The Great Googlini

by Sara Cassidy, illustrated by Charlene Chua, read by Christian Down

tagged: fantasy & magic, diseases, illnesses & injuries, chapter books

Description

Filip, the ten-year-old son of Croatian immigrants, lives in a boring suburb of the big city, where he passes his time either at school or in his cozy kitchen, googling everything from dinosaurs to the Hubble Space Telescope.

When his favorite uncle gets sick, Filip turns to Google for answers. Instead he receives a visit from the Great Googlini, a tiny woman in Converse sneakers who swirls out of the computer vents. She's not really a genie, she explains: "I'm more of an archivist." Her visit is a little bit of magic that lets Filip see the magic all around him. Ultimately about the things we can know and the things we can't, this is a smart, touching, funny chapter book about growing up, braving tough times and looking for answers.

The epub edition of this title is fully accessible.

About the Authors

Sara Cassidy is a writer and editor. She is the author of 17 children’s books, including Genius Jolene, winner of the Sheila A. Egoff Children's Literature Prize, and Nevers, which was shortlisted for a Governor General’s Literary Award. Her books have been nominated for numerous awards, including a Silver Birch Express Award, Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children’s Book Award, Rocky Mountain Book Award and Chocolate Lily Award. Sara also writes nonfiction and poetry for adults and works in communications for the BC Ministry of Health. She lives in Victoria, British Columbia.

Charlene Chua worked as a web designer, senior graphic designer, web producer, and interactive project manager before she decided to pursue illustration as a career. Her work has appeared in American Illustration, Spectrum, and SILA’s Illustration West, as well as several art books. She illustrated the children’s picture books Julie Black Belt: The Kung Fu Chronicles and Julie Black Belt: The Belt of Fire. She lives in Hamilton, Ontario, with her husband and two cats.

Christian Down is a producer, musician and voice actor from Victoria, British Columbia.

Contributor Notes

Sara Cassidy is a poet and journalist and the author of nine books for young readers, including Slick and Skylark. Her books have been selected for the Junior Library Guild, and she has been a finalist for the Kirkus Children’s Literature Prize, the Chocolate Lily Award and the Bolen Books Children’s Book Prize. Sara has taught at Camosun College and Royal Roads University.

Age:: 6 to 8
Grade:: 1 to 3
Reading age:: 6 to 8

Awards

Short-listed, Chocolate Lily Book Awards - Chapter Books / Early Novels
Commended, CCBC Best Books for Kids & Teens

Editorial Reviews

"A thoughtful, touching story that moves at a good pace, could help children dealing with a seriously ill friend or family member, and it includes many interesting facts for everyone. Highly Recommended."

— CM: Canadian Review of Materials

★ "Cassidy has crafted a thoughtful glimpse into the life of an immigrant family…Chua's spot art…gives some visual depth to various scenes, and helps nascent chapter-book readers with comprehension and pacing. For fans of Google, trivia, and family strength."

— Kirkus Reviews, starred review

The Great Googlini

by Sara Cassidy, illustrated by Charlene Chua, read by Christian Down

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