Annie’s Bright Idea by Audrhea Lande and Jenny Prest Review by Karen Lawson Published by Your Nickel’s Worth Publishing ISBN 978-1-894431-54-5 $14.95 Sometimes you do not have to look very hard to find the magic of Christmas. You can often find it between the pages of a simple story. You will definitely find it when you open a special children’s book called Annie’s Bright Idea. Audrhea Lande and Jenny Prest have merged their writing and artistic talents and created a delightful Christmas tale. Annie’s Bright Idea is more than just another Christmas story. It is exactly what the subtitle states on the cover – “A Christmastime Adventure”. Annie’s Bright Idea is set in Winnipeg, during the Depression. The Christmas season has arrived and nine year old Annie and her little sister Olga can’t wait to see Santa and tell him what they want for Christmas. Annie and Olga decide on this particular Saturday to make the trek from their home on the outskirts of the city to the downtown where Santa awaits. Santa resides at the iconic retail establishment that once proudly sat at the core of every downtown in every major city in Canada – Eaton’s. Eaton’s was known…

Beliefs & Religions Around the World by Judy Kirton illustrated by Val Lawton Published by Your Nickel’s Worth Publishing Review by Jessica Bickford $16.95 978-1-894431-60-6 Beliefs & Religions Around the World is a colourful and informative starter guide to world religion for small children. The sincere story by Judy Kirton spotlights seven different belief systems in descending order based on worldwide membership, and the illustrations by Val Lawton depict bright, happy families enjoying their culture and faith. Each different belief is introduced by a child who says where most of the people of that faith live, with an accompanying illustration of the globe. This is followed by any special books or teachings, any particular prayer location, and one or two special holidays. Any words that would be difficult for a small child, such as mosque, are also spelled out phonetically so it is a great opportunity for kids who are learning to read to tackle some more challenging words. The illustrations show families celebrating their faith in traditional clothing, which demonstrates a bit of cultural diversity around the world. The book presents a joyful global community that includes those of a particular faith, those whose family has more than one…

Linger by Marny Duncan-Cary and illustrated by Megan Mansbridge Published by Your Nickel’s Worth Publishing Review by Karen Lawson $12.95 ISBN 978-1-894431-10-1 Linger is the first collaborative effort by Marny Duncan-Cary and Megan Mansbridge. Duncan-Cary is song writer and singer from Lumsden and Mansbridge is an accomplished artist. Together they are a winning combination and have created a gem of a book. Although it is a child’s picture book, Linger is one of those heartstring-tugging classics that everyone falls in love with. The first day of school is an emotional milestone. It is full of excitement and anticipation but also apprehension as your child takes her first flight from the nest. What mother hasn’t shed a tear to see her baby climb the steps of the big orange school bus for the first time and watch it disappear down the road? Duncan-Cary explains why she wrote this book in the foreword; she shares how difficult it was to realize and to acknowledge that her child was becoming independent and was growing up. Duncan-Cary was so overwhelmed by her emotions on that warm, autumn day when her youngest daughter started school that she went home and wrote the song Linger. The…

This is a children’s story, yes, with age-appropriate language and credible characters – it was realistic and delightful how often friends and extended family were visiting the grandparents to work together on a mossbag, for example, or help fix an old truck — but it also deals with the “grown-up” issue of traditional vs. contemporary life.

The book encourages adult-child discussion by including a number of questions, such as: “Tell me about a time today when you felt your heart growing because somebody loved you.” “Who did you play with, talk with, take turns or share with today?” and “Tell me about a time today when you used your words or your hands to be kind to someone.” These questions follow four rhymed (and generically associated) lines .