Haircuts Are No Big Dealby Ashley Vercammen, Illustrated by Putut PutriPublished by Home Style TeachersReview by Shelley A. Leedahl$20.00 ISBN 9781778152955 Here’s one young writer who’s on quite the roll. Saskatchewan children’s author, English as an Additional Language teacher, and Registered Behaviour Technician Ashley Vercammen has once again taken an ordinary experience—this time it’s getting a haircut—that can be scary for some children and she’s created a cheerful, step-by-step, illustrated guide to help the experience go more smoothly. Her softcover book Haircuts Are No Big Deal is good news for anxious children, accompanying parents, and barbers/stylists! It’s also fun to read and look at. The story—brightly-illustrated by Indonesian freelance illustrator Putut Putri in a cartoonish, round-eyed-character-style—is another in the Home Style Teacher series, and it will be especially helpful for youngsters or youth diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) who don’t like to be touched, are anxious in unfamiliar situations and/or are uncomfortable with certain sounds. As we follow shaggy-haired Charlie and his mother through their discussion of his pending haircut, we see that the author’s employed the formula of a) creating a predictable schedule b) breaking down tasks into small and simple steps c) actively engaging a child’s attention…

Family Potluckby Ashley Vercammen, Illustrated by Putut PutriPublished by Home Style TeachersReview by Shelley A. Leedahl$20.00 ISBN 9781778152931 Sixteen smiling, digitally-produced characters—including an infant in arms, a bespeckled elder, a girl in a wheelchair and a visually-impaired, non-Caucasian boy—surround a potluck-ready table on the cover of Ashley Vercammen’s children’s book, Family Potluck. Without reading a word of the story, I’m already applauding the author’s inclusive definition of “family”. I soon learn that the purple backpack-wearing main character is the daughter of a teacher, and the potluck will take place at school. The unnamed girl’s grandma and cousin will also attend in this the-more-the-merrier story for young readers. The book’s format will appeal to children who may be overwhelmed with large blocks of text and “too much happening” in the illustration department. This story unfolds across full-spread illustrations, each with a celery-green background for consistency, and large font text on just the left side of the page. The illustrations are simple and pleasant. The green chalkboard is wiped clean, there are no toys or other hazards on the floor, and there’s little else to draw the eye away from the characters themselves. First we meet a student named Bowen and his…

The Sock MomsterWritten by Mari Lemieux, Illustrated by Mario VianiPublished by Home Style Teachers$25.00 ISBN 9781778152917 Hunting With My DadWritten by Patty Torrance, Illustrated by Putut PutriPublished by Home Style Teachers$20.00 ISBN 9781998218028 Reviews by Shelley A. Leedahl Have an idea for a children’s book, perhaps featuring your own family members or pets? These days, with numerous self-publishing companies available to help new authors navigate the steps toward seeing their own work in print, there are perhaps more books than ever out there vying for coveted space in a child’s collection of titles. One of the best reasons to self-publish is that the whole process can happen quickly. With traditional publishers, writers can wait years to hear back about a manuscript (only to receive a rejection), or receive an acceptance and then have to wait years for the book to be released: I had a book accepted by a reputable trade book publisher in 2012, and it was released in 2019. Home Style Teachers is a Saskatchewan-based publisher that offers self-publishing services, including finding an illustrator for the story, if the author desires. It is the brainchild of Ashley Vercammen, whose own diverse, illustrated children’s books are included in Home…