those that are easy prey for larger beasts of the woods. What an absolutely delightful little story, it reminded me of The Wind in the Willows and Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh.

With lovely penciled drawings scattered throughout I suggest either a print copy or reading in a tablet (sorry but a kindle won't do it justice).

Michigan Mom Living
The Heartwood Hotel series is comprised of adorable, cute early chapter books geared for ages 7-10 with it’s easy reading and visual penciled pictures along the way. Youngsters can read and engage themselves in this series as they follow Mona through her family tragedy and the hunt to find another home and friends and acceptance. In this series, there are a lot of life lessons of acceptance that young readers will capture along the way.

The Heartwood Hotel’s motto is: “We Live by Protect and Respect, Not by Tooth and Claw”, which the author thinks applies beyond the great tree’s rooms and will resonate with young readers and I agree!

I can easily see my 7-year old son enjoying this series if he reads by himself or if it’s a book we read nightly together. Either way, it will keep his interest.

Once Upon a Twilight
Heartwood Hotel is a sweet story that teaches that breaking rules for good and kind gestures isn't bad. Sometimes we will need to break the rules and do what's right. Mona wasn't scared to break these rules because she knew these fellow animals needed her help. She was kind and compassionate. We also learn that facing our fears and being brave is hard but at times we must face reality and our fears. Also, that working as a team many things can get accomplished.

Mona with fierce determination saves all the animals. She was home and she didn't want anyone or anything to be ruined. With her kindness, even the bear was willing to help! It shows that kindness can go a long way. And home is where the heart is.

Canlit for Little Canadians
How do I convey to readers the infinite sweetness and gentility of A True Home? From the warm-hearted atmosphere and compassionate mission of the Heartwood Hotel and its staff to the plot of finding home, amidst common foibles and uncommon dangers, Kallie George's text is rich in friendship, courtesy, diversity and affection. That majestic tree's hotel is built upon a solid foundation of respect for all creatures and the natural world of interrelationships, though as in the human world some need to be avoided if one is to survive. But even the wolves, though frightening to many of the residents at the Heartwood Hotel, have an inane quality about them, squabbling about their achievements and the existence of the Heartwood Hotel. By doing this, Kallie George makes A True Home a suitable read-aloud for younger children who will easily be able to imagine the Hotel with its miscellaneous accommodations (including the root floors with hibernation suites, trunk floors, branch floors, twig floors and honeymoon and penthouse suites) and star-gazing balcony and ballroom. Graced with the black-and-white pencil drawings of American illustrator Stephanie Graegin, Heartwood Hotel's first book, A True Home, has surely found a place for itself in youngCanLit by captivating and gladdening our own hearts.

Books4yourkids
I love a good forest story. I was enchanted by the (slightly weird) world of Beatrix Potter as a child and spent many hours imagining life in Toad Hall, Ratty's waterside home and Badger's complex burrow deep in the Wild Wood. I even created the label Forest Story to keep track of books in this genre I reviewed. And, while there aren't a lot of books that come along in the precise vein of Kenneth Grahame's The Wind in the Willows, Kallie George's new series, Heartwood Hotel, with charming illustrations by Stephanie Graegin, is a marvelous forest story with the kind of caring, friendship and community that you find in Grahame's book. And, be sure to check out the equally charming and wonderful Heartwood Hotel website for these books where you can learn more about the hotel (the staff, the menu, the rooms) and print out creative activities that let readers design a room for the hotel, create a menu and craft a miniature suitcase!

CM Review
4/4 stars
A True Home and The Greatest Gift are the first two novels in the “Heartwood Hotel” chapter book series: sweet, funny tales about a hotel for small forest animals.

The setting and characters of Heartwood Hotel are adorable without being saccharine. A hotel made out of a hollow tree and sized for mice and badgers is brought to life with clever, humourous details. The animal characters each have their own quirky personality, from the kind-hearted badger Mr. Heartwood, who always speaks in rhyme (unless he is particularly upset), to the huffy June bug who turns out to be a travel reviewer for the Pinecone Press (so it’s a good thing Mona was nice to her).
The plot has fun episodic adventures but also a longer, more poignant arc about Mona learning where she comes from and what happened to her family. The development of Mona’s and Tilly’s friendship is the glue that holds all the pieces together, and it will resonate particularly with children who encounter the same hesitation, misunderstanding and awkwardness as they learn how to make and keep friends. This series should prove popular with kids who like anthropomorphized animal stories, stories about small people in miniature worlds, and humourous adventures starring unlikely but stalwart heroes. Adults reading these stories aloud will enjoy the sly pokes at certain societal conventions and the clever development of the hollow tree setting. Highly Recommended.

The Laughing Place Blogspot
The Heartwood Hotel series approaches emotions in a charming way, with previous books describing sad experiences as “hurts.” Aimed at readers in 2nd-5th grade, the series provides a great role model for dealing with strong feelings in thoughtful and rational ways. Despite being stories about animals, the series helps kids deal with their uniquely human feelings. Stephanie Graegin also returns to illustrate this third book, providing pencil drawings to help underscore key moments in the story and inspiring kids’ imaginations with this cuddly world. Her work has a quality that reminds me of E. H. Shepard’s drawings for A.A. Milne’s Winnie the Pooh series. While the book is at a reading level perfect for elementary school kids, the illustrations also make it easily accessible for parents to read to younger kids. The chapters are short, allowing kids to digest them at a pace they’re comfortable with. I was already a fan of the Heartwood Hotel series and really enjoyed revisiting this world a third time in Heartwood Hotel: Better Together.

Bottomless Book Bag review
This is a delightful and charming series for our youngest elementary students. Advanced readers in Kindergarten - second grade will love reading these books on their own. They are also great read alouds for the teachers and parents to share with their children. This series takes us through a year in the life of Mona the mouse who finds safety and then a new job as a maid in a large tree which is a Hotel for the small woodland creatures. She saves the day in each of the the three books I read. In the fall she makes friends with a bear who helps scare away the wolves. In the winter she discovers who is stealing their food supply and in the spring story she deals with an invasion of owls. The summer book isn't out until July. However, it looks like a wedding and a new guest who might be related to Mona are featured in the story.

Cherry Blossoms & Maple Syrup Blogspot
Heartwood Hotel is such a cute series, and this first book was such a delight. Mona is such a sweet little heroine who starts out homeless and then stumbles open a beautiful hotel in the forest. I wanted to cuddle Mona throughout the story because she is so kind, but is full of determination. She’s a great role model character for younger readers. Each character is so charming, though! I LOVED bossy Tilly, though she somewhat reminded me of my own mother. This first book is just so comfortable, warm and cozy. While there is some danger in the story, it’s nothing too frighting, but it teaches children about finding strength in unlikely situations and how friendship can help solve bigger problems. I also want to praise the illustrations by Stephanie Graegin, which I feel accompany the story so beautifully. I loved having the pictures side-by-side with the text, and I can only imagine how beautiful the artwork looks in the finished edition. This first book is so charming, and it’s definitely one I will be recommending to younger readers when the opportunity arises.

Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers Blogspot
An adorable addition to the growing Heartwood Hotel series with enough danger and excitement to keep it interesting, but a whole lot of the friendship and heart we've come to love. It was great visiting with old friends, enjoyable making new ones, and wonderful to see Mona settle in more at her new(ish) home. ]

Audrey's Books
Kallie George has created an absolutely charming and whimsical story. It is full of endearing characters that young children will love, along with some great life lessons, too. She deals with bravery, compassion and self-esteem and of course the power of friendship. This book is perfect for kids who are reading early chapter books but looking for something just a little more difficult. And as my eight-year-old can attest, it makes a great read aloud! — Kelly Dyer, Manager/Children’s Buyer

Jean Little Library Blogspot
Mona Mouse has been through a lot in the first two titles of the Heartwood Hotel series. She's found a new home and friends, helped save the hotel from disaster, and solved exciting mysteries. But now she and the entire hotel are facing a brand-new challenge: Mr. Heartwood is taking a vacation! Graegin's art is as cozy and adorable as ever, with delicate drawings of anxious robin parents and their egg, arguing frog and raccoon bands, and the squabbling fireflies and bees. There aren't many of this type of cozy story anymore, but I have a ready audience for them at my library. There are no flashy magic spells, exciting acts of courage, or sudden revelations, but Mona's quiet little world is very appealing to readers who like cozy, comforting stories. Her daily trials and tribulations as she struggles to fit into her small world, as well as the adorable miniature art pieces that fill the book, are relatable to many of my small patrons. They are a little challenging for beginning chapter readers who aren't yet fluent, but dearly loved by younger readers with a high degree of fluency and vocabulary who aren't yet ready for more mature middle grade titles. Verdict: I have several readers eagerly awaiting the latest in this series and I strongly recommend it as an addition to any library collection that is trying to meet the needs of this community of readers.

Orange Marmalade Books Review
This is the third episode in a darling series set in the Heartwood Hotel, a lovely woodland resort nestled in an enormous tree and catering to birds and insects, squirrels and skunks, voles and porcupines.... Just the right mix of imaginative, miniature worlds and zesty adventure make this series perfect for reading aloud to 5 & 6 year olds, handing to an advanced-but-young reader, or enjoyed in the hammock by kids who prefer their fiction more charming than spine-tingling.

YA & Kids Book Central
Readers will cheer for these kind, brave, beloved characters as they embark on their next adventure in the third book of the charmingly illustrated Heartwood Hotel series.

Books 4 Your Kids
Having worked with kid's books for 25 years now, I can tell you that series like this are rare. The Heartwood Hotel books bring to life the the charming creativity of an anthropomorphized community of woodland creatures, balancing it with the unpredictable dangers of life in the natural world.

Meridian Magazine
Heartwood Hotel, by Kallie George, and beautifully illustrated by Stephanie Graegin, is one of my favorite early chapter book series about a tiny mouse, named Mona, and her dwelling. There have been three books published so far and each of the stories are richly told and full of adventure and learning about friendship. Each of these books would be wonderful to read out loud.

San Franciso Book Review
Author Kallie George has written another enchanting book [Better Together] in the Heartwood Hotel series that will delight young readers. The characters are fully-formed and as believable as animal characters can be. The charming illustrations by Stephanie Graegin support the story perfectly. Each book in this series easily stands on its own, but they, as a group, will keep young readers reading for days on end.

Dad of Divas
This is a really sweet book about friendship, courage and community. The reader will become involved with the characters challenges, pasts, and how they overcome issues with the other animals at the hotel.

Such a wonderful chapter book for a child to read independently or for a child and parent to read together.

There is adventure and finding trust. There is problem solving and using their instincts. The animals work together to keep Heartwood Hotel and its guests safe and happy.

Awards and recognition

Junior Library Guild Selection

A Silver Birch Express Award Honour Book

Chosen for Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District's Horned Toad Tale list (2018-2019)

Nominated for a BC Book Prize 2018

Shining Willow nominated title 

Florida SSYRA Book Award Nominee 2018-2019

CCBC Best Books for Kids & Teens: Starred Selection

Nominated for the Surrey Schools Fiction Book of the Year, 2018-19

Written by Kallie George, illustrated by Stephanie Graegin

Mona the mouse has finally found a place to call home, the cozy Heartwood Hotel, where she works as a maid and sleeps snuggled up in a room with her best friend. Following the festive St. Slumber celebration, most of the guests have settled in to hibernate, and the staff is looking forward to a relaxing winter. But disruptions abound, from a difficult duchess to a mysterious midnight snacker. As the snow stacks higher, Mona will have to gather friends both old and new to keep the peace, finding help in some of the most unexpected places.

The second book in the enchanting Heartwood Hotel series, The Greatest Gift will warm your heart with its endearing characters and exquisite illustrations.

Recommended for readers ages 7-10 years old.

Softcover.

Published in Canada by HarperCollins

Download the teacher's guide from the publisher here.

Reviews

Kirkus Reviews
Charming anthropomorphic characters, humorous mishaps, and outside threats add to the drama. Delicate pencil illustrations reinforce Heartwood’s cozy home theme.  A sequel, The Greatest Gift, publishes simultaneously. A plucky mouse finds her true home in this warm, winning tale.

CM Review
4/4 stars
A True Home and The Greatest Gift are the first two novels in the “Heartwood Hotel” chapter book series: sweet, funny tales about a hotel for small forest animals.

The setting and characters of Heartwood Hotel are adorable without being saccharine. A hotel made out of a hollow tree and sized for mice and badgers is brought to life with clever, humourous details. The animal characters each have their own quirky personality, from the kind-hearted badger Mr. Heartwood, who always speaks in rhyme (unless he is particularly upset), to the huffy June bug who turns out to be a travel reviewer for the Pinecone Press (so it’s a good thing Mona was nice to her).
The plot has fun episodic adventures but also a longer, more poignant arc about Mona learning where she comes from and what happened to her family. The development of Mona’s and Tilly’s friendship is the glue that holds all the pieces together, and it will resonate particularly with children who encounter the same hesitation, misunderstanding and awkwardness as they learn how to make and keep friends. This series should prove popular with kids who like anthropomorphized animal stories, stories about small people in miniature worlds, and humourous adventures starring unlikely but stalwart heroes. Adults reading these stories aloud will enjoy the sly pokes at certain societal conventions and the clever development of the hollow tree setting. Highly Recommended.

Awards and recognition

Junior Library Guild Selection

Cybils Award Finalist 2017

CCBC Best Books for Kids & Teens: Starred Selection

Written by Kallie George, illustrated by Stephanie Graegin

Spring has come to Fernwood Forest, and the Heartwood Hotel is all a-bustle. With Mr. Heartwood off on vacation, it's up to Mona and the rest of the staff to keep everything running smoothly. When rumors buzz of a rival hotel, Gilles is determined to prove that the Heartwood is the very best with the splashiest Spring Splash the forest has ever seen. Guests check in from near and far to compete for the Cutest Egg, the Tiniest Talent, and the Best Blossom. Newcomer Henry is all too happy to help out, making Mona start to feel unsure of her place. Does the Heartwood really need her as much as she thought? But soon there's more to worry about than whose egg has the sweetest speckles. Some decidedly uninvited guests have been drawn to the festivities. Can Mona find a way to bring everyone together in time to save them all from danger?

