Who says dogs can’t fly?

Meet Zora: a dog with a big dream and an even bigger personality. All Zora wants to do is learn how to fly so she can catch that pesky squirrel in her yard. But try as she might to prove to her friend Tully—a skeptical cat—that dogs truly can fly, nothing seems to work. Until Zora finds the right motivation, that is.

Kathy Stinson’s charming story of perseverance is beautifully brought to life by Brandon James Scott’s exuberant and wonderfully expressive illustration. Touching on themes of optimism and determination in the face of failure, The Dog Who Wanted to Fly is a book anyone—even a cat—will love.

Kathy Stinson is a familiar name in children’s literature. She wrote the award-winning Red is Best and Big or Little?—two of the first picture books for preschoolers in Canada. Both were a huge success and have since achieved international acclaim. Red is Best 25th Anniversary Edition was released in 2006 a newly illustrated Big or Little? was published in 2009. Kathy’s latest book, The Man with the Violin (2013), was greeted with rave reviews, including starred reviews in Kirkus and uill & uire. Illustrated by Duan Petricic, this beautifully evocative picture book tells the true story of world-renowned violinist, Joshua Bell, who conducted an experiment by anonymously playing his priceless violin in the Washington D.C. subway station. Kathy grew up in Toronto. “My love affair with books began as a child,” she says. “I remember regular visits to the library, getting stacks of books to read.” She still has a notebook of stories that she wrote when she was in grade four. She believes that reading a lot is the key to becoming a good writer. In the early 1970s Kathy attended university while teaching elementary school. In 1981, she took a course called “How to write and get published.” The titles she has published in the years since range from picture books to young adult novels, from historical fiction chapter books to short stories in the horror genre. 2008 sees the publication of her first brand-new picture book in sixteen years! Kathy enjoys visiting schools across Canada, and especially talking with fellow writers. In 1987 she traveled to England as part of an exchange of Canadian and British children’s authors. She has helped students across Canada pursue their own creative projects through the Writers in Electronic Residence program, and in many communities has conducted writing workshops for children and for adults. When she’s not busy writing or reading, Kathy is a self-proclaimed jigsaw puzzle addict. Her children now grown, she lives with her partner, editor Peter Carver, in a hamlet not far from Guelph, Ontario.

Kathy Stinson's profile page

Brandon James Scott is the illustrator of The Dog Who Wanted to Fly, a Canadian Children’s Book Centre Best Books for Kids & Teens of 2018, Snow Falls, which was selected for the 2020 Society of Illustrators’ Original Art Exhibition, and the upcoming Cow Says Meow. He is also an Emmy Award-nominated creator of the Canadian preschool television series Justin Time and is an animation director with over ten years' experience in the animation industry. Brandon lives with his family in Toronto, Canada.

Brandon James Scott's profile page

“A clever and endearing story, expertly illustrated, with an affirming message.” —Kirkus Reviews, 12/05/18

Kirkus Reviews

“Stinson will delight readers and listeners with her use of action words . . . Scott’s illustrations are equally evocative.” —Booklist, 03/15/19

Booklist

“The expressive illustrations often say as much as the text. Kids will laugh out loud at the humorous story and lively pictures . . . This is one of the best picture books!”—I Heart Literacy, 02/11/19

I Heart Literacy

“This delightful story of perseverance and heart is embedded in almost animated illustrations of the highest quality.” —Storywraps, 12/20/18

Storywraps