From School Library Journal
Grade 1-6-Butler has taken a well-loved anthem and created a picture-book glimpse into the history of Canada's youngest province. The ode, originally written by Sir Cavendish Boyle, an early-20th-century governor of Newfoundland, details the relationship between the people of this region and their environment, depicting their respect and love for this land of great beauty and harsh extremes. Both expansive and well detailed, the illustrations offer a splashy mix of impressionism and folk art and are awash with vibrant colors. Music and the complete lyrics are appended, along with explanatory notes about the pictures that provide historical background and interesting tidbits. Teachers and students alike will appreciate this lovely bit of Canadiana.Robyn Walker, Elgin Court Public School, St. Thomas, Ontario, CanadaCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review
“Both expansive and well detailed, the illustrations offer a splashy mix of impressionism and folk art and are awash with vibrant colors…. Teachers and students alike will appreciate this lovely bit of Canadiana.”
–School Library Journal

“…[a] Butlerian beauty…”
–The Globe and Mail

“Throughout, Butler has chosen a lavish palette of deep russets, blues and greens. The result is an arresting pageant of our province’s rugged beauty. As the ode is still sung at school assemblies and concerts, this book will be in high demand by primary classroom teachers and parents.”
–CM Magazine

“An ideal gift for any Newfoundlander, tourist, or exile, this cheerfully illustrated book celebrates the land, seascapes, people, and traditions of Canada’s easternly-most province…. Butler’s lively, informal illustrations set the text in a wash of brilliantly coloured scenes of daily life…. Butler makes the reader want to sing and dance along with the whales and sturdy outporters in this engaging book.”
–Quill & Quire

“…evocative folk art paintings accompany the lyrics…. This book is rich in historical detail and the extensive notes at the end are written in a humorous and engaging manner.”
–Resource Links

“…a great picture book.”
–Washington Post

“…gorgeous illustrations…like a Shipping News for kids, with the full flavour of the Rock brimming forth from a hearty soup of colour.”
–Toronto Sun

“…pure enjoyment.”
–Halifax Chornicle-Herald

“This is almost like a Shipping News for kids, with the full flavour of the Rock brimming forth from a hearty soup of colour.”
–London Free Press

“This is a book to treasure by anyone who has been touched by this wonderful place…”
–St. John’s Telegram

Review
?Both expansive and well detailed, the illustrations offer a splashy mix of impressionism and folk art and are awash with vibrant colors?. Teachers and students alike will appreciate this lovely bit of Canadiana.?
?School Library Journal

??[a] Butlerian beauty??
?The Globe and Mail

?Throughout, Butler has chosen a lavish palette of deep russets, blues and greens. The result is an arresting pageant of our province?s rugged beauty. As the ode is still sung at school assemblies and concerts, this book will be in high demand by primary classroom teachers and parents.?
?CM Magazine

?An ideal gift for any Newfoundlander, tourist, or exile, this cheerfully illustrated book celebrates the land, seascapes, people, and traditions of Canada?s easternly-most province?. Butler?s lively, informal illustrations set the text in a wash of brilliantly coloured scenes of daily life?. Butler makes the reader want to sing and dance along with the whales and sturdy outporters in this engaging book.?
?Quill & Quire

??evocative folk art paintings accompany the lyrics?. This book is rich in historical detail and the extensive notes at the end are written in a humorous and engaging manner.?
?Resource Links

??a great picture book.?
?Washington Post

??gorgeous illustrations?like a Shipping News for kids, with the full flavour of the Rock brimming forth from a hearty soup of colour.?
?Toronto Sun

??pure enjoyment.?
?Halifax Chornicle-Herald

?This is almost like a Shipping News for kids, with the full flavour of the Rock brimming forth from a hearty soup of colour.?
?London Free Press

?This is a book to treasure by anyone who has been touched by this wonderful place??
?St. John?s Telegram

Book Description
You don’t have to come from Newfoundland to appreciate it as a unique and wonderful place – the first land to see the break of day in North America. The sentiments in Ode to Newfoundland reflect the peoples’ relationship with the sea, the weather, and the rugged terrain. Written by Sir Cavendish Boyle, governor of Newfoundland from 1901 to 1904, and set to music composed by Sir C. Hubert H. Parry, Ode to Newfoundland is a tribute to a small land with an enormous heart.

