________________ CM . . . . Volume XXIII Number 36. . . .May 26, 2017

cover

I Am Canada: A Celebration.

Heather Patterson. Illustrated by Jeremy Tankard, Ruth Ohi, Barbara Reid, Jon Klassen, Marie-Louise Gay, Danielle Daniel, Ashley Spires, Genevieve Côté, Cale Atkinson, Doretta Groenendyk, Qin Leng, Eva Campbell and Irene Luxbacher.
Toronto, ON: Northwinds/Scholastic, 2017.
32 pp., hardcover, $19.99.
ISBN 978-1-4431-6304-0.

Preschool-grade 2 / Ages 3-7.

Review by Kay Weisman.

**** /4

   

excerpt:

I am Canada./
I run, I swim, / I skate, I dance./
I skim over the snow on my toboggan./
I have space./

 

Thirteen of Canada’s best-known illustrators interpret lines from Heather Patterson’s poem (previously published in 1996 with photographic illustrations) using their own signature styles. Jeremy Tankard depicts diverse children hiking through the varied landscape that is Canada; Barbara Reid portrays new immigrants experiencing a first toboggan ride; Marie-Louise Gay shows children learning, dreaming, and imagining despite the sometimes-chaotic world around them; and Ashley Spires illustrates children enjoying a sunny beach that represents her own experiences growing up on the south coast of BC. Each spread is unique and recognizable to fans of these artists, yet the overall presentation is surprisingly cohesive, unified by the themes of diversity, landscapes, and positivity. An appended note from each of the contributors offers insight into the poem and the artwork. Perfect for Canada 150 celebrations, I Am Canada is a beautiful book that belongs in all Canadian collections.

Highly Recommended.

Kay Weisman works as a youth services librarian at West Vancouver Memorial Library and chairs the Children’s Literature Roundtables of Canada’s Information Book Award.

To comment on this title or this review, send mail to cm@umanitoba.ca.

Copyright © the Manitoba Library Association. Reproduction for personal use is permitted only if this copyright notice is maintained. Any other reproduction is prohibited without permission.
Published by
The Manitoba Library Association
ISSN 1201-9364
Hosted by the University of Manitoba.
 

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