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Creator Spotlight: Vikki VanSickle

At Tundra Books, we want you to get to know and love our creators as much as you know and love their books. Our creator spotlight series will introduce you to the people behind some of your favorite titles . . . this week, say hello to Vikki VanSickle!

About the Author:

VIKKI VANSICKLE is the author of a number of acclaimed novels for children including The Lightning Circle, Words That Start With B; Summer Days, Starry Nights; the award-winning The Winnowing; and picture books How to Decorate a Christmas Tree, If I Had a Gryphon; Teddy Bear of the Year; and Anonymouse. Vikki started her career as an independent bookseller and worked in children’s publishing for twelve years. In addition to writing, she curates and presents regular book segments for CTV Your Morning. Currently, she lives and writes in Toronto.

Q&A with Vikki VanSickle:

Your book, Into the Goblin Market, is a tribute to Christina Rossetti’s ‘Goblin Market’ and classic fairy-tale villains. Can you share what inspired you to create this homage and how you approached reimagining such a beloved poem for a contemporary audience?

Sometimes, as a writing exercise, I will look at a genre or trend and determine what my interpretation of it would be. I really like fractured fairytales, so one day I started brainstorming what fairytales I would like to fracture or interpret, and I thought of Christina Rossetti’s poem, which was one of my favorites from university. It’s so lush and visual, stars two female characters, and there is no prince/romantic hero figure, all things that really appeal to me. I didn’t know of any picture book versions, so I thought I would write my own. As I was writing I liked the idea of turning the generic goblins into villains from fairytales and classic children’s stories, adding yet another fairytale layer for sharp-eyed readers.

Into the Goblin Market emphasizes themes of courage, intelligence, and resilience. How did you weave these themes into the narrative, and why do you think they are important for young readers today?

I think there are many ways to be brave and many kinds of intelligence. While Millie may not be classically brave, it is her knowledge of fairytales and book smarts that allows her to rescue her sister. Mina never gives up protecting and trying to warn her sister even when she is trapped in a not-so-human form. They are both heroes in their own way, which hopefully encourages readers to consider their own aptitudes and preferences as strengths, even if they are less traditional.

Into the Goblin Market features familiar fairy-tale villains and the intriguing Goblin Market. How did you balance the darker elements of these tales with the enchanting and beautiful aspects of your story to create a captivating experience for children?

I don’t think of Into the Goblin Market as particularly dark, probably because fairytales were never introduced to me as something dark or scary, they were just fairytales. One of the most consistent hallmarks of fairytales is that good triumphs over evil. I think there are enough markers of a fairytale in the opening of Into the Goblin Market that readers, on some level, believe that good will prevail, despite the scarier moments. I also think it is these tense moments that make the reward that much more satisfying. With greater stakes comes a greater reward.  

For The Lightning Circle, what inspired you to write a coming-of-age novel set at a summer camp?

The Lightning Circle is inspired by own experiences as a counselor at a girls’ summer camp. Lots of books set at camp are full of pranks, humor, and romance, but very few captured the transformative magic that I personally experienced and wanted to celebrate. I wanted to capture the feeling of how a summer can transform you, especially at the crucial moment of picking yourself up after a heartbreak. I also wanted to demonstrate that you can heal a heart through friendship, personal reflection and growth instead of the more common trope of meeting another romantic interest who makes you forget about the one who broke your heart.

How did you decide to tell Nora’s story through verse? Can you describe the process of blending poetry with visual elements in The Lightning Circle?

Camp feels like a series of moments, or small realizations. To me, it made more sense to tell the story in a series of very intimate, very specific poems, which invite the reader to sit and live in that moment, than it did to write in prose, which is all about forward momentum. Nora herself is very reflective, which suits poetry better than prose.

Because Nora is an artist, her reflections also come in the form of sketches of daily life. For the most part, I didn’t indicate what images Laura K. Watson, the illustrator, should create. Instead, I let her read the book and decide what she thought Nora would draw in her sketchbook. The only image I really wanted to see was the image on page 120, of two girls holding hands in front of a campfire. The metaphor of the lightning circle—how holding hands/connection can dissipate a shock (literal or otherwise)-is central to the book (so much so that it became the title!), so I wanted to see a visual representation of that.

