Something New Just Arrived!

Look what just arrived. It’s my new picture book, Nevin Knows! Isn’t it beautiful?

I got the inspiration for Nevin Knows during the pandemic. Everyday as I sat at my desk trying to write, I watched my neighbour (actually called Frank, like in the book) take his grandson to the park. They went everyday – rain or shine. The routine of it was soothing during a time when the world was particularly chaotic. It radiated love. I wanted to capture that and put it in a book.

I hope Nevin Knows will bring you as much joy as it has brought me.

Nevin Knows will be in bookstores February 11th 2025. It is also available in French.

Nutcracker Night

Beep! Beep! go the taxis. Voof! go the velvet curtains. The Nutcracker ballet and New York City’s David H. Koch Theater come to life in this onomatopoeic representation of a little girl’s experience at the ballet. From the swish of her dress and the tick-tick-tick of the conductor’s baton to the twelve bongs of the clock and the pitter-patter of dancers’ feet, this special evening is filled with sensory treats for the eyes and especially the ears.

Nutcracker Night
Pajama Press, Fall 2019
Story by Mireille Messier
Illustrations by Gabrielle Grimard
40 pages
3-8 years old
ISBN : 978-1-77278-091-8
Jacketed hadcover
$22.95

French version now available!
“La magie de Casse-Noisette” (Éditions Scholastic)

Themes: dance, ballet, sound words, performing arts, holidays, STEAM

Awards and Honours:
2019 Northern Lights Book Award: The Arts Winner

Reviews for Nutcracker Night:

“A sprightly introduction to the classic Christmas ballet….The spare text…[delivers] the story through a series of combinations of expertly chosen onomatopoeia and dialogue guiding readers from the anticipation of the ballet through its first act, intermission, the second act, the curtain call, and the child narrator’s closing, appreciative ‘Smooch!’ of thanks to her dad. Sure to elicit the storytime equivalent of ‘encore’ at Christmastime and beyond.”—Kirkus Reviews

“This vibrant tribute to a holiday tradition follows a sensory-filled adventure to a Nutcracker performance….A charming entrée for ballet-bound children.”—Publishers Weekly

“A good primer to complement a child’s first time seeing The Nutcracker and, for those familiar with it, a fresh take on a classic.”—The Horn Book Magazine

“Experience Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker through the eyes of a young girl attending the ballet in this fresh rendition of the beloved classic…The sights and sounds of the theater are center stage; musicians, dancers, and a lively audience interact through the onomatopoetic text.”—Foreword Reviews

Nutcracker Night captures the magic of a young school-aged child’s visit to the ballet with her father. The Nutcracker, a classic ballet, comes to life as a true auditory experience….The pen and ink with watercolour illustrations are both detailed and energetic….Highly Recommended.”—CM Magazine

“The onomatopoeic sounds bring the excitement of the night to life along with the beautiful illustrations rendered in watercolor, gouache, oil, colored pencil and digital media….This is a wonderful introduction to the ballet for young readers and will be enjoyed by fans of the holiday classic.”—Youth Services Book Review

“This delightful picture book would make a lovely December gift for a young child….The pictures here are charming, bringing the characters, audience members, musicians, and dancers to life. We see the rosy cheeks, the children awed by the night and the ones eager for more. There are many children, as would be expected for this ballet, and lots of ages of adults. Fathers and mothers, diversity of people, and a range of festive attire….Beautifully done.”—Canadian Bookworm

“[T]his beautifully illustrated book by Gabrielle Grimard are all the sounds a little girl hears as she attends the ballet with her dad….I haven’t had the privilege to attend a performance of the Nutcracker, but based on this book, I can imagine how beautiful it is.”—Booktime

    • Click here to invite the author to your school to present this book!
    • Click here to purchase this book!

Treasure

When two siblings go on a treasure hunt, they aren’t sure exactly what kind of treasure they are looking for. What they do know is that treasures are shiny, mysterious and precious. And that all the really good treasures are hidden!

As they explore the forest, their curiosity pays off when they find the biggest, shiniest, most mysterious and precious treasure.

