Picture Books

Lily and the Mixed-up Letters
illustrated by France Brassard
published by Tundra Books

Lily's in Grade 2 and she can't read when everyone else in her class can. When she tries to learn the words, the letters get all mixed up and so does she. Parent Day is approaching and all the kids are going to read out loud in front of their parents. What will Lily do?

The character of Lily is based on my daughter, Helen, who is very smart and talented, but struggled with reading in school. I wanted to write a book for her that honoured her experience and showed how strong and brave she was.



Outstanding Book for Young People with Disabilities, International Board on Books for Young People
Resource Links, Best Books selection for 2007
Best Books for Kids and Teens, 2008, Canadian Children's Book Centre

"Deborah Hodge writes with a sensitivity reflective of her understanding of the difficulties faced by children struggling with reading. France Brassard's watercolour illustrations combine perfectly with Hodge's text."  Canadian Materials Magazine

"Children who struggle with their letters may identify with Lily and want to practice their own reading skills with this sweet picture book."  School Library Journal

"Vancouver's Deborah Hodge, a former teacher, gives the story a reassuring outcome. Fabulous illustrations."  Editor's Choice, Vancouver Sun

"...the author's gentle and encouraging treatment of dyslexia is commendable."  Montreal Review of Books


Also published in Spanish,
by Amaquemecan in Mexico City


Emma's Story

illustrated by Song Nan Zhang
published by Tundra Books

Emma is sad because she doesn't look like the other people in her family. She's the only one with dark hair and eyes. Her grandmother comforts her by telling the story of her adoption from China. Through the story, Emma comes to understand how deeply loved and cherished she is.

I wrote this book because my dear friend, Eileen, adopted a baby girl, named Katie, from China 13 years ago. I remembered how joyful the experience was for the whole family and I wanted to tell that story as a gift for Katie.



"Hodge writes with a quiet tenderness, creating the mood of the story…. Zhang's soft, but wonderfully detailed illustrations match the mood of the story perfectly… Highly Recommended."  CM Magazine

"[A] gentle and warm tale…[with] beautiful paintings that are superbly rendered with incredible detail…. An invaluable adoption tale…"  Resource Links

"The softness of Zhang's paintings, rich in detail, matches the mood of the text… heartwarming…"  Montreal Review of Books


© 2007 Deborah Hodge