It’s Storywalks season! Now that summer is right around the corner, the annual tradition continues with a long list of participating parks and nature areas to enjoy. For those who may be unfamiliar, a storywalk is like a deconstructed dessert. What’s that you say? What do I mean by that, you say? Well, buckle in and let me tell you. Imagine a picture book that’s been unbound and turned into a series of two-page spreads. Then, picture these spreads turned into boards, rods inserted in the bottom and artfully arranged along one of Vaughan’s beautiful nature trails. It’s the best of both worlds (to borrow the parlance of our dear Hannah of Montana) — relaxing, getting exercise outside, and reading a story all at the same time. What follows is a comprehensive list of the selected stories and their corresponding locations. They will all be in place by mid-June! Maybe this year there’s an enticing book at a park you’ve never been to? There’s plenty to choose from below. Or, here’s an outlandish idea, what about a storywalk tour of all seven parks?
Mackenzie Glen District Park (Ward 1)
If you find yourself in Maple this summer, check out our French pick for this year. Ruth Ohi brings us this animal tale with an important lesson. Fox and Squirrel have been friends forever, but the arrival of Yellow Bird might change that. When Fox is stranded on the ground, unable to join Squirrel and Yellow Bird in the canopy of the trees, he feels forgotten. In reality, Yellow Bird is just a friend he hasn’t made yet. The original English version is called Fox and Squirrel Make a Friend, and it’s in our collection here. The French translation is currently out of print, but we do have another one in the series here.
Mackenzie Glen Park is just next to Cunningham Pond. A family-friendly outdoor space, it features several soccer fields, a playground, splash pad, off-leash dog park, and lots of trail to walk on. Coincidentally, the City of Vaughan is throwing one of their Concerts in the Park at this location this year. Desire, a U2 tribute band, will be performing Wednesday, July 24 at 7:30pm.
Rikki, Rouquin et Rocco is provided by Scholastic Canada.
Nort Johnson District Park (Ward 2)
This Woodbridge park will feature the life cycle of a butterfly — in reverse! Instead of starting with an egg, the narrative moves backward from fully formed winged insect all the way to caterpillar, digitally rendered in artful splendor. Vancouver-based artist and illustrator Andrea Armstrong created the artwork to go with the story by Muon Thi Van. Nort Johnson Park is situated along the Humber River — a gorgeous landscape that complements the subject matter of the book. There’s a basketball court and two baseball diamonds for your athletic needs. Located next to Woodbridge Pool & Memorial Arena, there’s plenty of fun to be had. Perhaps you may even spot one of the butterflies from the story on your travels there.
If You Want to Be a Butterfly is provided by Canadian publisher Kids Can Press.
Lawford Park (Ward 3)
Also in Woodbridge, we have the story of a personified banyan tree in India and the boy she grows to love. The classic book The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein inspired this adaptation by Mahtab Narsimhan. The author’s goal was to write a book that recognized and expressed gratitude for the emphasis her mother put on education growing up. The lessons the banyan tree teaches the boy allow him to become a wise, diligent, and good-natured man. Lawford Park is one of Vaughan’s smaller parks, between Johnny Lombardi Public School and Guardian Angels Catholic Elementary School. There are two playgrounds and a soccer field, and it might be a good option for families who prefer a shorter distance to walk but still want to find out what happens at the end.
The Boy and the Banyan Tree is provided by Scholastic Canada.
Sugarbush Heritage Park (Ward 4)
The opening simile in this picture book is memorable: “Magnolias smell like lemon cake.” It’s a quiet, peaceful narrative about two siblings — a boy and his older sister — and the knowledge the latter has accumulated about flowers and weeds. The boy marvels at the amount of detail she can remember, told to him on walks through their neighbourhood. In turn, the reader is treated to a collection of endearing plant facts. Atmospheric illustrations draw you in to the characters’ family home, and it might just be the perfect accompaniment to a walk in Sugarbush on a balmy, summer’s day. If you’ve never been, Sugarbush Heritage Park is a twenty-minute walk from our Pleasant Ridge Library — just west of Baker’s Woods and north of Sugarbush Pond. There are two playground areas and a community garden to add to the ambiance.
All That Grows is provided by Groundwood Books.
Marita Payne Park (Ward 5)
Ruth Ohi is back on this list with another parable of sorts — this time in English. Ohi uses anthropomorphized (or personified) animals to discuss feelings and how we can help our friends manage their emotions when they’re down. We start off with Bunny, who wakes up on the wrong side of the bed one morning. After working through some negative feelings, Bunny is able to start the day, running into Beetle, Marten, Wren, and Lemming and lightening their loads. Readers can learn some lesser-known animal names alongside a meaningful takeaway about being there for the people in our lives. Marita Payne is a hop, skip, and a jump from Dufferin Clark Library. A larger area, it comes equipped with a bocce court, soccer field, basketball court, playground, baseball diamond, and plenty of trail space. With the library and Dufferin Clark Community Centre just across Dufferin Street, there are bathroom facilities and a water bottle refilling station close at hand so you can settle in for a day at the park.
Choose Kindness is provided by Scholastic Canada.
Assembly Park
For those who would rather not venture too far from urban life, there is Assembly Park at Vaughan Metropolitan Centre. It’s located near the subway station of the same name, bus terminal, and of course our VMC Library located in the same building as the YMCA at the David Braley Vaughan Centre. In the winter, the park plays host to Night of Lights and Holiday Fair. This summer, there will be food trucks and pickle ball, as the relatively new area starts to develop. The storywalk this year will feature Carson Crosses Canada by Canadian author Linda Bailey. If you’ve ever fantasized about driving across Canada, this sweet story about Annie, her pet dog Carson, and their trip to visit Annie’s sister is for you. Starting in British Columbia and ending in Newfoundland, the pair make stops along the way at iconic Canadian landmarks. Camping in the Rocky Mountains, the hoodoos in Alberta, panoramic skies in Saskatchewan, swimming in Lake Winnipeg, Niagara Falls, ‘pork pie’ in Quebec, lobster rolls in PEI, and finally the ferry to Newfoundland. Several full spread illustrations make this book a perfect pick for a storywalk!
Carson Crosses Canada is provided by Penguin Random House.
Kortright Conservation Centre
The format of this children’s book is designed to share the Ojibwe language. Ojibwe words for the natural world are paired with illustrations to make it clear what each one means. In addition, rhyming couplets provide clues for pronunciation — each Ojibwe word rhyming with an English one. The Kortright Conservation Centre is one of my favourite places in Vaughan when the weather’s nice. I’ve been several times. With hiking trails of varying lengths and difficulties to choose from, it’s a great way to get your steps in while taking in the beautiful scenery. Picnic tables and washroom facilities are available as well.
It’s a Mitig! is provided by Douglas & McIntyre.
Finally, and this is hot off the press, we will have an additional pop-up storywalk at a couple special summer events this year as part of TD Summer Reading Club! The details are still being worked out, but we do know that Chris Hadfield’s The Darkest Dark will be featured. Following young Chris himself as he struggles with a fear of the dark, readers may be inspired to confront their own anxieties in order to achieve their goals (like becoming an astronaut). After all, there is no darker dark than the blackness of space. Look out for more information on the exact locations and dates for the pop-up storywalks on our website. I will update this post when we know more. Until next time, happy reading (and walking)!