Brian Martin – illustratör

Randy the raccoon works at a transfer station. All he sees is waste. Then, some visitors show him that there are hidden treasures among the trash. Introduce the concept of recycling to early readers with this beautifully illustrated picture book. Children will love the playful illustrations and easy-to-read text. With pre-reading questions, this fiction book is ideal for guided reading and builds early literacy skills.

You may have heard of the old woman who lived in a shoe. But have you heard of the woman who lives next door? Early readers will be captivated by this whimsically illustrated, modern retelling of the classic nursery rhyme, The Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe. With pre-reading questions, this book is ideal for guided reading and builds early literacy skills.

Everyone was gathered in the cafeteria for lunch, so Freddie decided it was the perfect moment to show off the grisly gash on his leg. He thought the scar was cool and impressive. But Freddie thought wrong. No one was impressed, but they were grossed out. That's Freddie the Fly. He assumes everyone sees, thinks, and feels the exact same way he does. And it's becoming a problem. The lunch lady demanded Freddie make a beeline to the nurse's office. Freddie wasted no time telling Nurse Mantis about how he made his leg the centre of lunchroom attention. Rather than just treating the cut, however, Nurse Mantis diagnosed Freddie's real problem – his vision! He struggles seeing any perspective other than his own. Freddie didn't realize the nasty-looking scratch would be stomach-churning to anyone who just wanted to eat. Just like he didn't understand why Mesquita had swatted at him that morning (too self-absorbed!) or why his best buddy dumped him as a project partner (too overbearing!). To help Freddie be more empathetic, sensitive, and understanding toward the opinions, attitudes and feelings of others, Nurse Mantis encourages him to use “perspective-taking lenses.” Will that switch Freddie's outlook from ME to WE? Or will he continue to annoy his friends and family by seeing every situation from only one side – his? A special page written specifically for parents and educators offers practical tips on helping kids develop their perspective-taking skills so they will be more open to and aware of the feelings and thoughts of others.

A story with plenty of buzz. Freddie the Fly likes to talk and talk and talk. He is so busy buzzing about the latest gossip, he can't listen to anyone else. Freddie doesn't realise how much of a chatterbox he is until he meets Mesquita. Her mile-a-minute mouth makes Freddie seem quiet. This book is a humorous take on the problem of never listening while always yapping. This colourful storybook teaches kids how to control their conversations and be excited about listening to and learning from, others.

Freddie returns with quite the conundrum! He keeps missing social cues, so he misunderstands what people mean and then he finds himself in a mess. He just doesn't get that there's a lot more to communication than the words that people say. Fortunately for our favourite fly, he has his dad and Principal Roachford available to teach him about connecting the communication dots, including voice tone, facial expressions and body language.

Betsy the Beetle has a constant companion, Murray. Unfortunately, he's a notorious and irritating worry bug. He loves to whisper horrible 'what ifs' into Betsy's ear, making her worry about every little thing. Betsy gets so flustered and weighed down by Murray, she repeatedly falls flat on her back stuck legs up and has no idea how to get back on her feet. That's why Betsy's friends hatch a plan to get rid of Murray once and for all. Will it work? Will Betsy be able to kiss her worry bug goodbye forever? This tale about trying to stop anxiety in its tracks is the latest addition to the Freddie the Fly book series. Freddie the Fly is a series for kids written by expert and speech and language pathologist, Kimberly Delude.

Uh-oh! Gabe is losing it again. See all those big, bright buttons popping up all over his body? They come out whenever someone or some situation gets under his skin. And they pop up ALL. THE. TIME. Push this button and Gabe starts fighting. Push that button and Gabe starts shouting. Push any button and Gabe overreacts, gets angry, makes poor choices and lands in trouble. What he really needs is a reset button! In this clever tale from school counsellor and debut author, Jennifer Law, young readers learn how to use PAUSE POWER to reset their mindset, calm down and stop losing control when others push their buttons.

Isaac isn't any ordinary alligator living quietly in the swamp. He's an INSTIgator! He spends his days spying on the neighbours and eavesdropping on their conversations. The more he listens, the more jealous he becomes. They have real friendships. He's all alone. With no one to talk to except an old, rotting stump, Isaac is angry and miserable. So he sets out to make sure everyone else in the swamp is miserable, too. Isaac can perfectly mimic every voice in the swamp, and he uses this special talent to start arguments, stir up trouble, and turn friends against friends. Isaac gleefully watches the mischief he set in motion. He didn't care If I can't have friends, why should anyone else? he tells the stump. But can he instigate a fight between two of the swamp's biggest besties? Or will they sniff out his dirty trick and teach him a lesson he'll never forget? Follow Isaac as he learns that treating others with kindness is the first step to creating friendships. And that having a friend can help you feel less angry. ISAAC THE INSTIGATOR is an entertaining story written for young readers. Included are tips for parents, counsellors and educators on how to help children build relationships with peers, show kindness and compassion, and cultivate empathy.