Readers will cheer for these kind, brave, beloved characters as they embark on their next adventure in the third book of the charmingly illustrated Heartwood Hotel series.

Recommended for readers ages 7-10 years old.

Softcover.

Published in Canada by HarperCollins

Download the teacher's guide from the publisher here.

Reviews

Kirkus Reviews
Charming anthropomorphic characters, humorous mishaps, and outside threats add to the drama. Delicate pencil illustrations reinforce Heartwood’s cozy home theme.  A sequel, The Greatest Gift, publishes simultaneously. A plucky mouse finds her true home in this warm, winning tale.

Awards and recognition

Junior Library Guild Selection

Cybils Award Finalist 2017

CCBC Best Books for Kids & Teens: Starred Selection

Written by Kallie George, illustrated by Stephanie Graegin

It's summer at the Heartwood Hotel, and everyone is in a flurry getting ready for Ms. Prickles's wedding to Mr. Quillson! Meanwhile, a new mouse guest named Strawberry comes to stay. She's sweet and soft-spoken like Mona, and gifted in the kitchen just as Mona's mother was-could Strawberry be a long-lost relative?

But when lightning strikes part of Fernwood Forest and starts a fire, all thoughts go to the guests and staff hurrying to leave to make sure their homes and families are safe. Mona works to protect the Heartwood from harm, but as the fire rages on, it's becoming dangerous to stay. Can Mona and her friends save their home before it's too late?

In the final installment of the Heartwood Hotel series, Mona faces her greatest challenge yet, and she might discover just what family truly means.

Recommended for readers ages 7-10 years old.

Softcover.

Published in Canada by HarperCollins

Download the teacher's guide from the publisher here.

Reviews

Imagination Soup
Lost in a storm, with no home or destination, Mona the Mouse discovers a beautiful hotel for forest animals. There she works as a maid to earn her room and board. But more than that, she helps solve problems and learns about her family connection to the lovely hotel where she’s invited to stay as long as she wants. This is a sweet, warm-hearted adventure of resiliency and friendship. 

Publisher's Weekly
Seeking shelter in a storm, a mouse named Mona stumbles on the Heartwood Hotel, a swanky getaway for woodland animals located within a tree, then gets hired as a maid. In this compassionate and comforting first book in the Heartwood Hotel series, George (the Magical Animal Adoption Agency series) introduces a supremely cozy setting in the hideaway hotel and a well-developed cast of staffers and guests. Mona’s innate kindness goes a long way at an establishment whose motto is “We live by ‘protect and respect,’ not by ‘tooth and claw.’”

Irene Roth's Canadian Book Reviews
This is a wonderful middle grade novel for kids. It is a super-cute story, one that will transport kids to realms of magic and what it means to have a true home.

Carla Loves Store
This is a delightful story for late primary readers who are ready for more difficult chapter books… Children will be amused by the delightful world within this Hotel, as well as the many life lessons that Mona learns and teaches others along the way. The various animals at the hotel are all varied and have different talents and interests. The owner, a badger named Mr. Heartwood, is kind and generous to a fault. The guests all have different needs that must be taken care of. It is a wonderful cast of characters. There is some adventure, problem solving as well as a little danger. This would make a nice read aloud in a primary class where there is a chapter read each day with some good discussions to follow. I really like the ideas about friendship, class structure as well as facing your fears and helping your friends. There is also lessons about loss, self-confidence and to some degree bullying. It is not in your face, but the ideas are all there. A good addition to a school or class library.

The Little Crooked Cottage
We love reading chapter books aloud on summer nights in our house. Kallie George’s heartwarming first book in the Heartwood Hotel series is a perfect chapter-a-night read. Young readers will enjoy being be transported to the tiny woodland world where Mona the Mouse discovers the Heartwood Hotel while seeking shelter from a rainstorm. Mona is quickly welcomed into the fold—where a cast of characters, soft moss-lined beds, and a little adventure (and danger!) awaits. 

Mundie Kids
A cute woodland story about friendship, courage, overcoming challenges, and the true meaning of home.
Heartwood Hotel is an enjoyable read that takes readers into the heart of the woods, and introduces them to a variety of woodland animal (and a few insect characters too). With Graegin's illustrations (I love this cover), and George's storytelling, this story is one that will make you wish you could spend longer than the time it takes to read this book, with Mona and her woodland friends.

One of the things I really enjoyed about this story, is that it encompasses topics that young chapter book readers can understand. Like feeling lonely, feeling like you belong, finding new friends, doing your best despite feeling you're too small to do anything, friendship, jealously, helping others, and doing your best. Mona the mouse is a character who starts off feeling scared, lonely and a little insecure, and ends up finding she's brave, courageous, a good friend, and strong in knowing who she is.

Heartwood Hotel is a charming, enchanting woodland story. This is a great book to pick up for kids that are reading chapter books. It also makes for a great read aloud. We're looking forward to reading the next book in this adorable series.

Batch of Books
I can’t wait to tell you about the CUTEST new chapter book series! My two older girls and I all read the first two books in the Heartwood Hotel series by Kallie George and these books are ADORABLE.

These two books brought back so many happy memories of reading Old Mother West Wind, The Wind in the Willows, and writing my own stories. In all honesty, I fell hard in love with this series. These are happy, feel-good books that warm you from the inside out. The best part is that after she finished reading the books, I “borrowed” it from her and read them myself. We’ve been discussing the characters and how cute the stories are. Now, my nine-year-old says she needs to read them too.

Just One More Chapter
Heartwood Hotel, with the secret entrance hidden in a tree, a place of refuge for lost creatures of the wilderness, those that are easy prey for larger beasts of the woods. What an absolutely delightful little story, it reminded me of The Wind in the Willows and Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh.

With lovely penciled drawings scattered throughout I suggest either a print copy or reading in a tablet (sorry but a kindle won't do it justice).

Michigan Mom Living
The Heartwood Hotel series is comprised of adorable, cute early chapter books geared for ages 7-10 with it’s easy reading and visual penciled pictures along the way. Youngsters can read and engage themselves in this series as they follow Mona through her family tragedy and the hunt to find another home and friends and acceptance. In this series, there are a lot of life lessons of acceptance that young readers will capture along the way.

The Heartwood Hotel’s motto is: “We Live by Protect and Respect, Not by Tooth and Claw”, which the author thinks applies beyond the great tree’s rooms and will resonate with young readers and I agree!

I can easily see my 7-year old son enjoying this series if he reads by himself or if it’s a book we read nightly together. Either way, it will keep his interest.

