Mattland
- 2009 Amelia Frances Howard-Gibbon Illustrator’s Award, Canadian Library Association
- 2009 Alberta Literary Award
- Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award
- Best Bets List, Ontario Library Association
- Best Books for Kids & Teens 2009, Cdn Children’s Book Centre
- Blue Spruce Reading Award 2009 nomination
A stirring story about the infectious pleasures of play.
Matt is miserable. The subdivision where he now lives is surrounded by nothing but muddy fields of rocks and sticks. But when Matt ventures out, his imagination kicks in. He draws a muddy, winding line and names it Snake River. A pile of rocks becomes the Dog Tooth Mountains. Just like that, Mattland is born.
Soon a little girl shows up with a handful of helpful odds and ends. Piece by piece, she and Matt expand their new world with popsicle-stick bridges and scrap-paper boats. And when a rainstorm finally threatens to wash everything away, all the neighborhood kids appear and help stave off the flood.
Evocative of childhood friendships and with sublime illustrations that brighten in color as the story progresses, MATTLAND is an inspiring ode to cooperative play.
Hazel Hutchins has written dozens of books for children and has won numerous awards, including Parenting magazine’s Reading Magic Award. She lives in Canmore, Alberta.
Gail Herbert is the award-winning author of several short stories and poems. This is her first work for children. She lives outside of Toronto.
Dušan Petricic’s multiple award-winning illustrations appear in more than 20 children’s books, including BASHFUL BOB and DOLEFUL DORINDA by Margaret Atwood. He lives in Toronto.
Reviews:
“... has much to offer those who find themselves in a new place, and to creative souls needing inspiration … eloquent and beautifully illustrated …”
—School Library Journal, starred review, 06/08
“…one of those perfect picture books where text and illustrations brilliantly play off each other …”
—Quill & Quire, starred review, 02/08
“… lovely … successful on all fronts …”
—Sunday Book Review, New York Times, 11/9/08
“… (a) beautifully imagined, beautifully executed picture book.”
—Globe and Mail, 03/24/08
“… a rich and multi-layered testament to imagination and the collaborative nature of play. Highly Recommended.”
—CM Magazine, 06/08
“… the creation of Mattland is a riveting notion that kids will be keen to emulate.”
—The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, 09/08
“The writing is gripping and thoughtful …”
—Resource Links, 06/08
“… a world worth exploring.”
—Canadian Children’s Book News, 10/08
“Sparse prose and skillful illustrations ... will give young readers a sense of the experience of displacement.”
—Book Links, 01/10