In this new book, Newfoundland-born Geoff Butler has set this well-loved anthem to joyous paintings, and provides readers with intriguing facts about the province: did you know, for example, that according to the Flat Earth Society, Brimstone Head on Fogo Island, is one of the four corners of the earth?

With the Ode’s full text and music, and with extensive notes about Newfoundland, this informative book is one to treasure by everyone who has been touched by the magic of The Rock.

From the Inside Flap
Winner of the Lillian Shepherd Award for excellence in illustration of a children’s book set in Atlantic Canada

Winner of the Lila Stirling Award by the Canadian Author’s Association, Nova Scotia. The Lila Stirling Award honors a great book by a Nova Scotia author for children under the age of ten.


You don’t have to come from Newfoundland to appreciate it as a unique and wonderful place – the first land to see the break of day in North America. The sentiments in Ode to Newfoundland reflect the peoples’ relationship with the sea, the weather, and the rugged terrain. Written by Sir Cavendish Boyle, governor of Newfoundland from 1901 to 1904, and set to music composed by Sir C. Hubert H. Parry, Ode to Newfoundland is a tribute to a small land with an enormous heart.

In this new book, Newfoundland-born Geoff Butler has set this well-loved anthem to joyous paintings, and provides readers with intriguing facts about the province: did you know, for example, that according to the Flat Earth Society, Brimstone Head on Fogo Island, is one of the four corners of the earth?

With the Ode’s full text and music, and with extensive notes about Newfoundland, this informative book is one to treasure by everyone who has been touched by the magic of The Rock.

From the Back Cover
“…[a] Butlerian beauty…”
–The Globe and Mail

“Throughout, Butler has chosen a lavish palette of deep russets, blues and greens. The result is an arresting pageant of our province’s rugged beauty. As the ode is still sung at school assemblies and concerts, this book will be in high demand by primary classroom teachers and parents.”
–CM Magazine

“An ideal gift for any Newfoundlander, tourist, or exile, this cheerfully illustrated book celebrates the land, seascapes, people, and traditions of Canada’s easternly-most province…Butler’s lively, informal illustrations set the text in a wash of brilliantly coloured scenes of daily life…Butler makes the reader want to sing and dance along with the whales and sturdy outporters in this engaging book.”
–Quill & Quire

About the Author
Geoff Butler was born and grew up on Fogo Island, Newfoundland. He saw much of his native province while traveling with his minister father to different outports. He moved to Nova Scotia in 1976 to work in the local public school, and has been painting full time since 1980. Geoff Butler has won the Ruth Schwartz Children’s Book Award and was a finalist for the Governor General’s Award for Illustration. He lives in Granville Ferry, Nova Scotia with his wife and children.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

You don’t have to come from Newfoundland to appreciate it as a unique and wonderful place – the first land to see the break of day in North America. The sentiments in Ode to Newfoundland reflect the peoples’ relationship with the sea, the weather, and the rugged terrain. Written by Sir Cavendish Boyle, governor of Newfoundland from 1901 to 1904, and set to music composed by Sir C. Hubert H. Parry, Ode to Newfoundland is a tribute to a small land with an enormous heart.
In this new book, Newfoundland-born Geoff Butler has set this well-loved anthem to joyous paintings, and provides readers with intriguing facts about the province: did you know, for example, that according to the Flat Earth Society, Brimstone Head on Fogo Island, is one of the four corners of the earth?
With the Ode’s full text and music, and with extensive notes about Newfoundland, this informative book is one to treasure by everyone who has been touched by the magic of The Rock.

Author Biography: Geoff Butler was born and grew up on Fogo Island, Newfoundland. He saw much of his native province while traveling with his minister father to different outports. He moved to Nova Scotia in 1976 to work in the local public school, and has been painting full time since 1980. Geoff Butler has won the Ruth Schwartz Children’s Book Award and was a finalist for the Governor General’s Award for Illustration. He lives in Granville Ferry, Nova Scotia with his wife and children.

FROM THE CRITICS

School Library Journal