Once Upon a Twilight
Heartwood Hotel is a sweet story that teaches that breaking rules for good and kind gestures isn't bad. Sometimes we will need to break the rules and do what's right. Mona wasn't scared to break these rules because she knew these fellow animals needed her help. She was kind and compassionate. We also learn that facing our fears and being brave is hard but at times we must face reality and our fears. Also, that working as a team many things can get accomplished.

Mona with fierce determination saves all the animals. She was home and she didn't want anyone or anything to be ruined. With her kindness, even the bear was willing to help! It shows that kindness can go a long way. And home is where the heart is.

Canlit for Little Canadians
How do I convey to readers the infinite sweetness and gentility of A True Home? From the warm-hearted atmosphere and compassionate mission of the Heartwood Hotel and its staff to the plot of finding home, amidst common foibles and uncommon dangers, Kallie George's text is rich in friendship, courtesy, diversity and affection. That majestic tree's hotel is built upon a solid foundation of respect for all creatures and the natural world of interrelationships, though as in the human world some need to be avoided if one is to survive. But even the wolves, though frightening to many of the residents at the Heartwood Hotel, have an inane quality about them, squabbling about their achievements and the existence of the Heartwood Hotel. By doing this, Kallie George makes A True Home a suitable read-aloud for younger children who will easily be able to imagine the Hotel with its miscellaneous accommodations (including the root floors with hibernation suites, trunk floors, branch floors, twig floors and honeymoon and penthouse suites) and star-gazing balcony and ballroom. Graced with the black-and-white pencil drawings of American illustrator Stephanie Graegin, Heartwood Hotel's first book, A True Home, has surely found a place for itself in youngCanLit by captivating and gladdening our own hearts.

Books4yourkids
I love a good forest story. I was enchanted by the (slightly weird) world of Beatrix Potter as a child and spent many hours imagining life in Toad Hall, Ratty's waterside home and Badger's complex burrow deep in the Wild Wood. I even created the label Forest Story to keep track of books in this genre I reviewed. And, while there aren't a lot of books that come along in the precise vein of Kenneth Grahame's The Wind in the Willows, Kallie George's new series, Heartwood Hotel, with charming illustrations by Stephanie Graegin, is a marvelous forest story with the kind of caring, friendship and community that you find in Grahame's book. And, be sure to check out the equally charming and wonderful Heartwood Hotel website for these books where you can learn more about the hotel (the staff, the menu, the rooms) and print out creative activities that let readers design a room for the hotel, create a menu and craft a miniature suitcase!

CM Review
4/4 stars
A True Home and The Greatest Gift are the first two novels in the “Heartwood Hotel” chapter book series: sweet, funny tales about a hotel for small forest animals.

The setting and characters of Heartwood Hotel are adorable without being saccharine. A hotel made out of a hollow tree and sized for mice and badgers is brought to life with clever, humourous details. The animal characters each have their own quirky personality, from the kind-hearted badger Mr. Heartwood, who always speaks in rhyme (unless he is particularly upset), to the huffy June bug who turns out to be a travel reviewer for the Pinecone Press (so it’s a good thing Mona was nice to her).
The plot has fun episodic adventures but also a longer, more poignant arc about Mona learning where she comes from and what happened to her family. The development of Mona’s and Tilly’s friendship is the glue that holds all the pieces together, and it will resonate particularly with children who encounter the same hesitation, misunderstanding and awkwardness as they learn how to make and keep friends. This series should prove popular with kids who like anthropomorphized animal stories, stories about small people in miniature worlds, and humourous adventures starring unlikely but stalwart heroes. Adults reading these stories aloud will enjoy the sly pokes at certain societal conventions and the clever development of the hollow tree setting. Highly Recommended.

The Laughing Place Blogspot
The Heartwood Hotel series approaches emotions in a charming way, with previous books describing sad experiences as “hurts.” Aimed at readers in 2nd-5th grade, the series provides a great role model for dealing with strong feelings in thoughtful and rational ways. Despite being stories about animals, the series helps kids deal with their uniquely human feelings. Stephanie Graegin also returns to illustrate this third book, providing pencil drawings to help underscore key moments in the story and inspiring kids’ imaginations with this cuddly world. Her work has a quality that reminds me of E. H. Shepard’s drawings for A.A. Milne’s Winnie the Pooh series. While the book is at a reading level perfect for elementary school kids, the illustrations also make it easily accessible for parents to read to younger kids. The chapters are short, allowing kids to digest them at a pace they’re comfortable with. I was already a fan of the Heartwood Hotel series and really enjoyed revisiting this world a third time in Heartwood Hotel: Better Together.

Bottomless Book Bag review
This is a delightful and charming series for our youngest elementary students. Advanced readers in Kindergarten - second grade will love reading these books on their own. They are also great read alouds for the teachers and parents to share with their children. This series takes us through a year in the life of Mona the mouse who finds safety and then a new job as a maid in a large tree which is a Hotel for the small woodland creatures. She saves the day in each of the the three books I read. In the fall she makes friends with a bear who helps scare away the wolves. In the winter she discovers who is stealing their food supply and in the spring story she deals with an invasion of owls. The summer book isn't out until July. However, it looks like a wedding and a new guest who might be related to Mona are featured in the story.

Cherry Blossoms & Maple Syrup Blogspot
Heartwood Hotel is such a cute series, and this first book was such a delight. Mona is such a sweet little heroine who starts out homeless and then stumbles open a beautiful hotel in the forest. I wanted to cuddle Mona throughout the story because she is so kind, but is full of determination. She’s a great role model character for younger readers. Each character is so charming, though! I LOVED bossy Tilly, though she somewhat reminded me of my own mother. This first book is just so comfortable, warm and cozy. While there is some danger in the story, it’s nothing too frighting, but it teaches children about finding strength in unlikely situations and how friendship can help solve bigger problems. I also want to praise the illustrations by Stephanie Graegin, which I feel accompany the story so beautifully. I loved having the pictures side-by-side with the text, and I can only imagine how beautiful the artwork looks in the finished edition. This first book is so charming, and it’s definitely one I will be recommending to younger readers when the opportunity arises.

Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers Blogspot
An adorable addition to the growing Heartwood Hotel series with enough danger and excitement to keep it interesting, but a whole lot of the friendship and heart we've come to love. It was great visiting with old friends, enjoyable making new ones, and wonderful to see Mona settle in more at her new(ish) home. ]

Audrey's Books
Kallie George has created an absolutely charming and whimsical story. It is full of endearing characters that young children will love, along with some great life lessons, too. She deals with bravery, compassion and self-esteem and of course the power of friendship. This book is perfect for kids who are reading early chapter books but looking for something just a little more difficult. And as my eight-year-old can attest, it makes a great read aloud! — Kelly Dyer, Manager/Children’s Buyer

Jean Little Library Blogspot
Mona Mouse has been through a lot in the first two titles of the Heartwood Hotel series. She's found a new home and friends, helped save the hotel from disaster, and solved exciting mysteries. But now she and the entire hotel are facing a brand-new challenge: Mr. Heartwood is taking a vacation! Graegin's art is as cozy and adorable as ever, with delicate drawings of anxious robin parents and their egg, arguing frog and raccoon bands, and the squabbling fireflies and bees. There aren't many of this type of cozy story anymore, but I have a ready audience for them at my library. There are no flashy magic spells, exciting acts of courage, or sudden revelations, but Mona's quiet little world is very appealing to readers who like cozy, comforting stories. Her daily trials and tribulations as she struggles to fit into her small world, as well as the adorable miniature art pieces that fill the book, are relatable to many of my small patrons. They are a little challenging for beginning chapter readers who aren't yet fluent, but dearly loved by younger readers with a high degree of fluency and vocabulary who aren't yet ready for more mature middle grade titles. Verdict: I have several readers eagerly awaiting the latest in this series and I strongly recommend it as an addition to any library collection that is trying to meet the needs of this community of readers.