Told exclusively in dialogue, the story encourages readers to look for the small, everyday treasures that surround us. This beautifully illustrated picture book exudes a sense of wonder at the natural world and emphasizes the magical qualities of looking through a child’s eye.

Also available in French as Trésor.

Themes: nature, environment, water, adventure, siblings, treasure hunt, exploration

Endorsments for Treasure:
“Treasure reminds us that although we might not always find what we are looking for, we might discover something even more magical—a connection to nature and our Earth.”
— Autumn Peltier, First Nations Youth Water Advocate

“A wonderful way of rediscovering ancient, life-giving treasures.”
—David Suzuki, Scientist and Broadcaster

Awards and Honours:
2019 Kirkus Best Picture Books
2020 Prix AAOF de littérature jeunesse, finalist (French version)

Reviews for Treasure:
“A gentle exploration, using a child’s words and told at a child’s pace, of a marvelous world.” – Starred review, KIRKUS
Treasure
Orca Book Publisher, Fall 2019
Story by Mireille Messier
Illustrations by Irene Luxbacher
32 pages
3-8 years old
ISBN : 978-1-45981-734-0
Jacketed hadcover
$19.95
  • Click here to invite the author to your school to present this book!
  • Click here to purchase this book!

 

Tellement sauvage!

When a family of campers forgets a backpack outside their tent overnight, the woodland animals have a wild time exploring its contents.

Tellement sauvage! (So Wild!) is a cheeky camping story where the reader is aware of the funny goings-on with the nocturnal animals while the humans of the story are not.

It is also a fun introductions to many French language expressions and to woodland animals of Canada.

Themes: nocturnal animals, night, camping, French language expressions.

TELLEMENT SAUVAGE! (So Wild!)
Éditions D’EUX, 2018
Story by Mireille Messier
Illustrations by France Cormier
32 pages
3+ (JK-2)
ISBN : 978-2-924645-24-6
Hardcover
$22.95

Also available in italian and in german!

 

 

 

 

Awards and Honours:

2020 Honour Book for Prix Peuplier, Forest of Reading, OLA

Click here to invite the author to your school to present this book!
Click here to purchase this book!
Click here to watch the German book trailer!

Toronto Comics – Osgoode as Gold

Osgoode as Gold is the 5th volume of this mind-bending yearly comics anthology featuring 24 Toronto-inspired stories (including mine, entitled The Flood and illustrated by the very talented Ally Rom Colthoff!).

Osgoode as Gold is my first foray into the world of comics – and what an amazing experience it has been! It is also the first time that my daughter Viviane and I got to work on the same book! She is the illustrator of one of the fake ad pages in the book! #proudmama

Whether you’re a long-time fan of comics or a first-time reader, there’s a story in here for you!

TORONTO COMICS – OSGOODE AS GOLD
TO Comix, 2018
Anthology, 24 stories by 52 local creators
200 pages
Teen +
ISBN : 978-0-994-93746-9
Softcover
$20

Click here for more information about the anthology!

Click here to purchase this book!

À qui le coco?

A wonderful walk through a springtime forest
offers an opportunity to discover all the birds
that surround us, along with their nests and various coloured eggs. Half poetry, half docu-
mentary, this short introduction to ornithology is great for children and parents alike.

• Extensive research, but adapted to the
needs of young readers.

• Smart, elegant, highly-realistic illustrations
to match the text.

• A fun, rhyming text that teaches us a great
deal about birds.

À QUI LE COCO? (Whose Egg is This?)
Éditions de l’Isatis, 2018
Story by Mireille Messier
Illustrations by Caroline Merola
24 pages
3+ (JK-1)
ISBN : 978-2-924769-30-0
Hardcover
$11.95

Click here to invite the author to your school to present this book!

Click here to purchase this book!

Moi aussi! Moi aussi!

couverture Moi aussiCatherine and Fabiane quickly become the best of friends. As their friendship grows, they discover they have a lot in common. Like sisters or maybe even like twins! In fact, Catherine so wants to be like Fabiane that she sometimes forgets… to tell the truth!

Moi aussi! Moi aussi! (Me too! Me Too!) is a sweet story about two new friends… and one little fib!

