Illustrated by Kim Smith

I read E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial and The X Files: Earth Children are Weird (illustrated by Kim Smith) in March, and never got around to finishing my post...   

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial is very much like the movie in book form, and even more so because the primary characters are already children.  On the other hand, The X Files: Earth Children are Weird is more of its own story.

I've always been more of an X Files fan than an E.T. fan, but beyond that, I enjoyed the X Files book more.  Fox and Dana are children and friends, exploring the outdoors and having extraterrestrial experiences before going home.  The book was fun.

As for the E.T. book, if you liked the movie, you are likely to enjoy the book with its charming illustrations.  And of course, you can always root for E.T. making his way home.

Both of these qualify for the Canadian Book Challenge as Kim Smith is from Alberta.

Anna at the Art Museum

Title: Anna at the Art Museum

Author: Hazel Hutchins & Gail Herbert; Illustrated by Lil Crump

Publisher: Annick Press

A quick book about Anna as she explores an art museum by pushing boundaries.  She touches what she ought not touch, she is noisy when she ought to be quiet, and she thinks a roped-off sculpture looks like a great place to climb.

Anna is bored, and every time she tries to find some entertainment she is shushed, scolded, and held back.  But with a little kindness shown and a backside look at some of the inner workings, Anna finds an appreciation for art and its beauty that she never held before.

The end includes a listing of all the real art pieces Anna encounters along with where they are currently held.  The majority can be found at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, but there are others.

After completing the book I realized that it qualifies for the Canadian Book Challenge.  Hazel Hutchins is from Alberta, Gail Herbert is from Ontario, and illustrator Lil Crump is from Nova Scotia.

Back to the Future

Part of the POP Classics series, Back to the Future based on the movie written by Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale is illustrated by Canadian Kim Smith.  I requested all the books in this series since they fit into the 12th annual Canadian Book Challenge.

I've never watched Back to the Future all the way through; I've only seen a few minutes here and there.   So while I knew the gist of the story, this children's books that supposedly (based on other reviews) only hits the main plot points was still new to me for the most part.  The illustrations are bright and the characters are all very expressive.

I'll admit, the new book smell really made this read all the better.  I don't know if I would have enjoyed it so much without the additional sensory input.  Anyway, I will be reading more of these.  I have X-Files and a couple others checked out from the library.

Coyote Tales

Title: Coyote Tales

Author: Thomas King ; Illustrated by Byron Eggenschwiler

Publisher: Groundwood Books

ISBN: 9781554988358

Length: 56 pages

Obtained: Library Hoopla ebook copy

Comments:

Thomas King was recommended to me as a Canadian author from a co-worker.  He was born in the US and but has lived and worked in Canada for decades; he is from Ontario.  Byron Eggenschwiler is an illustrator from Alberta, Canada.

Coyote Tales includes two stories.  The first is "Coyote Sings to the Moon" a story that explains both the coyote's cry and the different phases of the moon.  The second is "Coyote's New Suit" in which the most tricky and scheming character is actually Raven.  Both stories contain black and white illustrations along the way to contribute to the story.

Both stories were brief and fun.

Winterkill

Title: Winterkill

Author: Kate A. Boorman [Website][Twitter]

Publisher: Amulet

Series: Winterkill, Bk 1

ISBN: 9781419712357

Length: 319 pages

Obtained: ARC from ALA (2014)

Why this book?:

It looked interesting when I grabbed it (autographed), and continued to intrigue me even when I decided the number of books I own is overwhelming and some need to be donated rather than collecting dust. I forgot the book I was reading downstairs and did not want to rile the puppy by going down, so I grabbed this one.

Comments:

Winterkill kept me reading late into the night.  It seemed similar to a dystopian but had more of a historical or alternate history feel. One group of people has become isolated in a their own little world with their own world for 8 generations during the expansion in the Canadian west from historical pilgrimage.  The people of this little settling fear the outside to an enormous extent, and Emmeline, who is drawn to the outside by her curiosity and otherness is continually risking trouble and punishment from the leaders.  Still Emmeline cannot resist her dreams and seeking spirit, venturing further and asking questions that lead her further into danger.

Note: I just found out that this is the first book in a trilogy.  The second and third books are titled Darkthaw and Heartfire.