Children's Author Spotlight: Barbara Reid

We discovered Barbara Reid, award-winning author and illustrator, through the book The Subway Mouse, a gift from Cookie's Aunt and Cookie's cousin's favourite book as a child. Barbara's plasticine art is awe-inspiring. In The Subway Mouse she creates a stunning underground world, and tells the story of a single courageous mouse who dares to believe and follows his feet to Tunnel's End.

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The Subway Mouse
Written & illustrated by Barbara Reid

Nib lives deep beneath the city, in a subway station the mice call Sweetfall. By day the trains thunder past. At night, the old mice tell stories of the mythical land known as Tunnel's End, where the air is sweet and the nests soft, but where scary, mouse-eating monsters roam.

One day, Nib sets out on a quest to find Tunnel's End. Along the way he faces danger, finds a friend... and discovers a place more wonderful than he ever dreamed.

Book description from barbarareid.ca.

  Winner:
• Ruth & Sylvia Schwartz Children's Book Award 2003
• IBBY Outstanding Book for Young People With Disabilities 2004
• Globe & Mail Top Ten Children's Books 2003
• Children's Choices Selection 2006

Shortlisted for:
• Finalist The Governor General's Award for Illustration
• Ontario Library Association Blue Spruce Award 2004
• Honour Book CLA Amelia Francis Howard Gibbon Award For Illustration
• Starred Recommendation, Canadian Children's Book Centre "Our Choice" Catalogue

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Barbara also wrote and illustrated Perfect Snow, combining her amazing plasticine figurines with watercolour images.

Perfect Snow
Written & IIlustrated by Barbara Reid 

It came in the night. "Perfect!" said Scott. "Snow!" said Jim.

At recess the schoolyard is full of happy kids. Scott is making snowmen, Jim is working on the world's greatest snow fort. At lunchtime they join forces to create a perfect snow surprise!  

Book description from barbarareid.ca.

Winner:
• The Amelia Francis Howard Gibbon Award for Illustration 2010
• The Toronto Public Library First and Best list 2009
• Quill and Quire 15 Books that Mattered 2009
• The Canadian Children's Book Centre Best Books for Kids & Teens, starred selection
Shortlisted:
• The 2011 Blue Spruce Award
• The 2010 Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Picture Book Award
• The Canadian Booksellers Association Libris Children's Picture Book of the Year

View the Perfect Snow book trailer:

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You can read Barbara Reid's biography here.

Click here for a complete list of Barbara Reid's books.