Kimmy & Mike
written by Dave Paddon
illustrated by Lily Snowden-Fine
Well, they caught a few sculpins and hauled up some kelp,
Tried a few different places, but nothing would help.
"Oh, my," Mike said, "looks like a dead loss."
"I know now," said Kimmy. "Mother won't be some cross!"
Dave Paddon and Lily Snowden-Fine team up in this hilarious tall tale about siblings who set out to find some fish for their father’s supper. The fish aren’t biting, so Kimmy and Mike head off to see if they’ll have luck on the other side of the ocean. En route they encounter hurricanes, a giant squid, pirates, a merman, an iceberg and much more. Theirs is a round-the-world adventure with plenty of fun. But it’s still up to their mother to find something for the pot.
Paddon’s playful rhymes resonate with Newfoundland dialect; Snowden-Fine’s illustrations are a marvelous match. The book includes a brief glossary of Newfoundland terms and an afterword from the author about his experience of the recitation tradition.
Running the Goat published an earlier version of this recitation as a letterpress-printed chapbook titled Not a Word of a Lie. This new version has been revised with a younger audience in mind. Lily Snowden-Fine's whimsical illustrations will appeal to readers young and old.
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Also available in print
What folks are saying about the print edition
- Starred review in Kirkus
- Included in the Canadian Children's Book Centre's Best Books for Kids & Teens (Autumn 2021)
A rich and resonant tall tale that celebrates imagination even as it underscores enduring truths. ~ Kirkus, starred review (Read the full review here.)
...a fun introduction to a long-standing tradition, written by one of Newfoundland and Labrador's foremost storytellers. ~ Heather Camlot, in Quill & Quire
With Lily Snowden-Fine's gorgeous gouache artwork to complement Dave Paddon's story, ... Kimmy & Mike goes beyond just a folk tale. It may have the whimsy that is often associated with folk art but there is a refinement in Lily Snowden-Fine's lines and shapes that make each illustration a work of art ... ~ Helen Kubiw, CanLit for LittleCanadians
