Apples and Butterflies gently unfolds like a whisper of fall on Prince Edward Island. In just 32 lush pages, Shauntay Grant invites readers on an autumn family adventure: walking along sandy beaches, collecting apples, flying kites, and gazing at star-filled skies. Her language is both lyrical and accessible — poetic enough to stir the imagination yet grounded in vivid sensory images. The book evokes longing for that bright blue-and-gold light of fall, where “air that tastes like apples: red ripe and ready for picking” lingers on the tongue.
Shauntay Grant is a celebrated Canadian poet, children’s author, playwright, and creative writing professor at Dalhousie University. As Halifax’s former poet laureate, she brings a refined musicality to her writings, blending the rhythm of verse with narrative warmth. Her body of work is both regionally rooted and broadly resonant, with titles like Africville earning major accolades like the Governor General’s Literary Award shortlist and the Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award. With Apples and Butterflies, Grant transforms everyday moments into poetic experiences that can transport both children and adults to the quiet, magic-tinged coastlines of autumn. https://www.shauntaygrant.com/
Apples are in season now so incorporate them into both sweet and savoury dishes like our Pork Chops with Apple Curry Sauce found in the Recipe section. Then head over to the Giveaway page and enter to win a copy of this beautiful children’s book. You can also purchase it at https://nimbus.ca/store/apples-and-butterflies-2.html
Tamara Thiébaux-Heikalo brings more than three decades of illustration and graphic design experience to this book. Her illustrations are described as rich, wild, bright, and colorful—full-page spreads that feel like immersive artwork, mirroring the text with seamless harmony. She has illustrated several children’s books—including Driftwood Dragons and The Cat From Kosovo—and resides in Nova Scotia, where her art continues to reflect both whimsy and realism. https:/ /tamaraheikalo.wixsite.com/artist/bio-1
Apples and Butterflies is a beautifully paired collaboration—Grant’s gentle, evocative poetry woven together with Thiébaux-Heikalo’s lush illustrations—to craft a sensory celebration of fall, childhood wonder, and the restorative power of nature.
Reprinted with permission from Nimbus Publishing. Copyright text © 2012, Shaunta Grant. Copyright illustrations © 2012, Tamara Thiebaux Heikalo.https://nimbus.ca/store/apples-and-butterflies-2.html