Welcome to the web site for Robert James Challenger, Artist and Author. My stone carvings, glassware, greeting cards and children's books are available for sale.
On this site there are descriptions of my stone and glass carving process, a catalogue of designs available, my biography, order forms and sample stories from my six books.

My sixth book of short stories, Grizzly's Home and Other Northwest Coast Children's Stories  continues the series of books highlighting my designs, along with the original stories I have written.  This book has stories that explore a range of contemporary issues that young children face.  

Copies are available from most good bookstores or you can order signed copies from me.

Reviews

By Lois Brymer, Graduate of the University of British Columbia's Master of Arts in Children's Literature Program.
Copyright The Manitoba Library Association 

In Grizzly's Home and Other Northwest Coast Children's Stories, the sixth in a series of conversational, easy-to-read, engaging, and entertaining contemporary fables by British Columbia author-illustrator Robert James Challenger, Grizzly Bear, Octopus, and Raven learn about such timeless values as respect, cooperation, and kindness. These characters also show in an uncomplicated way that in the complicated world around us, there are moral lessons to be learned from nature. Told in a storytelling fashion which resembles First Nations oral tradition, the 18 one-to-two-page stories explore a range of complex issues and challenging concerns (single-parent families, abuse, the environment, leadership, physical differences, jealousy, and dishonesty) that may confront today's children at home, at school, or on the playground...

...Grizzly's Home and Other Northwest Coast Children's Stories, which lends itself to post-reading discussion, would be an excellent resource for parents, teachers, and caregivers to use in a nonthreatening way to address issues that may be foremost on children's minds. Challenger's stories subtly demonstrate to young people that it is okay to share feelings with a grown-up. As well, this book would have several applications in the Grade 3 to 6 classroom, particularly in art classes to illustrate examples of the Northwest Haida art style and in science classes to complement a study of animals of the Northwest.

Read the entire review...

Many of today's books also have powerful messages or are great educational tools, disguised by their beauty and fun.

For instance, this year's book by Robert James Challenger of Victoria called Grizzly's Home and Other Northwest Coast Children's Stories is a compendium of short tales by and about creatures such as the grizzly bear, kingfisher, ant, mink, spider, raven, bobcat, quail and duck, who teach a gentle lesson about life, and behaviours that help deal with it.

It's illustrated with lovely Haida-style artwork by the author, and is a good example of teaching by telling delightful little stories, each of which has a punch line to think about.

In the process, the author has the creatures of the forest and field sit down beside young readers so they can get to know them, and that's a great start toward a relationship of mutual respect.

I recommend this highly for the little ones on your list.

Judie Steeve's - Kelowna Capital News

Cedar lawn furniture featuring my designs!  Classic Cedar Lawn Furniture has a new line of beautiful chairs that include my designs engraved into the cedar.  

Click here for more information

Visit the Classic Cedar web site

Robert James (Jim) Challenger
923 Arden Road
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
V9C 4G3

Phone: (250) 474-2808
Email: jim@rjchallenger.com

Please respect that all material on this site is copyrighted by the artist and author and may not be reproduced in any way without express written permission.