Orange Marmalade Books Review
This is the third episode in a darling series set in the Heartwood Hotel, a lovely woodland resort nestled in an enormous tree and catering to birds and insects, squirrels and skunks, voles and porcupines.... Just the right mix of imaginative, miniature worlds and zesty adventure make this series perfect for reading aloud to 5 & 6 year olds, handing to an advanced-but-young reader, or enjoyed in the hammock by kids who prefer their fiction more charming than spine-tingling.

YA & Kids Book Central
Readers will cheer for these kind, brave, beloved characters as they embark on their next adventure in the third book of the charmingly illustrated Heartwood Hotel series.

Books 4 Your Kids
Having worked with kid's books for 25 years now, I can tell you that series like this are rare. The Heartwood Hotel books bring to life the the charming creativity of an anthropomorphized community of woodland creatures, balancing it with the unpredictable dangers of life in the natural world.

Meridian Magazine
Heartwood Hotel, by Kallie George, and beautifully illustrated by Stephanie Graegin, is one of my favorite early chapter book series about a tiny mouse, named Mona, and her dwelling. There have been three books published so far and each of the stories are richly told and full of adventure and learning about friendship. Each of these books would be wonderful to read out loud.

San Franciso Book Review
Author Kallie George has written another enchanting book [Better Together] in the Heartwood Hotel series that will delight young readers. The characters are fully-formed and as believable as animal characters can be. The charming illustrations by Stephanie Graegin support the story perfectly. Each book in this series easily stands on its own, but they, as a group, will keep young readers reading for days on end.

Dad of Divas
This is a really sweet book about friendship, courage and community. The reader will become involved with the characters challenges, pasts, and how they overcome issues with the other animals at the hotel.

Such a wonderful chapter book for a child to read independently or for a child and parent to read together.

There is adventure and finding trust. There is problem solving and using their instincts. The animals work together to keep Heartwood Hotel and its guests safe and happy.

Awards and recognition

Junior Library Guild Selection

A Silver Birch Express Award Honour Book

Chosen for Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District's Horned Toad Tale list (2018-2019)

Nominated for a BC Book Prize 2018

Shining Willow nominated title 

Florida SSYRA Book Award Nominee 2018-2019

CCBC Best Books for Kids & Teens: Starred Selection

Nominated for the Surrey Schools Fiction Book of the Year, 2018-19

Author Andrea Wang; Illustrated by Jason Chin

Caldecott Medal Winner
Newbery Honor Book
APALA Award Winner
 
Gathering watercress by the side of the road brings a girl closer to her family's Chinese Heritage.
 
New England Book Award Winner
A New York Times Best Children’s Book of the Year
A Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Book

Driving through Ohio in an old Pontiac, a young girl's parents stop suddenly when they spot watercress growing wild in a ditch by the side of the road.  Grabbing an old paper bag and some rusty scissors, the whole family wades into the muck to collect as much of the muddy, snail covered watercress as they can.

At first, she's embarrassed.  Why can't her family get food from the grocery store?  But when her mother shares a story of her family's time in China, the girl learns to appreciate the fresh food they foraged.  Together, they make a new memory of watercress.

Andrea Wang tells a moving autobiographical story of a child of immigrants discovering and connecting with her heritage, illustrated by award winning author and artist Jason Chin, working in an entirely new style, inspired by Chinese painting techniques.  An author's note in the back shares Andrea's childhood experience with her parents.

Recommended for readers aged 4-8 years old.


Winner of the Cybils Award
A Wall Street Journal Best Children's Book of the Year
A Boston Globe Best Children's Book of the Year
A Washington Post Best Children's Book of the Year
A New York Public Library Best Book of the Year
A Chicago Public Library Best Book of the Year
An ALSC Notable Children's Book
Named a best book of the year by Publishers Weekly, BookPage, School Library Journal, Kirkus Reviews, Publishers Lunch, Shelf Awareness, and more!
A CBC/NCSS Notable Social Studies Trade Book
An NPR 'Book We Love!'
A Horn Book Fanfare Title
A Mighty Girl Best Book of the Year
A Floyd's Pick Honor Book
A CSMCL Best Multicultural Children's Book of the Year
A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection!
A CCBC Choice

 

By Marianne Dubuc

Mrs. Badger, an avid collector and naturalist, takes a weekly journey up to Sugarloaf Peak, greeting her friends on the way and sharing her discoveries with them.  One day she meets Lulu, a very small cat, who wants to go with her to the top of the mountain.  On the way, Lulu learns to take care of the natural world, help those in need, and listen to her intuition.  Rich in wisdom and beautifully illustrated, Up the Mountain Path offers a profound story full of lessons about love, generosity, and following one's heart.

Recommended for readers ages 3-7 years.

Hardcover with jacket, 72 pages, with 80 colour illustrations. 

7.5 × 9.5 inches (19.1 × 24.1 cm).

Princeton Architectural Press.

Montreal-based Marianne Dubuc is an award-winning author and illustrator of more than ten picture books, including The Fish and the Cat and The Lion and the Bird.

By Rita Törnqvist-Verschuur; Illustrated by Marit Törnqvist.

The traditional Christmas meal in Prague isn't turkey or ham, but a special kind of Christmas fish.  On Christmas Eve, Tom chooses his live fish at the market, and calls it Peppo.  He carefully carries it home, through the streets of Prague's old town, in a big bag of water.  Tom loves his new pet, but what fate awaits Peppo as the Christmas meal draws near?  This charming, child-friendly story presents one culture's Christmas traditions in fascinating detail.  At its core is a heartwarming tale of a boy and his grandpa, as they both learn about doing the right thing.  Marit Törnqvist's accomplished artwork vividly brings Tom and Peppo's story, and the beautiful city of Prague, to life.

Recommended for 5-8 yrs.

Hardcover, 32 pages with full colour illustrations.

Published September, 2015 by Floris Books.

by Kathleen Fidler

 A heartwarming and classic story, perfect for pony lovers everywhere

Adam and his Shetland pony Haki have been inseparable.  Haki is clever and brave and Adam soon trains him to do things other Shetland ponies can't -- to act, to dance and to follow the sound of Adam's bagpipes.

But Adam must move off the island to find work and selling Haki is the only way he can leave.  Then the pair performs at the Highland Show and a ringmaster is so impressed by the talented pony that he lets Haki, and Adam, join his travelling circus.

