Marie-Louise Gay

In nineteen very brief comics, Canadian author/artist Marie-Louise Gay explores any number of idiosyncratic but entertaining story-lines, covering what trees discuss with one another, the lies our mothers tell us, and the secret life of rabbits. Taken all together, the brief vignettes in Short Stories for Little Monsters paint a picture of young people fully engaged in their world, a world that is full of wonder, and hidden realities.

Best known as the creator of the Stella picture-book show more series - of which I have read the first title, Stella, Star of the Sea - Marie-Louise Gay demonstrates a wonderful grasp of the child's-eye view of the world in these stories, capturing the many hilarious and endearing ways that they interact with one another, and with the world around them. Particular favorites of mine were "Rhisonoros," in which a little boy attempts to figure out what the word means by pretending to his friend that he already knows, and "The Secret Life of Snails," in which snails are capable of leaving their own shells and visiting inside the shell of another. This is the sort of book that rewards rereading, as there are really so many different stories to ponder, and the colorful and imaginative artwork makes that process a real pleasure. Recommended to all little monsters, and to the adults in their lives looking for fun new picture-book/comics to keep them entertained. show less

I picked up this book, thinking it was a coffee-table book with glossy photos of ancient Chevrolets in Havana, the beach at Varadero, the mogotes in Viñales, the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes in Havana, the Nicho Waterfalls — that kind of thing. How glad I am that I was wrong!

The target audience for this book in which Canadian Charlie and his family visit Cuba is 9- to 14-year-olds. Ignore that: Readers of all ages will adore the black-and-white illustrations and the realistic portrayal show more of today’s Cuba. Neither a panegyric nor a right-wing screed, Travels in Cuba describes Cuba, warts and all, a country whose people struggle with a hide-bound regime, but keep their generous natures and eschew consumerism. Authors Marie-Louise Gay and David Homel also make a broader case for seeing the real country one visits rather than flocking to tourist meccas. Readers will also love Gay and Homel’s depiction of Charlie interacting with his pesky brother and rolling his eyes at his parents’ insistence of traveling the backroads.

But let’s grant Max the final word:

Cuba was a beautiful sunny island floating like a crocodile in the deep blue sea. It had banana trees and friendly horses and flowers a big as dinner plates.

But it had mor than that. It was a place full of stories and secrets and rules for breaking, and life here wasn’t as simple as where I lived [in Montreal].

Would we ever come back?

Well, why not?

And besides, part of me would always be here.

Part of this book will always be with me, as well. And not just because my parents were Cuban.

In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley, House of Anansi Press and Groundwood Books. show less

The first in a series of picture-books detailing the adventures of siblings Stella and Sam, Stella, Star of the Sea follows the two children as they spend a day at the shore. Lively, enthusiastic Stella is anxious to introduce her little brother to the wonders of the sea, but timid Sam finds it all rather overwhelming. It's so big, and so noisy! His seemingly endless series of questions - "Are there any sea monsters? Where do starfish come from?" - are answered in an imaginative and subtly show more reassuring way by Stella, until she finally asks a question of her own...

An engaging brother-sister tale, enhanced by charming watercolor illustrations, this lovely little book is also an exuberant tribute to the delights of a summer day at the beach. Gay's palette is bright, but never garish, and her figures have a cartoon-like oddness (very thin legs, and rather "blobby" torsos) that is somehow quite endearing. I can't say that I enjoyed Stella, Star of the Sea quite as much as some of my friends, but I can definitely see the appeal, and plan to look for other titles in this series, when the opportunity presents itself. show less

In my quest for more beginning chapter books, I came upon a review of the latest installment in Gay & Homel's humorous family/travel series. I was intrigued by the description and decided to try out the first volume. It turned out not to be a beginning chapter book - but it sure was a lot of fun to read!

Some parents take their kids to ordinary, fun places like Disneyland. Not these parents! Looking for special, off-the-beaten track destinations they traipse across America, accompanied by the show more unnamed narrator and his younger brother. From hurricanes on the east coast to a terrifying adventure in the Okefenokee swamp to desert tornadoes and Mexican revolutions, there's never a dull moment on these vacations!

Despite the wild adventures, the tone of the book is oddly peaceful. The narrator's resigned acceptance of his parents' eccentricities gives the stories a tongue-in-cheek, ironic sense of humor. Only the mother occasionally gets a little worried by some of the more dangerous incidents and it's she who decides when an adventure has gone far enough and it's time to try something else or return home. Black and white sketches illustrate the kids' reactions and some of the places and events they experience.

Verdict: Not every kid will pick up on the humor in these stories and although the book is fairly short (119 pgs) the text is too dense for a beginning chapter book, although the cover and illustrations seem aimed at that younger reading group. However, if you have a younger child who's a strong reader or kids who appreciate ironic humor, this will be a good choice. Otherwise, it would make a great family read-aloud!

ISBN: 9780888996886; Published February 2006 by Groundwood Books; Borrowed from the library show less