A gorgeously illustrated, lyrical non-fiction picture book about loons. It’s summertime, and as darkness falls there is a haunting sound from the lake — Ooh-hoo-oo, ooh-hoo-oo. It is a loon calling to its family across the water. This lyrical story follows the life cycle of two loon chicks. We see them breaking out of their eggshells, then learning to swim, find food and avoid predators such as snapping turtles and big bass fish. After they learn to fly, they migrate to the ocean. And when their striking black-and-white feathers finally emerge, they fly inland, each to find a new lake territory and mate. Accompanying Susan Vande Griek’s poetic text are Karen Reczuch’s gorgeous illustrations, which show the loons as they grow from tiny downy chicks to majestic adult birds. An afterword provides more information on loons, including their amazing diving ability, the meanings of their calls, and the environmental threats that they face. Also illustrated are five different types of loons and other animals that can be found in their lake habitat. The illustrations were researched in the Ornithology Collections at the Royal Ontario Museum, and Ron Ridout of Bird Studies Canada consulted on the text. Key Text Features illustrations author’s note further reading labels Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.5 Explain major differences between books that tell stories and books that give information, drawing on a wide reading of a range of text types. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.5 Describe the overall structure of a story, including describing how the beginning introduces the story and the ending concludes the action. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.7 Analyze how visual and multimedia elements contribute to the meaning, tone, or beauty of a text (e.g., graphic novel, multimedia presentation of fiction, folktale, myth, poem).

A stunning book in verse inspired by the famous Scottish Gaelic ballad, Twa Corbies, from the award-winning author of Loon and Hawks Kettle, Puffins Wheel and the celebrated illustrator of EveryBody's Different on EveryBody Street. One corbie, twa corbies, Two black crows Perch in the gray Of a November-tree day. This melodious read-aloud reimagines the haunting Scottish Gaelic ballad Twa Corbies as a child-friendly counting book. Two Crows follows a country dweller and their dog on a cold November's day as they observe the wild, wooded landscape all around them. Young readers will delight in observing the crows' strange behaviour as they bitter and squawk, chatter and talk, while rabbling with a rabbit, squabbling with a squirrel, and howling at a hound. As readers watch the crows come and go, they will find themselves counting up to ten and back down again. With stunning, spare verse from the award-winning author of Loon and Hawks Kettle, Puffins Wheel and folk art - inspired artwork by Elizabeth Mrazik-Cleaver Award-nominated illustrator Emma FitzGerald (EveryBody's Different on EveryBody Street; A Pocket of Time), Two Crows is a lilting tale to warm the heart on cold winter nights.

In 1914, Tom Thomson spent the summer at a family cottage on Lake Huron’s Georgian Bay, where he taught the ten-year-old daughter, Helen, how to paint. Author Susan Vande Griek and illustrator Pascal Milelli have imagined this time through Helen’s eyes, providing an intriguing glimpse into the famous painter’s life. Helen and her father greet their visitor on the rocks of West Wind Island. She is fascinated by everything about him — his canoe full of gear, his paint-stained hands, his campfire stew. Over the next few days she watches as Tom paddles off to fish and clambers over the rocks to paint. And then he invites Helen to paint with him — wildflowers blooming near the cottage, boats rocking in the water, pine trees blowing in a storm. And at summer’s end, he leaves her with a memento of their time together. The story, told in lyrical free verse, has a quiet charm, while the illustrations capture the natural beauty that inspired some of Thomson’s most memorable paintings. An author’s note provides more information about Tom Thomson’s life.