Rhyming

A fun, rhyming read-aloud celebrating diversity, and a tool for teaching young readers the names of all the colours of the rainbow.

Blue's my favourite colour!
It really is the best.
I love my lucky socks.
Blue's better than the rest.
Although...

What's your favourite colour? When a teacher asks her students this question, one little girl just can't decide! Enter her vibrant imagination as she considers every colour and all the reasons that she loves the whole rainbow. Orange glows through autumn leaves, but pink is the colour of sunsets and cotton candy! And green shines all around the garden — how will she ever choose just one favourite colour? In her debut picture book, author Lindsay Ruck joins artist Bryanna Chapeskie to create a stunning poem that illustrates why being unique is always something to celebrate.

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 3 to 7.

Additional Information
32 pages | 9.00" x 8.00" | Paperback

“We’ll love you as much as the narwhal loves its tusk.

We’ll love you as much as the seal loves its musk.

Little One, our new baby,

Welcome to our family.”

This loving bedtime poem shares all the ways in which a family will welcome their long-awaited new member. Sharing love as deep as the beluga dives and as warm as the shaggy hair of the muskox, this poem envelopes a new baby in the embrace of their new home in all its forms—the Arctic landscape and the welcoming arms of family.

Written by Inuk/Dene writer Masiana Kelly, and illustrated with warmth and softness by Tamara Campeau, this sweet and simple narrative celebrates the beauty of creating a family and the unbounding love waiting to be shared with a new little soul.

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 3 to 5.

Additional Information
28 pages | 9.50" x 8.50" | Hardcover

Ants in my Pants is a story about a young Indigenous girl who struggles to focus. She has a hard time sitting still and loves to be active. The rhyming story goes through what a day in her life is like both at school and home. Through her struggles to focus, she begins to understand that she also has many strengths. Learn the tools and techniques that she uses to stay calm and to focus. A perfect book for students who struggle to focus.

Educator Information
Recommended for grades 1 to 4.

Keywords / Themes: Indigenous Inclusive Education; Focus; Self-Regulation; Personal Strengths

Additional Information
Pages: 20 | Paperback

With the wizened old chief set to step down, young Linny dreams of being chosen as his replacement. As she struggles to pass his test, Linny learns with the help of her family what it really takes to become chief...in the most unexpected way.

This story is told with the help of traditional corn husk dolls. Corn dolls protect the home, livestock, and personal wellness of the maker and their family. Corn husk dolls have been made in some Indigenous cultures since the beginning of corn agriculture more than one thousand years ago, and continue to be made today.

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 6 to 10.

Empowers young girls to pursue their dreams, especially in terms of pushing traditionally male-dominated roles.

The story keeps the readers' attention with its rhythm and rhyme. 

Offers a unique perspective on positive growth mindset and developing leadership skills.

Author is an approved educational facilitator and works as an Indigenous Mentor and Storyteller in schools.

Find a teacher lesson plan here: The Corn Chief Teacher Lesson Plan

This book is available in French: Le chef du mais

Additional Information
36 pages | 9.00" x 8.00" | Hardcover

A celebration of the bond between parent and child, this is the perfect song to share with your little ones.

In this sweet and lyrical picture book from the creators of the bestselling Little You, gentle rhythmic text captures the wonder new parents feel as they welcome baby into the world.

Internationally renowned storyteller and bestselling author Richard Van Camp teams up with award-winning illustrator Julie Flett for a second time to create a stunning book for young readers.

Reviews
"Both Van Camp's words and Flett's illustrations are economical, but We Sang You Home is not a quick read. Instead, each of the paired pages of text and illustration truly demands that the reader pause and reflect on the pages' contents. Highly recommended." — CM Magazine

"The emotions of parenthood—including feelings of love, elation, and gratitude—are certain to be conveyed to [children] by the parents who share this tale with them. A lovely picture book that will resonate with parents and show young readers the profound, positive impact they have on their parents' lives." — School Library Journal

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 2 and under.

This book is available in a board book format: We Sang You Home 

This book is available in a dual-language format: We Sang You Home / Ka Kîweh Nikamôstamâtinân

Additional Information
32 pages | 8.00" x 8.00" | Hardcover 

Authenticity Note: This story is meant to appeal to and honour a variety of families, not only Indigenous families.  This is why we have labelled it as not containing Indigenous text content; it may still work as an Indigenous text for your purposes, though, as the author and illustrator are in Indigenous.

In this charming picture book allegory of the creative writing process, happenstance and weather events symbolize the emotional ebb and flow of writing a poem.

I had a poem in my pocket,
but my pocket got a rip.
Rhymes tumbled down my leg
and trickled from my hip.

