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Nancy Hundal was born in Vancouver on January 31, 1957. She received the 1991 Sheila A. Egoff B.C. Book Prize for her first children's book, I Heard My Mother Call My Name (HarperCollins, 1990), illustrated by Laura Fernandez. Illustrated by Marilyn Mets, her story November Boots (HarperCollins, 1993) was shortlisted for the 1994 Ruth Schwartz Award. It was followed by PuddleDuck (HarperCollins, 1995), illustrated by Stephen Taylor and Snow Story (HarperCollins, 1997 $16), illustrated by Kasia Charko. In the latter, Little Chloe discovers the transforming power of snow after a storm as well as the fact that the world is divided--between adults who like snow and those who don't. Melted Star Journey (HarperCollins, 1999) has been followed by Twilight Fairies (Fitzhenry & Whiteside $21), illustrated by Don Kilby. She has also published three books with illustrator Brian Deines: Prairie Summer (1999), Number 21 and Camping (all Fitzhenry & Whiteside). She is the author of the young adult novel Kaleidoscopes and Butterfly Dreams (Oolichan, 2009). Hundal has a B.A. (English and French) and Teaching Certificate from University of British Columbia. In 2020, Hundal published, Saturday at the Garage (Midtown 2020) $21.95 978-1-9882-4232-3, with illustrations by Angela Pan. Her middle grade novel for ages 8 - 12, Stazy and the Magic List (Rebel Mountain, 2023) tells the story of a girl, Stazy, at a new school after her parents separate and her growing friendship with three other misfits. Stazy bonds with them when they learn her hobby is magic.
BOOKS:
I Heard My Mother Call My Name (HarperCollins, 1997) 9780006474968. Illustrated by Laura Fernández Nogales.
Puddleduck (HarperCollins, 1998) 9780006481171. Illustrated by Stephen Taylor.
Snow Story (HarperCollins, 1998) 9780006480952. Illustrated by Kasia Charko.
Prairie Summer (Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 1999) 9781550414035. Illustrated by Brian Deines.
Melted Star Journey (HarperCollins, 2000) 9780006386582. Illustrated by Karen Reczuch.
Number 21 (Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 2001) 9781550415438. Illustrated by Brian Deines.
Camping (Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 2002) 9781550416688
Twilight Fairies (Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 2006) 9781550419610. Illustrated by Don Kilby.
Kaleidoscopes and Butterfly Dreams (Oolichan, 2009) 9780889822566
Song Angel (Booklocker.com, 2018) 9781634929288
Saturday at the Garage (Midtown, 2020) 9781988242323. Illustrated by Angela Pan.
Stazy and the Magic List (Rebel Mountain, 2023) 9781989996157
[BCBW 2023]
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Saturday at the Garage by Nancy Hundal illustrations by Angela Pan (Midtown $21.95)
BCBW 2020
n this picture book about the warm relationship between a father and daughter, a young girl spends all day at her dad’s garage. It’s an unusual role for a girl but she relishes pumping gas, fixing cars and greeting customers in between sweeping and cleaning.
“Lights flick up, the radio jolts on and sings a twangy song to remind the night that its turn is done,” she says as they open the garage. “Coffee bub-bub-bubbles in a pot. I don’t like the taste, but the smell means Saturday, and that’s good.”
One of the regular customers brings her candies and teases that there is an elf hanging out in the area and it has been spotted in their shop. The girl is not so sure but she keeps looking just in case.
Another customer says “Isn’t your dad lucky to have a helper like you?”
The girl’s dad doesn’t say much, but she can tell he thinks “the customer has it about right.”
Helping fix a car, the girl passes her dad tools. “Sometimes he beckons me over to show me how he’s adjusting this or that. Sometimes I even do the twisting or tightening. Dad is the magic man under the hood, but he’s slowly passin’ the magic to me.”
They eat a lunch of “meaty sandwiches and crisp apples.” Then its play time.
“Before we go back to work, Dad lets me crawl onto the car hoist, then pushes the button to glide me up high into the air and slowly down again. It’s hotter at the top of the garage, where the sun has been dancing with the dust since dawn. Even up there I take a quick look around for the elf, but the only magic at this garage is my dad’s fingers tinkering engines back to purring.”
At the end of the day, the girl watches her dad clean the grease from his hands. “Some never goes away,” she says. “Its dark smell hides in the lines of his calloused hand. Some day my hands will look that way, too.”
This gentle story is based on author Nancy Hundal’s recollections of working with her dad at his garage in the 1960s. Hundal has written nine picture books and one YA novel since she started writing in 1991. 978-1-9882-4232-3
BOOKS:
I Heard My Mother Call My Name (HarperCollins, 1997) 9780006474968. Illustrated by Laura Fernández Nogales.
Puddleduck (HarperCollins, 1998) 9780006481171. Illustrated by Stephen Taylor.
Snow Story (HarperCollins, 1998) 9780006480952. Illustrated by Kasia Charko.
Prairie Summer (Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 1999) 9781550414035. Illustrated by Brian Deines.
Melted Star Journey (HarperCollins, 2000) 9780006386582. Illustrated by Karen Reczuch.
Number 21 (Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 2001) 9781550415438. Illustrated by Brian Deines.
Camping (Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 2002) 9781550416688
Twilight Fairies (Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 2006) 9781550419610. Illustrated by Don Kilby.
Kaleidoscopes and Butterfly Dreams (Oolichan, 2009) 9780889822566
Song Angel (Booklocker.com, 2018) 9781634929288
Saturday at the Garage (Midtown, 2020) 9781988242323. Illustrated by Angela Pan.
Stazy and the Magic List (Rebel Mountain, 2023) 9781989996157
[BCBW 2023]
+++
Saturday at the Garage by Nancy Hundal illustrations by Angela Pan (Midtown $21.95)
BCBW 2020
n this picture book about the warm relationship between a father and daughter, a young girl spends all day at her dad’s garage. It’s an unusual role for a girl but she relishes pumping gas, fixing cars and greeting customers in between sweeping and cleaning.
“Lights flick up, the radio jolts on and sings a twangy song to remind the night that its turn is done,” she says as they open the garage. “Coffee bub-bub-bubbles in a pot. I don’t like the taste, but the smell means Saturday, and that’s good.”
One of the regular customers brings her candies and teases that there is an elf hanging out in the area and it has been spotted in their shop. The girl is not so sure but she keeps looking just in case.
Another customer says “Isn’t your dad lucky to have a helper like you?”
The girl’s dad doesn’t say much, but she can tell he thinks “the customer has it about right.”
Helping fix a car, the girl passes her dad tools. “Sometimes he beckons me over to show me how he’s adjusting this or that. Sometimes I even do the twisting or tightening. Dad is the magic man under the hood, but he’s slowly passin’ the magic to me.”
They eat a lunch of “meaty sandwiches and crisp apples.” Then its play time.
“Before we go back to work, Dad lets me crawl onto the car hoist, then pushes the button to glide me up high into the air and slowly down again. It’s hotter at the top of the garage, where the sun has been dancing with the dust since dawn. Even up there I take a quick look around for the elf, but the only magic at this garage is my dad’s fingers tinkering engines back to purring.”
At the end of the day, the girl watches her dad clean the grease from his hands. “Some never goes away,” she says. “Its dark smell hides in the lines of his calloused hand. Some day my hands will look that way, too.”
This gentle story is based on author Nancy Hundal’s recollections of working with her dad at his garage in the 1960s. Hundal has written nine picture books and one YA novel since she started writing in 1991. 978-1-9882-4232-3
