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10 Ontario School Library Association If I Had a Gryphon Written by Vikki VanSickle, Illustrated by Cale Atkinson Tundra Hardcover: ISBN 9781770498099 (published 2016) Board Book: ISBN 9780735264656 (published 2018) For ages: 3 - 7 This children's story provides a unique intro to the differences between myths and reality for little learners. The author, Vikki VanSickle (originally from Woodstock, Ontario), is also behind the award-winning chapter book, The Winnowing, which is featured on page 12 of this column. This magical picture book (also available as a board book) follows a young girl named Sam who reads about mythological creatures. She decides her new hamster is not very exciting and dreams of a more exotic pet. By the end, readers will agree with Sam that traditional pets are not so bad after all! Book Buzz I contemplated this issue's theme of Myths and Reality deeply, as these two areas present quite the dichotomy. Mythology is a popular unit of study for children and young adults - and with mythology's interesting fables about heroes and heroines, it's easy to see why! Storytelling is an important way to inspire creativity in children, laying the groundwork for future studies in literature and humanities. Reality, on the other hand, provides structure and keeps students centred. There is much fantastical and false information out there, and it's more accessible than ever with the modern reality of social media and technology. Students require exposure to resources that include imagination and information and need the tools to understand the difference between what is true and false. Here are a few reading suggestions around this theme for your school library: The Word Collector Written and Illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds Scholastic Inc., 2018 ISBN: 9780545865029 For ages: 4 - 8 Peter H. Reynolds is a teacher favourite, famous for writing and illustrating numerous bestsellers with real messages for kids. His work is admired worldwide and has been translated into more than 25 languages (great news if you are searching for French resources). The Word Collector also is available in French - Le Collectionneur de Mots. This story follows Jerome who collects something untraditional for children: words. Jerome is fascinated by the words all around him, and he likes to mark them down in his scrapbook. One day Jerome slips, and his words fly loose and out of place. The takeaway is that words are powerful. While officially recommended for ages 4 - 8, it will be appreciated by bookworms of all ages. Fans of Peter H. Reynolds should also look out for his new book, Say Something, coming out in February.