Smoky Night by Eve Bunting, illustrated by David Diaz - caldecott

From The Bulletin:
Diaz has not been afraid to take risks in illustrating the story with thickly textured paintings against a background of torn-paper and found-object collage. Without becoming cluttered or gimmicky, these pictures manage to capture a calamitous atmosphere that finally calms.... Both author and artist have managed to portray a politically charged event without pretense or preaching.

Zeraffa Giraffa by Dianne Hofmeyr, illustrated by Jane Ray

From chapters.ca:
This is the astonishing true story of Zeraffa, a giraffe who was sent as a gift by the Ottoman Viceroy of Egypt to King Charles X of France in 1826. A young boy, Atir, takes care of Zeraffa on her epic journey by felucca down the Nile and by ship across the sea. Zeraffa grows so tall that a hole is cut in the deck for her neck to go through, and the sailors sing songs as she gazes down at them. In France, Atir leads her through the countryside, and thousands of people marvel at Zeraffa in her yellow taffeta cloak. The whole of Paris falls in love with Zeraffa and the King builds her a special house in the Jardin des Plantes. On warm nights, the young princess, granddaughter of the king, visits and listens while Atir whispers stories to Zeraffa of a hot land far away, and on the breeze they all feel the kiss of Africa.

Here Comes the Garbage Barge! By Jonah Winter, illustrated by Red Nose Studio

From chapters.ca:
This New York Times Best Illustrated Book is a mostly true and completely stinky story that is sure to make you say, "Pee-yew!" Teaching environmental awareness has become a national priority, and this hilarious book (subtly) drives home the message that we can't produce unlimited trash without consequences. Before everyone recycled... There was a town that had 3,168 tons of garbage and nowhere to put it. What did they do? Enter the Garbage Barge!

Ox-Cart Man by Donald Hall, illustrated by Barbara Cooney

From chapters.ca:
Thus begins a lyrical journey through the days and weeks, the months, and the changing seasons in the life of one New Englander and his family. The oxcart man packs his goods - the wool from his sheep, the shawl his wife made, the mittens his daughter knitted, and the linen they wove. He packs the birch brooms his son carved, and even a bag of goose feathers from the barnyard geese. He travels over hills, through valleys, by streams, past farms and villages. At Portsmouth Market he sells his goods, one by one - even his beloved ox. Then, with his pockets full of coins, he wanders through the market, buying provisions for his family, and returns to his home. And the cycle begins again. Donald Hall has created a gentle story, evoking a quiet time in American life that is irrevocably past. Using a special method which resembles the early American technique of painting on wood, Barbara Cooney has captured the sense of peace of early nineteenth- century New England and the bustle of Portsmouth Market.

Fish for Jimmy by Katie Yamasaki

From chapters.ca:
For two boys in a Japanese- American family, everything changed when Japan bombed Pearl Harbour and the United States went to war. With the family forced to leave their home and go to an internment camp, Jimmy loses his appetite. Older brother Taro takes matters into his own hands and, night after night, sneaks out of the camp, and catches fresh fish for Jimmy to help make him strong again. This affecting tale of courage and love is an adaptation of the author's true family story.

Thunder from the Sea: Adventure on Board the HMS Defender by Jeff Weigel

From chapters.ca:
Illustrated in comic- book format with detailed informational sidebars, this high- concept hybrid is a fast- paced action- adventure - like a Patrick O'Brian novel for kids! Jack Hoyton is just a boy when he enlists in the Royal Navy and is assigned to the HMS Defender, a midsized frigate defending the British Isles from invasion by the French emperor Napoleon. Little could have prepared him for the hard work and danger of life on the high seas, or for the strict military discipline aboard the ship during wartime. While blockading a French port, the crew of the Defender gets into more trouble than they planned for when they are betrayed during an excursion ashore. It is up to Jack to free his imprisoned shipmates and warn the Defender that they are headed into a deadly trap!

