Red Deer Press

Set in the 1950's, this moving new picture book follows a young family as they travel across the ocean to a new home in a new land — Canada. Based on a true story of a family's journey recorded at The Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 in Halifax, The Moon's Journey follows Faith as she leaves the only place she has ever called home to travel with her family across the ocean to a new home in Canada. Faith is very nervous about this strange new place that will become her home and can only hope that her friend, the night moon, will still be watching over her every night no matter where she and her family call home. Royalties from sales of THE MOON'S JOURNEY will be donated to The Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21.

Parallel adventures unfold in this unique book that holds two stories in one! Meet Walter the mouse, who conquers the twenty-six cats that stand between him and the outside world, and - when readers turn the book upside down and back-to-front - meet Liam the boy who conquers the twenty-six letters of the alphabet so he can read Walter's tale. When these two stories meet in the middle with Walter outsmarting the cats, and Liam learning to read, the two protagonists enter each other's world.

Dawg, un chien espiègle et attachant, décide de prendre les choses en patte quand sa famille, trop occupée, oublie de le sortir.

Saviez-vous que certains animaux utilisent leurs excréments comme arme ou comme moyen de communication ?

In the little village of Duk Padiet in southern Sudan, a boy named Jacob Deng thrives on the love of his mother, the companionship of his sisters, the excitement of learning how to look after his uncle's herds of cattle. The year is 1987, and suddenly in the night soldiers from the north invade the village, looting, burning, and killing. The war has arrived, and the life of Jacob will never be the same. This novel is based on the real life experiences of a Sudanese boy who, with thousands of other boys from the region, fled for his life and spent seven years walking through deserts, grasslands and forests, crossing crocodile-infested rivers, surviving life in massive refugee camps. The so-called Lost Boys of Sudan - as they were called by an American aid organization - numbered as many as 27,000, and while many died - from starvation, attacks by wild animals, drowning, or through the brutality of the military - many survived. Jacob never returned to his village, but though he was only seven years old when he had to flee, he somehow managed to live through an almost unimaginable ordeal.. Throughout the seven years covered in this story, Jacob resists the temptation to join the liberation army. Steadily Jacob finds himself more and more adhering to his mother's advice that getting an education is crucial to escaping the cycle of violence that afflicts his country. Jacob's struggle, then, is to persist in seeking out teachers and eventually a school where his ambition to learn about the world can be met. Through it all he learns about loyalty and love for close friends who have been thrust together with him on this extraordinary journey, and also about the guiding light provided by the memory of his mother.

February in 1921 Whitaker, Saskatchewan, is colder and bleaker than usual as 13-year-old Lucy May Barber mourns her mother's sudden death. Unable to foresee life without Mama, Lucy decides it's up to her to hold the family together. But that turns out to be easier said than done, and it isn't long before everything starts going wrong. Papa hires a meddling housekeeper; five-year-old Teddy starts forgetting Mama; 15-year-old Tom gets involved with bootleggers; and Papa buries himself in his work, leaving the children to fend for themselves. In addition, Papa blames their favourite uncle for Mama's death and banishes him from their home. Lucy fears all is lost, until another tragedy forces her to confront her grief in a different way.

Dom's life revolves around cars and baseball until a chance connection to a high school audition hands him a major role in a psychological thriller. This would be exciting enough, except that real life begins to shadow the script in a very creepy way as an elusive girl and a local murder draw Dom out of his otherwise quiet shell. With a nod to Frederick Knott's famous play "Wait Until Dark" and its subsequent film, this book has it all — drama, mystery, thrills aplenty, and contemporary teen humour.

Based on true events, this story relates the fictional encounter between a young patient at Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children and Djetmattasankh, a 3000-yearold mummy. In 2009, the mummy was sent from the Royal Ontario Museum's Egyptian Display to the hospital, for scanning, under the supervision of Dr. Peter Lewin who was both a pediatrician and a paleopathologist. In this creative re-imagining, hilarity results as a young patient tries to convince his parent's that he did not imagine the mummy in the hospital!