Haki -- with Sondra the friendly elephant -- become stars of the big tent but some of the circus folk are jealous of their success.  Can Adam protect his friend?

This classic children's novel from much-loved author Kathleen Fidler takes the reader on an entertaining journey -- from a small Scottish crofting community to the bright lights of the circus.  Fidler's authentic and charming depiction of life on Shetland remain, to this day, an unrivalled portrait of Scotland’s islands.

Recommended for 8 - 10 years old.

Softcover, 144 pages.  198 x 130 mm.

Floris Books. 3rd edition, 2018.

Reviews

'First published in 1968, this Kathleen Fidler classic shows that ingredients of a captivating children's story have changed very little... Fidler's human and historical observations remain enlightening, as does her understanding of the dilemmas faced by young islanders.'
-- West Coast Review

 

About the Author

Kathleen Fidler was the author of over eighty books for children, many of which were broadcast on BBC Radio Children's Hour and Schools programmes. She had a long-standing affection for Scotland. The Fidler Award stands as a memorial to her deep interest in children and writers. She died in 1980.

by Isabel Wyatt

Enter a world of duels and jousting, where knights battle to protect the honour of fair maidens and defend King Arthur's castle.  Knights meet in fellowship at Camelot, and are entertained with feasting and pageantry.  Honour and chivalry are valued above all else, and courageous knights fight strange, unearthly foes to prove themselves worthy of a place at King Arthur's table.

These ancient tales have been told since the fifth century when Welsh bards travelled the country entertaining lords and ladies with stories and songs.  They were retold in verse by Chretien de Troyes in his twelfth-century Le Morte d'Arthur, and in prose by Sir Thomas Malory in the fifteenth century.

Now, renowned storyteller Isabel Wyatt presents her own fresh retelling of a selection of these fascinating legends.

Recommended for ages 9 - 15 years; ideal for Grade 6 or 7.

Softcover, 168 pages.  216 x 138 mm.

Floris Books.

 

Table of Contents

Medieval Storyteller's Invocation
The Welsh Bards and their Ancient Celtic Stories
Peredur
The Lady of the Fountain
Marie de France and her Breton Lays
The Lay of Sir Lanval
Chretien de Troyes and his French Verse-Romances
The Knight of the Cart
Sir Thomas Malory and his English Prose-Romances
The Story of Sir Gareth

Author

Isabel Wyatt was born in England in 1901. She spent many years teaching young children and was then, until her retirement in 1965, co-director of studies at Hawkwood College in Gloucestershire. She compiled many books for children, including The Seven-Year-Old Wonder Book, The Eight-Year-Old Legend Book, Homer's Odyssey, King Beetle-Tamer, The Book of Fairy Princes and Norse Hero Tales. She died in 1992.

Reviews

'Wyatt's knack for addressing a young audience is exceptional. She tells the great legends with a simple tone but manages to maintain the wide-eyed awe for these stories that any storyteller must have in order to hold an audience in thrall. Legends of King Arthur is one of those rare books that remain fresh and memorable for generations.'
-- Curled Up with a Good Kid's Book, February 2012

Someone’s stealing nuts from the forest, and it’s up to Detective Gordon to catch the thief!

Unfortunately, solving this crime means standing in the snow and waiting for a long time… If only he had an assistant—someone small, fast, and clever—to help solve this terrible case. Then Detective Gordon would be able to go back to doing what he’s best at: thinking, eating cakes, drinking tea, and stamping important papers.

A brilliant detective story by Ulf Nilsson, one of Sweden’s top children’s writers and illustrated by Gitte Spee in full colour throughout.  A book to read alone or aloud!

Translated by Julia Marshall.

Hardcover, 96 pages.  5.8 x 8 inches.

Gecko Press.

Ideal for children 6-9 years old.

 

About the Detective Gordon series:

Detective Gordon is a friendly, philosophical, humorous, and thoughtful detective series following the adventures of the rather tired—and often hungry—Detective Gordon and his chirpy assistant, Buffy.

Detective Gordon is something of a humanist, and keeps an eye out for the weaker inhabitants of his woods. The books are full of warm, witty wisdom from one of Sweden’s foremost children’s authors, Ulf Nilsson. The text is affectionately and generously illustrated in watercolor and pencil by acclaimed Dutch illustrator, Gitte Spee. This is a detective series with depth—ideal for elementary school, perfect for reading alone, wonderful for reading aloud.

Written by Ulf Nilsson and illustrated by Gitte Spee.  Translated by Julia Marshall.

Gordon is on vacation, and Buffy is the sole detective at the small police station in the forest.  It is not easy for a police officer to be alone.  Especially when there are strange noises outside the station at night.  Buffy decides to seek out Gordon in his little cottage by the lake to ask for help.  After all, two police think twice as well as one.  Two police are twice as brave! 

Hardcover, 108 pages.  5.8 x 8 inches.

Gecko Press.

 

About the Detective Gordon series:

Detective Gordon is a friendly, philosophical, humorous, and thoughtful detective series following the adventures of the rather tired—and often hungry—Detective Gordon and his chirpy assistant, Buffy.

Detective Gordon is something of a humanist, and keeps an eye out for the weaker inhabitants of his woods.  The books are full of warm, witty wisdom from one of Sweden’s foremost children’s authors, Ulf Nilsson.  The text is affectionately and generously illustrated in watercolor and pencil by acclaimed Dutch illustrator, Gitte Spee.  This is a detective series with depth—ideal for elementary school, perfect for reading alone, wonderful for reading aloud.

Written by Ulf Nilsson and illustrated by Gitte Spee.  Translated by Julia Marshall.

The final story in this big-hearted series takes on the most important case ever investigated in Detective Gordon’s forest—where is Buffy’s mother?  Gordon faces his old nemesis, the fox, in an investigation that leads to the edges of the forest.

Hardcover, 108 pages.  5.8 x 8 inches.

Gecko Press.

 

About the Detective Gordon series:

Detective Gordon is a friendly, philosophical, humorous, and thoughtful detective series following the adventures of the rather tired—and often hungry—Detective Gordon and his chirpy assistant, Buffy.

Detective Gordon is something of a humanist, and keeps an eye out for the weaker inhabitants of his woods.  The books are full of warm, witty wisdom from one of Sweden’s foremost children’s authors, Ulf Nilsson.  The text is affectionately and generously illustrated in watercolor and pencil by acclaimed Dutch illustrator, Gitte Spee.  This is a detective series with depth—ideal for elementary school, perfect for reading alone, wonderful for reading aloud.

Written & Illustrated by Jörg Mühle  

Bear finds three tasty mushrooms on her way home through the woods.  Her friend Weasel cooks them up in the frying pan.  But the friends have a problem: how to share three between two?

Bear and Weasel each come up with one argument after another for why they should have more: I found them!  I cooked them.  I'm bigger.  I'm still growing....  Until the fox comes around the corner and snatches a mushroom.

