• Age: 6 to 8
• Grade: 1 to 3
• Reading age: 6 to 8

Dave Paddon and Lily Snowden-Fine team up in this hilarious tall tale about a brother and sister who set out to find some fish for their father’s supper. The fish aren’t biting, so Kimmy and Mike head off to see if they’ll have luck on the other side of the ocean. En route they encounter a hurricane, a giant squid, pirates, a merman, an iceberg and much more. Theirs is a round-the-world adventure with plenty of fun. But it’s still up to their mother to find something for the pot.

Paddon’s playful rhymes resonate with Newfoundland dialect; Snowden-Fine’s illustrations are a marvelous match.

Dave Paddon's profile page

Lily Snowden-Fine is an illustrator and multi-disciplinary artist living in Vancouver. Since studying at the Ontario College of Art and Design, she has illustrated two children’s books for Thames and Hudson Publishing, as well as illustrated for such clients as the New York Times, the Globe and Mail, Soho House London, the National Film Board of Canada, and Hornet Animation. Her upcoming projects include a third in the series for Thames and Hudson, and a children’s book for Penguin Random House.

Lily Snowden-Fine's profile page

• Commended, CCBC Best Books for Kids & Teens

“With Lily Snowden-Fine's gorgeous gouache artwork to complement Dave Paddon's story, though, Kimmy & Mike goes beyond just a folk tale.”

CanLit for LittleCanadians

“Paddon’s skill chimes through in more than the rhyming, although the rhymes are adept and so fun. It’s also the spritely, animated reach and scale of the tale.”

The Telegram

“A fun introduction to a long-standing tradition, written by one of Newfoundland and Labrador’s foremost storytellers.”

Quill & Quire

★“A rich and resonant tall tale that celebrates imagination even as it underscores enduring truths.”

Kirkus Reviews, starred review

“A good book to be read aloud, Kimmy & Mike celebrates the strengths and traditions of Newfoundland and Labrador.”

CM: Canadian Review of Materials