Young adult books Breaking Faith and Undiscovered Country offers looks at loss and recovery

I read two Second Story Press young adult books about loss and recovery back to back, finishing each in a little more then a day. Breaking Faith by E. Graziani ($12.95) is about Faith Emily Hansen, a teen whose story...

Alex A.’s Super Agent Jon le Bon comic books makes us laugh

If I was completely honest, one the best things I like about author and illustrator's Alex A.'s Super Agent Jon le Bon! ($12.95, Adventure Press) comic books is the fact the series was first created in French and then translated to English....

Cecelia Ahern’s young adult book Perfect is a fantastic follow-up to Flawed

I read Perfect ($26.99, Feiwel and Friends, Raincoast Books, Fierce Reads), the sequel to last year's Flawed, in two days. I might have stayed up about three hours past my bedtime to finish the book by Cecelia Ahern, but it...

Space, Jackie Kennedy, Yellowstone wolves and refugees – reviewing true picture books stories

I was honoured to receive a number of picture books this month that are either based on true stories or offer a real glimpse into what life is like whether in space or a small Filipino fishing village. To Burp...

Chevy Stevens’ thriller Never Let You Go suspenseful right from the start

During a book slump last year, I picked up British Columbia author Chevy Stevens' book Those Girls ($13.99, St. Martin's Press), and just like that I was back to reading about a couple of books a month. When Raincoast Books...

Q&A with Gerry Swallow, author of Blue in the Face and Long Live the Queen

Raincoast Books offered me the opportunity to interview British Columbia resident Gerry Swallow, a stand-up comedian turned screenwriter and author, about his latest middle grade book Long Live the Queen ($22.99, Bloomsbury Children's Books), a sequel to last year's Blue...

The future looks bleak in Erin Bow’s The Scorpion Rules and Madeline Ashby’s Company Town

I read two books back to back, each written by authors living in Canada, and each showing how Canada – and the world – looks in future. And neither future is particularly pleasant – or happy. In Madeline Ashby's Company...

DK Book’s The Big Book of Things To Make and March Break plans

I can see March Break before me, and I am excited. For the first time since my son was born, I have March Break off and, so far, we don't have any plans. As a person who grew up with a stay-at-home...

Reviewing the two realistic young adult books by Jennifer Mathieu – The Truth About Alice and Devoted

I had the pleasure of interviewing author Jennifer Mathieu about her latest young adult book Afterward in November. Raincoast Books recently sent me her other two books – The Truth About Alice and Devoted. There are many things I like...