95 Books Like Grandad's Secret Giant

When a tiny sea serpent suddenly drops out of the faucet and into a girl’s bath, an immediate and playful friendship begins. As the sea serpent grows bigger, he tells the tale of how he was carried by a tornado over jungles and silvery cities until he landed in a lake and was whooshed up by a pipe. He sings fanciful songs about the deep blue sea and fish-shaped like guitars. Eventually, he grows so big that the little girl knows it’s time he returns to the sea. So, she helps the sea serpent, now big as a whale, overcome his fear of being left on his own, reminding him that he won’t be lonely, and will have new adventures with newfound friends. Catia Chien’s gorgeous illustrations are very expressive and a beautiful compliment to this lovely story of learning to let go and do what’s right. 

Extra Yarn is one of my very favourite books. It is the story about what you might do if you found a little bit of extra yarn. This yarn (in both senses of the word!) is inclusive, unexpected, as well as completely fantastic. 

The text of the story is subtle and leaves a lot of the story to be told through the illustrations and I am a huge fan of Jon Klassen’s illustrations. In this book, his beautiful, colourful wool really works to offset the darkness of the cold winter landscape.

This is simply a visually delightful and clever story with lots for kids and adults to enjoy.

This is a lovely story about a young boy named Peter who has just moved to a new house and takes it upon himself to make two new friends from blankets and pillows and piles of leaves. He names his new friends Lenny and Lucy, and they are the guardians of the bridge keeping out the dark woods on the other side. As Lenny, Lucy, Peter, and his dog Harold guard the bridge and collect rocks, a neighbor girl joins the group, creating a real and true friendship that blossoms as they discover the woods are no longer dark and spooky, but a place of wonder for interesting things to see and discover. 

When looking for picture books with magic and heart, this book is simply perfect. Willow, who has always captivated her family’s attention with her cuteness and spells, is no longer the center of attention when her new baby brother Rowan is born. Willow knows that Rowan is a very dangerous wizard indeed and will not be mesmerized by his hypnotic enchantments, but even she cannot resist Rowan’s power in this story of sibling relationships and the magic of love. 

I love this book because it was the first book of poetry I ever read that made me realize I could get it, that poems could be about me, women, feelings, relationships, my experience. It blew my mind.

I was an English major, and when the professors talked about modern poetry by men, I always felt baffled. These were poems I could understand and relate to. I read them shouting with joy, even though they were not happy poems.

It was okay to write and read poems about all kinds of feelings, and they didn't have to be in mysterious language. The language of these poems is wonderful, but it's also clear.

I’d already bought the book when we decided to drive from our home in Sonoma, California, to visit friends who live in the San Juan Islands off the Washington Coast. I packed the book but also downloaded the Audible version. We started listening as we got on the road. I never opened the book.

It’s just a great story set in the time my parents were in high school and college. It was a world with which I was made familiar by their stories. The main character’s difficult early life resonates with anyone who has listened to the greatest generation talk about what it was like growing up during the Depression.

Yes, the action during the rowing was exciting, but I enjoyed the development of the characters, especially Joe Rantz, and his personal challenges and victories, more than all competition scenes.

I’ve read this several times. The book chronicles the beginning of U.S. women’s rowing at the international competitive level.

It illustrates how women had to fight to get coaching, equipment, and even a locker room. It also shows that women athletes are every bit as tough and competitive as their male counterparts.

As a female competitive rower myself, I am indebted to them for opening the door.

Another favorite from Lewis, this book tells a fictionalized tale of an Olympic gold medalist hired to turn a hapless group of UC Santa Barbara rowers into a competitive collegiate team.

What ensues is a funny, but inspiring, tale of transformation, offbeat coaching methods, and camaraderie.

As a sometime rowing coach, I found it thoroughly engrossing and entertaining.

My colleague and fellow rower Cath Bishop draws upon her experience in high-performance environments to examine our societal-wide obsession with winning. As a rower at three Olympic games, a senior diplomat, and a business coach & consultant, Cath offers a fresh perspective on how we might redefine success – both personally and professionally – for the longer term. Instead of a win-at-all-costs approach, Cath suggests we broaden our criteria of success by moving to a more sustainable approach with clarity, learning, and connection at its heart. Here she proposes a new definition of success – The Long Win. 

I love Jill Fredston’s exhilarating mix of thrill-seeking, adventure, and the heightened experience she attains from being out in nature, together with her appreciation of the Arctic land- and seascape and its peoples. She illustrates the affirmation she draws from pushing herself to her limits in rowing and how escaping from the mundane activities and responsibilities of everyday life clears her head to allow for introspection.

She suggests, as well, that navigating the sometimes harrowing, even treacherous, conditions at sea or on rivers offers lessons for navigating challenging work and life situations. Most of all, I appreciate the encouragement the book offers to step away from our daily routines to enjoy the rejuvenating effects of fresh air and natural settings.