Maureen Fergus – författare

Zander the goose is trying something new this winter. He is not going to go south. Zander is going to stay! Every year as winter approaches, geese return south to avoid the cold and snow. Not Zander, though. Zander declares he wants to stay this year, but first he’ll have to learn how to survive the harsh winter climate. Should he do as Bear suggests and put on a thick layer of fat? Or should he snuggle up with friends like bat does? None of his furred friends seem to have the right answer for Zander, but he’s determined to make the best of a freezing situation. He just needs to find a northern animal whose winter adaptation works for him. Luckily, one such animal arrives just in the nick of time, walking on two snugly booted feet. In Zander Stays, celebrated illustrator Scot Ritchie brings humor and charm to Zander’s adventure, from awe-filled autumn walks along the shore to cozy winter hijinks with his new human friend. Award-winning author Maureen Fergus imbues Zander Stays with humour that is simultaneously silly and clever. An author’s note further explores how Zander’s animal friends adapt to their winter environment.

Zander the goose is trying something new this winter. He is not going to go south. Zander is going to stay! Now available as a board book!As winter approaches, geese return south to avoid the cold and snow. Not Zander, though. Zander declares he wants to stay this year, but first he’ll have to learn how to survive the harsh winter climate. Should he do as Bear suggests and put on a thick layer of fat? Or should he snuggle up with friends like bat does? None of his furred friends seem to have the right answer for Zander, but he’s determined to make the best of a freezing situation. He just needs to find a northern animal whose winter adaptation works for him. Luckily, one such animal arrives just in the nick of time, walking on two snugly booted feet.In Zander Stays, celebrated illustrator Scot Ritchie brings humor and charm to Zander’s adventure, from awe-filled autumn walks along the shore to cozy winter hijinks with his new human friend. Award-winning author Maureen Fergus imbues Zander Stays with humour that is simultaneously silly and clever. An author’s note further explores how Zander’s animal friends adapt to their winter environment.“[T]he images are sure to provoke giggles… Ritchie’s palette changes with the seasons, with the charming pencil, ink, and digital illustrations centering the goose and his every emotion…Readers are sure to want a goose of their own to overwinter with.”—Kirkus Reviews

The only life Persephone has ever known has been one of servitude, and she dreams of freedom, buoyed by a spirit and sense of humour that have never wavered. When a chance encounter with a handsome thief offers her a chance to leave, she grabs it with both hands and the thief, Azriel, will just have to keep up. But Azriel is not everything he seems, and he believes Persephone holds the key to a greater freedom for himself and his people, who have been hunted for years by the king's regent, an evil and sadistic man who will stop at nothing in his quest for power. Azriel has a plan to defeat him, and he needs Persephone but does Persephone need him? As her journey brings her deeper and deeper into a cruel and dangerous world, Persephone must quickly learn who to trust and whether an impossibly broad-shouldered thief holds the key to her future, or her ruin. Once Upon a Broken Heart meets The Queen's Thief in Prophecy, the first book in The Fractured Kingdom trilogy - filled with heart-pounding romance and epic adventure.

“An understated winner of a friendship story … simultaneously of-the-moment and timeless.” — Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEWWhat’s in the box that Meredith has carried into the living room? Buddy doesn’t know, but when the small, prickly creature says he is a pirate — and that Buddy is a pirate, too — the mismatched friends are off on a grand adventure.In this first book in the best-selling Buddy and Earl series, a dog who likes to play by the rules meets a hedgehog who knows no limits. Their friendship is tender and loyal, and their adventures are funny and imaginative. Maureen Fergus’s text is witty and understated, and Carey Sookocheff’s art emphasizes both the humor and the warmth of this odd and loveable animal couple.Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts:CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.1With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about key details in a text.CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.3Describe characters, settings, and major events in a story, using key details.

