Kallie George is an author and editor living in Vancouver, BC. She completed her Masters of Children's Literature at the University of British Columbia in 2007. She is the co-creator of a series of acclaimed board books, the Simply Small Series, by Paola Opal; author of the art book Mr. M the Exploring Dreamer, with art by Soizick Meister; and the author of the picture book The Melancholic Mermaid, illustrated by Abigail Halpin. Her most recent project, Clover's Luck, Book 1 in the Magical Animal Adoption series, will be published in Feb 2015 by Disney-Hyperion. When she is not writing or editing, she's teaching creative writing workshops through Capilano University and CWC (Creative Writing for Children). www.kalliegeorge.com
Geneviève Côté has illustrated several books over the years, such as The Lady of Shalott by Tennyson, Wishes by Jean Little, Ella May and the Wishing Stone by Cary Fagan, The Little Word Catcher by Danielle Simard, and many more. She has also written, in both english and french, a few stories of her own: Mr. King's Things, Without You, Me and You, What Elephant?, and With You always, Little Monday. Her editorial art has appeared in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, l'Actualité and other such publications. She has won the Elizabeth Mrazik-Cleaver Award in 2005, the General Governor's Award for Illustration in 2007, and the Marilyn Baillie Award in 2012. She lives in Montreal, Quebec. genevievecoteillustration.com
"Splash, named after her first word and favourite activity, is a
sea serpent who can't help but move. Despite her best efforts and
her parents' advice, Splash can't keep her tail from making loud
splashes in the water. Grampy tries to teach Splash how to move
quietly to blend in with her surroundings so that, when real danger
comes, she will be safe. Splash legitimately tries to follow
Grampy's advice, which is supported with reasons why Splash needs
to control herself, but Splash can't help but be what she is: a sea
serpent who likes to splash. This story embraces Splash's
individuality when Grampy takes her to a spot where it is safe to
splash while also emphasizing the need for self-control in
dangerous situations. For young readers, the lesson is clearly laid
out and comes from a place of caring, rather than criticism of
Splash. Some key words are repeated, and both sentences and
chapters are shorter and would be appropriate for a transitioning
reader. The illustrations are coloured with watercolours, a perfect
medium for a story which takes place largely under or on water. The
application of watercolours in thicker swatches gives the water
depth and the colours chosen reinforce the idea of camouflage.
Following Spark and Flare, Splash is the third book in the "Tiny
Tails" series.
Highly Recommended.
CM Magazine, Kate Hachborn
Reviews for other books in the Tiny Tails series: *Spark is a 2013
Junior Library Guild selection, and a spring 2015 Canadian
Children's Book Centre Best Books for Kids and Teens selection!
"[Flare is]...a sweetly fantastic addition to the early-reader
shelf."
Kirkus Reviews "This title will fit right into any early reader
collection."
School Library Journal "If you're ready for something new in easy
readers, these are a perfect choice."
Jean Little Blogspot "Fun and playful"
Booklist, Ann Kelley "A lovely little book"
Fuse #8, Betsy Bird, New York Public Librarian "Children who are
forever being cautioned to 'Be careful' will instantly empathize
with Spark, the young dragon who stars in this early reader from
George (The Melancholic Mermaid), first in the Tiny Tails
series...George's simple sentences project Spark's determination
and his parents' pragmatic brand of support, while Cote offers
playfully childlike scenes outlined in loose, crayony strokes.
What's the solution for Spark? It's one that's both true to life
and the last thing some kids will want to hear: sometimes these
things just take time."
Publisher's Weekly "Spark is a lovable little dragon with a big
problem: he can't control his fire...The story's construction lends
it unique appeal. It is broken up into five chapters that are short
enough to suit storytime with toddlers, yet long enough for early
readers to feel a sense of accomplishment in reading through them.
The harmony between author Kallie George's beautifully paced,
sweetly humorous text and Genevieve Cote's whimsical illustrations
also elevate the simple tale. The handmade quality of Cote's
artwork is particularly appealing. Colours bleed ever so slightly
outside the pencil-drawn outlines of Spark, his parents, and his
friends (a griffin, a phoenix, a unicorn and a troll). As it
relates a story about overcoming challenges, the book exerts a
reassuring, calming effect on readers. Any parent weary of potty
training a toddler will recognize the parable here, as well as the
fact that time and patience are often the only solutions. Spark is
a lovely story to share with any child who is eager to learn how to
use his or her own 'flame'."
Quill & Quire "Spark is irresistible. ... George's rhythmic text
moves along with just the right amount of repetition to build
expectation, and gives the dramatic reader a number of satisfying
fire noises to make (CRACKLE! WHOOSH! PIFF!). As the story unfolds,
Côté's endearing illustrations provide a whimsical peek into the
world the dragons inhabit--which is quite similar to ours, but
funnier. There are smiles on every page for both adults and
children, including a familiar scene when his parents resort to a
book to tell them how to help Spark with his fiery problem. This
gentle, amusing story will have children wanting to read it again
and again."
National Reading Campaign
"A delight to read aloud."
CM Magazine
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