Orca Echoes

Jake, Tommy and Lexie are on a ski trip. In an attempt to squeeze one last run in for the day, the kids head out on their own to ski down Easy Street. But Lexie and Jake convince Tommy to try Wildcat Run instead. Wildcat Run presents the young skiers with more than they expect, including a cougar sighting. When Lexie has a bad fall, the kids are left stranded on the hill in the fading daylight. Will they be rescued or will they have to spend the night alone on the mountain with a cougar?

George stood up in the saddle and waved his hand in the air. He went up and down, up and down. The lights of the night sky glittered in his eyes. He would get himself a hat. He would get himself a pair of silver spurs to match his silver saddle. He would blaze a new trail clear across the country! George is back, more popular than ever. And Katie and Mackenzie are just one step behind him. But George will have an adventure or two of his own before the three will come together again. George, the Best of All! is the third and final book in the George series.

Nell makes two wishes on her birthday, but the next day they show little sign of coming true. Everyone in her household is busy and wants her out from underfoot and no one is willing to help her find her lost cat. In the end she finds more than a cat and she makes her own wishes come true with the help of a row of tall, bright, smiling sunflowers.

Googol and Googolplex are back from space, ready to continue their scavenger hunt. Pippa and Troy are eager to help, but runaway bulls and disappearing rainbows make their task difficult. And dangerous! Over the Rainbow with Googol and Googolplex is the third book in the Googol and Googolplex series. Book one is Down the Chimney with Googol and Googolplex. Book two is Under the Sea with Googol and Googolplex.

Beatrice More is no average third-grader. She is a list-making, hyperorganized perfectionist whose laid-back parents and messy little sister consistently frustrate her high standards. And when a new house, a new neighborhood and new friends are thrown into the mix, Beatrice sends the family into a comic tailspin, all in the name of "professionalism." Despite her most feverish organizational efforts, Beatrice ultimately discovers that some of the best experiences are the ones you can't control.

When Kyle finds a young dog almost drowned in a heap of seaweed on the beach, he claims the dog as his own and is happy for the first time in a while. He knows that his dog loves him, but whenever they walk on the beach, the dog swims out to sea and doesn't come back until Kyle calls and calls. Then one day, they run into an old man and it turns out that the dog may not belong to Kyle alone.

Googol and Googolplex are on a mission to learn about Earth by collecting a number of items including a blackbirdís song, snowballs and a chocolate bar. Pippa and Troy are happy to help, especially when they get to ride to the North Pole in a spaceship. But when they return, Martin, the bully next-door, sees something that he shouldn't.

Eleven-year-old Charlie Dembinski likes to keep his life organized and quiet. This is a challenge when you live on a farm where your mother runs a veterinary clinic for the local livestock, neighbors' pets and sometimes rescued wildlife. To complicate Charlie's orderly life even further, his mother hires a bookkeeper to live on the farm who brings along her daughter, Amy Ma. And, Amy is anything but quiet! Her constant questions and attempts to spend time with Charlie really bother him, and he doesn't understand why the adults seem to like her so much. But when, a neighbor's beloved dog gets sick with a mysterious illness, Charlie realizes that Amy's outgoing approach might not be all that bad.

When eight-year-old Kiara discovers that her recently deceased grandmother left her a genie, trapped in a bottle of garam-masala, she's elated. She'll be a modern-day Aladdin and have someone to do her bidding. And, Kiara could really use a little magic. Third grade is just about to start and she's spent the summer worried about being in class with Matt, a bully who seems to have nothing else to do but make Kiara and her best friend Bai's lives miserable. Unfortunately, the genie has decided he's on vacation after working for ten thousand years and is looking for someone to do his bidding. A battle of wills ensues, and Kiara realizes that you don't really need magic to solve your problems.

Cricket McKay has lived in Waterton all her life, so she is surprised to discover an animal she hasn't seen before: the long-toed salamander. She finds a band of them migrating from the pond to their hibernation grounds at Crandell Mountain. Crossing the road that lies between the pond and the mountain is dangerous enough, but now a newly-constructed curb makes their journey even more challenging. Can Cricket and her friends come up with a solution to help the salamanders? Salamander Rescue is the second book featuring Cricket and friends, following Ospreys in Danger.