Our favorite odd-couple friends explore the wilds of their house after dark in book two of the Buddy and Earl series.Buddy is just settling in for the night when Earl announces that he’s going on a trip.Where will Earl go? Wherever the road leads him, of course!Before Buddy knows it, he and Earl are off on another grand adventure. While exploring the wilds of the kitchen, they see wondrous sights, make delicious discoveries and even encounter a couple of unusual monsters.This second book in the best-selling Buddy and Earl series reunites the dog who likes to play by the rules and the hedgehog who knows no limits.Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts:CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.1With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about key details in a text.CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.3Describe characters, settings, and major events in a story, using key details.CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.3Describe how characters in a story respond to major events and challenges.

Mrs. Cunningham is bringing her baby for a visit! But Buddy and Earl are not prepared for the chaos the small and adorable creature brings with him.Mom’s friend Mrs. Cunningham is coming for a visit, and she’s bringing her baby! While Buddy tries to explain the ins and outs of babydom to Earl, neither of them is prepared for the chaos the small and adorable creature brings with him.When the baby manages to escape from his cage — which Buddy gently suggests is really just a playpen — it’s up to our favorite odd couple to save the day.This third title in the critically acclaimed Buddy and Earl series follows a dog who likes to play by the rules and a hedgehog who knows no limits on another fun adventure in deductive reasoning and imaginative play.Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts:CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.9With prompting and support, compare and contrast the adventures and experiences of characters in familiar stories.CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.3Describe characters, settings, and major events in a story, using key details.CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.1Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate understanding of key details in a text.

“The bond between Buddy and Earl is as strong as ever in their fourth book, as is the playful banter and cheerful artwork that capture their relationship so well.” Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEWBuddy and Earl know that with the right education they can become anything — even a dentist or a hot-dog vendor! So they eagerly gather their silly, smelly supplies and head to school.Soon after they arrive, their teacher, Miss Meredith, is called away and Professor Earl takes charge of the classroom. Buddy works hard at lessons like Sniffing Things, Tail Chasing and Scratching Itches. And when Professor Earl announces that one very special student is going to win a major award? Buddy cannot imagine who that lucky student might be…In this fourth book in the critically acclaimed Buddy and Earl series, the dog who likes to play by the rules and the hedgehog who knows no limits learn just how much fun school can be.Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts:CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.1With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about key details in a text.CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.3With prompting and support, identify characters, settings, and major events in a story.CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.7With prompting and support, describe the relationship between illustrations and the story in which they appear (e.g., what moment in a story an illustration depicts).CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.3Describe characters in a story (e.g., their traits, motivations, or feelings) and explain how their actions contribute to the sequence of events.

Wonder Buddy and Super Earl come to the rescue when their new neighbors need help! The fifth installment of a charming and critically acclaimed series.When Wonder Buddy and Super Earl learn that the Evil Doctor Stinker is planning to shut down the only hamburger factory in town, they know they have to find the supervillain’s secret lair — fast! Hopping into the Earl-mobile, they race into the yard next door where they come face-to-face with the new neighbors.At first, Mister the bulldog is alarmed by Wonder Buddy’s laser-beam eyes (even though Buddy does not know how to turn them on), and Snowball the cat thinks that Earl is the funniest-looking mouse she’s ever seen.But when Snowball ends up in mortal danger, Buddy and Mister team up to save the day, and Snowball and Earl discover that they have more in common than they thought.The dog who likes to play by the rules and the hedgehog who knows no limits make some super new friends in this fifth book in the critically acclaimed Buddy and Earl series.Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts:CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.3With prompting and support, identify characters, settings, and major events in a story.CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.7Use illustrations and details in a story to describe its characters, setting, or events.CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.3Describe how characters in a story respond to major events and challenges.

“An understated winner of a friendship story … simultaneously of-the-moment and timeless.” — Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEWWhat’s in the box that Meredith has carried into the living room? Buddy doesn’t know, but when the small, prickly creature says he is a pirate — and that Buddy is a pirate, too — the mismatched friends are off on a grand adventure.In this first book in the best-selling Buddy and Earl series, a dog who likes to play by the rules meets a hedgehog who knows no limits. Their friendship is tender and loyal, and their adventures are funny and imaginative. Maureen Fergus’s text is witty and understated, and Carey Sookocheff’s art emphasizes both the humor and the warmth of this odd and loveable animal couple.Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts:CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.1With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about key details in a text.CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.3Describe characters, settings, and major events in a story, using key details.