Collected works

The Tufted Puffins of Triangle Island

Illustrated by Karen Reczuch; published by Groundwood Books

Meet the remarkable Tufted Puffins of Triangle Island!

A pair of beautiful birds, with long golden tufts, prepare a burrow and lay a single egg on the steep cliffside of Triangle Island – a rare and protected habitat off the northwestern tip of Vancouver Island.

In this wild and remote place, the tufted puffins will raise their baby until it is ready to leave the nest and live at sea. If Triangle Island remains undisturbed, and the ocean stays cool and full of fish, these marvellous birds and their babies will continue to thrive and grow.

The books in the Wild by Nature series explore the unique links between ecologically sensitive species and habitats, and encourage the preservation of the world’s wild places.

 

West Coast Wild Rainforest

Illustrated by Karen Reczuch; published by Groundwood Books

Step into the majestic rainforest …

Towering over the sea, along the magnificent Pacific west coast, is an ancient and beautiful rainforest. Here you will find trees as tall as twenty-storey buildings, tiny seedlings sprouting on nursery logs and brightly colored salmon spawning in streams.

The salmon, as a keystone species, connect the ocean to the forest and provide a rich source of food for the bears, wolves, eagles and other creatures that live in this pristine wilderness. The remains of the fish add vital nutrients to the forest, feeding the lush green plants and trees. In turn, the thick vegetation shades the streams and protects the baby salmon that hatch and swim to the sea.

In this fourth book in the West Coast Wild series, readers will find a clear and engaging look at the interdependence of the forest species and the fascinating cycles of nature in this rare ecosystem. Spectacular watercolors show the rainforest teeming with life.

” A lushly illustrated introduction to the ecosystem of the American Northwest’s coastal rainforest. Solemn, respectful, and informative, with art worth lingering over.” Kirkus

“Enriched with an impressive display of vibrant illustrations in watercolour. It is obvious that both illustrator and author share a deep respect for and emotional connection with this west coast setting. Highly recommended.” Canadian Review of Materials.

West Coast Wild Baby Animals

Illustrated by Karen Reczuch; published by Groundwood Books

Meet the wild baby animals of the Pacific west coast!

My new board book for babies and toddlers is titled West Coast Wild Baby Animals.

Children of every age have a keen interest in the creatures that live on our beautiful Earth. They love learning about wild animals and the habitats in which they live.

In this newest title, young children can enjoy finding out about the wild baby animals that are born in the spring on the spectacular Pacific west coast. This book is a companion to the earlier board book West Coast Wild ABC.

Children and their grownups will find wolf pups, bear cubs, whale calves and eaglets thriving in the ancient rainforest, rugged beach and majestic ocean of the Pacific west coast. The book provides a charming introduction to baby animal names and behaviours, and is accompanied by art composed of gorgeous watercolour scenes, painted by Karen Reczuch.

We hope it delights toddlers and babies everywhere!

• Best Books for Kids and Teens, Canadian Children’s Book Centre

 

 

 

West Coast Wild at Low Tide

Illustrated by Karen Reczuch; published by Groundwood Books

Imagine what you might see on a beach walk at low tide…

At the edge of the Pacific Ocean, where land and sea meet, lies a narrow strip of beach called the intertidal zone. Endless tides move back and forth across the zone twice a day. Here a remarkable community of hardy shoreline creatures flourishes in an environment of ever-changing conditions.

In the third book in the West Coast Wild series, young readers will discover brightly colored sea stars, a giant Pacific octopus, busy hermit crabs, delicate sand dollars, fish that camouflage and other intriguing marine animals. Enjoy learning fascinating facts about each creature as Karen Reczuch’s vibrant watercolor illustrations bring the magnificent shoreline and its unique inhabitants to life.

“A great way to prepare youngsters for their first adventure at the seashore when the tide is out, giving them the tools to identify the accessible creatures they’ll see and making the experience all the more meaningful. Highly Recommended.” Canadian Review of Materials

“Anyone visiting the intertidal zone will be armed with a superb resource for finding and identifying the life forms at the low tide. But one doesn’t need to be planning a trip to enjoy and learn from this delightful picture book.” Shelf Awareness, Starred Review.

Read about the joyful collaboration of author and illustrator on 49th Shelf. And visit the Teacher’s Guide for classroom activities.

 

West Coast Wild ABC

Illustrated by Karen Reczuch; published by Groundwood Books

Explore the wild and wonderful Pacific west coast from A to Z in our new board book!

Bears amble, cougars prowl and eagles nest in a richly illustrated nature alphabet book celebrating the Pacific west coast. This beautiful board book was created especially for a very young audience.

Babies and toddlers will delight in the gorgeous watercolour illustrations and fascinating creatures that inhabit the ancient rainforest, rugged beach and majestic Pacific Ocean.

The large upper and lowercase alphabet letters on each page encourage letter recognition, while the short simple text provides young children with an opportunity to learn the names of wild creatures local to the area.

A delightful introduction to the beauty and splendour of the Pacific west coast!

