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Author: Vanessa Newton (on JOMB)
Illustrator: Vanessa Newton
Published: 2009 Chronicle Books (on JOMB)
ISBN: 9781934706909

Spot-on sixties-style illustrations, simple, springboard text and a soulful, sing along refrain shine a celebratory light on 18 individuals who stood tall and opened doors for generations.

More freedom reading on JOMB:

• Night Running: How James Escaped with the Help of His Faithful Dog
• Priscilla and the Hollyhocks
• Freedom Child of the Sea
• Follow the Drinking Gourd

We’d love to hear your thoughts on a favourite children’s book. Leave a voice message on our JOMB listener hotline, +1-206-350-6487, so we can include your audio in our show.

Author: Kristen Tracy (on JOMB)
Published: 2009 Random House (on JOMB)
ISBN: 9780385736879

A big thanks to guest host Lucy (10) for joining Andrea today to discuss this book.

Life can be challenging and fair’s got nothing to do with it. Parents are people. Friendship’s a worthwhile risk. There’s a lot to think about when you’re ten in the real world. Which is why I’m so glad Lucy (10) and I read this fun and fabulously thought provoking book.

Mentioned in this chat:

• Life Without Limbs: Nick Vujicic
• Don’t Need Friends
• Horrid Henry

More books including less-than-perfect families on JOMB:

• The Grandmother Doll
• When-I-was-a-little-girl
• My Dad’s A Birdman
• Mummy Never Told Me
• more here.

We’d love to hear your thoughts on a favourite children’s book. Leave a voice message on our JOMB listener hotline, +1-206-350-6487, so we can include your audio in our show.

Author: Mem Fox (on JOMB)
Illustrator: Pamela Lofts (on JOMB)
Published: 2005 Harcourt (on JOMB)
ISBN: 9780152163181

Amidst mauve and pink Australian sunsets, this lyrically told and beautifully illustrated tale reminds us of the underrated pleasures of simply loving.

Other books mentioned:

• Elizabeti’s Doll

We’d love to hear your thoughts on a favourite children’s book. Leave a voice message on our JOMB listener hotline, +1-206-350-6487, so we can include your audio in our show.

Author: Paul Fleischman (on JOMB)
Illustrator: David Roberts (on JOMB)
Published: 2009 Candlewick Press (on JOMB)
ISBN: 0763624985

Clean lines, comical details and snappy, generous first person narration sweep us into this suspenseful tale of strategy, solidarity and overlooked superpowers.

Other books mentioned:

• Iggy Peck, Architect
• The Mysterious Benedict Society
• Miss Nelson is Missing

More independent thinkers on JOMB:

• Willow
• Odd Velvet
• Suki’s Kimono
• Ruby’s Wish
• Getting to Know Ruben Plotnick
• Silly Tilly
• more here.

We’d love to hear your thoughts on a favourite children’s book. Leave a voice message on our JOMB listener hotline, +1-206-350-6487, so we can include your audio in our show.

Author: P.J. Bracegirdle (on JOMB)
Published: 2008 McElderry Books (on JOMB)
ISBN: 1416934162

Chapters.ca Amazon.com

Hard-core horror meets sumptuous simile in this gripping exploration of siblinghood, self-destruction and sanitized sameness.

We’d love to hear your thoughts on a favourite children’s book. Leave a voice message on our JOMB listener hotline, +1-206-350-6487.

Author: Eileen Spinelli (on JOMB)
Illustrator: David Slonim (on JOMB)
Published: 2009 Marshall Cavendish (on JOMB)
ISBN: 0761455256

Chapters.ca Amazon.com

Rhyming triplets and edge-to-edge smile-inducing illustrations follow the carefree foolishness of an unconventional goose and remind us to savour the spice of life.

More independent thinkers on JOMB:

• Willow
• Odd Velvet
• Suki’s Kimono
• Ruby’s Wish
• Getting to Know Ruben Plotnick
• more here.

Pop over to Under The Covers for today’s full menu of poetry offerings. Poetry Fridays are brought to us by Kelly Herold of Big A, Little A.

We’d love to hear your thoughts on a favourite children’s book. Leave a voice message on our JOMB listener hotline, +1-206-350-6487.

Author: Alexis O’Neill (on JOMB)
Illustrator: Laura Huliska-Beith (on JOMB)
Published: 2008 Scholastic (on JOMB)
ISBN: 0545010233

Chapters.ca Amazon.com

Sunny school-yard action, frisky text and heaps of humorous details propel us through bliss, boastfulness, betrayal and back again in this spirited tale of friendship lost and found.

Other books mentioned:

• The Recess Queen

HOTLINE VOICES: An unidentified JOMB listener/author/illustrator recommends Kiss Good Night (by Amy Hest) and Dig Dig Digging (by Margaret Mayo and Alex Ayliffe).

We’d love to hear your thoughts on a favourite children’s book. Leave us a voice message on our JOMB listener hotline, +1-206-350-6487.

To those of you celebrating Yom Kippur, G’mar Chatimah Tovah.