Infinity Ring Book One: A Mutiny in Time by James Dashner

From chapters.ca:
Scholastic's next multi-platform mega-event begins here! History is broken, and three kids must travel back in time to set it right! When best friends Dak Smyth and Sera Froste stumble upon the secret of time travel - a hand- held device known as the Infinity Ring - they're swept up in a centuries- long secret war for the fate of mankind. Recruited by the Hystorians, a secret society that dates back to Aristotle, the kids learn that history has gone disastrously off course. Now it's up to Dak, Sera, and teenage Hystorian- in- training Riq to travel back in time to fix the Great Breaks...and to save Dak's missing parents while they're at it. First stop: Spain, 1492, where a sailor named Christopher Columbus is about to be thrown overboard in a deadly mutiny!

Storm at Batoche by Maxine Trottier, illustrated by John Mantha

From chapters.ca:

During a fierce prairie storm, James falls out of his family's wagon and his calls for help are lost in the howl of the wind. After his parents vanish into the blizzard, a man on horseback appears and takes James to the safety and warmth of his small cabin. The man will only say that his name is Louis. While he prepares an evening meal of gallette, Louis promises to teach James how to make it in the morning. When he does, James declares his mother makes the same type of bread but she calls it "bannock," not "gallette," underscoring the differences and similarities between their cultures.

This imaginary encounter between Louis Riel and a young boy brings to light how insignificant the differences between people are and the tragic consequences of not remembering how much we all share. The historical context for the story is found in the Afterword. On the last page of the book there is an easy recipe for gallette/bannock.

Annexed by Sharon Dogar

From chapters.ca: Everyone knows about Anne Frank and her life hidden in the secret annex - but what about the boy who was also trapped there with her? In this powerful and gripping novel, Sharon Dogar explores what this might have been like from Peter's point of view. What was it like to be forced into hiding with Anne Frank, first to hate her and then to find yourself falling in love with her? Especially with your parents and her parents all watching almost everything you do together. To know you're being written about in Anne's diary, day after day? What's it like to start questioning your religion, wondering why simply being Jewish inspires such hatred and persecution? Or to just sit and wait and watch while others die, and wish you were fighting. As Peter and Anne become closer and closer in their confined quarters, how can they make sense of what they see happening around them? Anne's diary ends on August 4, 1944, but Peter's story takes us on, beyond their betrayal and into the Nazi death camps. He details with accuracy, clarity and compassion the reality of day to day survival in Auschwitz - and ultimately the horrific fates of the Annex's occupants.

Abe Lincoln Crosses a Creek: A Tall, Thin Tale (Introducing His Forgotten Frontier Friend)_by Deborah Hopkinson and John Hendrix

From chapters.ca:
Here's an ingenious historical fiction picture book about the 16th president of the United States. It's a tale of two boys who get themselves into more trouble than bear cubs in a candy store. The year is 1816. Abe is only seven years old, and his pal, Austin, is ten. Abe and Austin decide to journey down to Knob Creek. The water looks scary and deep, and Austin points out that they don't know how to swim. Nevertheless, they decide to traverse it. I won't tell you what happens, but let's just say that the USA wouldn't be the same if Austin hadn't been there to help his friend.

Josephine’s Dream by Joan Betty Stuchner

From chapters.ca:
The fictional story of Josephine Baker's childhood, this picture book showcases the dreams and the performances of this figure of the American civil rights movement. Born poor in money but rich in talent, Josephine Baker sang, danced, crossed her eyes, knocked her knees, and made crazy, funny faces - eventually stealing the show. She discovered it was hard for a black performer to see her name in lights in America in the 1920s, so she packed her bags and went to France, where she later joined the French underground during World War II. After her return to America, she joined Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., speaking at the March on Washington - the only woman to do so. With lively illustrations, this book blends history and fiction, capturing this important figure's ambitions and dreams.

The Mighty Tim Horton by Mike Leonetti, illustrated by Greg Banning

From chapters.ca:
A young boy improves his hockey game with a little help from his idol, Tim Horton.
Trevor is a defenseman who loves to use his size in his game - sometimes a little too much. He's taking needless penalties, costing his team the wins they need to advance. He hates letting them down, but he doesn't know how to change his game.
As the Leafs head for the Cup in the 1961-62 season, he follows the plays of his hockey hero - Tim Horton - for inspiration. Horton is a big defenseman too, but he uses his size wisely. One day, through a lucky coincidence, Trevor comes face to face with Tim Horton, and finds the nerve to ask him for some tips. Now, armed with some sound advice, he returns to his hockey team determined to rein in his temper and play a better game. And what agame it is! Trevor helps his team on to victory just as the Leafs hoist their newly won Stanley Cup - with a winning goal assisted bynone other than Tim Horton!

