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Children's Fiction General

Down Here

by (author) Valerie Sherrard

illustrated by Isabelle Malenfant

Publisher
Fitzhenry and Whiteside
Initial publish date
Jul 2015
Category
General, Imagination & Play
  • eBook

    ISBN
    9781554557691
    Publish Date
    Jul 2015
    List Price
    $12.99
  • Hardback

    ISBN
    9781554553273
    Publish Date
    Jul 2015
    List Price
    $18.95

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Where to buy it

Recommended Age, Grade, and Reading Levels

  • Age: 4 to 6
  • Grade: p to 1

Description

After all, it's all in how you look at things! Jamie doesn't have the same talents as other members of their family. They can draw and tell scary stories. But Jamie can build things and create new worlds — mazes, rocket ships, roller coasters, and secret hiding places! But all Mom can see is chaos and a mess that needs to be cleaned up. She just doesn't appreciate all that hard work! When Jamie tries to see things from Mom's perspective — well, Jamie starts to understand. From the top of the table things look like Mom sees them and it really does look a bit messy. But if Mom can be convinced to come down to Jamie's level and see things that way then she will understand the amazing and imaginative world "down here".

About the authors

Valerie Sherrard first decided to become an author when she was in grade six! Her homeroom teacher that year, Mr. Alf Lower, praised and encouraged her efforts and instilled in her a lifelong belief in her ability to write. After producing about a dozen books for teens, Sherrard turned her hand to picture books. There’s a COW Under My Bed! introduces Oscar Ollie Brown, who will be embarking on his second adventure in There’s a Goldfish in my Shoe! in the fall of 2009. Since becoming a published author, Sherrard has enjoyed visiting many classrooms and libraries to speak to young people about writing, literacy, and most of all, finding and following your dreams. Born in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Valerie has spent time in a number of provinces, including her current home of New Brunswick. She lives in Miramichi with her husband Brent and their four cats: Lilly, Thragg, Patootie and Cody.

Valerie Sherrard's profile page

Isabelle Malenfant nació en Val d'Or, Quebec, y ahora vive en Montreal. De niña, a ella le gustaba dibujar y tocar instrumentos musicales. Ella tocaba flauta, además de piano, bajo, guitarra y violín. Sus asignaturas favoritas en la escuela fueron arte y biología. Estudió arte en la universidad y se licenció en Diseño Gráfico en la Universidad de Quebec, en Montreal.

 

Isabelle siempre ha disfrutado creando personajes y escribiendo cuentos. Antes de comenzar a ilustrar Pablo encuentra un tesoro, buscó fotos de los vertederos y de las personas que trabajan allí. Su mayor desafío fue representar las piezas de basura sin que se viera repetitivo. Después de experimentar un poco, decidió usar lápices, para crear manchas que lograran el efecto de un entorno sucio.

 

Lo que más disfruta del proceso creativo es idear personajes y ponerlos en escena. ¡Lo que más le gusta es ensuciarse las manos!

 

Isabelle vive con su pareja, sus dos hijas, un gato y un hámster enano. Cuando no está escribiendo o ilustrando, le gusta esculpir, coser, leer, escuchar música e ir al cine cuando puede.

 

Su consejo para los aspirantes a autores e ilustradores es divertirse y no preocuparse por las reglas.

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Isabelle Malenfant's profile page

Editorial Reviews

"Malenfant's wild and sprawling mixed-media images are a fine match for Sherrard's text, and the book's simple, all-ages message will have wide appeal for parents and children alike."
Booklist

"A powerful work about interpretation and how truly imperative it is to both allow children the freedom of expression and to praise their individual talents."
School Library Journal

"Down Here is a fantastic story about the power of imagination and the importance of seeing things from a different perspective. . . Down Here is a positive and inclusive read for both children and adults, highlighting the wonder of imagination and the importance of looking at the world from different points of view.
Highly recommended."
CM Magazine

"Montreal illustrator Isabelle Malenfant's sensitive use of watercolour, pastels and charcoal makes it all come alive."
Waterloo Region Record

"This is a pleasing tale that will charm young readers and possibly give the grown-ups in their lives pause for thought. [...] A lovely book to savour and to share."
Atlantic Books Today

"A beautifully illustrated book about seeing things from a different view, and trying to understand the perspective of others."
Kidsbookshelf.com

"Down Here, by Valerie Sherrard, is a sweet story that might manage to defuse a few of those heated time- to-clean-up encounters. A book with an important reminder that sometimes the most difficult problems can be solved by looking at things from a different perspective."
Montreal Review of Books

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