New Releases by Maxine Trottier

I will take care of your garden, Mr. hiroshi," I offered. 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 the 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 again--but never allowed to recur.

In 1760, thirteen-year-old John MacNeil leaves England and becomes a cartographer of the Canadian wilderness.

Claire passe ses vacances chez sa tante Marie, dans le village de Chéticamp, où elle apprend à « hooker » de merveilleux tapis.

Our Choice outstanding book selection, CCBC Outstanding Book, Parent Council In this exquisitely wrought tale, young Van finds a walking stick at the foot of a huge teak tree. Blessed by Buddha, it becomes his talisman, his life long link to the past, and the support he will need to carry him into the uncertain future. For when the winds change blow, not even the deep forest of Vietnam remain safe. With the walking stick and his indomitable spirit, Van leads his family to safety and new land. Though the years pass in peace, the ever-present tap, tapping at the brass-tipped walking stick is Van''s constant reminder of the customs, voices, and land he will always remember with love. When the stick''s long odyssey is finally over, it is Van''s granddaughter who carries it home and places it at Buddha''s feet. The Walking Stick is a tribute to all those who must see beyond the next hill.

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 Emily''s weeping willow becomes a living symbol of the warmth, strength, and history shared by generations of one family. When Emily''s family moves to the ocean of grass called the prairie, she can_t help but dream of trees. After building their sod house, ploughing, planting and then harvesting, her Papa tells her there is a little money left over to get something special from the mail-order catalogue. She chooses a willow tree. The Prairie Willow chronicles the life of this little girl and her pioneering family.

To escape her father''s abuse, Emily and her mother come to a shelter where they find a safe place to stay with other women and children in similar circumstances.

In English and Gaelic, "Heartsong" tells the story of a fiddle passed down through four generations. From father to son, who built the fiddle together, from that son to his daughter, from that daughter to her daughter, and from her daughter to a new toddler in the family--and all the events it attended throughout those years. Full color.

Summoned by the Czar to perform for his ailing son, Anna Pavlova, formerly the greatest ballerina in Russia, finds a special, mystical way to share her gift of dance.

In Loon Rock, an Indian boy goes to sleep on the lakeshore and dreams of a loon with a flaming red eye. When he wakes, he does what he did in his dream: he grinds red stones to paint the loon high on the rocks across the lake from his village. When he returns, the villagers clap and sing -- he has come home a warrior who has left his mark on the rocks.

This delightful story for children ages four and up tells the story of a poor boy with a vivid imagination. The Festival of Kites will award a prize to the person with the smallest kite. Though he cannot afford a kite, Eddie Wing flies a make-believe one with such precision that everyone is sure they can see it. The Tiny Kite of Eddie Wing by Maxine Trottier & Al Van Mil is a magical tale about a powerful imagination.

Some people say that dreams are foolish. Some people say that you can search you whole life long and never find what it is you are looking for. But long ago when dreams were more real than they are today; there was a young boy who lived by the sea. He was called Wood Duck. His people had always lived beside the ocean. Its salty water flavoured their days. Its currents flowed through their nights. The power of the sea ran very strongly in Wood Duck. In his dreams, fish swam and sea birds flew.

Alison loved her little house and her big family, but when the new baby came along, there just wasn''t enough room any more. Her parents thought enough was enough and decided to move. Everyone cheered. Everyone except Alison. "You can move. I love it here and I''m never going to leave." That''s what Alison said.