The poems in this book tell stories of animals and nature, from two sweaty hippos, a smiling lizard and some creepy crawlers to a few tricky dandelions. At the end of each poem, find out more in an interview with a key character or a list of fascinating facts.

At the end of The True Story of George, George, a small plastic man, went for a ride on a rocket and flew apart. Now, with Katie and Mackenzie's help, all his parts must find each other. But his head has been frozen deep in a bag of blackberries. Will he ever be whole again? George Most Wantedis the second of three books in the George series. Book one is The True Story of George Book three is George, the Best of All!

Googol and Googolplex have come back to earth to continue their scavenger hunt. Tutus, sand dollars and peacock feathers are on their list. Luckily Troy and Pippa are ready to help, and the ocean is nearby, but so is Martin Kelly, the boy next door, who will ruin everything if he gets a chance. Under the Sea with Googol and Googoplex is the second of three books in the Googol and Googolplex series..

Meet Bagels Bernstein-backflipper, jig dancer and escape artist extraordinaire. Josh learns just how much work a puppy can be when he adopts Bagels. When eight-year-old Josh and his family adopt an energetic puppy with a big personality and a talent for escaping, everyone is sure that obedience school will teach him good manners. But Bagels turns out to be a bigger handful than anyone predicted. He gets into the laundry, the groceries and the neighbor's koi pond. He even gets expelled from obedience school. Josh and his little sister, Becky, are worried that if Bagels doesn't shape up, their parents will send him back to the shelter. Can Bagels redeem himself before it's too late? "Whimsical and humourous. The crazy adventures that Bagels gets into are close enough to reality that many dog-owning adults will be able to relate to this book as well...Readers will be left with the feeling of fun and mischief that only owning a dog can bring...The illustrations are funny and worth having a good long look at as you read." "This lively, easy to read novel will certainly attract the young reader's interest. Filled with humourous puppy antics as well as a sly cat in the background, this story is highly entertaining and fun. Included also in the story are some valuable messages for young readers, such as adopting a dog from a rescue shelter, and making sure that it is well looked after...A good read-aloud for the classroom, this short tale should promote lively discussion and more stories." "Accented with delightful illustrations that children will love. Pet owners will be able to relate to Bagels' mishaps." "Josh is eight when his family decides to adopt a dog in order to round out the pet names in their home. They already have a fish named Lox and a cat named Cream Cheese so, of course, they need a dog named Bagels!..Family relationships and pet responsibility themes are explored in this story...Bagels' escapades are fun to read about." "A hilarious story that will greatly amuse young readers." "This engaging, entertaining and exciting story provides a lesson in how difficult it can be to take care of a dog. The value of tza'ar ba'alei chayim (proper treatment of animals) can certainly be reinforced by educators and parents while reading this tale." "A fast-paced, funny story, perfect for first grade readers transitioning to a slightly longer, beginning chapter book. It will keep a young reader's interest-in fact, even adults can become entranced…A great book!"

Puppies and people make great pairs. Elizabeth spends a summer with her grandmother preparing for the birth of puppies, caring for them, and finding just the right home for each. Elsie is about to have puppies, and Elizabeth is going to help. Her grandmother shows her exactly how to make the den for the dog and how to be ready when the puppies come out. After they are born, Elizabeth helps Elsie care for them. Most important of all, though, she helps her grandmother find just the right home for each, especially the very last one. "A Puppy is For Loving is a very strong book....Mary Labatt's intimate knowledge of raising puppies is evident in the text and the passion with which she tells this story. Highy recommended." "This story could turn any kid into a dog lover." I sat in the rocker for long hours. And I watched Elsie care for her babies. She washed them with her tongue. She lay on her side and fed them. She nudged them over on their backs to clean them... Three times a day, I put five of the puppies in the basket. Then I let the little runt feed by herself. Once a day I held her in my arms and fed her a bottle. It was special milk from the vet. The little runt got stronger every day.

