Amelia Frances Howard-Gibbon Illustrator's Award

From a fish opening a ?can of worms? to a tap-dancing octopus putting his ?best foot forward,? these familiar idioms are re-imagined by award-winner Wallace Edwards in hilarious and unexpected ways.

To help readers ?stay on the ball,? the idioms are used in a sentence that accompanies each illustration, and the meaning of each idiom is explained at the end of the book. Every page is so richly illustrated that it is sometimes a challenge to find the hidden monkeys --- some are more easily spotted than others!

A playful introduction to idioms, a clever eye-spy book and a gallery of stunning animal portraits, this collection is more fun than a barrel of monkeys!

Winner of the 2006 Amelia Frances Howard-Gibbon Award for Illustration

2006 Saskatchewan Young Readers' Choice Shining Willow Award Nominee

Foreword Magazine Book of the Year Award Honorable Mention in the Children's Picture Book Category

Shining Willow nominee 2006

Canadian Children's Book Centre Our Choice, 2006

After moving to the city, four sheep companions try in vain to find acceptance in the human world. But when they enter a barbershop quartet competition in the mistaken belief they'll be meeting other sheep, they discover that they don't
have to blend in to belong.

Click here to see the Canadian Library Association press release on The Baabaasheep Quartet receiving the 2006 Amelia Frances Howard-Gibbon Illustrator's Award.

Scaredy Squirrel never leaves his nut tree. It's way too dangerous out there. He could encounter tarantulas, green Martians or killer bees. But in his tree, every day is the same and if danger comes along, he's well-prepared. Scaredy Squirrel's emergency kit includes antibacterial soap, Band-Aids and a parachute.

Day after day he watches and waits, and waits and watches, until one day ... his worst nightmare comes true! Scaredy suddenly finds himself out of his tree, where germs, poison ivy and sharks lurk.

But as Scaredy Squirrel leaps into the unknown, he discovers something really uplifting ...

Chester is more than a picture book. It is a story told, and retold, by dueling author-illustrators.

Mélanie Watt starts out with the story of a mouse in a house. Then Mélanie's cat, Chester, sends the mouse packing and proceeds to cover the pages with rewrites from his red marker, and the gloves are off.

Mélanie and her mouse won't take Chester's antics lying down. And Chester is obviously a creative powerhouse with confidence to spare. Where will this war of the picture-book makers lead? Is it a one-way ticket to Chesterville, or will Mélanie get her mouse production off the ground?

It came in the night. "Perfect!" said Scott. "Snow!" said Jim. At recess the schoolyard is full of happy kids. Scott is making snowmen, Jim is working on the world's greatest snow fort. At lunchtime they join forces to create a perfect snow surprise! Barbara Reid combines her trademark plasticine artwork with ink and watercolour panels to bring a timeless tale of winter fun to life.

Meet Elizabeth. She's got an excellent pet duck, a loving granddad and a first name that's just awesome. After all, she's got a queen named after her! So she's really not amused when people insist on using nicknames like ?Lizzy? and ?Beth.? She bears her frustration in silence until an otherwise ordinary autumn day, when she discovers her power to change things once and for all. In the process, Elizabeth learns about communication and respect --- and their roles in building better relationships with family and friends. The two-toned illustrations reflect the story's energy and sass, and the comic-book-like format makes it easy to follow. The cheeky, retro drawings also keep it real --- depicting the sometimes-feisty Elizabeth as a resolutely normal kid --- whether she's flossing her teeth or feeding her pet duck.