Books with author Carolyn Simpson

While practicing his spear-throwing one day, young Yax throws too far and loses his spear among the trees. Ignoring his mother’s warnings about the dangers of the woods, he wanders alone into the forest, only to learn the hard way about the value of parental wisdom. Fortunately, the members of the village are able to enlist the help of friendly spirit creatures—Creek Woman, Thunderbird and the Lightning Snakes, who set a trap for the boy’s pursuers and help transform a fierce monster into the insect now known as the mosquito.

This is the story of how the first beaver came to be. Young Reedee, born with hair the color of Mother Earth, is different from the rest of her people, and it isn’t just her hair that sets her apart. At night, while the village sleeps, Reedee disappears into the forest. At first her parents worry, but they soon discover their daughter has a path she must follow on her own. Putting aside their concern, they support Reedee and allow her to become her true self.

Yax is too young to accompany his father on a trading expedition and must stay at home with his mother and his younger sister. Disappointed, he goes off to practise his spear-throwing. When he loses his spear, he thinks he is old enough to go into the forest to look for it, even though he has been warned about the dangers that await children who wander into the woods alone . . .In this, her second book inspired by First Nations’ stories, author and illustrator Caroll Simpson tells how the first mosquito came to be. Her dramatic tale of a young boy’s narrow escape from the dangers of the forest illustrates a mother’s wisdom in her response to her son’s accidental bid for independence. Caroll introduces readers to a world of Lightning Snakes, Woodworm, Creek Woman, Mouse Woman, Two-Headed Serpents, the Wild Man of the Forest and a Bloodsucking Monster.Written for children aged 6 to 11, Caroll’s charming story is illustrated with her distinctive colour paintings, intended to celebrate the culture of the First Nations. A glossary of legendary mythical creatures, describing their traits and identifying physical details, provides an informative backdrop for Caroll’s tale.

This is the story of how the first beaver came to be. It tells of a young girl, Reedee, who is born with hair the colour of Mother Earth, not the colour of Raven like the rest of her people. It isn't just her hair that sets Reedee apart: at night, when everyone else sleeps, Reedee disappears into the forest. Her parents are dismayed, but when they learn that Reedee has a path she must follow on her own, they support her and allow her to become her true self.Caroll Simpson's charming tale and vivid colour paintings depict the world of the First Peoples of the Pacific Northwest and encourage young readers to find and honour their true selves, just like Reedee did. The book includes a glossary of crests and their significance in First Nations culture.

The first in a new series called Rhyme Time Storytellers books, this 8.5” x 8.5” children’s book contains eight delightful poems in large print and is ideal for new young readers. Carol Simpson tells her childhood recollections in little rhyming vignettes. The easy rhythms make it a perfect read-sing-song-along and enable easy memorization. Large letters and small words are eventually recognized and before you know it your child is reading with ease. The whimsical illustrations will make him or her laugh aloud with glee. With everything seen through the magical lens only a child knows best, there are moral lessons learned, fears assuaged, pets and furry toys lost and found, a tooth pulled by Daddy and a baby sister rescued in the nick of time. If your little one loves Dr. Seuss and you loved Robert Louis Stevenson’s A Child’s Garden of Verses or A. A. Milne’s The World of Christopher Robin: The Complete When We Were Very Young and Now We Are Six (Winnie-the-Pooh) then this book is for you and your little one. Stories are told and retold but poems remains in our memories forever. This book may also inspire your child to begin creating his or her own poems with the early skills acquired by reading simple and fun poetry aloud together.

When new twins are born in a mythical Pacific Coast village, everyone celebrates because the birth of twins is a rare occasion. But when the twins grow selfish and greedy, Thunderbird transforms them into a Two-Headed Sea Serpent. When a crisis strikes the village, the Serpent’s heads discover that by co-operating with each other, they can solve the problem and restore harmony to the village. A glossary of mythical creatures and sea life provides informative teaching points and invites further exploration of West Coast cultures.