For our first post in celebration of Canadian Children’s Book Week 2021, I’ve picked three books (and an accompanying CD!) from my shelves, all by local Alberta authors with a global perspective. If there’s one thing I’ve learned from reading Canadian, it’s that reading Canadian is reading the world.

First up is The Change Your Name Store by Leanne Shirtliffe and illustrated by Tina Kügler, published by Sky Pony Press. It tells the story of young Wilma Lee Wu and her quest for a new name. Unfortunately Wilma thinks her name is boring and blah. Thank goodness for Ms. Zeena McFouz and her Change Your Name Store, where Wilma can go try out new names and visit the countries the names came from. What name will she pick in the end?

My second selection for today is Grazing Back Home, story by Tololwa M. Mollel, pictures by Jason Blower, and music by Garth Prince. This combination of book and music CD tells the story of Pevu, narrated by his pet rabbit, and a special book he receives from Teacher. This book lets him “graze his mind” during a drought that closes his school, and imagine what his future could be like. Published by AfricanSong.org, the book, CD, and website provide a variety of resources for the reader/listener to explore African-inspired story and music.

As one final selection for today, I’m bringing back a favourite that I’ve profiled here before at the Butterflies & Aliens Library, My Canadian Family by Raina Schnider and illustrated by Alex Terakita. My Canadian Family tells the story of Andy’s Canadian family, while asking the reader all about theirs. You can read more in my earlier review, but since it lives on my shelves right beside my other two selections for the day, drawn together by theme and personal connection, it seemed like the perfect book to round out this post.

What I love about all these books is their exploration of identity, culture, and connection. Three vastly different styles of story and illustration, and yet growing out of the same curiosity about who we are and how we fit into the world.

I encourage you to ask about all three of these books at your local library and/or bookstore! And don’t forget to share them with your local small humans as well!

Happy Reading!

– Winston