Moi aussi! Moi aussi!
Éditions de la Bagnole, 2017
Story by Mireille Messier
Illustrations by Yves Dumont
32 pages
3-8 years old (French)
ISBN : 978-2-89714-211-7
$19.95

67fa0ea40900826888cbb3802017bafbClick here to invite the author to present this book at your school!

Click here to purchase the book!

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Presenting Fatima and the Clementine Thieves

IMG_20170613_095024 It’s here! It’s here! It’s finally here!

My new picture book Fatima and the Clementine Thieves has arrived!

Fatima and the Clementine Thieves is the story of a young girl’s struggle to help save her family’s clementine orchard from mysterious clementine thieves. Based in Morocco, it’s a fable of collaboration and non-violence inspired by an African proverb.

imageMagnificently illustrate by the very talented Gabrielle Grimard, this story is sure to transport readers into a whimsical, citrus-scented land.

Fatima EN et FR livre et marionnettes

 

 

Fatima and the Clementine Thieves is now available both in French (Fatima et les voleurs de clémentines, Éditions de la Bagnole) and in English (Red Deer Press)!

The school presentations of this book will include a reading of the story, an activity with clementines (season permitting) and a discussion about proverbs or non-violent conflict resolution. I will also bring puppets of Fatima and her Grandfather!

The Branch

the_branchWhen a branch from her beloved tree snaps off during an icy storm, a plucky girl refuses to let it be hauled away. Her neighbour, Mr. Franck, says it’s full of potential. So with imagination and spirit (and Mr. Frank’s help), the girl creates something whole and new out of the broken branch, to be enjoyed again and again!

Endearing and richly illustrated, this hands-on tale will delight and inspire makers of all ages.

 

THE BRANCH
Kids Can Press
Story by Mireille Messier
Illustrations by Pierre Pratt
32 pages, hard cover
Ages 3+
ISBN 978-1-77138-564-0

$18.95AnnasTak_couvertureMireilleMessier_MaBranche-Cover-212x300

 

The Branch is also available in French, Dutch and Korean!

Click here to watch the book trailer!
Click here to invite the author for a school visit!

Branch Korean CoverClick here to buy the book!
Click here to download the free teaching guide!

an-inside-spread-from-the-branch-by-torontos-mireille-messi

Prizes and distinctions for The Branch

Short-listed for the 2016 Governor General Award, Young People’s Literature Illustrated Book category.
Short-listed for the Maine’s Readers’ Choice Chickadee Award.
Nominee for the Surrey School’s Picture Book of the Year Award.
Finalist for the 2018 Forest of Reading Blue Spruce Award.
Finalist for the 2018-19 Saskatchewan Young Readers’ Choice Award, Shining Willow category

 

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Jumping For Joy!

Saut de joie!It’s here! My new picture book, Une bestiole à l’école, has finally arrived! I’m jumping for joy!

Une bestiole à l’école is my 20th children’s publication and, as luck would have it, it’s also the 20th book in the Clin d’oeil series published by Éditions de l’Isatis. How serendipitous, right? It also is the first book for my very talented illustrator Catherine Petit. I’m certain it won’t be her last!

I’d like to thank the entire team at Isatis for this wonderful new release. It’s a little gem, perfect for Spring, Summer and Fall!

CouvertureBestiole_haute

 

 

This story holds a special place in my heart. I wrote it after I witnessed an extraordinary event – a good friend of my daughter’s (whom I’ve always admired for her love of all animals) was holding a large bug. As all the other children shrieked and fussed, she stayed calm and showed them why this insect was beautiful. Within seconds, the crowd had changed attitudes and the bug was safe. It was a perfect little life moment and I hope I’ve managed to do right by it in this gentle and loving story.

Photo-le-16-03-10-a-11.10-AM-3
Already, I’m hard at work building a school visit about this book. I already have the giant version of the book (to make reading the story to large groups more fun) and I’m working on some fun bug-related activities about the importance of insects. Maybe a craft too. And for the more adventurous, I’m thinking of having a bug tasting. Who’s in? 🙂