Books published by publisher Annick Press

Everyone knows that moccasins, canoes and toboggans were invented by the Aboriginal people of North America, but did you know that they also developed their own sign language, syringe needles and a secret ingredient in soda pop? Depending on where they lived, Aboriginal communities relied on their ingenuity to harness the resources available to them. Some groups, such as the Iroquois, were particularly skilled at growing and harvesting food. From them, we get corn and wild rice, as well as maple syrup. Other groups, including the Sioux and Comanche of the plains, were exceptional hunters. Camouflage, fish hooks, and decoys were all developed to make the task of catching animals easier. And even games—lacrosse, hockey and volleyball—have Native American roots. Other clever inventions and innovations include the following: • Sunscreen • Surgical blades • Diapers • Asphalt • Megaphones • Hair conditioner With descriptive photos and information-packed text, this book explores eight different categories in which the creativity of First Nations peoples from across the continent led to remarkable inventions and innovations, many of which are still in use today.

What if there were no prisons? Alternative approaches to dealing with crime are underway around the world to explore how victims, offenders, and communities can heal rifts and repair damage. It’s often called restorative justice. It’s a way to think about the deeper reasons behind crimes, and suggests that by building more caring communities, it’s possible to change our societies—and ourselves.Making It Right relates true stories of young people who are working in innovative ways to further peaceful resolution of conflict and to heal past wounds. The book begins with individual injustices, such as bullying, and works up to collective ones, like wars. Each chapter begins with a dramatic fictional account, making the topic engaging and relevant for kids. Restorative justice isn’t going to change the world overnight, nor will it end all crime or prevent all wars. But it’s a powerful way to get teens thinking about how they can participate in building a more peaceful society.

This innovative series grew out of a desire to provide all children with the opportunity to see themselves within the books they are reading and to identify with the children and families they see. The diversity of today’s families is clearly captured. The simple text and engaging photographs explore the relationship between very young children and their environment. My Mom explores a young child’s world using photographs of a variety of children in natural settings, interacting with their mothers.

Big or small, apartment or house, they’re all home.Come inside one boy’s high-rise apartment complex, where his backyard is the space between his neighboring apartment buildings, and his basketball net is tucked into a bedroom. His parents sometimes complain their home is too small, but the boy’s balcony view of the city and the extended play space of the hallways are a few ways that make the boy’s house feel just the right size. Our Big Little Place is a charming child’s-eye-view tribute to the power of imaginative play and the diversity of the living spaces we call home.

When Angela's father gets lost at the airport, she looks for him everywhere, even inside an airplane. But when Angela's love of button-pressing proves too great, she finds herself in charge of flying the plane. Can Angela make it back down to the runway? A newly designed Classic Munsch picture book introduces this junior pilot to a new generation of young readers.

None of the kids in her class wear a ponytail, so Stephanie decides she must have one. The loud, unanimous comment from her classmates is: “Ugly, ugly, very ugly.” Steadfast, when all the girls have copied her ponytail, she resolves to try a new style. With true Munsch flair, each of Stephanie’s ponytails is more outrageous than the last, while the cast of copycats grows and grows.

Chicken, Pig, and Cow are very happy together in their Popsicle stick barn, so when Horse arrives, not everyone is pleased—especially Chicken, who points out that Horse takes up a lot of space. When Chicken suggests they play a game of hide-and-seek, Horse merrily trots off. But when he disappears, a frantic search ensues—until Chicken finally spots him inside the fishbowl. Feeling guilty, Chicken jumps in to save him, only to realize that Horse is actually outside the bowl. So who will save Chicken? All ends well when Pig, Cow, and Horse—with the help of Dog—team up together to rescue their friend. The adorable toy characters Chicken, Pig, Cow (and real-life Dog) continue to delight young children with their charming adventures and subtle messages about friendship, acceptance, and working together.

Today’s Arctic communities have all the comforts of modern living. Yet the Inuit survived in this harsh landscape for hundreds of years with nothing but the land and their own ingenuity. Join authors Alootook Ipellie and David MacDonald as they explore the amazing innovations of traditional Inuit and how their ideas continue to echo around the world. Some inventions are still familiar to us: the one-person watercraft known as a kayak still retains its Inuit name. Other innovations have been replaced by modern technology: slitted snow goggles protected Inuit eyes long before sunglasses arrived on the scene. Andother ideas were surprisingly inspired: using human-shaped stone stacks (Inunnguat) to trick and trap caribou. Many more Inuit innovations are explored here, including: • Dog sleds • Shelter • Clothing • Kids’ stuff • Food preservation • Medicine. In all, more than 40 Inuit items and ideas are showcased through dramatic photos and captivating language. From how these objects were made, to their impact on contemporary culture, The Inuit Thought of It is a remarkable catalogue of Inuit invention.

When Jule Ann goes outside in her brand-new clothes, a mud puddle jumps on her and gets her completely dirty. The mud gets in her ears, eyes, and even her mouth. Jule Ann’s mother scrubs her clean and puts her in new clothes, but every time Jule Ann ventures out, the mud puddle finds her and pounces. Finally, Jule Ann has had enough: clutching two bars of smelly yellow soap, she heads outside one more time…A newly designed Classic Munsch picture book introduces this charming tale of unavoidable mess to a new generation of young readers.

Twenty years old and still going strong, The Bare Naked Book remains a favorite family introduction to the human body. There is nothing more ordinary and more special than the human body. After all, everybody has one, and for all the parts that are the same each comes in a different shape and size. The Bare Naked Book joyfully celebrates this wonderful ordinariness with a matter-of-fact introduction for toddlers to the parts of the body. From hair (dripping, straight, curly, and tangled) to toes (stamping, ticklish, skinny, and squishy) and the private bits in between, Kathy Stinson’s playfully simple prose identifies the parts of the body at rest and in motion. Meanwhile, the friendly realism of Heather Collins’s illustrations offers a variety of body types in familiar environments, from the bathroom to the beach.