Lark and Connor are ready for a sunny day at the splash pad when their halmoni (grandmother) gets a call from her friend Miss June. Miss June's handmade quilt has been stolen right from her backyard-and on the day of the quilt show! Lark and Connor set aside their plans to help find the culprit. After scouring the crime scene, they gather their friends from the splash pad and head to the quilt show to interview suspects. Lark and Connor will have to follow the loose threads to discover who stole Miss June's quilt...and try to get it back before the show is over. The epub edition of this title is fully accessible. Key Selling Points • On the day of the quilt show, Halmoni's friend June has her newly finished quilt stolen-but eight-year-old twins Lark and Connor are determined to help her find the culprit and return the quilt before the show is over. • Books that include incidental neurodiversity and racial diversity (their family is Korean and Kenyan) continue to be in high demand, and the fact that Lark is not only dyslexic but that each book contains new vocab words she's learning is a real draw for teachers and young readers. • As it's centred on a local quilt show, the book showcases how diverse the quilt-making community can be (including people of different ages and genders), and will spark an appreciation for quilts in kid readers. • Central character Miss June uses a wheelchair and has a service dog, Daisy, which are incidental to the plot; Lark mentions a helpful tip about not petting service dogs while they're wearing their service dog harnesses. • Using a dyslexia-friendly font, the book introduces readers to idioms and advanced vocabulary via Lark's point of view and includes a section at the end that explains the words and figures of speech used. • Fast-paced plots, child-friendly intrigue, accessible language and short chapters featuring black-and-white illustrations make this series perfect for emergent readers. In this early chapter book, Lark and Connor help their halmoni's friend Miss June try to find out who stole her quilt and get it back in time to display it at the local quilt show. Natasha Deen loves stories-exciting ones, scary ones and, especially, funny ones! As a kid of two countries (Guyana and Canada), she feels extra lucky because she gets a double dose of stories. Natasha is the author of many books including the Lark Ba Detective series in the Orca Echoes line, Depth of Field in the Orca Soundings line and In the Key of Nira Ghani which won the Amy Mathers Book Award and was nominated for the Red Maple, MYRCA and R. Ross Arnett Awards. She is also a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal. Natasha lives in Edmonton. Marcus Cutler is a freelance children's illustrator whose work has appeared in magazines, books, apps and more. He has worked with a variety of clients, including Chickadee Magazine, OWL Magazine, Macmillan Publishers and Parks Canada, and he is the illustrator of the Lark Ba Detective series, The Owl and the Two Rabbits and The Walrus and the Caribou. Marcus lives in Tecumseh, Ontario. Lively, entertaining short chapter books aimed at readers between ages seven and nine. These popular classroom favorites are well suited for social responsibility and character-building programs. Can Lark and Connor stitch together the case of the missing quilt? Lark and Connor are ready for a sunny day at the splash pad when their halmoni (grandmother) gets a call from her friend June. June's handmade quilt has been stolen right from her backyard...and on the day of the quilt show! Lark and Connor follow the loose threads to discover who took June's quilt and try to get it back before the show is over. Can Lark and Connor stitch together the case of the missing quilt?

Googol and Googolplex have come back to earth to continue their scavenger hunt. Tutus, sand dollars, and peacock feathers are on their list. Luckily Troy and Pippa are ready to help, and the ocean is nearby, but so is Martin Kelly, the boy next door, who will ruin everything if he gets a chance.

On returning to their home after a massive wildfire, nine-year-old Jasmin and her seven-year-old brother, Hunter, thought the biggest surprise would be whether their fire-resistant house had survived. Jasmin and Hunter did not expect to find an orphaned bear cub stuck in the neighbors' well. Rescuing the tiny cub from the well was the easy part, now they need to care for it until the people from the bear-rescue sanctuary can make it safely through the fires to pick it up. The cub turns out to be exactly what one would expect of a wild animal-a huge handful! The latest Orca Echoes early chapter book from award-winning author Eric Walters was inspired by Eric's visit to a wildlife sanctuary in Northern British Columbia. Bear in the Family tells the fictionalized story of a bear cub found by a family after the forest surrounding their home was destroyed by a wildfire.