Books by Vikki VanSickle:

Into the Goblin Market
Written by Vikki VanSickle
Illustrated by Jensine Eckwall
48 Pages | Ages 4-8 | Hardcover
ISBN 9780735268562 | Tundra Books
Millie loves her quiet life on the farm, but Mina longs for adventure. When the Goblin Market comes to town, Millie knows it’s a bad idea. They’ve been told stories their whole lives about the dangers of the Goblin Market. But Mina just can’t resist . . . When Mina doesn’t come back, it’s Millie’s turn to brave the market to bring her home. She will use all her smarts and all her courage to try to outwit the goblins and save her sister . . . but will it be enough? This gorgeous and intriguing tribute to both “Goblin Market” by Christina Rossetti and classic fairy-tale villains is also a story about the bond between sisters and a celebration of courage, intelligence and resilience.

The Lightning Circle
Written by Vikki VanSickle
Illustrated by Laura K. Watson
224 Pages | Ages 12+ | Hardcover
ISBN 9781774882498 | Tundra Books
After having her heart broken, seventeen-year-old Nora Nichols decides to escape her hometown and take a summer job as an arts and crafts counsellor at an all-girls’ camp in the mountains of West Virginia. There, she meets girls and women from all walks of life with their own heartaches and triumphs. Immersed in this new camp experience, trying to form bonds with her fellow counselors while learning to be a trusted adviser for her campers, Nora distracts herself from her feelings, even during the intimate conversations around the nightly campfires. But when a letter from home comes bearing unexpected news, Nora finds inner strength in her devastation with the healing power of female friendship. Presented as Nora’s camp journal, including Nora’s sketches of camp life, scraps of letters, and spare poems, The Lightning Circle is an intimate coming-of-age portrait.

How to Decorate a Christmas Tree
Written by Vikki VanSickle
Illustrated by Miki Sato
40 Pages | Ages 4-8 | Hardcover
ISBN 9780735268586 | Tundra Books
A little girl shares the steps for the perfect tree trimming – a holiday picture book for fans of Pick a Pine Tree and The Little Christmas Tree. In this charming Christmas tale, readers will follow along with the main character as she shares all the things that go into decorating a tree:
Lights
Ornaments
Popcorn
Hot chocolate
Taffy the cat
Memories
And, most importantly, family!
With stunning three-dimensional art by Miki Sato and a delightful story by wordsmith Vikki VanSickle, including a twist ending, this book will quickly become a Christmas tree decorating tradition of its own.

Anonymouse
Written by Vikki VanSickle
Illustrated by Anna Pirolli
40 Pages | Ages 3-7 | Hardcover
ISBN 9780735263949 | Tundra Books
Art for the birds.
Art for the ants.
Art for the dogs, cats and raccoons.
Art to make them laugh, make them think, make them feel at home.
But who is creating it?
Only Anonymouse knows for sure . . .
This clever tale mixes street art, animals and gorgeous illustrations to create a meditation on how art can uplift any creature’s spirit – human or animal – when it speaks directly to them. Every page of Anna Pirolli’s stunning artwork is its own masterpiece with its bold pops of color and sly humor, elevating Vikki VanSickle’s subtle but evocative text.

Teddy Bear of the Year
Written by Vikki VanSickle
Illustrated by Sydney Hanson
40 Pages | Ages 3-7 | Hardcover
ISBN 9780735263925 | Tundra Books
Ollie is a regular bear with a regular job. He listens to his girl’s stories about her days, he snuggles her to sleep and he is there waiting when she gets home from school. Just your typical teddy bear stuff. So when he is whisked away to the annual teddy bears’ picnic, he feels insignificant compared to the other bears who do daring and daunting things: sleepovers, hospital stays-even a night in the lost and found! Ollie feels even more small and unimportant but he soon learns that it’s not just the big things that matter, it’s the little things too.

If I Had a Gryphon
Written by Vikki VanSickle
Illustrated by Cale Atkinson
32 Pages | Ages 3-7 | Paperback
ISBN 9781774880913 | Tundra Books
Sam just got a hamster for a pet. But the hamster is kind of boring . . . he just eats and sleeps and gets his shavings wet. Inspired by her book of mythological creatures, Sam longs for a more exciting pet. But she soon realizes that taking care of these magical beasts might not be as wonderful as she thought. Sasquatches are messy, unicorns are shy, hippogriffs scare the dogs at the dog park, and having a fire extinguisher handy at all times makes dragons seem like an awful lot of work. In the end, Sam realizes that her hamster is a pretty sweet and safe pet . . . or is he? If I Had a Gryphon is a raucous rhyming read-aloud about fantastical beasts in everyday situations – and the increasingly beleaguered heroine who has to deal with them.

