A stunning picture book that celebrates gardens and inclusion from an award-winning talent.
WILDFLOWER
by Melanie Brown
illustrated by Sara Gillingham
Greystone, May 2022
Daisy is new to the garden and just opening her petals to the sun when Rose tells her that she’s just a weed. What’s a weed? Rose explains that weeds aren’t planted on purpose and only get in the way. As Daisy compares herself to other plants in the garden, she begins to feel even worse: she isn’t tall like Sunflower, nor sweet like Strawberry, nor fragrant like Rose. Just as Daisy worries that Rose might be right—that she is a weed after all—a strange and beautiful plant offers a new perspective. Maybe Daisy does have a purpose! And why do others get to decide who she is? This sweet and empowering story shows the inner strength it can take to define ourselves on our own terms, and how supporting one another can help us grow.
Melanie Brown has worked as both an elementary school teacher and an interior designer, and she lives in Vancouver with her family and a sweet silver Labrador retriever named Rosie. WILDFLOWER is her first book.
Sara Gillingham is an award-winning children’s book author and illustrator, art director, and designer who has helped publish many bestselling books. Sara has written and illustrated more than twenty-five titles for children, including How to Grow a Friend, Snuggle the Baby, the Empowerment series, and the bestselling In My series. She lives in Vancouver with her family.
The very first passengers to ride in a hot air balloon were a sheep, a rooster, and a duck in 1783. And while hot air balloons are indeed wondrous, ten-year-old Emile is too busy being the fastidious caretaker of ambassador Benjamin Franklin’s château in Paris to think much about them. But forces both good and nefarious are after the wonderful—and sometimes dangerous—inventions in Franklin’s notebook. Soon, young Emile finds himself right in the middle of a sinister plot. And right in the middle of the secret headquarters for France’s undercover heroes—the same sheep, rooster, and duck that piloted the first hot air balloon. If Emile can muster his courage and be bold, he may be the key to helping the heroes save both Benjamin Franklin and the world. 
Meet the Terribles! They’re your friendly neighborhood vampires, ghosts, werewolves, and mummies! They go to school, do homework, play hide-and-creep, start a band with an alien from outer space, and bring monsters to life with a bit of lightning. Ya know, the usual stuff. Basically, the Terribles are completely normal kids, just like YOU! Well, sort of. In the first book, we get to know a monstrous class at Stubtoe Elementary as they prepare for the coronation (read: fancy birthday party) of Emma (Emmanatenkhamen XIII). She’s a kid mummy. You’ll also meet Vlad, a vampire who schemes to see the sun, and Griff, a boy who’s shy, not to mention invisible. There’s a kid kaiju, a young (mad) scientist, and a horde more!
Cooper just wants to spend the summer before 7th grade drawing and having adventures with his best friend, Nacho. Anything to keep his mind off the fact that his dad’s new girlfriend and his mom’s announcement that she’s going to start dating. But when one of his adventures with Nacho goes too far, Cooper’s parents freak out. Either he joins the Boy Rangers, a dorky club that’s all about discipline and rules, or that dream cartooning camp at the end of his summer? Will get erased. At first it’s not so bad―the troop is a disorganized mess. But then a new scoutmaster starts. Mr. Pierce is a gruff ex-Marine who’s never worked with kids before, especially not a ragtag team of misfits like Troop 19. As he tries turning them into a lean, mean, badge-earning machine, Cooper longs for freedom. He doesn’t want to break the rules, but the rules are going to break him!
Zia remembers the exact night the Shadoom arrived. One moment she was laughing with her best friends, and the next a dark room of shadows had crept into her chest. Zia has always loved words, but she can’t find a real one for the fear growing inside her. How can you defeat something if you don’t know its name? After Zia’s mom announces that her grouchy Greek yiayia is moving into their tiny apartment, the Shadoom seems here to stay. Until Zia discovers an old family heirloom: The C. Scuro Dictionary, 13th Edition. This is no ordinary dictionary. Hidden within its magical pages is a mysterious blue eraser shaped like an evil eye. When Zia starts to erase words that remind her of the Shadoom, they disappear one by one from the world around her. She finally has the confidence to befriend Alice, the new girl in sixth grade, and to perform at the Story Jamboree. But things quickly dissolve into chaos, as the words she erases turn out to be more vital than Zia knew.