Birthdays, hiccups, swim lessons, summer holidays-growing up is fun! This is the second collection of stories about Bruno, an imaginative boy with a humorous personality. Seven-year-old Bruno is back and tackling problems with his trademark originality. He defeats hiccups. He trades his mother for a new hat. He skillfully avoids math. And thanks to his special Flutter Kick, he easily advances to the next level-in swimming and in life! Bruno is ready for any challenge as he learns all there is to know about being a boy. The epub edition of this title is fully accessible. Told with humor and originality, this early chapter book series tells the adventures of seven-year-old Bruno as he uses his vivid imagination to tackle problems with his trademark originality. "Young readers will enjoy Bruno's funny stories, short chapters and cartoon illustrations." "Bruno has so much personality he almost leaps off the page, and the energy of the book marches its main character. Bruno's hijinks are entertaining and true to life, with every chapter acting as a fast-paced, self-contained story...Highly recommended." "With a teacher who turns any conversation into a math lesson, Bruno tackles daily life with a great sense of humor and originality. Cartoonish pen and ink drawing complement the silly tone and create an appealing transitional chapter book." "Where did you get that funny hat?" Mom asked him. "I swapped for it," Bruno told her. Dad looked proud. "Did you? What did you swap?" "I swapped Mom." Mom put down her fork. Her face turned white. "Don't worry," Bruno told her. "I got you back." Dad said, "Thank goodness! I like your mother." "Me too," said Bruno. "I like her so much I swapped my plastic teeth to get her back again." In Bruno for Real, the sequel to I, Bruno, award-winning author Caroline Adderson shares more of Bruno's really real adventures. Caroline lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, with her husband and the son who lied to her when he said he'd always be seven.

Just when Josh starts to think his break from school is going to be all chores and no cheer, his best friend, Mark, invites him to spend their break helping restore a historic home and mill in Oregon. With the help of their friends Angela and Mary Jane, and under the watchful eye of Aunt Sue and Uncle Doug, the kids spend weeks fixing up the grounds, basking in the freedom of country life, and learning about the surrounding area. Not to mention eating bugs, domesticating feral cats, and starring in a movie! But it's not all fun and filming. The mill is in financial trouble, and the kids have to figure out a way to help Aunt Sue and Uncle Doug keep it running, in spite of it being haunted. Ghost of the Mill House follows Bus to the Badlands, where we first met Josh and his classmates.

Lightning sparks a forest fire deep in the mountains near the town of Waterton. Days later, the sky is blue and the air is clear, so it doesn't seem like an emergency, until crews of firefighters begin to arrive and townspeople start to prepare. Cricket and her friends watch deer and birds flee the forest and run right through town. But what about the slower animals? What about the porcupines and squirrels, the salamanders and snakes? Cricket searches for a way to help until the fire surprises everyone by quickly switching directions and racing towards the town. She hopes that the preparations and the firefighters' experience will be enough to save her home. But what about all the animals she loves? This is the fifth title in the Cricket McKay series, following Cougar Frenzy, Bats in Trouble, Ospreys in Danger and Salamander Rescue.