Red Butterfly: How a Princess Smuggled the Secret of Silk Out of China by Deborah Noyes, illustrated by Sophie Blackall

From chapters.ca:
This enchanting tale of hidden beauty and fierce courage offers the story of a young Chinese princess who must leave her fathers home of many splendors to marry the king of a far- off land. Her clever plan to ensure her cherished home is with her always continues to live in legend.

Monkey Town by Ronald Kidd

From chapters.ca:
The year is 1925 and Dayton, Tennessee, is the hottest and the sleepiest place on earth. That is, until the day fifteen- year- old Frances Robinson's dad has John Scopes arrested for teaching evolutionary theory in schools. Overnight, the world's most famous thinkers are flocking to Dayton to ask, "Are people really descended from monkeys?" Suddenly everything Frances has ever believed about the world, her father, and truth seems like a lie. And worst of all, Johnny Scopes, her secret crush, is crumbling right beside her.

Instruments of Death by Steward Ross

From chapters.ca:
Combining the excellence of DK Readers with the excitement of a graphic novel, these thrilling books use rich, historically accurate settings - such as ancient Egypt and Rome - as the backdrops for tales of murder, betrayal, and revenge!

My Uncle Emily by Jane Yolen, illustrated by Nancy Carpenter

From chapters.ca:
This six- year- old has an uncle like no other His uncle wears long white dresses and never smokes cigars. Gilbert s uncle is none other than Emily Dickinson... Uncle Emily he calls her. And how he loves her. He knows that she writes poems about everything, even dead bees. But it's a poem about truth that, after a fracas in school, he remembers best. Tell all the Truth, the poem begins. And, in finally admitting what went on that day, he learns something firsthand about her poetry, something about her, and a good deal about the importance of telling the truth, no matter how difficult it might be.

Minty: A Story of Young Harriet Tubman by Alan Schroeder, illustrated by Jerry Pinkney

From chapters.ca:
This is the story of young Harriet Tubman, then called "Minty". A slave in the Brodas household, she is often punished for her feisty, rebellious spirit, and always, above all, dreams of escape.

The Storm in the Barn by Matt Phelan

From chapters.ca:
Tall tale. Thriller. Gripping historical fiction. This artful, sparely told graphic novel - a tale of a boy in Dust Bowl America - will resonate with young readers today. In Kansas in the year 1937, eleven- year- old Jack Clark faces his share of ordinary challenges: local bullies, his father's failed expectations, a little sister with an eye for trouble. But he also has to deal with the effects of the Dust Bowl, including rising tensions in his small town and the spread of a shadowy illness. Certainly a case of "dust dementia" would explain who (or what) Jack has glimpsed in the Talbot's abandoned barn - a sinister figure with a face like rain. In a land where it never rains, it's hard to trust what you see with your own eyes - and harder still to take heart and be a hero when the time comes. With phenomenal pacing, sensitivity, and a sure command of suspense, Matt Phelan ushers us into a world where desperation is transformed by unexpected courage.

Hana in the Time of the Tulips by Deborah Noyes, illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline

From chapters.ca:
Hana and her father used to love to walk in the garden and play their favorite game. But ever since tulip fever struck Holland, Hana's father has been consumed by greed, and now he is too busy even to kiss her good night. It is up to Hana - with some help from a special family friend - to find a way to remind her father of what's truly valuable. With stunning art reminiscent of Rembrandt, this tender tale illuminates the enduring love between father and child.

Crow Call by Lois Lowry, illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline

One of Liz's favorite memories of her father is the day they passed the window of Kronenberg's department store. Daddy had bought her a very special gift: something warm and wonderful to remember him by. A gift she would never outgrow. Now Daddy is back from the war, and his gift is perfect, as the two of them set out together on a cold autumn morning - first to town, where they share a special slice of cherry pie, then to the gray- green hills of the Pennsylvania farmlands, where they beckon crows from the quiet sky. Lois Lowry pairs with acclaimed artist Bagram Ibatoulline to deliver a timeless story about the power of a very special relationship.