Sockeye Silver, Saltchuck Blue

Praise for Hello Humpback!, the inaugural title in the First West Coast Books series:

“Graceful, well-constructed rhymes pair with First Nations artist Vickers’s crisp, luminous scenes… It’s a gorgeous glimpse of the distinctive landscapes and creatures of the Northwest, and it will enchant residents and nonlocals alike.”

—starred review, Publishers Weekly

With vibrant illustrations and a glossy tactile finish, this sturdy board book introduces babies and toddlers to a kaleidoscope of colours and the rhythm of changing seasons on the West Coast. Sockeye Silver, Saltchuck Blue follows the shifting spectrum of the Pacific Northwest including the quiet grey rain of winter, the verdant growth of spring, the jewel red tones of tart summer huckleberries and the shimmering scales of a spawning sockeye salmon as it turns from silver to red in fall. Like Hello Humpback! and One Eagle Soaring, this board book will be sure to enthrall the very youngest readers while introducing the delights of the natural world.

“Sockeye Silver, Saltchuck Blue is visually stunning, and children (and adult readers) will want to return to its pages and linger over its images that resonate with a quiet peacefulness… Highly recommended.” ––Review in Canadian Review of Materials,  June 15

“...a perfect gift and addition into a child’s library which will be cherished for years to come.” ––Review in Working Mommy Journal, June 11

“...proclaims its artistry in a brilliance of sophistication and heritage.” –– Review in CanLit for Little Canadians, June 5

“In one standout winter scene, sparse text - “Grey mist, / whales / and heavy rains” - is paired with textured, criss-crossed lines of sleet falling on three whales swimming in the ocean. Soothing, extra-sensory elements like this, combined with Indigenous art, make this B.C. story one that should be read on both coasts and all places in between.” — Review in Quill & Quire, October 2019, “Chew on This” by Shannon Ozirny