To Jessie and Johnny, their friendship is easy. Jessie and Johnny have been inseparable ever since Jessie moved to the small island town during summer break. But as they begin fourth grade together, the new school year gets off to a rocky start when outside pressures and differences in their home lives threaten their friendship. Jessie lives comfortably and never worries about money while Johnny lives with his father and stepmother on the reserve outside of town. With guidance from Raven and spiritual teacher, Steven, the two friends bridge the gaps between them and learn to lean on each other through family troubles and cultural differences. The epub edition of this title is fully accessible. Key Selling Points • Two friends face the fourth grade together while learning to overcome cultural prejudices. Reconciliation is exemplified by a friendship between a white child and an Indigenous child. • The authors use fictional versions of their younger selves to reimagine what it would be like if they met as children today. • Extended family is celebrated with positive relationships with a grandmother, aunties, and a cousin. • Coast Salish culture is celebrated by Johnny Aitken's own experiences and teachings. • Contains about 25 black-and-white illustrations. • An Indigenous character, who identifies as 2Spirit, acts as a role model and educator to the two friends. • Raven, a trickster and wise teacher in many Indigenous stories, guides the two friends through the story. After a young girl moves to a small island community, she and a local Indigenous boy form a strong friendship over the summer. When they begin the fourth grade together, the two find adventure while navigating the challenges and prejudices of their lives. Elder Johnny Aitken is an interdisciplinary artist, actor, writer, carver, filmmaker, activist and educator. Johnny's mixed ancestry includes Coast Salish, Scottish and Haida, and he self-identifies as a Two-Spirit First Nations individual. Johnny's twenty-foot-tall carved Honouring Figure stands in the Emma and Felix Jack Park on Mayne Island-a park named after his grandparents from the Cowichan Tribes. As a self-proclaimed "cross-cultural bridge builder," Johnny enjoys collaborating with members of both Indigenous and Settler communities and has dedicated himself to a lifetime career in creating stories that lead to a place of healing. He lives on Mayne Island, British Columbia. Jess Willows has had a long career as a teacher in the Gulf Islands School District of British Columbia. With a bachelor's and a master's degree in education, Jess is currently pursuing a PhD in Educational Psychology and Leadership Studies at the University of Victoria while also working as a sessional instructor with the teacher education program. She has been involved with professional development (PD) for teachers, offering workshops and serving as the PD Chair. Jess also works with the BC Teachers' Federation as a facilitator of the Teacher Inquiry Program and as a workshop facilitator throughout the province. She lives on Mayne Island, British Columbia. Alyssa Koski is an illustrator, animator and entrepreneur. She graduated from the Alberta College of Art and Design (now Alberta University of the Arts) with a major in Character Design. Alyssa specializes in whimsical and narrative-based illustration, following the themes of adventure, magic and belief in the impossible. She mostly works on children's books, graphic novels and short film 2D animation. She is also the curator of her grandma's traditional Blackfoot dress collection, which she showcases in museums, pop-up exhibits and fashion shows. She has a mixed heritage of Blackfoot and European ancestry and is a member of the Kainai Nation. She lives in her hometown of Okotoks with her family and many dogs. Orca Echoes are lively, entertaining short chapter books aimed at readers between ages six and eight

Tom loves running through cow fields with his best friend, Peggy, and his dog, Amos-especially when he's pretending to be his favorite radio hero, the Lone Ranger. But when Tom learns the nearby Fraser River is about to flood, he may have to become a real-life hero and help save his family's herd of dairy cows. This story is based on real events that happened in the farming community of Agassiz during the Fraser River flood of 1948.

When eight-year-old Josh and his family adopt an energetic puppy with a big personality and a talent for escaping, everyone is sure that obedience school will teach him good manners. But Bagels turns out to be a bigger handful than anyone predicted. He gets into the laundry, the groceries, and the neighbor's koi pond. He even gets expelled from obedience school. Josh and his little sister, Becky, are worried that if Bagels doesn't shape up, their parents will send him back to the shelter. Can Bagels redeem himself before it's too late?

Filip, the ten-year-old son of Croatian immigrants, lives in a boring suburb of the big city, where he passes his time either at school or in his cozy kitchen, googling everything from dinosaurs to the Hubble Space Telescope. When his favorite uncle gets sick, Filip turns to Google for answers. Instead he receives a visit from the Great Googlini, a tiny woman in Converse sneakers who swirls out of the computer vents. She's not really a genie, she explains: "I'm more of an archivist." Her visit is a little bit of magic that lets Filip see the magic all around him. Ultimately about the things we can know and the things we can't, this is a smart, touching, funny chapter book about growing up, braving tough times and looking for answers.

Eleven-year-old Charlie Dembinski lives by the rules he writes down in his notebook. He knows that animals behave in predictable ways and it's easy for him to understand them. What Charlie doesn't understand is why people aren't the same way. Faced with a swarm of bees attached to a car, a cat with an unusual lump, a large dog who eats jewelry, a little dog who's lost his confidence, and a best friend who's upset for reasons he doesn't understand, Charlie is put to the test. Can his rules help solve these problems? The third book in the Charlie's Rules series from bestselling author Sigmund Brouwer, Hush, Puppy is sure to delight young animal lovers. The straightforward plot, black-and-white illustrations and unique animal stories make this the perfect chapter book for early readers.

