BY TRILBY KENT
TWENTY YEARS ago, Groundwood Books published Stella, Star of the Sea, introducing readers to Marie-Louise Gay’s unforgettable sibling duo: the endlessly imaginative, flame-haired Stella and her cautious but curious little brother, Sam. Their first adventure – set underwater and told through gently humorous dialogue and whimsical illustrations, distinguished by Gay’s joyful array of textures, patterns, calligraphy, and colour – was followed by five more Stella books and three Sam titles. To date, Stella and Sam’s adventures have been published in more than 20 languages and collected multiple awards, including the Mr. Christie’s Book Award and the Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children’s Book Award.