The Night Gardener
by Terry and Eric Fan
A little magic comes to the rather grey Grimlock lane. One morning, young William wakes to find the tree in front of the orphanage has been transformed into a wise old owl. The next day brings a fox. Each night the community is awed by a new creation. William is so enchanted he waits up to meet the night gardener, who has inspired his imagination. Toronto’s Fan brothers have created a quiet, beautiful masterpiece. Ages 4 - 7.
The Cow Said Meow
by John Himmelman
This is a story of clever animals versus near-sighted old woman. One a cold, rainy day cow observes cat walk up to a door, meow, and get let into the nice warm house. She tries, she walks up to the door, meows, and she is let in too. So, begins a parade of wayward farm animals testing out their meowing skills. A simple, almost wordless story, full of humour and animal sounds – a winning combination. Ages 3 - 5.
Cat Knit
by Jacob Grant
Anyone who owns both a cat and a ball of yarn will relate to this story. When Girl brings home Yarn Cat is elated, he has a friend to play with. Cat’s joy wanes when the Girl insists on playing with Yarn too. It wanes even more when Cat discovers that Girl has transformed Yarn into a sweater for Cat to wear. This is a good story about dealing with change, accompanied by fun illustrations. Ages 3 - 5.
If I Had a Gryphon
by Vikki VanSickle; illustrated by Cale Atkinson
Sam has a new pet hamster. Sam is not impressed. She wants more. She dreams of having a magical creature for a pet, maybe a unicorn or a kraken or a gryphon. As she dreams of each one, and weighs the pros and cons, she comes to realize that a hamster might be a good choice after all. Rich illustrations and a bouncy, rhyming text will make this a great read aloud. Ages 4 - 7.