Elsie is about to have puppies, and Elizabeth is going to help. Her grandmother shows her exactly how to make the den for the dog and how to be ready when the puppies come out. After they are born, Elizabeth helps Elsie care for them. Most important of all, though, she helps her grandmother find just the right home for each, especially the very last one.

Googol and Googolplex are on a mission to learn about Earth by collecting a number of items including a blackbirdís song, snowballs, and a chocolate bar. Pippa and Troy are happy to help, especially when they get to ride to the North Pole in a spaceship. But when they return, Martin, the bully next-door, sees something that he shouldn't.

Shark-obsessed Orly spends every summer with her family on the coast. This year her parents have signed her up for sailing lessons, hoping to teach her some water safety while they're busy with her baby brother. Orly is excited to be on the water, but she has other ideas about how she's going to spend her time there: rather than learning to tie knots and batten down the hatches, she's going to use her tablet to track Delta, a great white shark known to frequent the area. Orly's misplaced enthusiasm repeatedly gets her in hot water with her instructor. Can Orly redeem herself with her sailing crew when she has a chance to use her shark-tracking skills to save some actual wildlife in danger?

The summer is for sleuthing, and Lark and Connor have been served a double helping! It's time for the annual pet fair and the twins have been hard at work teaching their dog, Max, some new tricks. But on their way to the fairgrounds, they're offered not one, but two intriguing cases. Pets from the pet show have gone missing and their guardians are blaming each other for the disappearances. Meanwhile, Lark and Connor's frenemy, Sophie, thinks her house might be haunted and refuses to go inside. The twins split up to solve the mysteries, but can they find the vanished pets and the source of the spooky noises before the show has to start? Lark Has the Shivers is the fifth title in the Lark Ba Detective series, following Lark and the Desert Disaster, Lark Takes a Bow, Lark and the Diamond Caper and Lark Holds the Key.

Our favorite pretend princess, Angelica, aka Jelly, is back! A case of mistaken identity, a wild imagination and a love of storytelling leads Jelly to tell her friend Joon and the new kid she's just met, Leo, that she's a part-time lion trainer at the local animal rescue center. Her inventiveness has them completely convinced, but things get a bit more complicated when the resident lioness, Mwezi, escapes from her enclosure and the kids look to Jelly's "expertise" to save the day.

Cricket McKay and her best friend, Shilo, are enjoying the last few weeks of summer vacation when they discover that something is killing bats around Grandpa McKay's farm. Could the new wind turbines be the cause? The kids do some detective work and then jump into action coming up with a plan to save the bats. Bats in Trouble is the third book featuring animal-activist Cricket MacKay, following Ospreys in Danger and Salamander Rescue.

When ten-year-old Cyrus sees a For Sale sign plunged into his front lawn, it's a complete and utter disaster. Usually, his younger brother, Rudy, is the scaredy-cat, but for the first time in his life, Cyrus is terrified. He's lived at 637 Petunia Boulevard since he came to live with his adoptive mom and dad at two months old. Won't he go hurtling into outer space without these four familiar walls to hold him in? Luckily, Cyrus has a few sneaky tricks up his sleeve to stop this moving business before it even gets started.

Bad weather, bugs, and boredom-DJ and the boys in Camp Lots-o-Fun's cabin six are starting to call it Camp Not-so-Fun. To make matters worse, one of the boys has it in for DJ. But DJ isn't about to let that bother him. His lively imagination and wit ensure there's never a dull moment. A bear in the woods, monsters in the lake, and a hermit's ghost make for a week at summer camp that none of the boys in cabin six will soon forget.

I'm Brianna Ross. And what I love is: • Kicking leaves. • Digging soft sand. • Helping others. What I don't love is: • Having zero friends in my class. • Getting in trouble every single day. • Being called Brianna Banana. Nine-year-old Brianna struggles to fit in. She can be impulsive and distracted, and sometimes she loses her temper, but she's also thoughtful and brave and ready to be a friend. Brianna thinks that being chosen for classroom helper duty will make the other kids like her. When new girl Rumi is named Helper of the Day instead, Brianna is disappointed. But could a new friend be just around the corner?