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Creator Spotlight: Matthew Burgess

At Tundra Books, we want you to get to know and love our creators as much as you know and love their books. Our creator spotlight series will introduce you to the people behind some of your favorite titles . . . this week, say hello to Matthew Burgess!

About the Author:

MATTHEW BURGESS is a poet, educator, and the author of many picture books including Words with Wings and Magic Things, As Edward Imagined: A Story of Edward Gorey in Three Acts, Bird Boy, and The Bear and The Moon. His books have garnered starred reviews, a Eureka! Gold Award for Excellence in Nonfiction and spots on best-of lists from the New York Public Library, Chicago Public Library, Boston Globe, Washington Post, Kirkus Reviews, Booklist and Amazon. A associate professor of literature and creative writing at Brooklyn College, Matthew has been a poet-in-residence in New York City public schools and currently serves as senior editor of Teachers & Writers Magazine.

Q&A with Matthew Burgess:

Your books have captivated both young readers and critics alike. Can you share what inspired you to start writing poetry for children . . .

For many years, I taught poetry in New York City public schools for Teachers & Writers Collaborative. In these early elementary classrooms, I discovered that most children enjoy reading and writing poems. They haven’t yet been taught that poetry is “difficult” or hard to understand, and they experience the play of language in an immediate and visceral way. Poetry is fun, freeing – a kind of magic carpet ride. I’d read Shel Silverstein or Langston Hughes or Pablo Neruda aloud to these students and whoosh, they were off. In many ways, kids are among the most inquisitive and observant readers out there, and this realization sparked a desire to write children’s books.

. . . and what your creative process looks like when crafting a new poem or story?

When teaching the writing of poetry to kids or grown-ups, I often say to my students: play on the page and see what happens. This reflects my own process. I often write in the mornings, by hand, in a notebook – similar to the way an artist might sketch. If I hear a phrase or catch a rhythm, I noodle my way in and follow it. Sometimes it remains a sketch, but on a good day, it flowers into something more promising – a draft. Then I rewrite it on a fresh page or type it into the computer, extending or cutting, and exploring what form or shape it wants to take. This part of the process involves tinkering, experimenting, and above all, listening.

Words with Wings and Magic Things explores a wide range of everyday moments and experiences, transforming them into something magical. Can you share some of the inspirations behind the themes and specific poems in this book? Do you have a favorite poem or spread?

From the beginning, I wanted the collection to be wild and various. I wanted it to demonstrate to young readers that poetry could be all of these things: profound, soulful, silly, absurd, mystical, strange, beautiful. I wanted the poems to be formal and informal, rhyming and free verse, elegant and madcap. One way to read the seven sections, or what Doug and I refer to as “portals,” is through this lens. For instance, “Whoops and Wallops” contains poems that are more humorous – a bunch of goofballs – whereas the poems in “Whispers and Well Wishes” are more lyrical and sincere. At the same time, there are themes that run through all of the sections, and nothing is confined to a tidy container.

Your new book Words with Wings and Magic Things features illustrations by Caldecott medalist Doug Salati. How did this collaboration come about, and what was the creative process like working together to bring these poems to life?

Doug and I met for the first time in February 2020. Over coffee, I asked him what he wanted to work on next, and I remember him saying, “I want to illustrate poems.” I set to work immediately, gathering poems that I had already written and writing more. The promise of a collaboration with Doug opened a channel, and out flowed new work. Then, one month later, Covid struck and we were both in lockdown in our respective Brooklyn apartments. With a sudden abundance of solitude and time, I wrote and wrote. I would send Doug poems by email, text, even audio message, and in response, I began to receive these brilliant pencil sketches. We created the book together in this way, volleying poems and pictures back and forth. It was playful from the beginning, both a game and a conversation.

Your poems celebrate the power of words to awaken the imagination and transform the ordinary into the extraordinary. What message do you hope young readers take away from Words with Wings and Magic Things?

For me, writing a poem usually feels more like listening than speaking, more like receiving messages and passing them along. One poem, titled “Voice,” hints at this: “Imagine you’ve become an ear / whose gift it is to listen– / Many trample the morning grass, / but few will see it glisten.”

