The year 2002 was another fabulous year in the world of children's books but Books in Canada wanted to offer readers a best of the best list to make sure that readers started off 2003 on the right foot. Asking our children's book reviewers what their top picks were proved that almost every reader reads with their own very particular point of view. It's a fascinating look at the hits of the past year and a great way to kick off the New Year.

Theo Heras, Children's Specialist at Lillian H. Smith Branch, Toronto Public Library

David Smith's If the World were a Village (Kids Can Press) would be at the top of my list. I really love that book and think it is such an original wonderful way to introduce children to some very difficult concepts. Other favourites include Robert D. San Souci's The Twins and the Bird of Darkness, illustrated by Terry Widener (Simon and Schuster); Ruth and Ken Brown's Lion in the Long Grass (Andersen Press) which has great illustrations; Jules Feiffer's great satirical picture book, By the Side of the Road (Little, Brown); Anne Laurel Carter's Under a Prairie Sky (Red Deer Press) with fabulous illustrations by Alan and Lea as well as Luis Garay's The Kite (Tundra Books). Tony Johnston deals with the difficult subject of death in the lives of children in his very powerful picture book, That Summer, illustrated by Barry Moser (Harcourt). And I must not forget Patricia Polacco's Christmas Tapestry (Philomel)ù she keeps pulling these amazing stories out of the family treasury. GG nominee Marie-Louise Gay's Stella, Fairy of the Forest (Groundwood Books) is also on my list of best books of the year. And I also loved Saladin: Noble Prince of Islam by Diane Stanley (HarperCollins). She wrote about the Muslim hero of the Crusades in a most
compassionate way. I was bowled over by the writing
and the illustrations.

Trudee Romanek, Children's book writer and reviewer

Top of the list is Solomon's Tree by Andrea Spalding, illustrated by Janet Wilson (Orca Book Publishers). I also liked When You Get a Baby by Sharon Jennings, illustrated by Joanne Fitzgerald (Fitzhenry and Whiteside) and The Big Book of Canada by Christopher Moore with illustrations by Bill Slavin (Tundra Books).

Karen Krossing, Children's and Young Adult writer and reviewer

American writer M. T. Anderson's Feed (Candlewick Press) would be my top pick from "away". Canadian favourites include Tribes by Arthur Slade (HarperCollins Canada); Hana's Suitcase by Karen Levine (Second Story Press); GG winner True Confessions of a Heartless Girl by Martha Brooks (Groundwood Books) and Berta: A Remarkable Dog by Celia Barker Lottridge (Groundwood Books)

Kristin Butcher, Young Adult writer and reviewer

Top of my list is one of the Our Canadian Girls books, Penelope: Terror in the Harbour by Sharon MacKay (Penguin Canada). Next would be Ann Goldring's Spitfire (Raincoast Books), followed by Jamie Bastedo's Tracking Triple Seven (Red Deer Press)

Mariella Bertelli, Children's Librarian, The Osborne Collection, Toronto Public Library

My Canadian choices include GG winner Alphabeasts by Wallace Edwards (Kids Can Press) of course and Janie
Jaehyun Park's GG nominee The Tiger and the Dried Persimmon (Groundwood Books); Full Moon Rising by
Joanne Taylor, illustrated by Susan Tooke (Tundra Books) and Solomon's Tree by Andrea Spalding, illustrated by Janet Wilson (Orca Book Publishers). The winner of the Amelia Frances Howard Gibbon Award, Where I Live by Frances Wolfe (Tundra Books) and Singing the Dark by Gail Sproule, illustrated by Sheena Lott (Fitzhenry and Whiteside). Oh and a great book that should definitely be on a best of the year list because of the subject matter is If the World were a Village: a book about the world's people by David J. Smith, illustrations by Shelagh Armstrong (Kids Can Press). Some top books from the U.S. are Suzanne Tanner Chitwood's Wake Up, Big Barn (Cartwheel Books) which has really interesting collage illustrations; Yo Vikings by Judith Byron Schachner (Dutton's Children's Books) and By the Side of the Road by Jules Feiffer (Little, Brown).

Gillian Chan, Young Adult writer and reviewer

Ian Lawrence's The Lightkeeper's Daughter (Delacorte) tops my list, and the same goes for Nicky Singer's Feather Boy (HarperCollins UK) and Alan Cumyn's The Secret Life of Owen Skye (Groundwood Books)ùwhich made me laugh so much. I still smile every time I think of Doom Monkey! And as for the section editor's choices? Top of the Canadian picture book list would be The Tiger and the Dried Persimmon by Janie Jaehyun Park (Groundwood Books), closely followed by Solomon's Tree by Andrea Spalding, illustrations by Janet Wilson (Orca Book Publishers), Ian Wallace's The Naked Lady (Running Brook Press) and One Brave Soldier by Nicholas Debon (Groundwood Books). Favourites from the U.S. would be Close Your Eyes by Kate Banks, illustrated by Georg Hallensleben (Frances Foster Books); Action Jackson by Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan with illustrations by Robert Andrew Parker (Running Brook Press); and, John Coltrane's Giant Steps by Chris Raschka (Atheneum). From the UK, Mary Hoffman's The Colour of Home, illustrated by Karin Littlewood (Frances Lincoln Ltd.) is a winner whichever way you look at it.
In fiction, top of the Canadian list would be Martha Brooks' GG winner, Confessions of a Heartless Girl (Groundwood Books), followed by Deborah Ellis' Parvana's Journey (Groundwood Books), Dead Man's Gold and other stories by Paul Yee, illustrated by Harvey Chan (Groundwood Books) and The Secret Life of Owen Skye by Alan Cumyn (Groundwood Books). From "away", top picks are Hoot by Carl Hiassen (Knopf), The House of Scorpions by Nancy Farmer (Atheneum) and A Stone in My Hand by Cathryn Clinton (Candlewick Press.)

Watch for the next issue of Books in Canada for a roundup of outstanding Canadian non-fiction!
Jeffrey Canton, editor, Children's Book section, Books in Canada