“A sweetly fantastic addition to the early-reader shelf.” - Kirkus

"If, like me, you're ready for something new in easy readers, these are a perfect choice. Accessible text and lovely illustrations will make these a favorite with both parents and children. Highly recommended." - Jean Little Blogspot

CM magazine:

Like all phoenixes, just hatched Flare does not have any parents. Flare is happy to sing and teach himself how to fish and how to fly. Flare’s guardians, Sun, Wind, and Cloud, notice that Flare never cries; in fact, Flare is unusually resistant to crying. In turn, Cloud, Wind, and Sun each try to teach Flare that it is okay to cry sometimes. “I am tough. I am strong. I do not cry,” Flare declares until the Sun shows Flare a baby bird with a broken wing. When Flare weeps out of compassion, his tears magically heal the broken wing, and Flare changes his song to “I am tough. I am strong. And sometimes I cry!”

     The short, declarative sentences of the book lend themselves to being read aloud. Adults reading to children will find reading with emotion and a sense of character comes naturally from the sentences and the illustrations, and young readers will be able to decipher the sentences without losing track of the meaning.

     Cloud, Wind, and Sun’s attempts to teach Flare about crying is reminiscent of Aesop’s fable of the sun and the wind. Wind and Cloud take a direct approach (“this is what crying is like”) using an exertion of force which Flare resists. Sun, on the other hand, succeeds in teaching Flare to cry by using gentleness: Sun leads Flare to a baby bird whose tears of pain cause Flare to cry of his own will.

     The characters are charming with clear cut desires and emotions. The cause of Flare’s tears is particularly beautiful. Flare cries not out of self pity or frustration but out of compassion and empathy for the baby bird. Wind and Cloud’s well intentioned attempts fail yet Sun succeeds because Sun focuses not on the experience of crying but on the reason for it. Flare weeps out of love and discovers not only what it is to cry but that tears can be healing. In Flare’s case, magically so – as any Harry Potter fan knows, phoenix tears have remarkable healing powers.

     The watercolour and (I think) pencil illustrations are joyful and vibrantly colourful. Warm colours that don’t quite stay within the lines give a sense of life full to the bursting point. The characters’ emotions come across loud and clear through facial expressions and distinct body language which interpret and add humour to the story. Each character has features that are recognizable and mobile, and the emotions in each situation leap off the page. Cloud screws up its face when it cries on Flare and seems to scratch its head in puzzlement when Flare remains obstinate, for instance. The words are sweet, and the illustrations will keep parents smiling through re re re reads of Flare.

School Library Journal:

K-Gr 2–In the second title in this early reader series, readers meet a newly reborn phoenix who believes that he is too tough to cry. Flare’s guardians, Cloud, Wind, and Sun, believe that the phoenix needs to “know about crying” and take turns showing him what it looks and sounds like. Cloud rains tears, and Wind wails, but Flare does not like being wet, hides from the sound, and insists that he will never cry. Finally, Sun leads him to a baby bird who is injured in a fall from its nest. Flare is so saddened by his inability to help the little creature that, in spite of himself, he begins to weep. When his magical tears fall on the bird’s broken wing and Flare witnesses their healing powers, he learns that sometimes crying is a good thing, especially for a phoenix. Côté’s illustrations, done in watercolor with digital accents, mirror the playful innocence of this tale. The message in George’s tender story will resonate with young readers, who will likely ask for others in the series. This title will fit right into any early reader collection and may even spark curiosity in these mythical birds.–Lynn Van Auken, Oak Bluffs School, Oak Bluffs, MA

Selected Reviews and Praise for Spark

Junior Library Guild Pick

Spark chosen as a Canadian Children’s Book Centre (CCBC) Best Books Pick 2014

Kitsilano Gift Guide 2014 Pick 
Must-Read books for Kids

“This is an excellent beginner text for early readers. Sentences are manageably short. The repetition built into the story helps make the reading more predictable.
” - Resource Links

“The perfect book for early readers.” - Library of Clean Reads

“This is just adorable. – Flying Off My Bookshelf Blogspot

“Filled with cute illustrations, this is a great book for a beginner reader.” Feed a Reader blogspot “Simply lovely.” – Jen Robinson, Jen Robinson’s Book Page

“A delight to read aloud. Spark's boundless enthusiasm and determination will enchant readers, and the story's gentle encouragement will reassure young children facing their own challenges.” CM Magazine

“Spark is a lovely story to share with any child who is eager to learn how to use his or her own ‘flame.’” - Quill & Quire

“Spark is irresistible ... This gentle, amusing story will have children wanting to read it again and again.” - National Reading Campaign

“George’s text is fun and playful, while
 Côté’s dumpling of a green dragon is eager and expressive. This speaks volumes about the difficulties of
being patient, and that’s something every kid will understand.” - Booklist

”Children who are forever being cautioned to "Be careful" will instantly empathize with Spark, the young dragon who stars in this early reader from George (The Melancholic Mermaid), first in the Tiny Tails series. ... George's simple sentences project Spark's determination and his parents' pragmatic brand of support, while Cote offers playfully childlike scenes outlined in loose, crayony strokes.” - Publisher's Weekly

“A lovely little book.” - Betsy Bird
, Fuse #8

“Reassurance for newly independent readers with, if not identical, at least corresponding concerns.” – Kirkus