Ten-year-old Teagan loves her big brother Draven. When he disappears after a fight with their father, she's stunned and lost without him. She can't believe her father's accusations that Draven's a thief. But the truth may be scarier. A gift of her father's old, cracked phone means a chance to turn detective. As Teagan's world blossoms with the phone's possibilities, she traces the clues and hunts for her missing brother. A school art project and Teagan's growing compulsion to use her phone offer answers to how she can find Draven and maybe help mend her broken family.

Twelve-year-old Sumi, a Japanese Canadian girl living in Vancouver in 1926, takes her older sister's place working at Gibson's Landing so that Yoshi can go summer school to become a dressmaker. Dealing with unfamiliar customs and the racism of the time makes Sumi want to give up and go home, but as she becomes involved in supporting striking workers at the local factory, she finds new courage and a will to become the journalist she knows she can someday be.Based on the true story of Eiko Kitagawa Maruno, the author's mother-in-law, this is a story of bravery, adventure, and valuable Canadian history.

Ephemia Rimaldi is an irrepressible girl thrust into challenging circumstances. Effy's Great-aunt Ada has died, and her other relatives, a committee of vultures, are bent on stealing her education trust fund for themselves. Twelve-year-old Effy's only hope is to locate her long lost poppa—who has control of her fortune—before time runs out. But Phineas Rimaldi, the ringmaster of a travelling circus, seems an unlikely ally. Can Effy dazzle the ringmaster so he'll help her save her trust fund and her new friend—a circus elephant? Set on the eve of the 20th century, when female performers were one of the earliest groups to demand equal pay for equal work, this historical adventure offers important themes for today's readers. The suffragist movement and early circus life serve as a backdrop for a feisty heroine who champions equality for all.

A mother — the author of this story — shares Lakota cultural experiences with her daughter, introducing her to waci (dance) as a way to celebrate life. Wacipi (powwow), where the dancing occurs, is a setting for Indigenous song, dance, regalia, food and crafts. A warm, family story for all ages, Waci! Dance! visually embraces the joy of being together and caring for each other. (A glossary and author's note are included.)

A mother — the author of this story — shares Lakota cultural experiences with her daughter, introducing her to waci (dance) as a way to celebrate life. Wacipi (powwow), where the dancing occurs, is a setting for Indigenous song, dance, regalia, food and crafts. A warm, family story for all ages, Waci! Dance! visually embraces the joy of being together and caring for each other. (A glossary and author's note are included.)

A celebration of nature through the eyes of a boy whose dreams fill with the glorious yellow leaves of autumn. As this young poet—artist and his little sister engage in activities throughout the changing year, readers will explore the seasons with this lyrical and visual story about childhood in an urban neighborhood.

Bliss Adair, 16, ace knitter and math wiz, discovers that some secrets are meant to share while others are not. Her involvement in the dilemmas of friends is well intentioned - but is that enough? And does the first rule of knitting - don't look too far ahead - always apply to life?

Leo has just moved from Montreal to Toronto and hates his new school. Elsa lives in Boston, navigating her parents' divorce and her dad's relationship with a new girlfriend. The two become "pen pals" via email for a school assignment, and their lives are documented here in a funny and poignant exchange that takes place across their grade five year. A book about friendship, haiku, and finding one's gifts.

While Oma (grandmother) lies in her hospital bed, Mama reminds them all of Oma's courage in shepherding her family through war and across the ocean to safety. After Oma passes away, they cherish the memory of this remarkable woman, and the sacrifices she made to ensure that her children, and her grandchildren, would be free to dream.

Twelve-year-old Charlie's life is in tatters: his parents are splitting, he's quit soccer, he hasn't had a growth spurt like all his friends, and he wants a dog more than anything. When he volunteers at the vet's, he meets Buster, the Chocolate Labrador Retriever with magical powers who flies Charlie through a series of adventures in which he rescues others, and eventually, himself.

Thirteen-year-old Billy Knight leaves home to 'ride the rails' across Canada during the 1930s. His encounters with a wide cast of characters — including fellow drifters and grifters, kid gangs, crooks, idealists, ragtag philosophers, and railroad bulls, as well as everyday folk simply trying to get by — provide much more than he bargained for. And for the first time, he realizes that riding the rails is not just an adventure. It also speaks to the bravery of those drifting like tumbleweed across the country and seeking a better life. And just like the railway on which Billy travels, the narrative surges unstoppably forward, offering up an adventure both life-changing and unforgettable.