That solved the problem.  They eat the two mushrooms and it's time for dessert.  Here comes Weasel with the scrumptious wild strawberries, three of them to share...

Recommended for young readers 4-8 years, and whatever age companion is so lucky to share this delightful story along with them.

Hardcover, 32 pages. 

7.3 x 10.3 inches.  (25.6 x 18.7 cm)

Gecko Press.

 

Reviews:

"A brown bear finds some mushrooms in the forest and is excited to share them with her friend Weasel. After Weasel cleans, seasons, and cooks the food, the two sit down to eat their meal. The problem becomes obvious: there are two friends and three mushrooms. They each have a potentially convincing argument that the other just doesn't buy—Bear is big so she needs more to eat while Weasel is small and requires more food in order to grow. A wily fox saunters by and swiftly resolves the argument and the standoff causes Bear and Weasel to unite against the interloper. All seems to be well again between the friends until Weasel offers Bear dessert, which brings the tale to the ultimate 'Uh-oh' moment. Charming illustrations on white backgrounds reveal Weasel's open air yet cozy hoe as well as other forest residents, two of whom are quietly reading books. VERDICT Children will clearly understand and sympathize with the friends' humorous conundrum. A delightful look at sharing and the problems that can result." — School Library Journal

 

"Bear and Weasel learn a powerful lesson in sharing.  Walking through the woods, Bear finds three mushrooms, which she brings home for dinner. Weasel cooks them to perfection, with salt and pepper and 'a little parsley.' At the table, Bear takes two mushrooms for herself and gives one to Weasel. 'That's fair,' she says. 'I'm big. I need to eat a lot.' Weasel disagrees; he's small and is still growing. This small spat, well, mushrooms into a full-blown fight. Bear points out that she found the mushrooms, and Weasel counters that he cooked them, and to perfection. But it was Bear's recipe, and she likes mushrooms more than Weasel, who is so hungry his stomach is grumbling. Bear says that her stomach is grumbling, too. But Weasel said it first. And Bear said that she wanted the extra mushroom first. Finally, Weasel declares that they aren't friends anymore. He stabs the third mushroom with a fork, lifts it over his head, and...a fox snatches it right off the fork and eats it. There's a moment of mutual shock and anger at the fox, but then Bear and Weasel sit down and wish each other 'bon appetit.' For dessert...three juicy strawberries. Mühle's storytelling has a fine sense of comic pacing, and his cartoons are simple but effective, uncluttered and full of white space, creating cozy domesticity in the forest.

This funny friendship fable hits the spot." — Kirkus Reviews 

 

"Two hungry friends find themselves at loggerheads in this fablelike story about fairness. When Bear finds three forest mushrooms, Weasel cooks them up ('with a little parsley') in a well-equipped forest home. But when Bear dishes up, she calls dibs on the third mushroom: 'That's fair. I'm big, so I need to eat a lot,' Bear says. 'I'm small, and I still have to grow,' Weasel counters. As both friends make their cases ('I found the mushrooms'; 'I... simmered them in the heavy pan. With parsley!'), reasonable debate soon escalates into full-blown argument. Just when it seems they're at an impasse, a sly passerby swipes the extra portion, uniting the two against a shared enemy: 'The cheek of it,' they holler, 'totally unfair!' In colored pencil and wash, Mühle crafts homey forest scenes that are one of the book's delights: tree branches serve as hooks, the kitchen bursts with pleasing jars, and Weasel sits in what appears to be a Stokke Tripp Trapp chair. A final spread features Weasel pulling out a bowl with three strawberries, leaving the reader to guess whether the friends will find new ways to argue over dessert. Sharing is well-trodden territory, but Mühle's take is full of woodsy charm." — Publishers Weekly

by Catharina Valckx

Achille LeBlab, special correspondent, knocks at Zanzibar’s door.  He wants to write an article about an exceptional character.  Is Zanzibar exceptional?

The lizard seems to doubt it.  “Aside from your poetic name, I’m afraid you’re a very ordinary crow.”

That night Zanzibar decides: “I haven’t done anything remarkable yet, but it’s never too late!”  He comes up with an idea for an incredible feat.  First he must find a camel...

An uplifting, warmhearted early chapter book about a crow, who proves you can move mountains (or even dromedaries) and perform truly heroic deeds if you believe in yourself.  And that the acclaims of others isn't necessarily the reward in the end.

Recommended for young readers ages 6-9 years. 

Hardcover, 72 pages.  5.8 x 8.0 inches.

Gecko Press.

 

Reviews:

"When Achille LeBlab, a reporter/lizard who works at the local newspaper stops by Zanzibar's house looking for an incredible story, the crow questions if there is anything that makes him truly special. He makes fantastic omelets, but that just isn't incredible enough for Achille. Then Zanzibar has an idea: he will go to the desert and lift a camel with just a single wing. Along the way, Zanzibar makes some new friends and realizes that the fame of being in the newspaper may not be as important as he once thought. Valckx's story, which is translated from French, is a tale about finding oneself while trying to achieve goals. Two-tone orange and black illustrations throughout are reminiscent of those found in Kenneth Grahame's The Wind in the Willows or Arnold Lobel's 'Frog and Toad' books. While the book is short and at a general level that is perfect for young readers, some of the vocabulary is complex and may need to be read with adult assistance. VERDICT: A sweet and quick read ... to enhance most collections." — School Library Journal 

"Animals explore what it means to be remarkable in this earnest, mellow story.  Zanzibar the crow enjoys mushroom omelets, singing (poorly), and spending time with friends. An unexpected knock on the door from a reporter, lizard Achille LeBlab, changes Zanzibar's course of action when he is forced to confront his humdrum life. After comparing himself to other creatures who can sing, play chess, and dive from great heights, Zanzibar vows to take action and complete a venture worth a write-up in the local newspaper, The Voice of the Forest. To impress LeBlab, Zanzibar sets out on an exceptional journey, heading south on the advice of a sea gull. He meets a fennec fox and a dromedary who coach him through temporary discouragement and celebrate with him when he reaches his goal (to lift the dromedary 'with a single wing'). Supportive and thoughtful models of friendship shine in this story, and unexpected vocabulary choices will engage readers. Valckx's tricolor sketches have a charming vintage feel. However, many adult readers won't be able to ignore the imagery of a black crow paired inexplicably with an African name, which has problematic historical connotations in the United States if not in France, where this book was first published.  This story about finding the extraordinary in everyone gives readers something to crow about."—Kirkus Reviews

Why doesn't Berra have a grandfather?  And how can he get one?  Ulf suggests that there are plenty of old men at the retirement home.  Berra and Ulf go there together to find one—ideally one who eats pig's trotters, invites you to tea, and can teach you to whistle.

A funny, sensitive, illustrated chapter book about a friendship across generations.  Stark's writing covers every emotion, sometimes in the same sentence.  Please see the Kirkus Review below for a more in depth description of the storyline, including sensitive information.

Hardcover, 80 pages.  5.7 x 8 inches.

Gecko Press. 

Read the first chapter from the publisher's website here.

