This inspiring narrative nonfiction story about the life of Canadian artist Maud Lewis showcases how everyone has a unique story to share in English Language Arts. The story of Maud's life is a fine example of how confidence develops through the process of self-discovery and how exploring our strengths and abilities helps us identify our goals in kindergarten through grade four Career Education. Maud's determination to maintain a positive attitude throughout her life despite the physical and economic barriers she faced also demonstrates how mental, emotional, and physical health are interconnected in kindergarten through grade four Physical and Health Education. Students can make connections to Maud's life as they think about how they overcome hardships in their own lives and reflect on whether they're making healthy choices to support their own mental and emotional well-being. Students might further enjoy creating art in the style of Maud Lewis.

Other End Matter: Final pages include further facts about Maud Lewis’s life.
Images: Colour illustrations
Bibliography: No
Index: No

Source: Books BC - BC Books for Schools

Kathy Stinson is a familiar name in children’s literature. She wrote the award-winning Red is Best and Big or Little?—two of the first picture books for preschoolers in Canada. Both were a huge success and have since achieved international acclaim. Red is Best 25th Anniversary Edition was released in 2006 a newly illustrated Big or Little? was published in 2009. Kathy’s latest book, The Man with the Violin (2013), was greeted with rave reviews, including starred reviews in Kirkus and uill & uire. Illustrated by Duan Petricic, this beautifully evocative picture book tells the true story of world-renowned violinist, Joshua Bell, who conducted an experiment by anonymously playing his priceless violin in the Washington D.C. subway station. Kathy grew up in Toronto. “My love affair with books began as a child,” she says. “I remember regular visits to the library, getting stacks of books to read.” She still has a notebook of stories that she wrote when she was in grade four. She believes that reading a lot is the key to becoming a good writer. In the early 1970s Kathy attended university while teaching elementary school. In 1981, she took a course called “How to write and get published.” The titles she has published in the years since range from picture books to young adult novels, from historical fiction chapter books to short stories in the horror genre. 2008 sees the publication of her first brand-new picture book in sixteen years! Kathy enjoys visiting schools across Canada, and especially talking with fellow writers. In 1987 she traveled to England as part of an exchange of Canadian and British children’s authors. She has helped students across Canada pursue their own creative projects through the Writers in Electronic Residence program, and in many communities has conducted writing workshops for children and for adults. When she’s not busy writing or reading, Kathy is a self-proclaimed jigsaw puzzle addict. Her children now grown, she lives with her partner, editor Peter Carver, in a hamlet not far from Guelph, Ontario.

Kathy Stinson's profile page

Lauren Soloy's profile page

• Short-listed, IBBY Outstanding Bks Young People w/Disabilities
• Winner, CCBC Choices 2024
• Short-listed, Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award
• Short-listed, Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children's Book Awards
• Short-listed, Elizabeth Mrazik-Cleaver CDN Picture Book Award

"An inspiring picture book aimed at ages four to eight, but with a message for all ages."
—Montreal Gazette

"It's eminently challenging to distill an entire life into a picture book. . . Soloy's illustrations rise to the occasion, emulating the naïve style and cheery palette of Lewis' art, while highlighting key moments in Stinson's tight narrative. . . In a word: beautiful."
—Kirkus STARRED Review

"Anyone who's faced a challenge—that's everyone!—will appreciate Maud's tenacity and Soloy's lively art that bursts with color. . . A great choice for biography and art shelves."
—Booklist

"A touching and uplifting tribute, this book emphasizes the importance of finding beauty in the everyday and persevering through life's challenges."
—Horn Book

Praise for The Man with the Violin, by Kathy Stinson and illustrated by Dusan Petricic

"Imaginatively illustrated and beautifully written, this offbeat ode to the power of music is a winner."
—STARRED Kirkus Review

"The art bursts forth, creating a stunning visual expression of Stinson's text."
—STARRED Review, Quill & Quire

Praise for the I's the B'y by Lauren Soloy

"Clap your hands and dance along to a traditional Newfoundland folk melody... an inviting version of a Canadian song that will resonate—and reverberate."
—Kirkus Reviews

"An exuberant book that captures and celebrates the character and culture of Newfoundland and is sure to get you and the little ones tapping your feet."
—Hakai Magazine