Many have questioned the wisdom of the international intervention in Afghanistan in light of the escalation of violence and instability in the country in the past few years. Particularly uncertain are Canadians, who have been inundated with media coverage of an increasingly dirty war in southern Afghanistan, one in which Canadians are at the frontline and suffering heavy casualties. However, the conflict is only one aspect of Afghanistan's complicated, and incomplete, political, economic, and security transition.

In "Afghanistan: Transition under Threat, " leading Afghanistan scholars and practitioners paint a full picture of the situation in Afghanistan and the impact of international and particularly Canadian assistance. They review the achievements of the reconstruction process and outline future challenges, focusing on key issues like the narcotics trade, the Pakistan--Afghanistan bilateral relationship, the Taliban-led insurgency, and continuing endemic poverty. This collection provides new insight into the nature and state of Afghanistan's post-conflict transition and illustrates the consequences of failure.

Co-published with the Centre for International Governance Innovation

"The Theodor Seuss Geisel Award Winner
"In this Theodor Seuss Geisel Award Winner Benny and his sister Penny know it's wrong to sneak into someone else's backyard but their mysterious new neighbor - or is it a monster? - may be a thief. They go snooping and discover a lot about themselves and...a new friend.
Bestselling children's artist Geoffrey Hayes enchants early readers with his charming and subtle storytelling. In this lively caper, the artist's small-scale ice take on a large-scale issues with enormous comics mastery.

It's nearly time for lights out but Benny just won't settle down. His sister Penny is becoming very annoyed as she tries to quietly read her storybook. Her restless big brother Benny is too distracted to care as he is concerned that the moon has apparently gone missing. Later there's a new flashlight to play with and to top it off Benny realises he has left his favourite pirate hat in the dark and spooky playhouse in the backyard! This sweetly illustrated comic book story will encourage young readers to gain confidence with its simple, relatable narrative.

Why won't Benny help? Penny found a dead salamander, but her brother Benny is refusing to help her bury it. Is it silly to hold a service for Little Sallie, or could this tiny salamander mean something more to the siblings? Geisel Award winner Geoffrey Hayes shares this gentle tale of a child's early encounter with death. Bestselling author Geoffrey Hayes has written and illustrated over forty children's books, including the extremely popular series of early readers Otto and Uncle Tooth, the classic Bear by Himself, the Patrick Bear books, and When the Wind Blew by Caldecott Medal winning author Margaret Wise Brown. His TOON Book series of Benny and Penny books has garnered multiple awards. In 2009, Benny and Penny in the Big No-No! received the Theodor Seuss Geisel Award given by the American Library Association for "the most distinguished American book for beginning readers published in English."

Geoffrey Hayes's two beloved mouse siblings return in their fifth story.
Benny's in a foul mood He can't find his pirate hat, and he's been sent outside to cool his temper. When he and Penny wander away from home and realize they're lost, they must handle their emotions and put their heads together.

In 1943, General Harry Crerar noted that there was still much confusion as to "what constitutes an 'Officer.'" His words reflected the preoccupation of army officials with inventing an ideal officer who would not only meet the demands of war but also conform to notions of social class and masculinity. Drawing on a wide range of sources and exploring the issue of leadership through new lenses, this book looks at how the army selected and trained its junior officers to embody the new ideal. It also sheds light on the challenges these officers faced during the war - not only on the battlefield but from Canadians' often conflicted views about social class and gender.

"Punchy dialogue and compact sentences should make this a read-aloud delight.""--Publishers Weekly"

"Part-slapstick, part-fairy tale, the gently humorous plot has enough twists and turns to keep newly independent readers engaged.""--School Library Journal"

Fred the dragon has a list of tasks he must complete in order to be a successful dragon--none of which comes naturally. But he's determined to make #5--eat people--work. Before you can say "pass the salt" he's gobbled up three people even though he doesn't have the stomach for it. Luckily a local shepherd, with the help of a giant and a witch, knows how to cure what ails him and get those pesky people out of his belly. It's happily-ever-after for everyone in ways you'd never expect.
Geisel award-winning author/illustrator Geoffrey Hayes is a stepped reader maestro. The common threads between his wildly popular Uncle Tooth and Otto SIRs and the more recent Benny and Penny series (Toon Books) are clear and constant. The art is adorable, the characters are bursting with personality, and the stories are humorously subversive. From marauding pirates to misbehaving mice to a dragon who swallows people whole (and then continues to communicate with them in his belly ), Geoffrey always hits that sweet spot for the stepped reader audience--easy to decode, illustrative tales that tickle the funnybone.

On the morning of April 9, 1917, troops of the Canadian Corps under General Julian Byng attacked the formidable German defences of Vimy Ridge. Since then, generations of Canadians have shared a deep emotional attachment to the battle, inspired partly by the spectacular memorial on the battlefield. Although the event is considered central in Canadian military history, most people know very little about what happened during that memorable Easter in northern France.

"Vimy Ridge: A Canadian Reassessment" draws on the work of a new generation of scholars who explore the battle from three perspectives. The first assesses the Canadian Corps within the wider context of the Western Front in 1917. The second explores Canadian leadership, training, and preparations and details the story of each of the four Canadian divisions. The final section concentrates on the commemoration of Vimy Ridge, both for contemporaries and later generations of Canadians.

This long-overdue collection, based on original research, replaces mythology with new perspectives, new details, and a new understanding of the men who fought and died for the remarkable achievement that was the Battle of Vimy Ridge.

Co-published with the Laurier Centre for Military, Strategic and Disarmament Studies