There are various winks and messages layered throughout the poems in this book, and I hesitate to list them or name them. They are in there, glistening, for those who look. But when it comes to a larger message or take-away, I believe that poetry, like art, possesses a liberating power. It can teach you to be more alive to the strangeness and beauty of life, and to be more free. If young readers connect with this, on any level, through the poems and through Doug’s pictures – that is the dream.

What advice would you give to parents and educators looking to introduce poetry to children?

I’m a huge Peanuts fan, and I often think of this comic by Charles “Sparky” Schultz. Sitting at their school desks, Schroeder, holding a book, complains to Lucy: “Studying poetry spoils the poems. Why do we have to explain a poem? That’s like trying to explain a summer sky, or a winter moon… ” This isn’t entirely true – close reading poems can be a great pleasure – but we all know what Sparky (via Schroeder) is getting at.

My advice to parents and educators looking to introduce poetry to children would be to focus on experiencing a poem, first and foremost, by reading it aloud together, and simply allowing it to play upon your mind,  your imagination, and your senses. Delight in it. Don’t think you have to solve some riddle or understand what it is saying on some “deeper level.” Sometimes a poem will provoke you to read it a second or even a third time, or it might flip a switch or turn a dial inside of you, making you feel a certain way: bouncy, or stirred up, or perplexed, or emotional, or amazed. Poems also have a way of provoking beautiful questions. When reading poems with kids, I like to raise questions and see what questions are coming up for them, with no pressure whatsoever to provide or arrive at concrete answers.

Books by Matthew Burgess:

Words with Wings and Magic Things
Written by Matthew Burgess
Illustrated by Doug Salati
128 Pages | Ages 5-9 | Hardcover
ISBN 9781774880289 | Tundra Books
Beyond the doorway of the first page of this collection awaits a dragon piñata, an alligator on the A train, a hungry yeti, an ice cream dream, jetpack sneakers, midnight firelight, a gray day, a plump tomato, a serious question and so much more. Whether you’re feeling blue, lemon yellow or Day-Glo green, this inviting and magical book of poems takes young readers on an uplifting journey through everyday moments, moods and experiences, transforming the ordinary into the extraordinary. With enchanting illustrations throughout and seven die-cut portals that open into the realms of Welcome, Wonder, Wild, Weee!, Whoops & Wallops, Windows and Whispers & Well Wishes, Words With Wings and Magic Things explores how words can awaken us to a world of wonder and possibility. Step inside . . . and take flight!

As Edward Imagined
Written by Matthew Burgess
Illustrated by Marc Majewski
48 Pages | Ages 4-8 | Hardcover
ISBN 9781984893802 | Knopf BFYR
Discover the unique childhood and life of the enigmatic and eccentric Edward Gorey whose artwork and books had a profound impact on creators such as Neil Gaiman, Lemony Snicket, and Tim Burton. Even as a young boy, readers learn that Edward constantly forged his own path, passions, and pursuits never forsaking his individuality for fame.This brilliant picture book biography is paired with a whimsical art style that captures the unrelenting creativity Edward brought to his playfully macabre creations.

Bird Boy
Written by Matthew Burgess
Illustrated by Shahrzad Maydani
32 Pages | Ages 4-8 | Hardcover
ISBN 9781984893772 | Knopf BFYR
Nico was new, and nervous about going to school. Everyone knew what to do and where to go, but Nico felt a little lost.
So, he did what he loved to do:
Watched the insects
Sat in the grass
And most importantly… befriended the birds.
Before he knew it, Nico was known as BIRD BOY. But Nico didn’t mind. Soon, he made one friend, then two, as the other kids learned to appreciate Nico for who he was. Before long, Nico learned he could be completely, delighfully, himself. This dreamy story will encourage all readers to express who they are unapologetically.

The Unbudgeable Curmudgeon
Written by Matthew Burgess
Illustrated by Fiona Woodcock
32 Pages | Ages 4-8 | Hardcover
ISBN 9780399556623 | Knopf BFYR
Have you ever seen a curmudgeon that looks like your brother, but is in such a bad mood you hardly recognize him? You can try all the peanut butter sandwiches and brownies you have, but he is not moving. Nothing works, especially nudging, and he just makes you so grumpy that eventually you have no choice but to fight back – and then . . . Have you ever become a curmudgeon that just won’t budge? Matthew Burgess’s playful depiction of bad moods and sibling rivalry is matched perfectly by Fiona Woodcock’s unique childlike art style.

