"When the young ones cannot sleep we tell a story. When I first heard it I was only a kit, all warm and sleepy in the den, my belly filled with mothers milk. But I remembered, and so I pass it on."
The tale of Fortress Louisbourg began in 1713 on Cape Breton Island. What was a prized French fishing settlement became one of the mightiest fortresses in the New World. Over time Natives, French, and English have called the place home. France and Britain have battled for it and both have possessed it. The ravages of time and history took: their toll, but Fortress Louisbourg stands today, restored to its former majesty and open to thousands of visitors each year.
In such a setting, stories naturally take root and grow But one in particular has been repeated by those who claim to have seen a fox dancing with a cat inside the fortress walls. It could well be true, for through time and change, there have always been foxes in this place.
"Hello, Peg," Laura always said, looking across the field for the milk cow. "The chores are finished and it is time for a story. What shall I read today?"
It is the story of a girl's courage and devotion, setting the stage for the heroism that made Laura Secord a household name. This fictionalised account of Laura Secord's childhood foreshadows her famous trek to warn British soldiers of an American attack during the War of 1812.
September 2000
During a fierce prairie storm, James falls out of his family's wagon and his calls for help are lost in the howl of the wind. After his parents vanish into the blizzard, a man on horseback appears and takes James to the safety of his small cabin. The man will only say that his name is Louis.
This imaginary encounter between Louis Riel and a young boy brings to light how insignificant the differences between people are and the tragic consequences of not remembering how much we all share.
September 2000
Illustrated by
Esperanca Melo
Parents Choice Recommended Book 2000
Illustrated by
Rajke Kupesic
Claire stood in the doorway in a sweater that was a little too small and a dress that was a little too big...
How will Tante Marie make friends with this small, silent girl who has come to spend the whole summer with her? Tante Marie does not know. All she can think to do is go back to hooking her rug.
"With the hook catch the wool. Give it Just a little pull. Give the wool a little tug with the hook to make the rug."
And as Tante Marie bends over her work, young Claire creeps closer and closer...
From award winning writer Maxine Trottier comes a story that will tug at the heartstrings, illustrated with breathtaking paintings by internationally renowned artist Rajka Kupesic.
Short listed for the 2000 Ruth Schwartz Award
Short listed for the 2000 CLA Book of the Year Award for Children
Short listed for the 2000 Amelia Francis Howard Gibbon Award
Winner of the Mr. Christie Award 2000
Dreamstones
Illustrated by
Stella East
Short listed for the 2000 Ruth Schwartz Award
A CCBC Starred Our Choice Book
Short listed for the 2000 Amelia Francis Howard Gibbon Award
-- a Starred Review indicating a book of exceptional merit, Quill & Quire, September 1999.
Stoddart Kids
(In Canada)
General Distribution Services,
325 Humber College Blvd.,
Toronto ON,
M9W 7C3.
Tel (416) 213-1919 Fax (416) 213-1917
E-mail: Customer.Service@ccmailgw.genpub.com
(In the USA)
General Distribution Services,
85 River Rock Dr., Suite 202,
Buffalo, New York,
14207.
Toll Free 1-800-805-1083
Email: gdsinc@genpub.com
Illustrated by
Paul Morin
He smiled. "That would give me great comfort, Mary," he said. "The Koi are greedy, you know. Do not let them get fat."
We watched the bus drive away.
For Mary, too young to fully understand about war and far-off places, the promise was meant to last only until Mr. Hiroshi came back. But after a while it was clear that her friend wouldn't be coming home. Still, Mary faithfully kept her word all through that long summer. And when the new people came to live in Mr. Hiroshi's house, she knew exactly what to do.
Once more, Maxine Trottier takes a small piece of a larger story, nurtures it with care, and grows a tale as elegant as a Japanese garden. Flags is a simple story of innocence and friendship set against a backdrop of fear and suspicion. A story that must be told and told -- but ever repeated.
The White Raven Award of the International Youth Library 2000
A CCBC Our Choice Book
Recipient of The Storytelling World Honor Title, 2000.
Notable Book, Social Studies, Childrens Books Council
Illustrated by
Bill Slavin
Read it. Chant it. Sing it. Celebrate it. Once you've read One Is Canada, counting to ten will never be the same. In a singularly brilliant idea, award-winning author Maxine Trottier and acclaimed illustrator Bill Slavin have teamed up to create a counting picture book that will entertain, teach and delight all Canadians.