“Definitely a board book to be added to home collections as well those institutions serving the very young. Highly Recommended.” Canadian Review of Materials

West Coast Wild ABC

West Coast Wild Babies

Illustrated by Karen Reczuch, published by Groundwood Books

It’s spring on the Pacific west coast and new life is stirring! Wild babies are being born — in the ocean, on the shore and deep inside the ancient rainforest. Meet the wolf pups, bear cubs, whale calves, eaglets and salmon fry that begin their life in the pristine wilderness of this magnificent place.

In this second book in the West Coast Wild series, readers can visit the spectacular Pacific Rim region and be introduced to a fascinating group of fourteen wild baby animals thriving in their coastal home. The beautiful illustrations are detailed and lifelike, and convey a lovely sense of warmth between the wild parents and their young.

The book includes a note about the Pacific west coast and the need to preserve its rare and awe-inspiring wilderness regions, as well as suggestions for further reading and exploration.

“A succinct and satisfying first look at some fascinating creatures.” Kirkus Reviews

“Through a superb soft palette of watercolour and coloured pencil, this book peeks into the majestic wilderness of spring on the northern Pacific Rim.” Mighty Village

“[Hodge’s] text … is poetic and perfectly accompanied by Karen Reczuch’s watercolour and coloured pencil illustrations.” CanLit for Little Canadians

Visit the Teacher’s Guide for classroom activities.

Cooking with Bear

Illustrated by Lisa Cinar; published by Groundwood Books

When Bear wakes up after a long, cold winter, he makes a special spring lunch and invites Fox to join him. The food is delicious, and Fox asks Bear to teach him how to cook.

They walk through the forest collecting honey, nuts and other wild ingredients, and greet their friends along the way. With an armload of tasty foods, Bear and Fox return to Bear’s den and cook up a feast to share.

Afterwards, Bear writes down his recipes so that Fox (and you!) can enjoy many marvellous meals. His cookbook — Best of Bear — offers fifteen kid-friendly recipes, including nut burgers, wild greens pita pizza, hazelnut–chocolate chip cookies and a wild strawberry smoothie.

Readers can revisit their animal friends from Bear’s Winter Party and try out some fun forest-themed recipes in this playful story/cookbook, featuring exuberant art by Lisa Cinar.

“A fun, accessible first cookbook for the little foxes in our lives.” Kirkus, Starred Review

“A useful and lively offering for younger beginning cooks…” Horn Book

“With friendly, colourful illustrations and a thoughtful cast of characters, this story charmed me in every way.”
Canadian Children’s Book News, Red Leaf Literature, Starred Review

Simple Machines

Photographs by Ray Boudreau; published by Kids Can Press

Thirteen experiments about the six simple machines — the lever, wheel and axle, pulley, inclined plane, wedge and screw — teach kids about basic science. Full-color photographs and step-by-step instructions clearly explain each activity, so that children can explore the machines with minimal help from adults.

Kids can use a wheel and axle to whip up a batch of bubbles, make a funny fruit face out of wedges, or lift a candy just by blowing on it.

Simple Machines encourages children to have fun as they learn basic science, and it fills a need for primary-level science resources.

• Parents’ Guide to Children’s Media Award for Outstanding Activity Book
• Parents’ Choice Approval

“… offers simple science activities in an appealing format.” Booklist

“Until now, there haven’t been many good books of experiments for young children that deal with basic scientific principles and include projects that are not only fun, but easy to understand and replicate. [This book] will provide just the needed direction for hours of enjoyable learning.” ForeWord

“Deborah Hodge has written a practical, useful, and exciting resource for parents and primary-school teachers … The photographs are eye catching and colorful and emphasize ethnic and gender diversity in learning and doing science.” Science Books and Film

Ants

Illustrated by Julian Mulock; photographs from the Denver Museum of Nature & Science; published by Kids Can Press

With stunning photographs and simple activities, this book and (its companion Bees) will introduce budding entomologists to some remarkable insects.

Children can find out about the ant life cycle, ant bodies, and how a colony of ants lives and works together. Simple step-by-step instructions show kids how to build an ant nest out of modeling clay, or try a sense of smell experiment to learn how ants find food. (Check your library for a copy.)

• Our Choice List, starred selection, Canadian Children’s Book Centre

“A great starter series that will capture a beginning reader’s interest with its appealing presentation. Highly recommended.” Canadian Materials Magazine

“Well-designed, well thought-out, these will satisfy young listeners and encourage further research in slightly older kids.” Kirkus Reviews

“Full color close-ups bring kids literally face-to-face with bugs… A great way to bring a bit of the outdoors inside.” Booklist

Bees

Illustrated by Julian Mulock; photographs from the Denver Museum of Nature & Science; published by Kids Can Press

With stunning photographs and simple activities, this book and (its companion Ants) will introduce budding entomologists to some remarkable insects.

Children can find out about the bee life cycle and bee bodies, how bees live and work together, and how they “talk” to one another. Simple step-by-step instructions show kids how to make honeycomb prints and a model bee. (Check your library for a copy.)

• Our Choice List, starred selection, Canadian Children’s Book Centre

“A great starter series that will capture a beginning reader’s interest with its appealing presentation. Highly recommended.” Canadian Materials Magazine

“Full color close-ups bring kids literally face-to-face with bugs… A great way to bring a bit of the outdoors inside.” Booklist

“Well-designed, well thought-out, these will satisfy young listeners and encourage further research in slightly older kids.” Kirkus Reviews