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Creator Spotlight: Danielle Daniel

At Tundra Books, we want you to get to know and love our creators as much as you know and love their books. Our creator spotlight series will introduce you to the people behind some of your favorite titles . . . this week, say hello to Danielle Daniel!

About the Author:

DANIELLE DANIEL is an acclaimed author and illustrator whose journey in artmaking and book publishing has gone hand in hand with all she has learned – and continues to learn – about her Indigenous ancestry and her relationship with the land. Some of her picture books include I’m Afraid Said the Leaf, Sometimes I Feel Like a Fox (winner of the Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award and selected as one of the New York Public Library’s 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing), Sometimes I Feel Like a River and Once in a Blue Moon. Her debut Middle Grade novel, Forever Birchwood, was published in 2022, as well as her first adult novel, Daughters of the Deer. Her next middle-grade novel, Reasons to Look at the Night Sky, was published in 2024 by Tundra Books. She lives on Manitoulin Island among a large family of cedars, a husk of hares and a fifty-year-old Blanding’s turtle, who visits quite regularly.

Q&A with Danielle Daniel:

What inspired you to write Reasons to Look at the Night Sky? Can you share how you came up with the idea of intertwining Luna’s love for space with the changes she experiences in her life?

I have always loved space ever since I was a child. And, as an elementary school teacher, I also enjoyed teaching the space unit to my Grade 6 students. Not surprisingly, my great love for all things Outer Space inevitably made its way into my writing. Change is also a theme I explore throughout my work, as it’s something I continue to struggle with, even as an adult. At least, change outside of my control, which is what Luna, the main protagonist experiences often in the novel.

Your novel is written in verse. What drew you to this format for Luna’s story, and how do you think poetry enhances the emotional depth and narrative of the book?

This part is where the magic comes in. I never planned to write a novel in verse, though it’s the way this story came to me. It began in verse, from the very first sentence and I continued to follow its thread. I value both the economy of line and words to illustrate a story. I love simplifying ideas and concepts! Writing picture books and, more specifically, children’s poems has greatly influenced my novel writing, for both my adult and children’s fiction alike. I think that poetry can swiftly engage our senses and readers are able to feel the heart of the characters and story quite fully and quickly, as every word on the page becomes essential to the storytelling.

Luna is a space-obsessed girl with big dreams of becoming an astronaut. How did you develop her character, and what aspects of her personality and journey do you hope will resonate most with young readers?

Full disclosure: I once aspired to become an astronaut. My journey led me elsewhere. But never say never. 

I’m not sure how other writers operate, but I always follow my characters. I don’t plot or plan. My characters lead me as I watch and listen, at least while I write the first draft, and then I go back in and make the necessary changes as needed with each consecutive draft. In a way, Luna was always there, and, like a sculptor, I just needed to keep working until she was a whole and complete character.

I hope readers will be engaged by her confidence and her determination for pursuing her big dreams, even with all the perceived challenges and competitive odds against her. I hope they’re drawn to her curiosity, her fierce focus and her many faults, which make her so relatable. I also hope they’ll resonate with her ability to let new people into her heart, no matter how much she resists in the beginning.

Ms. Manitowabi introduces art into Luna’s science class, which is a significant shift for her. How do you see the relationship between art and science, and why did you choose to explore this dynamic in the story?

While science and art are often seen as separate entities, merging the two can lead to inspired innovation and new discoveries. I also believe that together, they can enhance our understanding of the world. The relationship between art and science strengthens each of the disciplines. I think working together across disciplines is crucial to solving many issues we face today in the modern world and exploring this synergistic relationship in the novel is a mere introduction to its advantages.

On a more personal note, I used to think that being both a writer and an artist was a hindrance to my professional development. That if I only focused on one craft, I would become better, and faster. I struggled for years wishing I could just choose one, so I could focus solely on that skill. Now I know I was wrong, that my writing feeds my art and my art feeds my writing, and being able to express myself in both art forms greatly enhances my ability to create and to communicate. It actually gives me an advantage and allows me to see the world around me with multiple and varied perspectives. It also provides much needed balance, as I can easily get lost in the weeds of my work.

Ms. Manitowabi plays a crucial role in Luna’s journey. Can you discuss the importance of mentorship in the book and how positive influences can help shape a young person’s perspective and dreams?

