Spark (Tiny Tails, 1) - Hardcover

Praise for The Melancholic Mermaid--also by Kallie George:
Publisher's Weekly: Bullying Resources, part of an Anti-Bullying Feature, recommends The Melancholic Mermaid
?"Ideally suited for children transitioning from picture books into shorter chapter books. George's poetic rhythms perfectly capture the lulling melancholy of the seashore." - Deakin Review?
"The delicately detailed illustrations are filled with the bright and varied colors of the sea." - Little One Books
"The Melancholic Mermaid is a unique and beautiful story of rejection, friendship, and young love." - CM Magazine, 4/4 stars, Highly Recommended
"This unusually smart and sensitive story doesn't shy away from revealing the lonely facts of life for misfits." ForeWord Magazine Reviews
"Make room next to The Little Mermaid and The Ugly Duckling. The Melancholic Mermaid deserves a spot on every child's bookshelf." ?Starred Review, Quill and Quire,
"George's narrative is ethereal and formal, with a voiceover quality that invests the artwork with cinematic flow." - Kirkus
"The Melancholic Mermaid is a perfect read-aloud for ages 4 and up, or for those who have always wished to meet a mermaid." - The Faerie Magazine
Praise and Awards for Genevieve Cote:
Marilyn Baillie Award Winner, 2012
General Governor's Award for Illustration, 2007
Elisabeth Mrazik-Cleaver Award 2005
Communication Arts Illustration Annual 38, 40 et 41
Medaille d'argent, Society of Illustrators, 2001
Finaliste aux Prix du Gouverneur General, illustration jeunesse (2003 et 2000)
Grand Prix d'Illustration Jeunesse GL&V (2000)
Applied Arts Magazine Awards (2000, 1999)
Society of Publication Design (1998)
Advertising & Design Club of Canada (1999, 1997)
Medaille d'argent, Studio Magazine Awards (1996)
Society of Newspaper Design (1994, 1992)
Grand prix du magazine quebecois, (1994)
Medaille d'argent, CAPIC Awards (1994)
Medaille d'or, Studio Magazine Awards (

Kirkus Review: An aptly named little dragon has trouble controlling his flame--but, as with Leo the Late Bloomer, it's just a matter of time. Having read a parenting book, Spark's Mama and Papa try proactive strategies (dubbed "lessons" in the table of contents, though it's unclear who learns what, if anything): giving him a bag of marshmallows to roast; inviting him to help dry dishes; urging him to dream at night about breathing gentle, little flames. After these all end in smoky minor catastrophes, Papa promises the fretful Spark that in time he'll be more in control. Indeed, in an amusing twist, he ultimately succeeds in lighting the candles on his own birthday cake without mishap...and then, understandably, refuses to blow them out. In soft, simply drawn cartoon illustrations, Cote places a family of dumpy-looking green dragons with small but decorative orange wings and ears in minimally detailed settings and endows them with human expressions and gestures. "YAY!" Spark yells at the end. "I did it!" Reassurance for newly independent readers with, if not identical, at least corresponding concerns. "(Early reader. 5-7)"

Praise for The Melancholic Mermaid--also by Kallie George:
Publisher's Weekly: Bullying Resources, part of an Anti-Bullying Feature, recommends The Melancholic Mermaid
"Ideally suited for children transitioning from picture books into shorter chapter books. George's poetic rhythms perfectly capture the lulling melancholy of the seashore." - Deakin Review
"The delicately detailed illustrations are filled with the bright and varied colors of the sea." - Little One Books
"The Melancholic Mermaid is a unique and beautiful story of rejection, friendship, and young love." - CM Magazine, 4/4 stars, Highly Recommended
"This unusually smart and sensitive story doesn't shy away from revealing the lonely facts of life for misfits." ForeWord Magazine Reviews
"Make room next to The Little Mermaid and The Ugly Duckling. Ther

"It's a lovely little book" - Betsy Bird, Fuse #8
Publisher's Weekly:
Children who are forever being cautioned to "Be careful" will instantly empathize with Spark, the young dragon who stars in this early reader from George (The Melancholic Mermaid), first in the Tiny Tails series. Like all dragons, Spark quickly learns how to breathe fire; keeping that gift under control is more difficult. "Be careful," his father tells him. "Fire burns." And so it does in the three lessons that follow: under parental supervision, Spark tries to use his fire to toast marshmallows and dry dishes, with undesirable results ("The dishes heated up. They glowed and then... crack! crack! Two dishes broke"). Spark's third trial ends just as badly as a "cloud of smoke" fills his bedroom. "Don't worry," says his well-prepared mother. "Your bed is fireproof." George's simple sentences project Spark's determination and his parents' pragmatic brand of support, while Cote offers playfully childlike scenes outlined in loose, crayony strokes. What's the solution for Spark? It's one that's both true to life and the last thing some kids will want to hear: sometimes these things just take time. Ages 5-8. (Oct.)
Booklist:
This first title in the new Tiny Tails early reader series introduces Spark, a slip of a dragon. But despite his
small size, he has a problem: he can't control his fiery flame. In three short chapters, Spark's parents give
him lessons to help him learn to blow gently. They hand him marshmallows to toast, but they're quickly
charred. They give him a stack of plates to dry, but the force of the flame breaks them. They tell him,
"Dream about blowing out very gently. Dream about little flames," but he practically sets his room on fire
(thankfully he has a fireproof bed and pillow). It's only after time passes that Spark is able to master his
flame--and he is awfully proud of his accomplishment ("Yay!"). George's text is fun and playful, .

Spark is a little dragon with a big problem. He can’t control his fiery breath. Even practicing doesn’t help. Will Spark ever be able to tame his flame?
The first book in an early reader series about baby magic animals, Spark is a gentle reminder that there is a perfect time for everything.