October 29, 2022

Books from Canadian Authors

holiday books
Books make wonderful holiday gifts for anyone, any age! The recently published Nosy Parker by Lesley Crewe makes a wonderful novel for young adults and adults. The following two picture books by Canadian authors - Beautiful You, Beautiful Me and Revenge of the Raccoons, would make meaningful gifts to give young children.
nosy parker
Nosy Parker by Lesley Crewe is written in the perspective of a twelve year old girl, Audrey Parker, aka Nosy Parker. It is filled with emotions - it brought laughter, curiosity, suspense, and tears. I couldn't stop reading! I like how the author is descriptive of everything around Audrey, which makes it easy to imagine the streets of Montreal in the late 1960s where the story takes place. 

It is quite the adventure to read what happens in Audrey's life as she spies, makes friendships, goes through changes and trials of life, as well as tries to find out more about her mother from her father - who doesn't really share anything about her mother. I love that the author included an epilogue - it felt fulfilling to know what happens to most of the main characters. After reading this awesome novel, I look forward to checking out other books written by Lesley Crewe. 
beautiful you beautiful me
Beautiful You, Beautiful Me by Tasha Spillett-Summer, illustrated by Salini Perera tells the story of a child that comes from a multiracial family. It is about identity and belonging, drawn from the author's own experience growing up as an Afro-Indigenous girl.

Izzy's favourite place to be is in Mama's arms - skin to skin, safe and warm. One night, cuddled up on Mama's lap, Izzy notices something she's never noticed before: her skin is the colour of chocolate, but Mama's skin is the colour of sand.

When Izzy realizes she's different from her mother in other ways as well, she feels sad and confused. She wants to be beautiful like her mother. Her mother addresses Izzy's disappointment with a gentle, loving refrain: You're part of me, and I'm part of you. I'm beautiful like me, and you're beautiful like you. Finding lessons from nature and repeating her affirming message, Mama encourages Izzy to see her own unique beauty.

The lyrical text and warm, lively illustrations show Izzy's journey as she learns to celebrate the differences that make her uniquely beautiful, and the connection to her mother that transcends physical traits.
revenge of the raccoons
Revenge of the Raccoons By Vivek Shraya and illustrated by Juliana Neufeld is about the bushy-tailed bandits taking over the town, swinging from cranes, scampering through subway cars, and pestering the police. This story is in the perspective of raccoons describing themselves as humans see them: thieving "trash pandas" that steal doughnuts and cash, topple our green bins, and frighten our cats. But when asked why they're invading the city, the raccoons insist they aren't pests, but survivors of the real invaders: humans.

Revenge of the Raccoons is both a riotous tale of underdog uprising and a clever commentary on humans' sense of ownership over the cities we live in. Playful rhyming text and vibrant illustrations inspired by classic horror movie posters bring the raccoons’ antics to life.

As the raccoons frolic into the night, readers will enjoy cheering on the creative and cunning antiheroes, and maybe even reconsider who rules the city.

Giveaway:
If you live in Canada enter to win a copy of the novel Nosy Parker using the giveaway tool below. This giveaway ends on November 28. Please leave comments and follow my social media networks to be eligible to win.
Update: The winner is Shirley
Disclosure: These books were received for review. Please note that all opinions and thoughts expressed are my own. All rights reserved on photographs and written content Createwithmom © 2010 - 2022. Please Ask First

78 comments:

  1. Sounds very interesting and I know my granddaughter would enjoy reading this one, well after me lol

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  2. I would love to win this for my granddaughter who enjoys books by Lesley Crewe.

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  3. Gosh! Thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed Audrey and her nonsense. I miss her.

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  4. Leslie Crewe is my favourite author and fellow Nova Scotian and i have not read this book YET!!

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  5. Sounds like a great story for my granddaughter.

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  6. I would love to win this for my grandson

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  7. Revenge of the Raccoons would be good for my daughter.

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  8. I would give it to my grandchildren

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  9. I know my daughter would love these books!

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  10. She is from my home province and I loved the books I have read of hers

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  11. Love colourful illustration for children's books keeps my grandchildren interested.

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  12. Love finding books by Canadian writers. This is a great bunch of books for my granddaughter.

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  13. I would love this to read with my grandchildren

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  14. I know my grandson would enjoy reading Revenge of the Raccoons . Reading is so important. Thanks for the opportunity!

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  15. Great to read with the kids for fun

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  16. These would be great for my niece! Darci Paice

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  17. I would love to share this prize with my childcare children.

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  18. These books sound interesting and fun for the kids

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  19. My granddaughter would love it. She love reading and books, sounds interesting.

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  20. such great books! would be perfect for reading to the grandkids!

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  21. Would love to win to add to the kids library, enjoy reading new books to the grandkids!

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  22. My granddaughter would enjoy Nosy Parker.

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  23. These books all look interesting

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  24. These books all look interesting

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  25. I want to win because these books are exceptional, for my little kid to read!

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  26. Books make great gifts and I would like to give this book to my grandchildren. They all enjoy reading.

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  27. My grandchildren love to read these sound awesome

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  28. Revenge of the Racoons looks like a great book.

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  29. These books would be great for my family

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  30. My kids would love this, thanks for the chance!

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  31. Looks like a nice read for my niece!

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  32. Great books! My grandchildren would really enjoy these.

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  33. Great books! My grandchildren would really enjoy these.

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  34. My family would enjoy reading these books

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  35. Lots of great books. My grandchildren would enjoy them. Florence Cochrane

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  36. Love Canadian Authors. Great books

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  37. Revenge of the Racoons looks like a fun book.

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  38. Love all these books! We love to read!

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  39. My grandboys and I will enjoy this book at bedtime story time.

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  40. It is nice to know that we have such talented authors here in Canada writing these books.

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  41. We will be happy to check lyrical text and learn something new from books!

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  42. My grandchildren would enjoy all of these books.

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  43. Great reading here with all these books!

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  44. Great books! Great reading!

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  45. Revenge of the Racoons looks like a book that would make readers laugh at the racoons adventures.

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  46. Great book suggestions

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  47. Great book suggestions. Thank you

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  48. These books would be great Christmas gifts for the grandchildren.

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  49. These books look great!

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  50. I like Salini Perera's illustrations, they perfectly reflect the content off the book!

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  51. These look like interesting books from Canadian authors

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  52. Children feeling alone might see themselves in some of these characters and identify with them.

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  53. So many great books from Canadian authors.

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  54. These books all look interesting

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  55. It would interesting to read about streets of Montreal in 1960s!

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  56. My grandchildren always enjoy getting new books and I like reading the books to them.

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  57. A nice variety of books.

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  58. These books make wonderful gifts this holiday season!

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  59. It is always more difficult to buy gifts for grandchildren that are older. I think my older grandchildren might enjoy reading Nosy Parker by Lesley Crewe.

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  60. Beautiful You, Beautiful book has an amazing story about mother and a child!

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  61. It is interesting that the book about Audrey goes back to the 60s.

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  62. Great reading at bedtime

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  63. Reading is so fun!

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  64. I love this list of book, great recommendations! Thanks :)

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  65. My grandchildren would like to read these

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  66. I am going to gift this to my little niece :)

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Thank you for commenting :)