Thus begins the journey of a young poet's words out into the world, where they join randomly with other words to form funny riffs and puns all over a busy city street. The child scrambles to capture the loose words and arrange them back into poem form, only to lose them again as a storm swoops in on a rushing wind. Eventually, the words plant themselves in the muddy ground, where they grow into something that might be even better than the original poem: a Poet-Tree.

Not only a fanciful rhyming adventure tale, Chris Tougas's picture book is also a delightful allegory for the creative writing process. Perfect for classroom discussions about the emotional ups and downs of writing, this highly innovative book celebrating poetry and creativity is an excellent choice for National Poetry Month. It also showcases the magic of language and how much fun words can be. High-energy artwork by Josée Bisaillon is so full of words in flight and at play that children can pore over it again and again, and in the final spread, readers can search for rhyming pairs. An afterword discusses National Poetry Month and Poem in Your Pocket Day. This is a book that adult writers will also appreciate.

Reviews
"This is a whimsical, rhyming story that gives expression to the long frustration and toil that's often part of the artistic process." —Booklist

"This book about wordplay strikes the write balance between silly and sincere."—Kirkus Reviews

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 4 to 7.

Lexile Code: Adult Directed 
Lexile Level: 570

Additional Information
24 pages | 9.15" x 10.35" | Hardcover 

Rendered with reassuring words and pastoral scenes, this soothing lullaby of a story is sure to settle even the most restless of cubs.

Mouse is rushing to her nest.
In soft, dry grasses she will rest.

Geese are calling, a chilly wind is blowing, and the sky is turning gray. Winter is on its way. For Mama Bear and Small Bear, that means it’s time to tuck into their den for a long sleep. But Mouse is scurrying by, and Chipmunk is still gathering nuts beside the lake. And look at Hare and Skunk, still romping through the leaves! Why can’t Small Bear stay up, too? To each question, Mama Bear responds with the coziest of answers, finally painting a dreamy picture of the brightening colors and new adventures that will greet Small Bear in the spring. But first comes sleep, in this irresistible invitation to drowsy little cubs everywhere.

Reviews
"This soft, reassuring tale is ideal for teaching seasonal changes as well as the need for transitions." —School Library Journal

"Simple, quiet illustrations executed in a soft, elegant, swirling style trace the transition from tawny autumn’s bareness to early winter’s silvery wonderland. . . . Reassuring, inviting bedtime fare."—Kirkus Reviews

"It’s a book to prepare children for bed, but it’s also a guide to enjoying rest while reflecting upon past or future adventures."—WORLD Magazine

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 4 to 8

Subjects: Animals; Bedtime & Dreams; Science & Nature; Hibernation; Bears

Additional Information
32 pages | 8.94" x 10.56" | Hardcover

Do giants get homesick? What happens when the world’s largest gnome moves from home? A story about being the new kid and for anyone who has moved from home. 

Educator & Series Information
Howard – A story about Vancouver Island’s giant gnome that moved from home. How to talk to kids about moving and trying new things? This is a good start. Written in a fun rhyming meter to help develop a child’s reading skills and vocabulary and also keeping their attention as they will want to guess what happens to Howard next.

Part of the Awkward+Awesome children’s book series celebrating unlikely heroes and inner weirdos.

Based on true events.

Suitable for children ages 4-9 and for anyone who experiences change and likes to read.

Additional Information
36 Pages | Paperback 

What toddler likes getting their diaper changed?

In this hilarious rhyming book, a little boy sees his world crumble around him as his mother prepares to change his diaper. But surrounded by a little love and feeling fresh and clean, he realizes that things may not be so terrible after all . . . unless he ever needs his diaper changed again!

Fun for babies, toddlers, and parents alike, this humorous book brings to life a scene familiar to all parents.

Reviews
"The cartoon-like illustrations from Vancouver’s Emma Pedersen drolly capture the cherubic child’s wide-eyed, histrionic view of his world...The melodramatic, rhyming text offers over-the-top comic relief while keenly bringing the stressors in an infant’s life into sharp, magnified focus" — Quill & Quire

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 2 and under. 

Inspired by the experiences of the author as a mother.

Additional Information
28 pages | 9.50" x 9.50" | Hardcover

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many children have been introduced to wearing face masks and seeing others in masks. Author and illustrator Marla Lesage normalizes mask-wearing by introducing young readers to artists, ranchers, pilots, welders, scientists and many more people who already wear masks in their day-to-day lives. This delightful, rhyming picture book will help explain to children why wearing a mask is important as we interact with others in our communities. Readers will learn that, when they put on their mask, they are choosing to be kind and considerate of others.

We Wear Masks is a fun tool to help children make sense of this new reality and make wearing masks less scary and more relatable. This book can be used as a conversation starter about the pandemic, the spread of germs and viruses, and what families can do to keep themselves and the people they care about safe.