Detailed "Notes on Canada" at the end of the book provide the perfect launching pad for discussions, instruction and further explanation.
The Tiny Kite of Eddie Wing
by
Maxine Trottier
Stoddart Kids, 1995
Named the 1996 Canadian Library Association Book of the Year for Children
Click here to view the acceptance speech.
Recipient of the 1995 FWTAO Writers' Award.
Selected for the 1995/96 Our Choice Awards by the Canadian Children's Book Centre.
"This is a beautifully illustrated book and a vivid testament to the
power of the imagination."
-- Toronto Star, 1995.
Alison's House
by
Maxine Trottier
Oxford University Press, 1993
Now published under the Stoddart Kids imprint
Selected for the 1993/94 Our Choice Awards by the Canadian Children's Book Centre.
Stoddart Kids,
(In Canada) Email:Customer.Service@ccmailgw.genpub.com
(In the USA) Email:gdsinc@genpub.com
Heartsong
by
Maxine Trottier
Translated into Gaelic by
Rosemary McCormack
UCCB Press, 1997
Recipient of the Marianna Dempster Memorial Award, 1998
Selected for the 1997/98 Our Choice Awards by the Canadian Children's Book Centre.
Loon Rock
by
Maxine Trottier
Illustrated by
Dozay Christmas
Translated into Mi'kmaq by
Helen Sylliboy
UCCB Press,1996
Selected for the 1996/97 Our Choice Awards by the Canadian Children's Book Centre.
The Voyage of Wood Duck
by
Maxine Trottier
Illustrated by
Patsy MacAulay-MacKinnon
Translated into Mi'kmaq by
Helen Sylliboy
UCCB Press, 1995
"...the story will leave readers with a lasting impression, especially the wonderful language with its mystical references to dreams."
--Carolyn Young's Book Beat, 1996
Recipient of the 1996 FWTAO Writers' Award.
Selected for the 1995/96 Our Choice Awards by the Canadian Children's Book Centre.
The University College of Cape Breton Press,
P. O. Box 5300,
Q. Sydney, NS,
Canada, B1P 6L2.
Telephone 902-563-1604
Fax 902-563-1177
Distributed by General Distribution Services,
E-mail: Customer.Service@ccmailgw.genpub.com
A Safe Place
by
Maxine Trottier
Illustrated by
Judith Friedman
Albert Whitman & Co., 1997
"Any child facing a similar situation would be comforted by this book."
-- The London Free Press, June, 1997
Awarded first place standing in the 1997 Chicago Women in Publishing competition in the women's issues category; tied for first place in the juvenile trade category.
Selected for the 1997/98 Our Choice Awards by the Canadian Children's Book Centre.
Albert Whitman & Co.,
6340 Oakton Street,
Morton Grove, Ill.,
USA,
60053-2723.
Distributed in Canada by General Distribution Services,
E-mail:Customer.Service@ccmailgw.genpub.com
Pavlova's GiftStoddart Kids, 1996
A CCBC Our Choice book
"A fine melding of story and pictures."
-- Best Canadian Picture Books, Emergency Librarian, March-April, 1997"The story and the pictures are such a moving portrayal of the goodness of giving that they will be a far greater inspiration to your grandchildren than any lecture could ever be."
-- Margot Griffin, Ask The Book Lady
Prairie Willow
Stoddart Kids, 1998
Selected as a Starred Book for the 1998/99 Our Choice Awards by the Canadian Children's Book Centre.
Short listed for the Ruth Schwartz award 1999.
Notable Book, Social Studies, Childrens Books Council Childrens Choice selection, Childrens Book Council and International Reading Association.
"This achingly beautiful story of a young girl and her pioneer family evokes the vastness of the land, the whisper of the wind and the promise and hope of people who settled the endless prairie. Maxine Trottier's lyric prose captures the rhythm of the seasons and of life itself."
-- a Starred Review indicating a book of exceptional merit, Quill & Quire, May 1998.
The Walking Stick
Stoddart Kids, Fall 1998
Our Choice outstanding book selection, CCBC
Outstanding Book, Parent Council,
"The Walking Stick explores the immigrant experience with broad, expansive strokes."