My Bear Grizz by Suzanne McGinness

McGinniss draws Griz in all his furry, naturalistic majesty, his warm coat a mass of scratchy brown ink lines, his heavy head as big as his owner Billy’s whole body. Griz dominates most of the spreads, his bulk echoed in the book’s extra-large type. 

Publisher's Weekly

My name is Bily and I love bears. My bear's name is Griz because he is a Grizzly Bear. 

Bookseller blurb: Billy has a bear called Griz. A Grizzly Bear. And the two friends have all kinds of wonderful adventures together. They go exploring, play hide and seek, eat peanut butter and honey sandwiches, share secrets and tell jokes. Griz is the best friend a boy could possibly have - whether he's a Grizzly Bear or a teddy bear... This is a stunning debut picture book about a boy and his bear, in which the short text and tactile, large scale paintings bring Griz and Billy magically to life.

Griz is striking, drawn in densely hatched and layered pen lines of browns and blacks, too big to fit on the page yet dominating the space. Griz has a wildness about him, an unrestrained vibe, but he never feels dangerous. Billy trusts Griz implicitly as they explore, share secrets and eat peanut-butter–and-honey sandwiches. Backgrounds are abstract, mellow watercolor, balancing the energetic lines of Griz’s fur. Billy’s enthusiastic, just-learning-to-write printing runs over the pages, crowing “Griz loves honey!” and “Grrr! Roar!” One aspect of Griz isn’t revealed until the final page, though discerning readers may note hints of make-believe in the fancifully colored forest trees (site of hide and seek) and the fluid size ratio of boy to bear. Kirkus

Art in this book is created with biro (and water colours). A really new book by Matthew Cordell has art also made with biro pens.

102 by Matthew Cordell

Clearing out old display materials in the library where I work as a volunteer I spied the dust jacket of My Bear Grizz and I was immediately drawn to the art.

This will seem very odd but up until the last page I enjoyed this book and especially appreciated the huge format and wonderful textured illustrations of the bear with his almost tactile fur. What happens at the end I hear you ask. Well, the story uses that old trope of "it was all a dream" or "this was all my imagination" and while I do appreciate other books that follow this form I somehow felt dreadfully let down here although I think all preschool children will love this 'twist'. My reaction probably came from reading this book way too quickly and not stopping to think about the visual clues. 

It’s a tribute to the imagination of children, simply chronicling one day in the life of young Billy, who loves bears and whose bear’s name is Griz, “because he is a Grizzly Bear.” They explore, snack, play hide-and-go-seek, share secrets, nap, and much more. In the final spread, we see proof that this boy’s imagination is as big as his imaginary friend, though discerning readers will notice other clues before the closing illustration. Seven Impossible Things before Breakfast

The other delightful aspect of this book is the way the author/illustrator has included graffiti - as a commentary on the action. The end papers are also covered with Billy's scribbles.

Using a pen for the art and the graffiti could be ideas your art teacher might like to include in their program. Of course this book from 2011 is now out of print but you might find a copy in library.

If you want to find another book where the last page is a good surprise try to find this one:

The Witches of Winderry Spires by Karen Foxlee

"You are the Clock Tower Girl for a reason. That reason is for you to decide. If that makes you feel worse, remember: everyone has felt the same way as you."

I am going to unpack the opening sentence: "Lucy Broadmeadow was the very last person in all of the Kingdom that anyone would have expected to receive the green ribbon letter."

The letter has come from the Ticking Witch but why has Lucy been chosen? What is a green ribbon letter?

"Lucy was neither academic nor good at public speaking. She was good at doing dangerous things, though. She could cartwheel very well and hang upside down from tree branches just using her legs (and she was good at) ... pretending she was an explorer."

What do we know about the Kingdom? Early in the story we read that there are five Kingdoms but no one goes to the fifth one in the North. Lucy comes from the South and Winderry Spires is in the Middle Kingdom. Lucy has been selected to be the new clock tower girl. She has been sent a green ribbon to wear in her hair. Green smoke has signaled that the letter has been sent from the Winderry Spires. Lucy has to leave her home and travel to the Spires. The clock tower itself is part of the Spires.

"The clock was situated in the right spire, only it wasn't just one clock face, it was several faces jammed into one large face, all of them doing different things, some hands whirring fast and other hands jerking slowly."