Yes, Ms. Manitowabi plays a pivotal role in Luna’s journey. I believe one person can change the trajectory of our lives, which is why it’s crucial for children to be exposed to positive and diverse mentors. I wanted to explore how a substitute teacher, who is with her students for a short time, could open an entire new world of learning and possibilities. I also wanted to examine how we often resist change the most, just as we’re on the precipice of great personal growth.

I hope that Ms. Manitowabi can remind us all to keep our minds and hearts open to the gifts that new people – people who think differently from us – how they can enrich our lives and even change them for the better.

Books by Danielle Daniel:

Reasons to Look at the Night Sky
By Danielle Daniel
328 Pages | Ages 9-12 | Hardcover
ISBN 9781774883532 | Tundra Books
Luna has always loved the night sky. She’s an eleven-year-old who knows everything there is to know about space, and dreams of one day becoming an astronaut. The first step in her plan to get there is to ace the space unit in her science class and secure a spot in NASA’s summer space camp. But when Luna’s teacher is unexpectedly replaced with a substitute, Ms. Manitowabi, who is looking to shake up science class by bringing in art, Luna’s carefully laid plans are crushed. And that’s not all that’s shifting in Luna’s life – changes at home and in her friendships have her feeling topsy-turvy. What on Planet Earth is happening? Reasons to Look at the Night Sky is an endearing, poetic look at the inner world of a middle schooler grappling with change from acclaimed author and illustrator Danielle Daniel.

I’m Afraid, Said the Leaf
Written by Danielle Daniel
Illustrated by Matt James
64 Pages | Ages 3-7 | Hardcover
ISBN 9781774880708 | Tundra Books
I’m afraid, Said the leaf. / You’re not alone, Said the tree. But who will comfort a nervous bird, a lonely crab, a lost wolf? How can a horse find warmth, a snail some cheer, a child some rest? Through a series of amusing and soothing exchanges, this deceptively simple and profound picture book depicts different pairings to celebrate interconnectedness and underlines the importance of caring for every living organism to ensure a strong and healthy natural world. I’m Afraid, Said the Leaf invites young readers to understand that we all need each other for support and survival – and that we’re all stronger together.

Daughters of the Deer
By Danielle Daniel
344 Pages | Paperback
ISBN 9780735282087 | Random House Canada
1657. Marie, a gifted healer of the Deer Clan, does not want to marry the green-eyed soldier from France who has asked for her hand. But her people are threatened by disease and starvation and need help against the Iroquois and their English allies if they are to survive. When her chief begs her to accept the white man’s proposal, she cannot refuse him, and sheds her deerskin tunic for a borrowed blue wedding dress to become Pierre’s bride. 1675. Jeanne, Marie’s oldest child, is seventeen, neither white nor Algonquin, caught between worlds. Caught by her own desires, too. Her heart belongs to a girl named Josephine, but soon her father will have to find her a husband or be forced to pay a hefty fine to the French crown. Among her mother’s people, Jeanne would have been considered blessed, her two-spirited nature a sign of special wisdom. To the settlers of New France, and even to her own father, Jeanne is unnatural, sinful-a woman to be shunned, beaten, and much worse. With the poignant, unforgettable story of Marie and Jeanne, Danielle Daniel reaches back through the centuries to touch the very origin of the long history of violence against Indigenous women and the deliberate, equally violent disruption of First Nations cultures.

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Creator Spotlight: Jackie Khalilieh

At Tundra Books, we want you to get to know and love our creators as much as you know and love their books. Our creator spotlight series will introduce you to the people behind some of your favorite titles . . . this week, say hello to Jackie Khalilieh!

About the Author:

JACKIE KHALILIEH is a Palestinian Canadian writer with a penchant for Samoyeds, to-do lists and staying up way too late. She is passionate about positive representation within her writing. Something More, her debut YA novel, was shortlisted for the Ruth & Sylvia Schwartz Award, as well as the Snow Willow Award and the Amy Mathers Teen Book Award, and was selected for several Best Books of 2023 lists, including the New York Public Library and Audible Canada among others. She resides just outside Toronto, Canada, with her husband and two daughters, continuing to complain nightly about having to cook dinner.

Fast Five with Jackie Khalilieh:

If you could live anywhere, where would it be?

This is going to be a boring answer, but I’m happy living where I am now. As much as I complain about the cold or the humidity in the summer, being somewhere with four seasons is important to me. So is being close to my family. Every time I go away, I get very homesick.

Younger me would have answered New York City though.

What’s one thing that can instantly make your day better?