This is the story of a young orphan whose only joy is the singing of her violin.An 18th century composer who became one of the most renowned figures in European classical music. Here, their fictionalized story unfolds as Antonio Vivaldi guides Anna Maria toward becoming one of the most celebrated violinists of her time and finding a home in the heart of her famiglia musicale. With Anna Maria's synesthesia — her gift for "seeing" music — and an imagined context for the creation of Vivaldi's The Four Seasons.This is a poetic tale of belonging, diversity, and music history, set amidst the striking architecture of Venice.

A young child, frustrated by all the things he can't do, finds satisfaction in smashing stuff. When he realizes he can build things by putting together the broken pieces, it's a creative breakthrough! This is a story for all ages about identity and finding one's gifts.

Gloria, an impulsive, naïve and likeable teen with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), tries to keep her family together while their mother's addictions threaten a move to foster care. Willa, an older teen with a learning disability (LD), wants to play in a rock band where her gifts truly shine, but her mother's controlling and perfectionistic personality — and Willa's increasingly abusive boyfriend — cause her unhappiness. When Gloria and Willa are partnered in a school club, they soon come to appreciate and depend on each other in a world that at times seems counter to their dreams. This is the 5th book in Lorna Shultz Nicholson's One-2-One series about a diverse group of fictional teens connected through a Best Buddies high-school program.

Fox and Bear live happily in the forest until Fox decides to make life more productive and efficient. When Fox's inventions set off a chain of events that complicates life in unexpected ways, Bear is faced with the difficult decision about how he wants to live. This a modern fable that raises existential questions for readers of all ages. The illustrations for Fox and Bear were created using recycled paper cut-outs and cardboard dioramas.

Over the course of a week, thirteen-year-old Track & Field runner, Josie Tomaselli, confronts multiple challenges with humour, confusion, fear, "lady balls," and the inspiration of her pre-race music playlist. As the big race approaches, she's missing the support of her father, who is dying of cancer. While at first she refuses to acknowledge the possibility of losing him, in the end she rallies to face the situation and find a way to say goodbye to her dad.

Did you know that You can't keep a goldfish in a round goldfish bowl in Rome? That you can't take a selfie while running with the bulls in Pamplona? That you can't climb a tree in a Toronto city park? This book is a look at some of the more curious rules and laws that have been created around the world over many years. Some of these rules and laws may make us laugh. Some may make us angry or frightened for the people they influence. All of these rules and laws will make us think. How did they come to be? How can they be changed? With numerous sidebars presenting historical information, quizzes after each of the four sections, and ideas throughout for discussion and response activities, this is an active, well-researched illustrated book that shines a bright light on our world and its human workings. The book unfolds in four sections, outlining "People Problems" (everyday life; family; animals; food; fashion), "Sports Zone" (soccer; baseball; hockey; basketball; more sports), "Entertainment" (books and media; television and film; music and dance; technology), and "Kid Concerns" (school; toys; outdoor fun). This new book from acclaimed author Heather Camlot might just be the start of a young reader's passion for governance and social justice.

Would you risk your life to help a friend? In Nazi Germany, friendship between an Aryan German girl and a Jewish German girl is strictly verboten, and an act of kindness might mean death. Sabine and Edie have been best friends since Kindergarten. Then Kristallnacht hits in 1938, shattering Jewish shop windows, synagogues, and their friendship. The girls, who once dreamed of stardom together, now take different paths — Edie escapes to Canada, and Sabine remains to experience life in her Nazi-controlled southern German town, eventually rescuing and supporting Edie's beloved Papa who poses as Sabine's grandfather. Even though the girls are separated, the yellow ribbon that once decorated their identical dresses binds the girls' families in ways that contradict Nazi ideology. Throughout the seven long years of WWII, Sabine confronts how far courage can take her, while Edie finds her own strength to deal with leaving her father behind, integrating into a new country, and coming to terms with her sexual orientation. Each girl comes of age, experiencing first loves, loss, and joy. Without knowing how the other is doing across the ocean, they keep hope alive that their bond of friendship remains.