Clearly something is wrong with the clock and as she arrives Lucy notices it hasn't stopped chiming. That is of course only the start of things. On the kitchen table Lucy finds her instructions. They seem very strange and very specific. She has to clean the kitchen; make a plain cake; feed Mustard; tell Sig to practice swimming; read a book entitled 'How to be the Clock Tower Girl'; and only open the door to wizards.

By now I imagine you are filled with questions. I won't answer all of them because, well, this is a five star book, so you need to read it for yourself (quickly head to your bookshop and grab this book today). I will however fill you in about the main characters. You have already met Lucy Broadmeadow. Sig is Sigehelm Effra Aethelwold the Second and he is a small water dragon. I loved the way Lucy can read his emotions which are expressed as colours. He is a very important character so it is lucky you can just call him Sig! Mustard lives in the stable just past the garden wall. You should have spotted Mustard on the cover - yes he is the winged horse but please, if you meet him, do not mention his wings. There is also Boy**, an apprentice wizard and a sky-ulf who Lucy names Midnight. As you read this book you will discover each of these characters has a back story and that participating in this quest will help them answer their own life questions.

"Everything is a journey. Whether it is climbing the stairs to deliver supper of sweeping the Spires or stepping inside the clock when it's your time. The most important part of a journey is not who is by your side, where you have come from, and where you are going. It is you. How will you approach the journey. Will you be brave? Will you be kind? Will you be happy?"

Wait a minute though, why haven't I talked about the Ticking Witch? Well, that's the crux of this story - she is missing and it will be Lucy's job, with the help of her friends, to find her and in turn restore the balance to the Kingdoms. Yes, this will be very dangerous and yes Lucy will be frightened at times and filled with doubt that she can do this but (spoiler alert) of course she can. 

Why is the Ticking Witch missing? What happened to the other past Clock Tower Girls? I cannot tell you - you do need to read this book.

Do spend time taking a close look at the cover of The Witches of Winderry Spires (Lucy Zhang) - I didn't do this until I finished my reading. I am glad I waited because it is only after reading this book that all the tiny cover details will make sense - even the little green ribbon in Lucy's hair!

Reading The Witches of Winderry Spires (I know this sounds strange) I kept feeling that Karen Foxlee was smiling a huge smile as wove her storytelling magic with her special heroine Lucy Broadmeadow and her unique cast of friends. And the setting made me think of the television program Midsummer Murders. I could so easily visualise the village and all the groups of magical people who arrive when Lucy summons them for the Grand Counsel.

When I saw this book I just knew it HAD to be fabulous. It is hardcover with green edges to the paper and spot varnish used for the embossed title. This book comes from Allen and Unwin (thanks for the advance cop) and it is only AUS$24.99. Today - 29th September - is publication day. Huge congratulations to Karen Foxlee (and her publisher) this book is certain to one that readers aged 9+ will enjoy and it could also be a wonderful book to read in your family. I also expect to see The Witches of Winderry Spires on the CBCA Younger Readers 2027 Notables list. 

Image source: Allen and Unwin

Publisher blurb: No one ever knows what happens to the Clock Tower Girls ... The last thing Lucy Broadmeadow expected was to become the Clock Tower Girl and be sent to live with the witch at faraway Winderry Spires. But when she arrives the witch is missing, the clock won't stop chiming and an injured winged wolf-pup appears – all signs that there is a Rift tearing the world apart. Lucy might not be magical, but she is kind and brave. And she does have the help of her new companions – Sig the water dragon and Mustard the gloomy Pegasus. Can Lucy and her friends find the witch, save the wolf-pup and heal the Rift before time runs out?

If you enjoyed The Phantom Toll Booth, you will love The Witches of Winderry Spires. The cast of eccentric characters that I already mentioned who arrive for the Grand Counsel are especially delightful and reminded me of the creative names used by authors like Margaret Mahy.

Do take a minute to read the labels I have assigned this post. You could talk about book tropes with your library group or young reading companion:

• The Chosen One or the Everyman turned Hero
• The Quest
• The Hidden World
• The Helpful Friends
• Overcoming fear and facing danger
• Destiny

Companion books to read after The Witches of Winderry Spires:

The Hotel Witch

A Wolf for a Spell

The Girl who drank the Moon

Yesterday Crumb and the Storm in a Teacup

You may know I am a big fan of Karen Foxlee - here are other books I previously talked about. It is interesting that this newest book references the main character in Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy**. 

