The 2007 Willow Awards
Shining Willow Nominee
Small Wonders
By Marilyn Baillie, Illustrated by Romi Caron.
Fourteen baby animals are shown in their natural habitat from mountains to prairie grasslands the far north, and coastal waters. Each animal has a two page spread where the left hand side gives general information about the animal and the right hand side gives a view of the animal told from the animal's point of view. The animals include moose, Canada goose, polar bears, wolves, loons, bison, raccoon, cougars, beavers, mountain sheep, snowy owls, harp seals, caribou and Orca whales.
About the Author
Marilyn Baillie is from Toronto, ON
As a child, Marilyn Baillie was always putting her imagination to good use, and feels lucky to continue to do so now as a children's writer. Marilyn has also enjoyed a varied career as a nursery school teacher, a lecturer at the Royal Ontario Museum, an interior designer, a book and magazine editor and a publishing consultant.
The central theme in Marilyn's diverse pursuits has been a life-long love of nature. Marilyn and her family have traveled extensively, including adventures in Egypt, Kenya, the Galapagos and Papua New Guinea. Her family's avid bird-watching and nature trips have helped motivate all her children to learn more about the world.
Marilyn is the author of several well-loved children's books including Nose to Toes and Small Wonders. Among the awards and honours her books have received, Marilyn's Amazing Things Animals Do won the Animal Behavioral Society's award for Most Outstanding Children's Book in 2004. Marilyn is also a pre-school specialist and former editor of Chickadee magazine.
About the Illustrator
Romi Caron is from Hull, QC
Romi Caron was born and raised in the Czech Republic, surrounded by a family of artists, actors, potters, writers, media personalities, and architects -- at the centre of which was her art teacher mother. A Russian nanny instilled in Romi a great love and respect for plants, animals and all nature.
Destined to be an artist, Romi studied painting and drawing at Bruno College of Applied Arts and the Prague University of Applied Arts. She immigrated to Canada in 1990 and worked as an assistant animator at an Ottawa animation studio and as a graphic designer/illustrator.
Her highly appealing illustrations in Small Wonders are based on rigorous research, and are scientifically accurate portrayals of the animals in their natural habitats. Today, Romi is a successful freelance illustrator and lives in Hull, Quebec with her husband and two sons.
Book Reviews
Suggested Activities
- Research animals in Canada. Write a brief report. Then write a paragraph in first person as if you were the animal.
- Design an animal stamp.
- In the classroom, set up a habitat in a box. Make animals out of clay or plasticine or bring from home.
Teacher Resources
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