CHILDREN'S LITERATURE
Neil Gaiman
Gaiman is best known for his Sandman comic books (that one's not for children) but the first book I read and loved of his was his children's book, The Wolves in the Walls. It's a darker book, so might not be suitable for very young children.
Robert Munsch
Robert has been one of my favourite authors for as long as I can remember. I especially love Millicent and the Wind and The Paper Bag Princess. I give a copy of Love You Forever to every new baby I know. I got to meet Mr. Munsch when he came to Saskatoon and I think I was more excited than the 6 year old girls I took to the show!
Shaun Tan
Shaun's books are moving and affecting tackling subjects of emotional struggle, immigration and cultural awareness. With imaginative, sometimes haunting illustrations and thoughtful subject matter stories like The Lost Thing and The Red Tree are both lovely to read and lovely to look at. The Arrival has no words at all, yet speak volumes about the experience of immigrants integrating into an unfamiliar culture through its remarkable illustrations.
Richard Van Camp
Masterful storytelling and colourful illustrations by Cree artist George Littlechild bring Richard's tales to life. Richard's books, A Man Called Raven and What's the Most Beautiful Thing You Know About Horses are reflective of his culture and his life as a member of the Dog Rib First Nation in Fort Smith, NWT. He also has a couple of board books that are lovely and touching and a great way to start reading with your little one: Welcome Song for Baby and Nighty Night.
Melanie Watt
Scaredy Squirrel is a book about a paranoid squirrel afraid of the dangers lurking in the world outside his nut tree. In this and the subsequent books in the series, Scaredy Squirrel learns that his fears aren't always as bad as they seem. I haven't read any of Melanie's other books yet, but I'm sure they're just as brilliant.
Mo Willems
From Knuffle Bunny, to the Pigeon, to Elephant and Piggy, Mo Willems creates the most endearing children's book characters I've ever seen. His illustrations are simple and powerfully effective at conveying emotions and give the readers lots to think and talk about. Be sure to read Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed - it's lesser known, but a great read. This former Sesame Street writer knows how to make kids laugh!