Lost Inside My Head
Written and illustrated by Vigg
Orca Book Publishers, 2023
$21.95
Recommended ages: 6-8
Less than an hour ago, Vincent could recite a fable in a single breath. He couldn’t be more prepared to present it to his class! However, when his turn comes, Vincent freezes. There isn’t one syllable in his head. Inspired by author and illustrator Vigg’s own experience growing up with ADHD, Lost Inside My Head is a stunning book that brings readers inside the mind of a neurodiverse character. With tenderness and humour, it shares Vincent’s struggles and frustrations, but, more importantly, it celebrates his uniqueness.
Naaahsa is an Artist
Written and illustrated by Norma Jean Russell & Hali Heavy Shield
Second Story Press, 2023
$21.95
Recommended ages: 6-8
Winner of the Second Story Press Indigenous Writing Contest, Naaahsa is an Artist is the first book by multidisciplinary artist Hali Heavy Shield. Inspired by the many adventures the author has had with her mom, Naaahsa is an Artist follows a young girl and her grandmother — an artist and residential school survivor — to Ottawa for an art show at the National Gallery. With statements like “You can always make something out of nothing. Just use your imagination!” and “Art is a language everyone understands,” Naaahsa is an Artist is a powerful reminder to all young readers that the art they make matters.
Alone: The Journeys of Three Young Refugees
Written by Paul Tom, illustrated by Mélanie Baillairgé, translated by Arielle Aaronson
Groundwood Books, 2023
$24.99
Recommended ages: 8-12
The stories of Afshin, Alain and Patricia in Alone: The Journeys of Three Young Refugees give a glimpse of what the over 400 minors go through who arrive alone in Canada each year requesting refugee status. Told in both the first and second person, and accompanied by Mélanie Baillairgé’s sparse but deeply affecting illustrations, this poignant book urges young readers to imagine what it must be like to start a new life, all alone. Dedicated to “the children who come here. To the parents who stay there,” Alone perfectly captures grief and loneliness, but also hope, sacrifice and love.
