1) Pebbles to the Sea written by Marie-Andree Arsenault, translated from French by Shelley Tanaka, illustrated by Dominique Leroux
Plot Summary: Two girls spend a day exploring their town (La Grave, Quebec) and interacting with their community as they reflect on the absence of their father in their lives. They leave pebbles in their path as they explore to ensure that their father will be able to follow the path and find them.
Appeal: Aimed at children ages 3-5. The themes of this work are of family and adventure, and the beautiful imagery is evocative of their quaint Quebec town.
Weaknesses and Limitations: While this was not apparent to me as the reader, this book is intended to help children understand divorce. For the intended age range this concept is presented in a way that is too vague and potentially stress-inducing for young children.
Arsenault, M.-A., Leroux, D., & Tanaka, S. (Trans.). (2022). Pebbles to the sea. Groundwood Books/House of Anansi Press.