Author Description

"Sundog Rescue" is the story of a young prairie girl whose fears take the form of unusual sights. Sometimes Melissa sees things -- like "puddle-sharks" and "big-eared mice". People consider Melissa's visions weird, so she finds comfort when Grandma admits to having seen similar "things" as a child. Illustrations of the events of Melissa's life run parallel to those of Grandma's reminiscences of the old country on the book's facing pages. After a delightful visit one winter's night, Grandma sets off to drive Melissa home. When the car breaks down, and Grandma injures her ankle, Melissa is forced to face her fears, and walk alone into the night for help. Melissa remembers her grandmother's advice, "Be brave. Smile your fears away", but her vivid imagination starts to run wild. She can't help being aware of the fearsome "shadow-wolves". Melissa stumbles along until she remembers another game she shares with her grandmother: she squishes up her eyes to make a "magic eyelash screen" as the "sundogs" scare the "shadow-wolves" away. Later, after finding the way to the safety of home, Melissa sees only the things that everyone else sees on a very cold winter day. A sundog is a bright, shining spot that can be seen near the prairie sun on a cold day, when the sun's light bounces. off ice crystals that are very high-up in the sky. Vladyana Langer Krykorka's crisp watercolors express the limitless sky of the prairie. Through shadow, detail, and texture, Krykorka's glorious art captures the subtleties of Melissa's imagination, and sensitively portrays the loving, mutual understanding between Melissa and her grandmother.