 

Excerpt: 

"We looked out over the world and spat our cherry stones on the ground. And Grandpa Ned didn't want to leave.  'Here we are sitting, just like in heaven,' he said, taking the last red cherry out of his hat."

 

From the publisher, Gecko Press:

"Our first release for 2021 is one of the world's perfect stories: Can You Whistle, Johanna? by Ulf Stark and illustrated by Anna Höglund.

This is the first book we bought English-language rights for, 15 years ago—still fresh, resonant and funny—available in a beautiful new edition for its first release in North America this spring.

Can You Whistle, Johanna? has all the things we look for in the books we publish at Gecko Press: drama, humour, human behaviour, character, plot, emotion and warmth. There are many layers and connections that make it a satisfying and lasting read. It is the kind of book that stays with you for life." 

 

Reviews:

by Theresa Breslin.  Illustrated by Kate Leiper.

Mysterious selkies, bad-tempered giants, devious fairies and even Loch Ness's most famous resident -- these are the mythical beasts of Scottish folklore.

In the highly anticipated companion volume to the much-loved An Illustrated Treasury of Scottish Folk and Fairy Tales, award-winning children’s author Theresa Breslin brings together a stunning collection of tales from across Scotland.

Alternately humorous, poignant and thrilling, each story is brought to life with exquisite illustrations by Scottish fine artist Kate Leiper.

A wonderful gift, this is a truly stunning book to be treasured for a lifetime and will be enjoyed by parents and grandparents as well as children.

Table of Contents

The Monster of Loch Ness
Gillon and the Selkie
The Story of the Giant’s Causeway
Thomas the Rhymer or True Thomas
The Whirlpool of the Corryvreckan
The Mermen of the Bell Rock
The Archer and the Island Beast
The Big Grey Man of Ben Macdui
The Wulver
The Wee Folk of Merlin Crag
The Saving Grace

Recommended for Ages 6 - 9 years.

Hardcover, 192 pages, with colour illustrations. 278 x 216 mm (8.5 x 10.9 inches).

Floris Books, 2015.

by Theresa Breslin.  Illustrated by Kate Leiper.

Slithering stoorworms, mischievious brownies, fierce kelpies and magical selkies -- these are the creatures of Scottish folklore.

Award-winning children's author Theresa Breslin has collected the best-loved tales from all over Scotland. Retelling each in its own individual style, she presents funny tales, moving tales and enchanting fairy tales. Soar with the goshawk, dive with selkies and battle with the stoorworm, as each story is brought to life with exquisite illustrations by Scottish fine artist Kate Leiper, which brim with otherworldly beauty.

A wonderful gift, this is a truly stunning book to be treasured for a lifetime and will be enjoyed by parents and grandparents as well as children.

Longlisted for the Kate Greenaway Medal 2013

Table of Contents

The Wee Bannock
The Water Kelpie
The Goshawk and the Brave Lady
Whuppity Stourie
The Shepherd's Dog
Rashie Coat
The Selkie of Sanday
The Eagle and the Wren
The Brownie of Ballharn Hill
The Dragon Stoorworm and the Boy Called Assipattle
Tale End
Glossary

Recommended for Ages 6-12 years.

Hardcover, 160 pages, with colour illustrations.  284 x 223 mm (8.5 x 10.9 inches).

Floris Books, 2012.

Edited by Heather Thomas

An invaluable collection of poetry for use by teachers at every stage of school life from primary to mid-teens.

The poems are arranged by age of the child from six to fourteen, and provide support for the subject matter of lessons from botany and physics to history and astronomy. They encompass a wide variety of moods from gratitude and wonder at the natural world to the courage and heroism of individuals pitted agains the odds, and range from ancient Egypt to modern times.

Works by well-known poets -- Shakespeare, Blake, Wordsworth, Browning -- are found together with the refreshingly unfamilar.
Sections on alliterative verse, riddles, tongue-twisters, action verses and the seasons of the year provide a stimulus for practical activities in the classroom. Also included are meditative verses for teachers to help them deepen their understanding of the children in their care.

A resource book to treasure, it will awaken a love of poetry in both young and old.

Recommended for children ages 6-12 years.

Hardback, 368 pages.  234 x 156 mm.

Floris books, 1998.

Written and illustrated by Tove Jansson; Translated by Elizabeth Portch

When Moomintroll learns that a comet will be passing by, he and his friend Sniff travel to the Observatory on the Lonely Mountains to consult the Professors. Along the way, they have many adventures, but the greatest adventure of all awaits them when they learn that the comet is headed straight for their beloved Moominvalley.

Recommended for Ages 8-12.

Softcover, 192 Pages. 

Square Fish, an Imprint of MacMillan Publishing.

Read an excerpt from the book here.

REVIEWS

Praise for Comet in Moominland

Written and illustrated by Tove Jansson; Translated by Elizabeth Portch

It is spring in the valley and the Moomins are ready for adventure! Moomintroll and his friends Snufkin and Sniff find the Hobgoblin's top hat, all shiny and new and just waiting to be taken home. They soon realize that his is no ordinary hat; it can turn anything—or anyone—into something else!

Recommended for readers ages 5 to 9 years.

Softcover, 176 Pages. 

Square Fish, an Imprint of MacMillan Publishing.

Read an excerpt from the publisher here.

REVIEWS

Praise for Finn Family Moomintroll

Written and illustrated by Tove Jansson; Translated by Thomas Warburton

Before he had a family, Moominpappa led a life of adventure and intrigue. But he's never told his story until now. He has a bad cold, and it's the perfect time to remember his youthful endeavors and to ponder the experiences which have made him the remarkable Moomin he is.

Recommended for Ages 9-12.

Softcover, 192 Pages. 

Square Fish, an Imprint of MacMillan Publishing.

REVIEWS

Praise for Moominpappa's Memoirs

Written and illustrated by Tove Jansson; Translated by Thomas Warburton

When a flood sweeps through the valley, the Moomins must find a new house. And with typical Moomin good luck, one just happens to be floating by. It looks normal enough, but there are curtains where one wall should be, strange rows of lights, and other odd amenities. Then Moomintroll and the Snork Maiden disappear, and the family realize that the house may hold the answers to more than they ever dreamed.

Recommended for Ages 9-12.

Softcover, 176 Pages. 

Square Fish, an Imprint of MacMillan Publishing.

Read an excerpt from the book here.

REVIEWS

Praise for Moominsummer Madness

Written and illustrated by Tove Jansson; Translated by Thomas Warburton

Everyone knows the Moomins sleep through the winter.  But this year, Moomintroll has woken up early. So while the rest of the family slumber, he decides to visit his favorite summer haunts.  But all he finds is this strange white stuff. Even the sun is gone! Moomintroll is angry: whoever Winter is, she has some nerve.  Determined to discover the truth about this most mysterious of all seasons, Moomintroll goes where no Moomin has gone before.

Recommended for Ages 9-12.

Softcover, 160 Pages. 

Square Fish, an Imprint of MacMillan Publishing.

Read an excerpt from the book here.

REVIEWS

Praise for Moominland Midwinter