Lenny's Book of Everything

Dragon Skin

The Wondrous Tale of Lavender Wolfe

A Most Magical Girl

Ophelia and the marvelous boy

The Wrath of the Woolington Wyrm

2026 White Raven awards

The books in this unique selection cover a wide range of voices. Its international character is the result of the efforts of some twenty children’s and young adult book experts. The library’s in-house staff members in Munich cover many literary regions, and freelance readers and advisors monitor and consult on other languages and countries. They all have the task of sifting through the thousands of books that are donated to the International Youth Library each year and highlighting and reviewing new publications that catch their attention and strike them as being noteworthy. Some of these works are then selected for this list on the basis of the universal relevance of the themes they address, their literary and visual qualities, or their innovative approach or design.

You can view the pdf here.

AUSTRALIAN TITLES

Drift

OTHER TITLES 

Don't Trust Fish

Busted

Books I haven't talked about here but I hope to see (eventually) - Our Lake by Angie Kang; Recess by Lane Smith; Blood in the water by Tiffany D Jackson; and Waiting for the Barbarbians by Olivier Tallec.

Land of the Cranes by Aida Salazar

I know how to write and draw the picture poems Ms. Martinez taught us to paint our feelings. I know to never forget to scribble my name and date on the bottom.

Publisher blurb: Nine-year-old Betita knows she is a crane. Papi has told her the story, even before her family fled to Los Angeles to seek refuge from cartel wars in Mexico. The Aztecs came from a place called Aztlan, what is now the Southwest US, called the land of the cranes. They left Aztlan to establish their great city in the center of the universe-Tenochtitlan, modern-day Mexico City. It was prophesized that their people would one day return to live among the cranes in their promised land. Papi tells Betita that they are cranes that have come home. Then one day, Betita's beloved father is arrested by Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) and deported to Mexico. Betita and her pregnant mother are left behind on their own, but soon they too are detained and must learn to survive in a family detention camp outside of Los Angeles. Even in cruel and inhumane conditions, Betita finds heart in her own poetry and in the community she and her mother find in the camp. The voices of her fellow asylum seekers fly above the hatred keeping them caged, but each day threatens to tear them down lower than they ever thought they could be. Will Betita and her family ever be whole again?

This book is a harrowing one to read but it is also such an important story that needs to be shared. I expect this book has probably been banned in some states of the US because it takes a very unapologetic and raw honest view of ICE and the dreadful conditions in detention centres.

Here are some text quotes (note this is a verse novel but I have not set the quotes out in that format):

Six raids in the last two days, Papi chews. Where? In the factories just over the tracks. People say there will be more. This administration is out to get us. But this is a sanctuary state. A what, Mami? Papi clears his throat and almost whispers, A “sanctuary” is a place where cranes can’t get caught. Caught for doing what?

On Monday Papi must be late. It’s six p.m. and aftercare closes at six fifteen. The ticks on the clock are honey-slow tocks I try not to count. I wonder if Papi’s broken a wing on the skyscrapers he helps build with hammers and steel?

From a string of weeping words I learn someone named ICE put Papi and other hammer workers. From a string of weeping words I learn someone named ICE put Papi and other hammer workers.

We line up to be served a cardboard tray holding a burrito moldy and half-frozen. Exactly how it feels to be inside this prison.

The guard’s fist smashes into her nose which sends her back like a rag doll. Then the other guard rushes her while she is down and kicks and kicks and kicks her in the stomach and in the face until she is        still crying and breathing a heavy and steady pain.

Kirus say ages 8-12 but I totally disagree. This book is one I would place in a High School library for readers aged 12+. It touches on sexual assault and has some very violent and distressing scenes.

Betita expresses her feelings through short poems and pictures:

To make a picture poem first, close your eyes. I tell them. Then let your imagination lead to where your heart is and ask, How are you feeling? Now sit with the answer and if it is sad or scary or happy or grumpy then ask yourself, What does your feeling look like? What shapes appear? What words appear? What story are you telling?

Salazar’s verse novel presents contemporary issues such as “zero tolerance” policies, internalized racism, and mass deportations through Betita’s innocent and hopeful eyes, making the complex topics easy to understand through passionate, lyrical verses. Kirkus

I read an ebook version of this book for a book discussion group. It is not available to buy here in Australia but you might find a copy in a library.