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 3 to 5.

Author and illustrator Marla Lesage is a registered nurse and the mother of two young children learning to adjust to wearing masks in public.

This book features different types of masks, including one with a clear panel being used by characters who rely on reading lips to communicate.

Additional Information
32 pages | 9.00" x 9.00"

If Instead of a Person imaginatively explores the wisdom to be learned from living as a tree. Using child-friendly rhyming verse, Coast Salish author Courtney Defriend ponders a tree's steadfast connection and vital contribution to life on earth. Reinforced by Terra Mar's powerful illustrations, If Instead of a Person invites readers to become change agents that respect the interconnectedness of nature and humanity. 

Educator Information
Partial proceeds go to Tillicum Lelum Aboriginal Friendship Centre.

Recommended for ages 4 to 10.

Juvenile Fiction, Indigenous Resource, Poetry, Environmental.

Additional Information
8.25" x 8.25" 

To the sea, to the sea,

who or what waits here for me?

Pairing two dozen of Carol Evans’s wonderful watercolours with a lilting rhyming story by Caroline Woodward, A West Coast Summer tells of a timeless, idyllic season where “Sea salt in the air floats everywhere / and cedars smell so sweet beside the shore.” Children race bikes along sand flats, search under logs and in tide pools for tiny creatures, jig at the dock for herring, dance at a totem raising ceremony, pick berries, make memories and leave footprints in the sand.

Evans’s illustrations capture the jubilation of children exploring the seashore, inspiring young readers to take their own journey to the sea to discover who or what waits for them in the Pacific Northwest—and learn that the best memories are those shared with family and friends.

Readers of all ages will enjoy this charming collaboration, sure to become a West Coast children’s classic.

Reviews
"A West Coast Summer is simply magical! You’ll find yourself transported into the wonder of a perfect day by the ocean. A must-have for anyone who loves to play!" — Robert Budd, co-author of the Northwest Coast Legends and First West Coast Books series

"I have long admired Carol Evans’s art. What a treat to see her paintings in her first book for children. The light, the ripples of water, the joy! Evans’s paintings vibrate with the magic of rocks and tide pools as seen from a child’s point of view. Accompanied by Caroline Woodward’s lyrical text, this book feels like author and illustrator take the reader by the hand for a wondrous walk in the sunshine. A must-read, not just for West Coasters but for all who want to experience the beauty of wild Pacific shores." — Margriet Ruurs, author of Stepping Stones: A Refugee Family’s Journey

Additional Information
32 pages | 8.50" x 11.00"

In this sweet and lyrical book from the creators of the bestselling Little You, gentle rhythmic text captures the wonder new parents feel as they welcome baby into the world. A celebration of the bond between parent and child, this is the perfect song to share with your little ones.

Internationally renowned storyteller and bestselling author Richard Van Camp teams up with award-winning illustrator Julie Flett for a second time to create a stunning book for babies and toddlers.

Educator Information
This paperback book is a dual-language (English and Plains Cree) edition of the We Sang You Home board book.

Available in hardcover: We Sang You Home (HC)

Recommended for Grades K-2 for the following subject areas: English Language Arts, Indigenous Language, Social Studies.

"We Sang You Home is a gentle story about a parent's unconditional love for a child. The lullaby-style story is a great way to share connections between young readers and their adults." — The Dalai Lama Center

Additional Information
Translated by Mary Collins.

Authenticity Note: The text and images in this story are meant to appeal to and honour a variety of families, not only Indigenous families.  This edition's addition of the Cree translation makes it a wonderful resource for Indigenous language learning.

I am Dreaming Of... is authored by Coast Salish, Musqueam artist Melaney Gleeson-Lyall.

Over 10 Northwest Coast Indigenous Artists have come together in I am Dreaming of... to create a bedtime story that rhymes. Dream your way through the forest as you encounter animals of the Pacific Northwest all drawn in beautiful coastal First Nations styles.

Additional Information
24 pages | 5.75" x 7.5"

The Raven Series is a set of six books written for the emergent reader and learner. Each book focuses on a specific learning intention that builds on strengthening learning with the support of an adult.

The titles and their learning intentions are:

• Raven and the Box: promotes an oral retell
• Raven and Duck: basic concepts
• Raven Can Count: number recognition
• I Spy Raven: rhyme and perspective
• Raven Learns the ABC's: letter recognition, vocabulary building
• Raven Makes a Necklace: colours and patterns

These 3"X4" books are great for young readers just learning how to read.

The Big Book Raven Series can be found in the Raven Series Category.

Additional Information
Each book has 8 pages | ISBN 9781771745987