LitBit Speaks

Little Bird learned a new word! He loves it so much that he's bursting to share it with all of his friends. BLARK! BLARK! BLARK! The only problem is, this isn't a very nice word. Little Bird doesn't realize it, but this word might even hurt someone's feelings. What word will Little Bird learn to make things better? Little Bird's Bad Word  has to be one of my favourite picture books of 2015. Not only does it teach a lesson, but it's adorable and does not fall prey to an overly didactic writing style. The illustrations are also cute and portray emotion without a large amount of excess detail. The colours are relatively muted, and Grant manages to show a wide range of expressions with small details. Just look at the cover, for instance, and you will see what I mean! Little bird is truly excited, and yet you can see so much shock and acknowledgement of the delicacy of the situation from the father, with just that one big eye facing the reader. ...

Delightfully odd, is perhaps one of the best ways I've heard to describe this unique tale of reluctant friendship between an unlikely duo. When a skunk first appears in the tuxedoed man's doorway, it's a strange but possibly harmless occurrence. But then the man finds the skunk following him, and the unlikely pair embark on an increasingly frantic chase through the city, from the streets to the opera house to the fairground. What does the skunk want? It's not clear--but soon the man has bought a new house in a new neighborhood to escape the little creature's attention, only to find himself missing something. . . This is a lovely tale of two characters who turn out to be rather lonely, or at least lonelier than they might think. As the man attempts to run away from the skunk in wilder and more creative ways, he doesn't realize how much he needs someone who cares enough to stick around. . . until he finally eludes the skunk and throws a party. And it i...

Princess Pinecone knows exactly what she wants for her birthday this year. A BIG horse. A STRONG horse. A horse fit for a WARRIOR PRINCESS! But when the day arrives, she doesn't quite get the horse of her dreams... Instead she gets, well, this little guy... LOOK AT THAT LITTLE FACE!!!!  LOOK AT THOSE BIG EYES!!!!! How could Princess Pinecone be disappointed in this fabulous specimen?! This is a story of strength in many forms, of love and acceptance, of bravery and cozy sweaters. In the kingdom of warriors, Princess Pinecone is her parents' special little girl, never recognizes as the warrior she wishes to be. Her parents try to help her see her dreams come true, but her parents are super intuitive in the ways that the princess would like. The illustrations are in true Kate Beaton style, full of warmth and whimsy and a little bit of charm. If the story itself doesn't keep you giggling, the pony itself won't let you stop smiling with each turn of the page...

Just a note that I'm incredibly sorry I haven't been able to stay more current with my reviews as of late. I have become overwhelmed with working on my dissertation and keeping up with selection committee reading. But I assure you that no matter what is going on in life, I will keep trying to bring your attention to adorable, hilarious, creepy, thought-provoking, and sometimes downright disturbing literature. You're welcome! Now, sit back, relax, and enjoy this review of I Don't Like Koala ! What’s not to love about a cute, cuddly...creepy toy koala? This is the story of a boy and the stuffed animal he just can’t seem to shake. Adam does not like Koala. Koala is a little creepy. Adam tries explaining this to his parents. He tries putting Koala away—far away. He tries taking Koala on a long, long walk. Nothing works. Will Adam ever be rid of Koala? I know what everyone's thinking. How could this kid seriously NOT like a koala? I mean really....

Sometimes Tim feels invisible at school-until one day, when Tim meets Sam. But Sam isn't just any new friend: he's a blue whale, and he can't find his way home! Returning Sam to the sea is hard work, but Tim is determined to help. After all, it's not every day you meet a new friend! I saw a poster recently, for an author/illustrator visit to the fabulous Kidsbooks in Vancouver. The event was to highlight Cale Atkinson and his new book, To the Sea . All I had to see (sea) was the cover, and I just HAD to buy it. So I did. And I was not disappointed. I am a huge fan of large, adorable animals with smiley faces, and well, Atkinson's illustrations fit that description, and with a great story to boot! Poor Tim feels totally invisible at school and around his peers, and if this wasn't sad enough, one day he came across a blue whale stranded in the playground! No, I know you're thinking "That's impossible!" But it's totally explaine...