About the Book Launch
Celebrate with Knox alum and staff member Dr. Laura Alary as she launches two new picture books, Who Needs the Dark? and The Christmas That Almost Wasn't.
Light refreshments will be served, and there will be a couple of hands-on art activities. If you're in the Toronto area on October 15th please join us for this celebration of darkness and the joy of picture books. Kids are welcome to attend too!
About Laura Alary
Laura Alary is a storyteller, educator, mother of three, and writer of picture books. Her book All the Faces of Me was named a 2024 Charlotte Zolotow Award Honor Book. She is also the author of Here: The Dot We Call Home, Make Room: A Child's Guide to Lent and Easter, and The Astronomer Who Questioned Everything, among many others. A graduate of Dalhousie University (BA Hons.), Knox College (MDiv) and The University of St. Michael’s College (PhD), Laura now works at Caven Library, Knox College, where (among other things) she curates the Picture Books in Ministry collection.
The Christmas That Almost Wasn’t
Celebrating Christmas in the dark and finding joy in the unexpected.
Aidan's city is hit with an ice storm just days before Christmas, causing the electrical grid to go down. All their Christmas plans are ruined! One disappointment piles on another: Grandma and Grandpa cannot travel, the Christmas pageant is canceled, there are no Christmas lights, and it's impossible to cook a Christmas dinner. But Aidan and his dad persevere to bring doughnuts and coffee to neighbors, and then they're invited to a neighborhood Christmas potluck.
As Aidan's mom tells the Christmas story, he realizes that the first Christmas was full of disappointment and unexpected community too. Suddenly Christmas feels special again as Aidan feels connected to the Bible story from long ago, to his grandparents far away, and to his neighbors and family nearby. God is here in the midst of it all.
Sometimes Christmas is not all we hope or expect it to be. The Christmas That Almost Wasn't invites readers to ponder how sometimes, when things are taken away, it brings us closer to the heart of the holy mystery that still draws us into its warmth.
Who Needs the Dark? The Many Ways Living Things Depend on Darkness
A celebration of the dark and all the ways it can heal, comfort, console, and create
How do you feel about the dark? Is it creepy or cozy? Eerie or awesome? The dark doesn’t have to be scary. After all, it’s for sleeping, for growing, for healing, and for changing into something new. Humans depend on the dark for their health and well-being, and so do other living things.
A love letter to darkness, this informational picture book incorporates STEM content to gently encourage readers to look at the dark in new ways. Lyrical, poetic text and soft, striking illustrations make for a delightful read aloud.