Tag: Tundra Books

Red sky at night, sailor’s delight.

Red sky in the morning, sailors take warning!

I grew up knowing these by heart but it turns out there are plenty of weather sayings that have bypassed me entirely. The text in this children’s book is made up of some well known and some more obscure weather sayings, with some information about how accurate they are included at the end.

It’s only when you look at the illustrations that you learn the book’s story. A grandfather takes his grandchildren out on a boat. They fish, swim and camp overnight before returning home just before a storm.

My two favourite illustrations feature an owl

and a whale.

As I read this book I imagined the grandfather paying attention to the weather and explaining the saying that matched each weather condition to his grandkids. I know I think of my grandfather and smile whenever someone mentions the sayings associated with sailors.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Tundra Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House Canada, for the opportunity to read this book.

Once Upon a Blurb

Red sky at night, sailor’s delight. And, the next morning, when the dew is on the grass, no rain will come to pass. These are the perfect conditions for a grandfather to take his grandchildren out on a fishing trip. Especially since, as the saying goes, when the wind is from the West, then the fishes bite the best. The family takes a boat out on the lake, fishing and swimming and eventually camping out on a nearby island, taking full advantage of the gorgeous weather. But the next day … red sky in the morning, sailors take warning! The family ventures back home just in time to avoid a rainstorm. But not to worry – the more rain, the more rest. Fair weather’s not always best.

Acclaimed paper artist Elly MacKay illustrates a lovely family narrative through the use of weather aphorisms, creating a beautiful and informational story which will appeal to children’s timeless fascination with the natural world.

Illustrations – Joe Bluhm

“The imagination is the most powerful force in the world.”

Charlie loves spending time with his Grandpa, who not only used to be a magician but also lets him eat sugary treats. They have the most fun, though, when they explore the contents of the Magic Story Chest, an old wooden trunk in the attic.

Grandpa can weave the most marvellous tales from the seemingly ordinary objects in that trunk, adventures that come alive in Charlie’s imagination. An hourglass from Tut’s tomb.

The Red Baron’s scarf.

Grandpa even has an exciting story to tell about a coconut shell.

When Charlie’s father tells him that Grandpa’s stories aren’t true, Charlie isn’t sure what to believe so he asks Grandpa about it.

This is such a lovely story about the magical bond between grandparents and grandkids, and the importance of imagination. I adored Charlie’s Grandpa and wanted to keep investigating the contents of the Magic Story Chest with him. I bet he still had lots of wonderful stories left to tell. I would happily read this story over and over again.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Tundra Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House Canada, for the opportunity to read this book.

Once Upon a Blurb

This action-adventure picture book featuring a grandfather and grandson duo celebrates the power of imagination and the magic of make believe.

Charlie loves when Grandpa comes to babysit because he always brings his magical imagination. Grandpa was a magician who knows the most amazing tricks; he can pull a rabbit from a hat and make a coin disappear. But what Charlie loves most are his wonderful adventure stories, and they all begin with something his grandfather has saved in his Magic Story Chest.

An hourglass is a reminder of how he defended the treasure in King Tut’s tomb from raiders. A long white scarf inspires the story about Grandpa’s dogfight with the notorious Red Baron, the great First World War fighter pilot. A coconut shell heralds the story about his encounter with a nasty Tyrannosaurus Rex.

Charlie’s parents, though, aren’t too sure they like Grandpa’s stories and warn Charlie that they’re just “tall tales.” What is Charlie to believe? How can his grandpa convince him that all you need to do is believe and a dream can be turned into something real?

Illustrations – Marion Arbona

Trampoline Boy is a lovely picture book about friendship, acceptance and perspective. Trampoline Boy spends all of his time jumping up and down on his trampoline. The other children think he’s weird. Peaches stops one day and watches Trampoline Boy bouncing up and down. Each day she watches Trampoline Boy until one day when she whispers,

“Trampoline Boy, I wish I could see what you see up there in that blue, blue sky.”

Trampoline Boy stops bouncing for the first time. Taking Peaches by the hand, Trampoline Boy allows her to join him and together they bounce. Peaches finds out what the world looks like from up high and together they see what all of the people on the ground are missing out on.

The illustrations are colourful and interesting. I loved that Trampoline Boy doesn’t allow the kids who think he’s weird stop him from being himself and doing what he enjoys.

I loves Peaches’ interest in what Trampoline Boy is doing and how she quietly observes him before asking to see what he sees.

This book works as both a story about a boy who loves bouncing on his trampoline and as a deeper story about the value of friendship, accepting and seeking to understand other peoples differences, and how seeing things from a different perspective can show you points of view that you’ve never imagined seeing.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Tundra Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House Canada for the opportunity to read this book.

Once Upon a Blurb

A lyrical picture book about the joy of jumping – and a springboard for discussion about unique perspectives.

Through the eyes of a character we only know as Trampoline Boy, we are invited to understand how he sees the world. His favourite thing to do is jump up and down, up and down on his trampoline. Kids walk by and tease him, but he remains steadfast and calm. One day, a quietly exuberant girl, Peaches, is fascinated by his jumping. Trampoline Boy wordlessly invites her to jump with him, and by spending this time with him, Peaches and readers get to see how important and valuable different perspectives are.