This is an imaginative work based on the 1534 diary of French explorer Jacques Cartier. The double-page illustrations are created with watercolors, pen and ink, and gouache, as well as through digital means, and reflect the flora and fauna of the Gaspé Peninsula. Canadian author Luby, a professor of Indigenous history, is of Anishinaabe descent, and the illustrator, Goade, is an award winning Tlingit-Haida artist from Alaska. While the youngest reader won't be familiar with this early history, the message presented is easily understood and needs to be shared. Read More

Like all Nikki Grimes's award-winning work for children, this title is written in highly readable verse and delivers a relatable message characterized by pathos and resilience. Grimes describes her tumultuous childhood from infancy to high school years with her alcoholic, schizophrenic mother, her gambling-addicted musician father, and her protective older sister, Carol Read More