From the author: I wrote Land of the Cranes with an understanding of the long and devastating history of raids, separations, deportations, incarcerations, and deaths my community has suffered. But also, I wrote from an intimate place. I, like Betita, was an undocumented child. I was born in Mexico and brought to the United States as a baby. My childhood fear of “La Migra” (immigration enforcement) and how they could easily rip our family apart hung over me until we received our green cards, though this was not necessarily a guarantee of safety. ... I wrote Land of the Cranes with an understanding of the long and devastating history of raids, separations, deportations, incarcerations, and deaths my community has suffered. But also, I wrote from an intimate place. I, like Betita, was an undocumented child. I was born in Mexico and brought to the United States as a baby. My childhood fear of “La Migra” (immigration enforcement) and how they could easily rip our family apart hung over me until we received our green cards, though this was not necessarily a guarantee of safety.

Here are three other books by Aida Salazar:

Who Knows the Way to Mr Grimly's Classroom? by Chris Priestley illustrated by Mariachiara Di Giorgio

Publisher blurb: When Miss Flytrap asks if anyone knows the way to Mr. Grimly’s classroom, Grace’s hand flies up—she can’t help herself, even though she’s a new kid in school and has no idea where to go. Nonetheless, with a book to deliver proudly in hand, Grace sets off on a long, strange journey through a very odd place, full of twists, turns, and creepy characters who give puzzling directions. Climbing dark, cobwebby staircases, feeling her way through a fogged-up playground, careening by zipline from the top of a treacherous tower right into a kitchen window—will she ever find Mr. Grimly’s classroom? With equal parts suspense and humor, author Chris Priestley leads an unsettling school tour for the ages, while Mariachiara Di Giorgio’s atmospheric, immersive illustrations beckon readers on with mesmerizing visual riddles.

Walker books caption for this illustration from Instagram:

When Grace's teacher, Miss Flytrap, asks her class, "Who knows the way to Mr Grimly’s classroom?" Grace puts her hand up straight away. "Me, Miss. I know the way, Miss!" But Grace is new to the school and she doesn't, in fact, know the way. Not one bit. She doesn't even know who Mr Grimly is. Undeterred, she sets off. But she could never have imagined just how treacherous, wild and epic the journey to his classroom would be, with twists and turns waiting around every dark and gloomy corner...   Will Grace ever find Mr Grimly's classroom?

The librarian in this story is named Miss Endpaper!

If you are looking for a Halloween book to share in your library this new book could be a winner with readers in Grades 3 and 4. Candlewick have made a 'tip card' for this book - that's a new term I had not heard of. 

Di Giorgio fills this school with an overwhelming sense of wonder, tiny details snuggled into the margins for sharp-eyed spotters to find. The trials of a small child wandering the halls of a new school are broadened to their logical extreme as Grace traverses mysterious classrooms with their even more mysterious faculty, with names like Miss Flytrap, Miss Endpaper, and Mrs. Nightshade. Grace traipses through fog and steam, past a performance of A Midsummer’s Night’s Dream, and, at last, into Grimly’s classroom, where she’s met with a surprise. Kirkus Star review

I understand that it’s a great big metaphor for when kids get lost in spaces that should be familiar to them and suddenly aren’t, but there’s such a sense of fun and play on these pages. And so evocative too! I love the mist, the shadows, and the use of light. I could see a kid poring over these pictures for hours. Betsy Bird

The little girl in this story reminded me of this book. Here are two versions:

Black Dog

Apart from the enticing title I was drawn to this book because I have previously read these books illustrated by Mariachiara Di Giorgio.

Mr Lepron's Mystery Soup

The Midnight Fair

(Highly recommended)

I am really keen to see other books illustrated by Mariachiara:

This is a wordless book based on Hansel and Gretel

Bad Badger: A family story by Maryrose Wood illustrated by Giulia Ghigini

The genuine affection between characters is palpable; this is a delightful exploration of family and love itself, of the challenges of facing one’s fears 

and the joys of trying new things.

A warm tale of found family and frantic gulls that hits every emotional beat with aplomb. Kirkus Star review

Having declared Bad Badger: A love story my book of the year so far, I was very keen to read the sequel. It is almost as good as the first installment. I really did enjoy catching up with Septimus and Gully and finding out how everything was going with the three baby gulls.

This is another book that can be read on different levels. If you think deeply this story is about parenting and identity. The baby seagulls have moved in with Septimus and he is a badger. Then eight other badgers arrive. The baby gulls grow and their flight feathers emerge and of course their mother Gully expects they will soon fly. She knows all gulls are programmed to want to fly but these three youngsters want to stay on the ground. They have missed all the role models of the bird flock. This is a huge problem that Septimus needs to solve, and it is also of course very distressing for Gully. 