Brianna Banana has the best secret in the history of Grade 3: she knows she is Helper of the Day! But when Miss Dee, a new substitute teacher, takes over her class and doesn't know anything about Helper of the Day, all Brianna's hopes are dashed. Soon she's in trouble for yelling and the principal is giving her another lecture. But when a fire drill is called and Brianna uses her fire drill experience to make sure both Miss Dee and her classmate Rumi make it safely outside, Brianna learns that there is more than one way to be the Helper of the Day! The epub edition of this title is fully accessible. ★ "Reminiscent of Junie B. Jones. Well-meaning Brianna's smart narration relates her struggles coping with family upheaval, bullying, and frequent communication snafus and misunderstandings with adults as well as her yearning for a best friend. Grayscale illustrations by Ogawa evoke Raina Telgemeier vibes and bring funny scenes of this charming read by Button to vivid life."-Publishers Weekly, starred review for Brianna Banana, Helper of the Day Key Selling Points • In this funny and feel-good story of helping and heroism, quirky Brianna Ross misses out on being Helper of the Day when a substitute teacher takes over the class. But she realizes that by adjusting her expectations and adapting to new circumstances, she can still be a helper without the title. • Readers who have experienced big feelings, social struggles, emotional dysregulation or difficulties with attention will find Brianna a sympathetic and relatable character. Although Brianna doesn't have a diagnosis through which to understand her challenges, her family and school do their best to offer support, guidance and kindness as she navigates the everyday ins and outs of school. • Brianna comes from a lower-income family and has recently moved in with her grandmother after her parents separated and her dad moved away. She is grappling with these changes as she navigates her struggles at school. She relates her adjustment to that of a brand-new teacher who is subbing for the day. • Author Lana Button has a passion for social-emotional literacy and found inspiration for this story from her experiences as an early childhood educator and parent. Growing up, her own nickname was Lana Banana! • Illustrator Suharu Ogawa is Japanese Canadian and immigrated as a teenager. Suharu's playful illustrations bring Brianna's unique and humorous voice to life. • This high readability book features a dyslexia-friendly font, cream paper and increased line spacing to increase accessibility for dyslexic and other striving readers. In this illustrated chapter book, Brianna's dreams of finally being the classroom helper are foiled when her class has a substitute teacher. Lana Button is an early childhood educator and the author of more than a dozen books for children, including Brianna Banana, Helper of the Day, Stay My Baby, Tough Like Mum and the Kitty and Friends series. Her books have been shortlisted for the Blue Spruce Award, Shining Willow Award, IODE Jean Throop Book Award and Rainforest of Reading, and they have been recognized as Canadian Children's Book Centre's Best Books for Kids and Teens, OLA's Best Bets and as an IBBY Outstanding Book for Young Children. Lana is a former actress who considers every read-aloud a mini performance. When not writing new stories, Lana spends her time travelling to schools and festivals to share her passion for social-emotional literacy. She lives in Burlington, Ontario. Suharu Ogawa is a Toronto-based illustrator. Her love for drawing started in a kindergarten art school after being kicked out of calligraphy class for refusing to convert to right-handedness. Formally trained in art history and cultural anthropology, she worked for several years as a university librarian until her passion for illustration called her out of that career and into the pursuit of a lifelong dream. Since then, S

Miranda has one messy desk. It's full of books, pencils, science projects and...other stuff. Too much stuff, says her teacher, Ms. Basil. On a family visit to her Uncle Aldo's one night, Miranda wonders if some of his magician's tools might offer a solution to her messy-desk problem. Sneaking off to the magic room, Miranda finds Uncle Aldo's impressive collection of top hats. Miranda knows that magic top hats can hold lots of things-why not the mess from her desk? At first, the hat seems to do the trick, but soon things start to go horribly wrong. As Uncle Aldo says, you have to be careful with magic.

After Morgan's backyard is flooded by the nearby river, her dog, Shire, finds a baby beaver that has been washed out of its den. Realizing that its parents aren't coming back, Morgan must quickly learn to care for the beaver, which she names Sammy. Morgan's parents warn her that he can't stay with them forever. Will Morgan be able to find a safe home for Sammy?