Author: Laurie Keller (on JOMB)
Illustrator: Laurie Keller
Published: 2007 Henry Holt and Co. (on JOMB)
ISBN: 0805079963

Chapters.ca Amazon.com

Cluttered with comedy, melodrama and earthy, Looney-Toonesque artwork, this brilliant guide to social success is as hilarious as it is helpful.

(…er…actually….maybe more hilarious than helpful, as we now hear our girls screaming at each other “DO UNTO OTTERS, REMEMBER, DO UNTO OTTERS!!!!!”)

Other books mentioned:

• Lady Lupin’s Book of Etiquette

HOTLINE VOICES: Michelle Mitchell from Scribbit: Motherhood in Alaska shares her thoughts about The Little Golden Book Anthologies.

Author: Linda Ashman (on JOMB)
Illustrator: Paul Meisel (on JOMB)
Published: 2008 Sterling Publishing (on JOMB)
ISBN: 1402739877

Chapters.ca Amazon.com

Unabashed autobiographical poems and hilariously expressive illustrations provide the observations and opinions of a straight-shooting canine in this irresistible pooch-hood memoir.

Other books mentioned:

• Oh, Theodore! (Guinea Pig Poems)

More canine poetry on JOMB:

• Good Dog
• Biscuits in the Cupboard
• The Hound from the Pound
• Poodlena
• Safe and Sound

Pop over to author amok for today’s full menu of poetry offerings. Poetry Fridays are brought to us by Kelly Herold of Big A, Little A.

HOTLINE VOICES: Hugh Fraser of the Storynory podcast shares his thoughts on The Barefoot Book of Knights (by John Matthews and Giovanni Manna). Thanks, Hugh!

We’d love to hear your thoughts on a favourite children’s book. Leave us a voice message on our JOMB listener hotline, +1-206-350-6487.

Author: Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw (on JOMB)
Illustrator: Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw
Published: 2008 Henry Holt (on JOMB)
ISBN: 0805081690

Chapters.ca Amazon.com

Funky paint and collage artwork and breezy first person narrative provide an eye-opening peek at a young girl’s experience with amblyopia and strabismus in this upbeat tale of personality, patches, perspective and pride.

You can read more about eye patching treatments here and here.

Other books mentioned:

• Carmine: A Little More Red

Authors: Denise Brennan-Nelson and Rosemarie Brennan
Illustrator: Cyd Moore (on JOMB)
Published: 2008 Sleeping Bear Press (on JOMB)
ISBN: 1585363421

Chapters.ca Amazon.com

Seething stringency and constant condemnation prove no match for good-natured self worth in this uplifting story of creativity, individuality and respect. Maybe you can teach an old dog new tricks!

Other books mentioned:

• I Love You Stinky Face
• Cassandra’s Angel
• Free Play

More creativity on JOMB:

• Scribble
• A Bird About to Sing
• Emma’s Rug
• Go to Bed, Monster!
• The Puddle Pail
• Iggy Peck, Architect

More independent thinkers on JOMB:

• Odd Velvet
• Suki’s Kimono
• Ruby’s Wish
• Getting to Know Ruben Plotnick
• more here.

Author: Peggy Rathmann
Illustrator: Peggy Rathmann
Published: 1991 Scholastic (on JOMB)
ISBN: 0590474235

Chapters.ca Amazon.com

Spare, natural dialogue, carefully chosen details and keenly expressive illustrations keep us alternately giggling and cringing at the delicate shifts of sentiment from uncertainty and admiration through flattery, imitation, loss of self and then frustration in this celebration of selfhood found.

Other books mentioned:

• Suki’s Kimono

Author: Andrea Beaty (on JOMB)
Illustrator: Pascal Lemaitre
Published: 2008 Margaret K. McElderry (on JOMB)
ISBN: 1416928200 Chapters.ca Amazon.com

Neither glares nor germs nor a principal’s rage can squelch the earnest examinations and ridiculous remedies of a well meaning young bear in this cheekily illustrated school yard lark.

Author: Bill Wise
Illustrator: Bill Farnsworth
Published: 2007 Lee & Low Books (on JOMB)
ISBN: 1584302690 Chapters.ca Amazon.com

This riveting roller coaster of taunts, talent and tenterhooks relays a true story of suffering and success and invites us to examine the troubling shadow of racism and the resiliency of those who rise above it.

Check out the full list of non-fiction picture books nominated for the 2007 Cybils Awards here.

Author: Tony Ross (on JOMB)
Illustrator: Tony Ross
Published: 2004 Andersen Press (on JOMB)
ISBN: 1842703382 Chapters.ca Amazon.com

Thumps, chomps, head butts and the might of the spunky youngest make this refreshingly ridiculous version of the original Grimm’s tale a shockingly fun read.

Other books mentioned:

• Little Wolf Books (on JOMB)

You can read a version of the original Grimm’s fairy tale here.

Author: Dorothy Joan Harris
Illustrator: Kim LaFave (on JOMB)
Published: 2004 Scholastic Canada (on JOMB)
ISBN: 0439937183 Chapters.ca Amazon.com

Hazy, gold and red, retro artwork and snappy, all-too-familiar bickering make this simple yet surprisingly stirring tale of rivalry and resilience a memorable reminder of a decided route to happiness.