Twelve-year-old Liam finds a dead body along the shore at his grandfather's cottage. He can't erase what he's seen and can't focus on anything else, not even the upcoming opportunity of a lifetime to try out for an elite soccer team. Liam believes there is more to the girl's story than her "accidental death" and decides to investigate. When Liam visits his grandfather, living in palliative care, things go from bad to worse. As they watch Germany's 2014 World Cup soccer games together, his grandfather, a German World War II veteran, reveals stories about his past - stories a Jewish Canadian kid doesn't want to hear. Angry and overwhelmed, Liam is swept up in a history that may just help him solve the girl's death - and make sense of his own world again.

This is the fictionalized story of "Yula", a character inspired by a real girl Sharon Jennings met in her visits to the Hope Development Centre in Kenya. When four-year-old Yula is discovered by the orphanage director "Mum" and introduced to a caring home and school, her abilities develop as do her understandings of how to care for others. When a new child enters the orphanage, at first Yula is angry and jealous, but soon she warmly welcomes Mutuku just as she had been welcomed when she first arrived. Eva Campbell's evocative illustrations glow with light and colour, rendered in gouache, acrylic and ink on canvas. Sharon Jennings is a greatly appreciated return visitor to this centre in Kikima, Kenya. The children and staff enjoy her visits and consider her a member of their Hope family. The story has been shared with the children and the Centre has given Sharon permission and thanks for telling this story; a portion of the author's royalties is going to support the orphaned and impoverished Children of Hope.

When he was five years old, Creighton's mother left. He and his father know she has started a career as a singer but not much more than that. Dad's work with a carnival means they have not set down roots anywhere for long and as a result Creighton does not have a formal education. When they finally settle in a small town, Creighton is 14 years old. When he starts school there he is placed in an alternate school — which it turns out is a place for "losers" — kids who struggle with learning. Gradually Creighton meets other kids in his new school — like Schooner who can't read but has his own kind of wisdom and Carin who was a victim of sexual assault when she was thirteen. There is one teacher at the school who truly cares about the students and who encourages their hopes for the future. But when she announces she is leaving at the end of the year, the students feel abandoned. School becomes irrelevant and the students are left to fend for themselves. How will they manage to survive in spite of all the personal disasters that challenge them.

Griffin Tardiff is still suffering from a serious hockey injury at the start of a new year in a new school. But he's in luck. For his community credit, he'll be working with the sports guy at the local radio station, which could be the start of a career. He also meets Noah, a young kid from the neighbourhood who also likes hockey. Unfortunately, his mentor at the radio station turns out to be less than reliable—and Noah has fears he needs Griffin to help him resolve. Add to this a self-absorbed girlfriend and life in Glenavon turns out to be more complicated than any guy needs.

Thirteen-year-old Dale Melnyk finds himself stuck in an iron lung, desperately fighting for breath — and wishing he could die. It is the worst outbreak of polio in the history of Winnipeg, and Dale is one of the many young victims being treated in the early 1950s. Second Chances follows Dale's slow and often agonizing struggle to regain his life, first of all to breathe on his own and then to regain the use of his limbs. Will he ever be able to play hockey again, he wonders? Dale comes to realize that he is doing better than a number of the other patients including Charlene, a young Métis girl confined to a wheelchair but always trying to help their fellow patients. When Dale discovers his younger brother Brent is also in the polio ward because their father rejected the school program vaccine, a confrontation with his father becomes inevitable. Brent is not getting better and will be dealing with paralysis indefinitely.When Dale finally emerges from his recovery he must reassess what is most important in life — a life that has been changed forever.

Seventeen-year-old Holly Callahan desperately wants to make the national rowing team so she can compete overseas, but she is the last rower cut. Her summer dreams are shattered, and she finds herself back at home, living with her mother's annoying new boyfriend, Super Stew. Holly's not a quitter. She lands a summer job, and then is handed an unexpected lifeline in the person of a man who offers to coach her in a single rowing boat. For a girl raised without a father, the coach's generosity — and rigorous demands — are a gift. But where did he come from and who is he, really? Discovering the answer plunges her into sadness — but then he inspires her to work beyond her comfort zone. Lorna Schultz Nicholson's compelling account of a teen athlete's life-changing summer will keep readers riveted until the last page is turned.