How to use this Page

Keep reading… Author Sharon Robinson Check out Sharon Robinson at www.sharonrobinsonink.com Illustrated by Kadir Nelson Check out Kadir Nelson at www.kadirnelson.com   Publisher Scholastic Press; 1 edition (October 1, 2009) ISBN-10 0545052513 ISBN-13 978-0545052511

Happy birthday to a very special boy! Keep reading… First published in 1964 The Giving Tree has been translated into more than 30 different languages. Written and illustrated by Shel Silverstein, this story is about a relationship between a boy and a tree. The tree loved the little boy very much and the little boy [...]

With temperatures soaring, I had my first ice cream cone of the season, a scoop of butter pecan on a sugar cone from Ed’s Real Scoop. Voted the best homemade ice cream in the city, Ed’s was worth the trip across the city. With ice cream in hand, I made my way to the water. [...]

Grandpa loved fishing and if you let him he would bend your ears for hours with stories of his fishing expeditions. His stories were legendary struggles between man and animal. With arms expanded Grandpa would size up these monstrous creatures that snapped his fishing rods like twig. Grandpa’s walls were adorned with photos of fish [...]

Day 6 of the library strike. Librarians continue to march and negotiations have stalled. Frustration over the lack of agreement seems to soar with the temperature. It’s the middle of March and we have been breaking record highs. It won’t be long now before everything around us turns green again. Keep reading… “The grass in [...]

When I was in elementary school every spring the skies would be filled with colourful little dots. I don’t remember what the annual fundraiser was for, but it was pure joy to watch hundreds of balloons being released into the skies. Weeks before the event students were asked to sell raffle tickets. On the day [...]

“Little Island Comics is the first kids comic book store in North America – maybe even the world!” I am not sure if I should be terrified or super excited that it’s here. Endless joy just steps away from my backyard! Will this only feed my addiction? Brand spanking new Little Island Comics opened in [...]

Grandpa loved two things; wrestling and fishing. I spent hours watching WWF* with Grandpa, learning how perform the chokeholds and body slams, useful skills to learn when you are the smallest on playground. With all the time I spent with Grandpa I only went fishing with him once. It only took one trip for us [...]

Our last trip of the summer was a 50km bike ride through the wineries of Niagara-on-the-Lake. We started off with 10 enthusiastic bikers, but over the course of two days people dropped like flies. We battled heat stroke, down pours, and air conditioning. By the end of the trip there were only 4 remaining souls [...]

Ten million people are suffering in rain-starved East Africa. Severe droughts have caused crops to fail and herds of cattle to die, leaving thousands of people hungry and in need of aid. Rain is expected in October, but not enough to break the cycle of drought. With my head buried in children’s books, I often forget [...]

There was a time-honored tradition in our family whenever my sister and I had a loose tooth. My dad would tie one end of the string around the loose tooth and the other end to a doorknob. Standing a good couple of paces from the open door, anxiety would build while I wait for the [...]

My family and I emigrated from Vietnam to Canada in 1981. We settled down in the diverse and growing community of Parkdale. During the early 80’s, Parkdale was home to many immigrants. We were all different, each with our own story of how we came to Canada. Together in school we learned English and the [...]

With a slight break in the hot weather I decided to spend my Sunday afternoon at the antique market. It’s important to size up your opponent when negotiating with vendors, and to bring your poker face. There is not much to my game plan; I tend to wear people out. I usually let the salesperson [...]

Brutal Canadian winters become a distant memory when temperatures hit the high 30’s (Celsius). For the last couple of days the city has been wrapped in a thick blanket of hot air; causing sweat to pour out of every crevice, even when I’m sitting still. With heat alerts issued, the city pools have become popular [...]

I kept a journal as a kid, which I poured all my teenage angst into. Anger, gossip, heartbreaks, embarrassing moments, the best days and the worst days of my teenage years all recorded. The pages of my journals were a jumbled mess of thoughts and feelings. I burned them years later not wanting a reminder [...]

Last week was Binky’s birthday; he turned 6. There was cake, party hats and balloons. Like all cats he wasn’t impressed by all the party fuss, but he did enjoy spending the evening with friends and getting his belly rubbed. Read more after the jump. I thought we could continue the celebration with You Can’t Take [...]

It’s the sniffling and sneezing season. Read more after the jump. A Sick Day for Amos McGee, written by Philip C. Stead and illustrated by Erin E. Stead, is a feel-good book, particularly if you’re feeling under the weather. Amos McGee works at the zoo, and everyday he spends time with his friends, who come in [...]

Like a moth to flame, one cover drew me to it when I spotted it on the shelf on my last trip to the library. It was a burst of yellow sunshine among dozens of books – literally, the book jacket was painted in vibrant yellow, my favorite colour. Read more after the jump. I am [...]

“Brown paper packages tied up with strings / These are a few of my favorite things” I have been receiving a steady stream of book deliveries over the last couple of weeks, can’t wait to share them! Read more after the jump. Based on a Ukrainian story, The Mitten was written and illustrated by Jan Brett. Nicki [...]

HongFei Cultures, a French publishing house, only publish seven books a year and every one of them is worth checking out (see their backlist on www.hongfei-cultures.com). For Canadian fans, I have been told that HongFei books are distributed by Agence du livre, Quecbec, so if you can’t find them in the bookstores, you can [...]

This past summer my friend Kevin took an epic trip to Asia, 45 days traveling through China, Vietnam, Thailand, and Korea. He had plenty of stories to share when he came back about the culture, food, and all the pretty girls (Kevin is single). I actually found his stories about the pretty girls fascinating, because [...]

Christmas is just around the corner and Santa Claus is coming to town – he’s making a list, he’s checking it twice, and he’s gonna find out who’s naughty or nice. Read more after the jump. A long list of naughty children can be found in Absolutely Beastly Children, written and illustrated by Dan Krall. First-time [...]

Happy Halloween! Read more after the jump. I’ve got something deliciously wicked in mind for Halloween. How to Cook Children: A Grisly Recipe Book, written by Martin Howard and illustrated Colin Stimpson, is guaranteed to make you pee in your pants laughing (otherwise known as “lizzing” by 30 Rock fans). Children are the main ingredient in this [...]

My 2010 New Year’s resolution was to bake a pie every month, along with keeping fit and eating healthy. So far it’s been a challenge. Baking a pie every month has been a hard resolution to keep and in order to keep my other two resolutions, I have been giving my pies away. So far I [...]

Every Sunday at the St. Lawrence Market, vendors gather with their vintage and collectable items. The antique market is a treasure hunter’s delight and a perfect place to sharpen your negotiation skills. Part of the appeal of the market is also its people, the stories and the bits and pieces of conversation you overhear as [...]