Other books mentioned:

• Suki’s Kimono

More Dogs on JOMB:

• Good Dog
• “Let’s Get a Pup!” said Kate
• The Pound from the Hound
• Poodlena
• The Trouble with Tilly Trumble
• The Outside Dog
• Dogs’ Night
• I Want A Dog

Author: Shirin Yim Bridges
Illustrator: Sophie Blackall (on JOMB)
Published: 2002 Chronicle Books (on JOMB)
ISBN: 0811834905 Chapters.ca Amazon.com

The hush of dependable peaches and greens gently gives way to a crescendo of red in this thoughtfully unfolding, true story of a young girl with a dream — and the patient, respectful cracking of cultural constraints that made her dream come true.

You can help make a dream come true today by joining the effort to provide schooling and stability for autistic children in China. To learn more click here.

Author: Kathryn Lasky (on JOMB)
Illustrator: David Catrow (on JOMB)
Published: 1995 Hyperion (on JOMB)
ISBN: 0786811641 Chapters.ca Amazon.com

Scowls, gasps and frowns abound in this surprisingly informative yet thoroughly entertaining account of the Audubon Society, its origins and its triumph over the silliness of the dead-bird fashion industry.

Other books mentioned:

• The Ballot Box Battle

You can read more about John Audubon’s Bird’s of America here.

One of my New Year’s resolutions is to assert myself more effectively. I often find that I have trouble sticking up for myself without feeling that I am being pushy. So I turned to Overcoming Depression and Low Mood: A Five Areas Approach by Chris Williams. Dr Chris Williams is a recognized expert and trainer in Cognitive Behavior Therapy and works as a senior lecturer in Psychological Medicine at the University of Glasgow. The book is a series of short self-help workbooks, below is an excerpt from the assertiveness workshop.

What is assertiveness? (more…)

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Author: Natasha Wing
Illustrator: Sylvie Kantorovitz
Published: 2007 Harcourt (on JOMB)
ISBN: 0152057757 Chapters.ca Amazon.com

Featuring playful, childlike drawings, imaginary adventure and the familiar ping-pong interaction of every stall tactic in the book, this 2007 Cybils Award Finalist turns the tables on the theatrical endurance test we call “bedtime”.

Other books mentioned:

• Scribble
• Harold and the Purple Crayon
• Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus
• The Prince’s Bedtime

Be sure to check out the freshly announced list of Fiction Picture Book Finalists for The 2007 Cybils Awards here. And stay tuned — the finalists in the Graphic Novels, Non-Fiction Picture Books, Non-Fiction MG/YA and Young Adult Novels categories of The 2007 Cybils Awards will be announced in three short days!

Author: Ferida Wolff and Harriet May Savitz
Illustrator: Marie Le Tourneau
Published: 2005 Tanglewood Press (on JOMB)
ISBN: 1933718056 Chapters.ca Amazon.com

Collossal, consuming and yet so confoundedly intangible, that elusive gnawing that steals our peace of mind is given shaggy fur, a menacing grin and then several versions of “the boot” in this delightfully shadowy introduction to worries: what they are and how to send them packing.

Author: Shannon Riggs
Illustrator: Jaime Zollars
Published: 2007 Albert Whitman & Co. (on JOMB)
ISBN: 0807557641 Chapters.ca Amazon.com

Classroom shenanigans, expressive illustrations and the delicate weaving of carefully chosen details make this important story a haunting yet hopeful nudge toward breaking the silence of sexual abuse.

Shannon Rigg has supplied the following resources to help start making noise about sexual abuse:

• Darkness to Light
• Center for Disease Control Sexual Violence Fact Sheet
• Child Help USA

Author: Andrea Beaty (on JOMB)
Illustrator: David Roberts (on JOMB)
Published: 2007 Abrams Books for Young Readers (on JOMB)
ISBN: 081091106X Chapters.ca Amazon.com

Uncommonly crisp, comical illustrations combine with flippant, rhyming text to chronicle the irrepressible ingenuity of an audacious seven year old — and to remind us to make space for what makes people tick.

Other books mentioned:

• Scribble

Author: Sam Swope
Illustrator: Barry Root
Published: 2001 Farrar, Straus & Giroux (on JOMB)
ISBN: 0374303908 Chapters.ca Amazon.com

Stagnant submissiveness meets infectious effervescence in this rousing exploration of supremacy, perspective and the power of partnership.

Other books mentioned:

• The Swine Snafu

Author: Jessica Swaim (on JOMB)
Illustrator: Jill McElmurry (on JOMB)
Published: 2007 Candlewick Press (on JOMB)
ISBN: 076362330X Chapters.ca Amazon.com

Fast-paced, must-memorize rhyme, a pack of unruly pooches and a sprinkling of romance made this explosion of canine character a family favourite before the ink had time to dry.

Other books mentioned:

• Poodlena
• The Outside Dog
• Dogs’ Night
• Is There Room on the Feather Bed? (Orchard Paperbacks)
• Mrs. McTats and Her Houseful of Cats
• I Want A Dog

You can find more great dog books here.