Angelica just can't help herself! In this third book in the series, Angelica, aka Jelly, is confused for a junior reporter and decides to make the most of her mistaken identity to learn what it's like to be a real journalist. Jelly and her bestie, Joon, are soon busy with problems at the new library, trouble in the lap lane at the local pool and a predicament in a rare-book room. With her keen observational abilities and a knack for creative solutions, Jelly soon has more than enough material for an article. But will she be able to keep up the ruse when a new friend starts nosing around?

More than anything else in the world, Ali wants a pet cat for her birthday. Unfortunately her brother Jay is allergic to cats. One day, Ali discovers that something is sharing her clubhouse with her. To Ali's delight, the new resident is a beautiful white cat, who she names Snowy. Ali thinks that the clubhouse is the perfect home for Snowy. But is she right and, more importantly, is Snowy really hers to keep?

Nine-year-old Skye has always had a fascination with flying. She'd love to be a pilot someday, like both of her parents, but deep down she really wishes she could be a bird. When Skye's parents take her to Costa Rica, she is thrilled about all of the beautiful exotic birds she'll get to see. What she doesn't realize is that her parents have three big surprises planned, and each will offer her a different opportunity to feel what it's like to fly. From snorkeling with baby sea turtles to parasailing out on the open ocean to zip-lining through the Costa Rican rainforest, Skye will have more than one chance to fly like a bird before this trip of a lifetime is through.

Kelly loves the cabin she has made from a refrigerator box. It has a window with curtains, pictures on the walls, a cabin-sized table and a wonderful view. It sits in the vacant lot next door, transformed into the rugged farm of a pioneer family. Now if only Kelly can find the right person to share it with.

Reece's new dog, Ruckus, tears through life like a Tyrannosaurus rex. He bites everything that moves and drives Reece's mom nuts. The puppy was Dad's idea, to make things easier for Reece after his parents' separation, but Ruckus is not easy at all and Mom is getting fed up. When her diamond earrings go missing, it sends the family into a tailspin. What happens when a dog swallows something precious? Reece is about to find out. But they can't give up on this little Jack Russell terror, can they? He's family, after all. We first met Reece and his family in the Orca Echoes title Where's Burgess? by Laurie Elmquist.

Kate is determined to win her spelling club's spelling bee, but the competition is fierce. She can almost put up with Violet's relentless claims of superior spelling ability, but when Kate and Jake begin to fight with each other, Kate is miserable. She wants to win the contest, but she doesn't want to lose her best friend.

Reg and Keely are twins. Keely loves painting and bugs. Reg loves rocks. Keely sings crazy rhymes. Reg plays softball. Shawna and Burt are their friends. In this series of linked stories, the childrenís deep involvement with their daily activities never falters, from a bug walk, through incidents flying a kite and dividing labor at clean up time, to a chance to swim in the river on a hot summer's day.

Miranda has one messy desk. It's full of books, pencils, science projects and...other stuff. Too much stuff, says her teacher, Ms. Basil. On a family visit to her Uncle Aldo's one night, Miranda wonders if some of his magician's tools might offer a solution to her messy-desk problem. Sneaking off to the magic room, Miranda finds Uncle Aldo's impressive collection of top hats. Miranda knows that magic top hats can hold lots of things-why not the mess from her desk? At first, the hat seems to do the trick, but soon things start to go horribly wrong. As Uncle Aldo says, you have to be careful with magic.

The rooster has been kidnapped by the fox. What is the little hen to do? Go to the shed and build a paper wagon, that's what. With two Herculean mice in place of horses, the little hen heads for the fox's house deep in the forest. On the way, she is joined by a cat, a brick, a needle and a hairy spider, all desperate for a ride. Will they be able to complete the rescue?

On her annual trip in her father's 18-wheeler, eight-year-old Jolene is headed to Los Angeles on a six-day road trip to deliver some newsprint with her dad. Just like last year, they tell each other stories and listen to music. They also keep up their favorite tradition: critiquing one type of food at every stop. This time it's onion rings. But this year is also different. Unlike last year, Jolene's parents are no longer together. They split up when her father came out as gay. These are big changes for Jolene, but she is spunky and smart and has a good heart. She's ready for new adventures and to stand up for what's right-both on and off the road.