miss moon: wise words from a dog governess

Behind every well-trained dog is an exceptional dog governess.  One such individual is Miss Moon, a paragon of grace and coifed style.  She offers sage advice with a good measure of playfulness that both canines and humans might do well to heed.  My favorite — “A good book will chase away the dark.”  Janet Hill’s style is classic, elegant and considered with a touch of whimsy, like her words.  One of my favorite books this year.  Miss Moon: Wise Words from a Dog Governess was published by Tundra Books. 

little lit fest

This weekend we had our first ever #littlelitfest, an event celebrating books, reading and community.  

We made bookmarks at #littlelitfest with vintage library cards, Le Petit Elefant’s brilliant stamp and Sakura gelly roll pens (some of my favorite pens of all time).

You can't ever have enough bookplates—another thing we made at our event.  Stamp by Yellow Owl Workshop.

Makers’ chaos—always a wonderful sight to see—the mess, the creative spirit and sparks of imagination all converging to produce something new and uniquely our own.

Little hands and concentration.  Making reading journals and bookmarks.

We packed sunny yellow suitcases for our attendees.  Thank you to all the amazing people who supported our event: Lately Lily, Isabel Roxas, Scout Books, Red Cap Cards, Sakura and Zig Zag City Guides.

Yes.  Yes, it is. The afternoon was a flurry of endless talk, incredible company, book crafting, making, creating and boundless kid energy.  Looking forward to our next #littlelitfest.  Remember people, #readingisrad!

how this book was made

Mac Barnett and Adam Rex team up again, this time to elucidate the lengthy process of putting a book out into the world.  They deliver many wry insights into the countless drafts, dozens of people and slow boats that bring books to our shelves.  The narrative achieves a good momentum and is not deterred even when a livid tiger and swarthy pirates are encountered.  How This Book Was Made is funny and smart in the best way possible.  We’re almost tearful that the story is over.  Hoping for a sequel, or at least another MacAdam production.

Don't miss the book trailer.

the darkest dark

The story of astronaut Chris Hadfield and how he overcomes his fears of the dark as a young boy and comes to embrace the darkest dark of outer space as an astronaut.  Eric and Terry Fan’s inky, dusky palette brings to life Chris Hadfield’s childhood, including his summer family cottage on Stag Island in southern Ontario.

It’s amazing how many different forms of dark are rendered—the faint patterned wallpaper in Chris’ bedroom, the crisp windy night sky outside his cottage, the television set’s cold light on the faces of the crowd gathered to watch the moon landing in his neighbor’s living room—which speaks to their ability as illustrators to bring to life the most ordinary of settings.  As seen in their first picture book The Night Gardener, the Fan brothers are masters of using color to create mood, intrigue and a kind of tangible magic.

The Darkest Dark is by Chris Hadfield, Kate Fillion, Eric Fan and Terry Fan.  Out on September 13 from Tundra Books.

see you next year

Both the narrative and images in See You Next Year evoke a lovely nostalgia that draw you into one girl's annual summer trip to the shore, as well as invite you to reflect on your own early memories of vacations taken during this sweltering mid-year season.

We enjoyed the girl's quiet observations of the sights and sounds at the beach, reveled in her new experiences and partook in her joy in making a new friend.  Not surprisingly, after reading See You Next Summer, you'll long for a few more of your own bonfires on the beach before the summer is up.

A perfect read for these ebbing summer days.  By Andrew Larsen and Todd Stewart, and published by Owl Kids.