Listen to a three minute audio sample here. I love that the narrator has an English accent not American. Read more about Maryrose Wood.

Publisher blurb: To help raise a trio of gull chicks is a rare task for a badger, even a badger as unusual as Septimus. With three spotted fluff balls underfoot, hiding in his phonograph, and pecking at his seashell collection, Septimus has his hands full. To be perfectly frank about it: living with chicks is a lot to get used to. Especially when Gully is off fishing all day while Septimus-Papa Septimus-is left in charge. Just when it seems Septimus might get a bit of the bird-free, badger-only alone time he needs, a knock at the door brings a big surprise: eight visiting forest badgers! As the chicks take to burrowing underground and gobbling up worms with their new badger family, Gully worries they will never learn to take flight. Can Septimus find a way to give the chicks a proper liftoff? Or will their family fall apart instead?

This sequel expands the theme into family in all of its many forms.  Whether it is Gully's flock of gulls or Septimus's "flock" of badgers, the members help each other grow, doing for the individual what he or she needs.  Never too heavy or precious with that message, the story is full of humor and fun, and a packing in a thrilling adventure as the fluffballs grow into becoming members of their large extended family.  A lovely book for children and adults alike! Not Acting my Age

The story also illustrates the stresses of parenthood in an empathetic and caring way. Margaret's Reading Journal

Here are some text extracts:

Opening page: Septimus was a badger. Not a typical badger, mind you, but well within parameters. True, his muzzle was spotted, not striped. His tastes were not what most would call badgerish. He loved his westward-facing porch with the glorious sunset view. He loved his tandem bicycle, his kayak, his seashell collection, and all things italiano. And when it came to the opera? La-la-la! This badger knew his way around an aria. These were the facts about Septimus, and yet—to be frank—they only paint part of the picture. For the most rare and indisputable fact about Septimus was this: He had a good friend—no, a great friend—named Gully. Gully was a seagull. A seagull with three chicks.

But now that he and Gully had spoken, the facts were not so hard to face. Life with chicks was a challenge and a joy, for him and for Gully. A temporary challenge. That part was important. The days seemed endless, but the weeks would fly. Soon, the chicks would too. Today’s struggles would be replaced by new ones, wave following wave in the ever-changing sea. This is what is called taking a bird’s-eye view. Gully had a talent for it, for obvious reasons. It was one of her qualities that Septimus treasured most.

What a brilliant scheme! Even Gully thought so. Thanks to the Ferris wheel, the chicks would get their first true taste of the sky! Surely it would make them long to take flight, at last.

There are some truly delightful turns of phrase in this book such as: 

Easy peasy, badger squeezy!

Easy peasy, turtle squeezy!

And I learnt a new word - food - zeppole. It is an Italian doughnut-like pastries made from deep-fried dough. They have a light, puffy texture. After frying, they are usually topped with powdered sugar and may be filled with custard, jelly, cannoli-style pastry cream, or a butter-and-honey mixture.

It could be fun, if you read this book in a family, to talk about your child's first steps. Gully misses the chicks first float and she is devastated. Did you, as parents, see your child's first steps? Take a look at the Bluey episode Baby Race - it is another great way to talk about this important moment in the life of a child and their parent.

The Children's Wainwright Prize for Fiction (Environment)

 

I think it is important to share international book prizes for children's books. This can be a great way to find and add new titles to your school library. This one The Wainwright Prize is from the UK. 

The equivalent awards here in Australia are Karajia and the Environment Awards for Children's Literature.  Karajia Award for Children’s Literature honours First Nations storytelling.

The Children’s Wainwright Prize celebrates the books that encourage young readers to fall in love with the natural world. In a time of climate crisis and biodiversity loss, these stories play a vital role in nurturing curiosity, empathy and action in the next generation. Through fiction, non-fiction and beautifully illustrated picture books, this strand of the prize recognises authors and illustrators who spark wonder and empower children to explore, understand and protect the planet they call home.

You may recognise some big names on this list: Jackie Morris; Britta Teckentrup; 

Alex Latimer; Yuval Zommer; and Nicola Slater. 

I previously talked about Whale Song.

Authors from this selection with books on this blog 

Catherine Bruton; Hannah Gold; and MG Leonard.

I previously talked about the series "An Anthology of ... " - the title here is Bugs.