The House of Lost and Found by Martin Widmark - Illustrated by Emilia Dziubak

Niles, a lonely old man lives quietly in a secluded home. Just like its owner, the house is neglected and full of good memories of happier times. Unable to move on from his wife's passing, his thoughts of her linger in the house. He remembers his children who have now grown and left him. The thoughts of what used to be and what he has lost have made him bitter and longing for the past.

The mood is solemn and dark but not eerie. The memories while haunting are beautiful; he cannot let go. Niles lives a solitary existence until he meets a new friend and it changes his outlook on life. With a willingness to move forward, Niles is rejuvenated to reclaim his life and his home to make new memories.

This uplifting and meaningful story is by bestselling Swedish children's author Martin Widmark. The text is simple and the pacing just right, Niles' transformation from depressed to hopeful is unembellished and leaves room for thought. Emilia Dziubak uses coloured pencils for the illustrations here with an emphasis on light and dark. Rough strokes resemble old films. The memories are drawn like apparitions and the detailing of the flower petals as lingering memories is very touching and effective. This would make a great animated short film.

A book with similar themes to this is On the Other Side of the Garden. Encouraging and hopeful, The House of Lost and Found is an excellent resource for children to understand and empathize with individuals dealing with grief. Originally published in Swedish as Huset som vaknade by Bonnier Carlsen Bokförlag 2017. Recommended for ages 5+.

Amazon
Floris Books 2018
Hardcover 40p
9" x 11.2"

The Pink Umbrella by Amélie Callot - Illustrated by Geneviève Godbout

What else can you do on rainy days except stay in bed and sleep all day? Adele does not like the rain one bit! Her lively spirit is dampened when it's cold, dark and gloomy outside. There is much more to do on a sunny day when friends and customers gather at her café, the Polka-Dot Apron;  the hub of their small coastal community. With the help of a caring friend, Adele learns to look on the bright side of things.

Using pastels and coloured pencils to create soft clean lines, Geneviève Godbout's illustrations are whimsical and charming with a slight vintage feel with those big dotted eyes. Originally published in French as Rose à petits pois,
this lighthearted story about the power of friendship and its influence on ones positive outlook on life, will inspire young readers to see the world through bright eyes. The Pink Umbrella is Amélie Callot's first book. Recommended for ages 4+.

Amazon
Tundra Books 2018
Hardcover 80p
9" x 11"

The Tea Dragon Society by Katie O'Neill

Katie O'Neill's The Tea Dragon Society is cuteness overload! The illustrations are adorable, feminine and so kawaii. Sweet stories of blossoming friendships, old bonds as well as dragons and tea make a delicious mix of warm and fuzzy. In this fantasy, the characters are human-animal hybrids and all have a special skill or power. The four main characters each have a tea dragon pet. Tea lovers will enjoy reading the descriptions of all the dragons and the types of leaves and flowers they produce for brewing magical tea. I'm sure I will bond quickly with a Hibiscus Tea Dragon!

The story began as a webcomic available for reading online and is collected here in hardcover. This is a larger sized comic book, coloured in lovely pastels with floral accents. It's much easier to read the text from a physical book and the illustrations are better displayed as a spread. It has all four chapters and extracts from the Tea Dragon Handbook. There's not a lot of dialogue here; it's more of an introduction to graphic novels. Suitable for preteens, recommended for ages 8+.

Amazon

Oni Press 2017
Hardcover 72p

8.5" x 11.8"

Bee & Me by Alison Jay

At first glance, Bee & Me seemed like just a cute story about a little girl who befriends a bee but it becomes much more than that as the story progresses. This is a wordless picture book and I usually don't review these types of books because they typically appeal to only the youngest of readers however, this title deserves a broader audience. Because there is an absence of words, the illustrations have to be much more effective for the story to be good; a difficult feat to achieve. The last time I thoroughly enjoyed a wordless picture book was with Raymond Briggs': The Snowman. The tenderness and magic in that story is strong with no words needed. Bee & Me produces a similar feel but with an environmental message.

Bee & Me begins with a city scene where a young girl meets a little bee that has entered her room through an open window. She first tries to swat it and ultimately catches it inside an inverted glass. It begins to die and the girl decides to nurse it back to health. Rejuvenated, the bee is released but returns to her window one stormy day and they begin to develop a friendship. One of the best illustrations in this book is the spread showing how the two new friends spend time together while the bee keeps growing larger and larger. After some time, the bee longs to be out in the wild again and with the little girl riding on the bees back they visit flower fields to collect pollen to disperse above the city.

On the last page there is information on bees and their role in the growth of plants and flowers with emphasis to readers living in the city. Included also is a list of flowers and herbs that bees like best. This book is highly recommended for the classroom as it encourages world preservation and catch and release. Recommended for ages 3+.

Amazon
Candlewick Press 2017
Hardcover 32p
9.9" x 9.9"

Pandora, A Tender Story of Hope and Companionship by Victoria Turnbull

Pandora lives a lonely life. Her house built on top of a pile of waste. She would mend and fix things that others had discarded. She had no friends until one day she found a sick bird and nursed it back to life. Her act of kindness leads to a new friendship, loss and rebirth. Written and illustrated by Victoria Turnbull, this picture book sends a gentle ecological message.

Amazon
Clarion Books 2017
Hardcover 32p
10.8" x 9.4"