When Linda Zeman-Spaleny arrived in British Columbia from the Czech Republic as a girl, she admired the totem poles standing proud in the landscape of her new home; her mother, Ludmila Zeman, called them the “wooden pictures” of the First Nations. Years later, mother and daughter pay homage to these markers with a beautifully produced picture book, Lord of the Sky, which tells of a coastal village plunged into darkness when children slay a pesky raven. Only one person, a nature-loving boy, is willing to risk asking the mighty Thunderbird, the Lord of the Sky, for help in restoring light to the land. Zeman-Spaleny effectively blends adventure with a pro-ecology theme. Lord of the Sky is based on Ludmilla’s Zeman’s animated short film of the same name, and her artistic style gives a nod to the cinema with their wide-panning, epic views and film-reel borders. (Ages 8+) mRb