@Owlkids 

For the Love of Reading

Mom, Dad, Our Books, and Me, by Danielle Marcotte, illustrated by 

Josée Bisallion; Owl Kids; $16.95, 32 pages, ages 2-5. 

Canadian publisher Owl Kids Books is making a splash in the spring market (see our recent review of Skunk on a String) with expertly crafted children’s books, and Mom, Dad, Our Books, and Me does not disappoint. Here we meet a young boy just discovering the joys of independent reading. A supporting cast of friends, family, and neighbors also illustrate that reading isn’t limited to books: clocks, palms, thermometers, and facial expressions require such examination. 

As part of a growing group of adult writers turning their attention to the booming children’s literature marketplace, Danielle Marcotte makes a seamless transition to the world of whimsy, with uncomplicated sentences full of joy. Cut-paper artwork by fellow Canadian Josée Bisallion is large and welcoming–each page showcases all the different ways we read. 

Originally published

in 2013

by Montreal-based Les 400 coups  as Papa, maman, nos livres et moi, this book celebrates the pleasures and adventures of reading, no matter the format or language.