Books for Children

Sleeping QD:
A Sometimes “Y” Not Statement

(Victims of Vowel Play #6)

Dianne Young, 2021


$0.99 CAD & USD (Kindle eBook only)

Kindle (Canada) Kindle (US)

Once upon a time, there lived a king and queen who had their first child – a little princess, who was named Quince Dianne (after their favourite fruit and their favourite author).

Full of wordplay fun, this is a retelling of Sleeping Beauty without using the letter Y.

The Non-Handsome Baby Mallard:
A Mis”U”sed Record

(Victims of Vowel Play #5)

Dianne Young, 2021


$0.99 CAD & USD (Kindle eBook only)

Kindle (Canada) Kindle (US)

One day Mama Mallard was flying all over looking for somewhere to make her nest.

Full of wordplay fun, this is a retelling of The Ugly Duckling without using the letter U.

Little Red Riding Cape-With-a-Hat-Attached:
An Un”O”pened Case

(Victims of Vowel Play #4)

Dianne Young, 2021


$0.99 CAD & USD (Kindle eBook only)

Kindle (Canada) Kindle (US)

There was a time when there lived a girl called Little Red Riding Cape-With-a-Hat-Attached.

Full of wordplay fun, this is a retelling of Little Red Riding Hood without using the letter O.

The Three Not-So-Small Porkers:
A De”I”ced Report

(Victims of Vowel Play #3)

Dianne Young, 2021


$0.99 CAD & USD (Kindle eBook only)

Kindle (Canada) Kindle (US)

Once upon a long ago there was a Mother Porker who had three small Porkers.

Full of wordplay fun, this is a retelling of Three Little Pigs without using the letter I.

Goldilocks and a Trio of Bruins:
An Un”E”sy Account

(Victims of Vowel Play #2)

Dianne Young, 2021


$0.99 CAD & USD (Kindle eBook only)

Kindle (Canada) Kindle (US)

Long ago, a family of bruins (known as Papa Bruin, Mama Bruin and Baby Bruin) had a cozy cabin (known as Cabin) far back in a woodland (known as, you got it – Woodland).

Full of wordplay fun, this is a retelling of Goldilocks without using the letter E.

Snow White Plus the Seven Short Guys:
The Un”A”ded Truth

(Victims of Vowel Play #1)

Dianne Young, 2021


$0.99 CAD & USD (Kindle eBook only)

Kindle (Canada) Kindle (US)

There’s this queen who lives in some kingdom not close to here.

Full of wordplay fun, this is a retelling of Snow White without using the letter A.

Grampa, Will You Tell Me a Story?

Illustrated by Brian Crane

Baobab Press, 2018

$23.99 CAD (hardcover)

Our Little Bookshop

When grandson Nelson asks for a story, Grampa begins. “There once was this animal… you know, the hump one?” Nelson replies, “A camel?” Grampa answers, to Nelson’s astonishment, “That’s right, a humpback whale!” The story continues in this manner as the two characters imagine a thoroughly nonsensical yarn filled with Grampa’s surprise responses to the questions he’s posed… An intergenerational lark for readers with a high tolerance for foolishness.

Kirkus Reviews

*Best Bet for 2012 by the Ontario Library Assoc.

*Sask. Book Award for Children’s Literature

Dear Flyary

Illustrated by John Martz

Kids Can Press, 2012

$15.00 (hardcover)

Our Little Bookshop

$9.99 CAD (ebook)

Kindle (Canada) Kobo (Canada)

$7.92 USD (ebook)

Kindle (US) Kobo (US)

This adorable book about little alien Frazzle and his first Model 7 is a fun read for all ages Not only is the book a fun read, it’s imaginative and great for the entire family.

On his dropday, Frazzle gets a flyary (diary) from his Oldpop (grandpop). Frazzle is also old enough to now buy his own spaceship! He then takes readers on an adventure of his ups and downs with his spaceship From showing the spaceship off to his co-workers, to taking it to the greeball game, to having to get it fixed multiple times. Frazzle ends up having to make a hard decision. Should he trade in his Model 7 for the brand new Model 8, or continue fixing his beloved first spaceship?

Jillian Van Leer, Kids Book Central

Honey Trouble

aemWorks Publishing, 2009

$8.00 (paperback)

Our Little Bookshop

This is a clever little story for young readers who are just starting to read chapter books. The plot is straightforward and humourous with characters and situations that young children will relate to. Young uses simple words with lots of repetition and rhyme, but there are enough slightly more difficult words sprinkled in to stretch the beginning reader.

Michelle Shaw, Saskatchewan Publishers Group

A World of Difference

Whitecap Books, 1999

Out of Print

…some of us, not just the age group for whom this book was written, would have some difficulty saying exacty what distinguishes a rabbit from a hare, or an Asian elephant from an African elephant. Explaining… these differences is the task author Dianne Young has set herself. Extra information in coloured boxes add some sauce to the substance.

Susan Perren, The Globe and Mail

Purple Hair? I Don’t Care!

Illustrated by Barbara Hartmann

Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 1994

Out of Print

Purple Hair? I Don’t Care is the [rhyming] story of Mrs. Della Ragon’s visit to Dr. Gray. The doctor tells Della that she is going to have a baby – but he must warn her about a few things. First of all, the baby may have purple hair. To this Della responds, “I don’t care! I’ll love my little baby anyway.” Dr. Gray proceeds to make other outrageous predictions about Della’s baby, but always her response is the same. The reader has the impression that she is in the doctor’s waiting room overhearing this exchange with the other obviously concerned patients. A surprise ending will please young readers.

Kay Jones, NeWest Review

The Abaleda Voluntary Firehouse Band

Illustrated by Barbara Hartmann

Treefrog Press, 1990

$10.00 hardcover

Our Little Bookshop

This is a picture book par excellence. While the [rhyming] text introduces the seven members of the Abaleda Voluntary Firehouse Band, and their instruments, Hartmann’s fine watercolors not only portray these characters, but they also follow the adventures of a hapless little mouse, unmentioned in the text, returning home from the library to make a hot cup of tea. When the mouse’s house fills with smoke from the kettle gone dry, the firefighters are beckoned. The mouse’s picture story erupts into the firehouse crew’s word-and-picture world with the ringing of the telephone. The two stories are joined as the gallant band members come to the mouse’s rescue.

Kathy Corrigan, Canadian Book Review Annual