LEARN

Our top back to school books

by Karen Jones Michaud
Lower Canada College Library

My cousin Nancy predicted that I was going to be a librarian, and my sister was going to be a nurse; she was right on both counts. After graduating from university, with a degree in Comm Arts, I worked with three college professors and when that contract was completed, they facilitated my employment at the university bookstore. What an exciting work environment; being surrounded by textbooks and books on course curriculums!

I worked until I had my kids. I stayed at home for the early years until my daughters started kindergarten. My interest in books and in writing led me back to university to get a degree in Library Studies. My dream was to work in a library and be of assistance in guiding people in their choices of books. I got a job as Assistant Librarian at Lower Canada College where I have worked for the past twenty-six years.

My greatest pleasure is choosing and reading books to my grandchildren during the holidays, and school breaks. What I've noticed with storytelling is that if the reader loves the book that they have chosen, their enthusiasm will be contagious; the children always discover the underlying meaning of the story. When books are well illustrated the children are the first to point out small details and recurring motifs.

Picture Books for Kindergarten - Grade 3

1

The Darkest Dark is the tale of Chris, a little boy who loves everything to do with planets, stars and outer space. At night, though, Chris struggles with a crippling fear of the dark. He dreams of growing up to be an astronaut, but worries that his fear of darkness will prevent him from realizing his goals. Inspired by the childhood dreams (and fears!) of Canadian astronaut, Chris Hadfield, this beautifully illustrated picture book reminds us that we can still reach for the stars, even if we’re afraid of the dark.

2

Watercress is a moving autobiographical tale about family roots. Driving through rural Ohio, a young girl is embarrassed and horrified when her family jumps out of the car and start cutting watercress from a roadside field. Her mother begins to recount tales of her childhood, where foraging watercress together as a family in rural China was a part of their everyday life. Through these tales, the little girl develops a new appreciation for fresh food, and more importantly, for her heritage.

3

Are you a Cheeseburger? is an adorable picture book that recounts the tale of an unlikely friendship. Grub, a lonely raccoon, comes across Seed, a mystery seed, while looking for treats in a trash can. Seed, who has always dreamt of growing into a beautiful plant, seizes the opportunity to be planted. Seed and Grub keep each other company and play a little game as they wait to see what type of plant Seed will grow into. Grub is hoping that the plant grows cheeseburgers, but only time will tell for sure.

4

Acorn was a Little Wild is the charming tale of a thrill-seeking acorn who longs for adventure and excitement! After jumping off his oak tree to seek out new experiences, Acorn faces a big setback when a squirrel buries him in a deep hole. With no options but to wait patiently in place, Acorn discovers an alternative way to satisfy his need for adventure. A great book to help children understand that setbacks sometimes have silver linings.

5

Frustrated with classmates and teachers mispronouncing her name, a little girl tells her mother she doesn’t want to go back to school after a tough first day. On their walk home, her mother teaches her about the musicality of names with African, Latin and Middle Eastern descent. This perspective allows the little girl to feel excitement about returning to school to teach her classmates more about the history of her name. A beautifully illustrated book, Your Name is a Song is a great way to teach kids that all names have a story, and all names are beautiful.

Fiction or Non-Fiction for Grade 4-6

1

Winner of the 2017 Newbery Medal, The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill is a great fantasy book for kids in middle school. Each year, in a small town, a baby is left as an offering to the forest witch, Xan. Though the townspeople are afraid of Xan, she is kind, and nourishes the babies with starlight to help them on their journeys. One year, Xan accidentally feeds a baby moonlight instead of starlight, which infuses the little girl with an exceptional amount of magical powers. Luna, the magical girl, starts to feel her powers activate around her thirteenth birthday, just as the townspeople are conspiring to kill the witch. Will Luna’s powers be strong enough to save the beloved witch who showed her kindness and love as she was growing up?

2

The Orange Shirt Story is the real-life story of residential school survivor Phyllis Webstad. The book recounts Phyllis’ first day at residential school. Her shiny orange shirt that had been given to her as a gift from her beloved Granny was taken away, and never returned to her. The orange shirt represents the way residential schools took away Indigenous culture. Phyllis is from the Stswecem'c Xgat'tem First Nation, and is the creator of Orange Shirt Day (The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation), a day of remembrance observed in Canada on September 30 each year.

3

A musically gifted bird names Mirabelle has a life-changing encounter when she meets a talented young piano player named Michael. Michael aspires to perform at the Chopin music festival at summer’s end, but feels ill prepared and nervous about his performance. A secret piano might hold the key to his success, as Mirabelle and Michael embark on a journey to solve an old mystery.

4

Miriam Brockman and her family embark on a new adventure when they buy and move into the run-down Jewel Motel in upstate New York. Miriam befriends Kate, a little girl whose grandmother owns the diner next door to the motel. When it’s clear that the motel is heading towards bankruptcy, Miriam and Kate come up with a plan of action to keep it open.

About the author: Karen Jones Michaud is the Assistant Librarian at Lower Canada College in the NDG borough of Montréal, where she has worked for the past twenty-six years. Working alongside junior, middle and senior school students, she takes great joy in delving into the world of beautiful children's picture books, and selecting great titles in fiction and non-fiction for all age levels.