Sleeping in! And an iced coffee, made the way I like (too much ice, too much cream).

Which meal is your favorite: breakfast, lunch, or dinner?

I make a mean breakfast! On weekends I pretend to be a disgruntled diner cook and my daughters are my regulars who don’t pay or tip. But if I don’t have a good dinner, then it puts me in a bad mood! I just wish it wasn’t always me having to make it! (see bio)

What’s the best concert you’ve ever been to?

My younger daughter and I were lucky enough to attend Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour in November of 2024. We had the best time! But now she wants to go to concerts all the time and I’m like, sorry, I can’t just ask your favorite singers to come to Toronto!

What do you look for in a friendship?

As an autistic person, making and maintaining friendships has been a lifelong challenge. My friends are so smart! Funny, talented, kind, understanding and patient.

Books by Jackie Khalilieh:

You Started It
By Jackie Khalilieh
336 Pages | Age 12+ | Hardcover
ISBN 9781774884751 | Tundra Books
Available: May 20, 2025
Seventeen-year-old Jamie Taher-Foster has big plans for senior year. She’s made a list of things and places in Toronto she and her boyfriend of three years, Ben Cameron, need to check off before graduating. And the biggest plan of all: a very special night for the two of them at the upcoming Winter Formal. But then Ben arrives back home after a summer away with an unthinkable announcement: he wants to break up. And when Jamie discovers him with Olivia Chen the next day, she is determined to get him back. Even if that means fake dating the younger, curly-haired, TikTok dancer Axel Dahini, whose bicycle she accidentally ran over. Though she and Axel have nothing in common aside from their shared Arab heritage – she’s a messy, type A with anxiety; he’s carefree but meticulous – their forced time together brings them to better understand one another. And for Jamie, it just might mean learning that not all experiences or people need to be crossed off a list.

Something More
By Jackie Khalilieh
334 Pages | Age 12+ | Paperback
ISBN 9781774882153 | Tundra Books
Fifteen-year-old Jessie, a quirky loner obsessed with the nineties, is diagnosed as autistic just weeks before starting high school. Determined to make a fresh start and keep her diagnosis a secret, Jessie creates a list of goals that range from acquiring two distinct eyebrows to getting a magical first kiss and landing a spot in the school play. Within the halls of Holy Trinity High, she finds a world where things are no longer black and white and quickly learns that living in color is much more fun. But Jessie gets more than she bargained for when two very different boys steal her heart, forcing her to go off-script.

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Creator Spotlight: Kallie George

At Tundra Books, we want you to get to know and love our creators as much as you know and love their books. Our creator spotlight series will introduce you to the people behind some of your favorite titles . . . this week, say hello to Kallie George!

About the Author:

KALLIE GEORGE is an author, editor and creative writing teacher. Her picture books include I Am a Meadow Mermaid, The Secret Fawn, and the Anne of Green Gables-inspired picture books If I Couldn’t Be Anne; Goodnight, Anne and Merry Christmas, Anne; as well as her chapter book series adapted from the Anne of Green Gables books. Kallie has written other acclaimed books for children, including I Hear You, Forest, as well as the chapter book series Crimson Twill, Bibbidi Bobbidi Academy, and Heartwood Hotel. She has also taught writing workshops for children and adults. Kallie always loves spending time at the beach, making sand cakes and other sandy treats with her family.

Spotlight on Kallie George:

What inspired you to write a story about a beachside baker?

Many of my book ideas come to me in different ways, but I would say overarchingly I’m outside when I think of ideas. I’m often hiking, exploring, or playing in nature. Sand Cakes was no different. I remember when I came up with it! I was with my older son, playing at the beach. I live on the West coast and spend a lot of time near the ocean. We were making cakes out of sand, instead of sand castles. We decorated them with shells and seaweed. The tide was rising, threatening to wash our cakes away. On the way home, the little song of “Sand-cake, sun cake, will you eat what I’ve baked” came into my head.

How did you come up with the idea of using sand as the main ingredient for the treats?

As I mentioned above, I was actually making a little sand cake instead of a sand castle. I think (if I can remember correctly) that my son and I didn’t bring any buckets or toys to the beach, and it was easier to pat a little cake out of the sand. I don’t remember now if it was me or him who called it a sand cake, I do know we pretended it was a birthday cake at one point and found a little sticks to be the candles.

How do you craft the poetic elements in your writing for young readers?

