About A Good Trade 2014 OLA Blue Spruce Award finalist 2014 White Ravens selection 2015 Kentucky Blue Grass Awards shortlist 2013 Children's Literature Roundtables of Canada Information Book Award finalist 2014 Bank Street Best Books of the Year for Children and Young Adults selection 2013 OLA Best Bets selection 2013 Canadian Children's Book Centre Best Books for Kids & Teens selection STARRED REVIEW "A pleasure to read aloud.Expertly crafted, Fullerton's first picture book reminds readers of the pleasure of small things."--Kirkus Reviews Starred Review "The double gesture of kindness - the good trade - projects a strong spirit of generosity and gratitude, traits as universal as the appeal of a gift of cool new sneakers."--Publishers Weekly "The large images are full of subtle details.The text is spare and poetic.Young readers will enjoy this sweet day-in-the-life snapshot."--School Library Journal "In this deceptively simple and positive story of a little boy's daily life in an African village, readers will discover subtle hints and overt references to the effects of civil war both in the quiet text and the brightly coloured digital illustrations. Thus the book will serve as a wonderful incentive to discuss this serious topic with younger and older children alike.
"--The White Ravens 2013 Catalogue "The images and text of A Good Tradecomplement one another to the point of poetic consistency. The text and the images are both complex and simple: concept easy, content load heavy. The prose is lyrical, playful and inviting to young listeners or readers.Highly Recommended."--CM Magazine "A Good Tradeis an eloquently told, beautifully illustrated, and heartfelt story."--Resource Links Magazine "There is much more to this gentle story than its obvious message about the hardships faced by others. The juxtaposition of happy children in a war-torn village, and the beautiful exchange between Kato and the aid worker, portray the endurance of childhood innocence, suggesting small joys can be found in imperfect places."--Quill & Quire "The artwork is a perfect match for Fullerton's understated text.
Together they provide an enriching insight into one boy's life in a distant country, and the preciousness of peace and goodwill. 'We Recommend'"--Canadian Children's Book News "A good story to use when discussing life in rural Africa."--The International Educator "The message here is clear, but delivered with a soft touch, reminding young readers that not everyone is as fortunate as they are."--CBC Here and Now Recommendations for Children's Books "The beautiful pictures and the one-sentence-per-page provide great starting points for discussing life in Uganda, world help organizations, and inequity in general."--49th Shelf "Overall, I liked A Good Trade, and believe that it can be used to launch a discussion about gratitude and what it's like to live in a third world country."--Musings of a YA Reader "Alma Fullerton's text is rich, spare and beautifully crafted. Her narrative is strong and lyrical as she shares Kato's daily trip to get drinking water for his family.It addresses tough issues in a hopeful and age-appropriate manner and is an excellent read-aloud for the classroom.
Karen Patkau's digitally rendered illustrations are colorful and lush. They work beautifully with the text and illuminate the message in the story."--Children's Books Heal.