Each book is different. In this particular one, I use a simple rhyme pattern and lot of alliteration (“crispy-crusted”, “patted-perfect”), and repetition (“sand-cake, sun-cake”). There are long strings of adjectives in this book, almost like tongue twisters. I wanted it to be fun to read aloud. I suppose there’s a tradition of beachy tongue twisters, with “she sells sea shells by the seashore”!

Can you share any behind-the-scenes details about the making of this book? 

I really loved working on this with the Tundra team. We spent a lot of time on word choice – which descriptions worked the best. I tried to think of all the things that I’ve used to decorate sand castles and sand cakes at the beach – sea foam and sea glass, seaweed and sticks.

Do you have a favorite treat that the little baker makes in the book? Do you have a favorite illustration or spread?

Devon’s artwork is sublime. I absolutely adore the spreads where the sea “eats” the sand cakes. I love how, if you look very closely, you can even see a “face” in the waves. I LOVE the endpapers on this book too. I think my favorite treat that the baker makes are the sunbeam-butter-cream tarts. They should so good, I would eat one of those!

Books by Kallie George:

Sand Cakes
Written by Kallie George
Illustrated by Devon Holzwarth
48 Pages | Ages 3-7 | Hardcover
ISBN 9781774882474 | Tundra Books
Available: April 22, 2025
Sand cake, Sun cake, Sprinkle-topped with rocks cake. Will you eat what I baked? A fun day at the beach means making some sweet treats to share with everyone! The main ingredient? Sand of course! No matter how yummy her rock-sprinkled cakes, seaweed pies and sea foam cream puffs look, this little beachside baker can’t seem to get ANYONE to eat her sandy sweets. Even the seagulls turn their beaks up! Will she ever find a customer willing to give them a try? Buoyantly poetic, this funny and sweet picture book from author Kallie George, featuring endearing illustrations from Devon Holzwarth, is a read-aloud treat for readers of all ages.

I Am a Meadow Mermaid
Written by Kallie George
Illustrated by Elly MacKay
32 Pages | Ages 3-7 | Hardcover
ISBN 9780735271371 | Tundra Books
A little girl dreams of adventures in the water and feels the spirit of the ocean all around her . . . even though she lives on the prairie, with flat land as far as the eye can see. But she won’t let a little detail like that stand in the way of being a meadow mermaid! Frolicking in the “waves” of wheat and “oceans” of grass, spying sea horses and . . . a shipwrecked sailor? Even if that shipwreck is actually an overturned bike and the sailor a new kid from a neighboring field, it’s still a chance to make a new friend, one with an imagination as expansive and a love of the ocean as deep as the little girl’s own. This fanciful, whimsical picture book will charm young mermaids and little pirates everywhere, and inspire them to embrace the spirit of the ocean in the things around them, no matter where they live!

The Secret Fawn
Written by Kallie George
Illustrated by Elly MacKay
40 Pages | Ages 3-7 | Hardcover
ISBN 9780735265165 | Tundra Books
A little girl is always missing out on the wonderful things her family gets to see and do, just because she is the youngest and smallest. She misses seeing shooting stars because she goes to bed too early; she can’t pick the first apple of autumn because she’s too short; and, this morning, everyone else got to see a deer . . . except her. She goes into her backyard in search of the deer, a sugar cube tucked in her pocket. She sees a flick of brown in the orchard – is that the deer? No, it’s just the neighbor’s friendly dog (shhhhh, Nala!). Is that it by the pond? No, that’s just a bird, playing in the water. Just when she’s about to give up, she spots a fawn, beautiful, quiet and small . . . just like her. The Secret Fawn beautifully captures the power of nature to inspire children and shows how connecting with animals can help kids who feel left out or overlooked.

If I Couldn’t Be Anne
Written by Kallie George
Illustrated by Geneviève Godbout
40 Pages | Ages 3-7 | Hardcover
ISBN 9781770499287 | Tundra Books
In this whimsical and magical picture book, Anne’s boundless imagination takes flight! She imagines being all the things she loves so dearly. If I Couldn’t Be Anne, Anne with an e, what would I be . . . Anne wonders what it would be like to be the wind dancing round the treetops. A tightrope walker, breathless and brave. A princess in a palace made of apple blossoms. A magical frost fairy or a plain little wood elf. . . . But even as Anne’s imagination soars far and wide, she comes back down to earth, recognizing that some things – like friendship! – are even better than the imagination.

Tundra Book Group