Category: books

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Tuesdays with Tundra 6

Tuesdays with Tundra is a monthly post on our new releases. The following books are available today in stores and online!

Counting on Snow
By Maxwell Newhouse
ISBN 978-0-88776-985-6
US $14.95 / CAN $16.99
Ages 2-5
“… perfectly paced: each turn of the page reveals a new level of intensity in the growing blizzard, bringing an enjoyable hide-and-seek element…. Newhouse infuses every creature’s peering black eyes with character and life…. Newhouse’s sensitive portrayal of the stark Arctic landscape creates an atmospheric chilliness that perfectly captures a winter evening north of the 49th parallel. Original without being gimmicky, Counting on Snow should come with the purchase of every crib in this country, as it has all the makings of a Canadian classic.” – Starred Review, Quill & Quire

Design It! The Ordinary Things You Use Everyday and the Not-So-Ordinary Ways They Came to Be
By Rona Arato
Illustrated by Claudia Newell
ISBN 978-0-88776-846-0
US $20.95 / CAN $22.99
Ages 8-11
“… Arato goes beyond the question of how an object is designed to consider why. Kids are challenged to look closely at the products in their own homes, think critically about what makes for good design, and just as important, imagine how certain objects can be improved…. With its quirky cartoons, fun facts, and thought-provoking challenges, Design It! is a perfect introduction to the way the products we use each day, from toasters to telephones, came to be.” – Quill & Quire

Zero Kisses for Me
By Manuela Monari
Illustrated by Virginie Soumagnac
ISBN 978-1-77049-208-0
US $15.95 / CAN $17.99
Ages 4-7
“…Monari’s slight tale of a little child with big-kid ambitions is spot on the mark. Told mostly in a loving dialogue between mother and child, the language and syntax are true to life and utterly believable. Soumagnac’s cartoon-style illustrations are a perfect match….  This is a sit-on-your-lap, kiss-and-hug read-aloud.” – Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews

Pub Date Giveaway: ‘Tis almost the season to be giving. Which book would you love to get your hands on? Leave us a comment below and one lucky reader will receive a copy of their requested book, courtesy of Tundra! One request per person and please review our rules. This offer ends at midnight on Wednesday, November 10th, 2010!

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Ghost Tracker Winners

Thank you for entering our ghostly giveaway contest. There were many great entries and because of that, we had a hard time agreeing on one Grand Prize winner. With so many heartfelt and creative responses, we’ve decided to give everyone an even chance and went to our trusty random generator. We hope you understand!

The Grand Prize winner number is 7!
Congratulations to Inspired Kathy! You will be getting the “Ghost Trackers” duffel bag and a copy of Ghost Trackers. Please check your inbox for an e-mail from us.

Here are the 5 winning numbers for the secondary prize:

Congratulations to Crissy Durst, Cheryl Schenk, Velvet Hubler, Alexis Wenzowski, and Laura! You will each be getting a copy of Ghost Trackers, please check your inbox for an e-mail from us.

For more information about the “Ghost Trackers” television show, have a look at this clip:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBapOa6a5og]

Have a safe and happy Halloween everyone!

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Trick or Treat

No tricks whatsoever, we’re giving away some ghostly treats today! Take a look at the Grand Prize, courtesy of CCI Entertainment and Tundra Books:

The grand prize is a sturdy “Ghost Trackers” duffel bag (imagine going trick-or-treating with this) and a copy of Ghost Trackers.

This bag will fit all your ghost tracking tools and it even includes a shoulder strap and small mesh bag.

In case you don’t win the Grand Prize, we’re also giving away 5 copies of Ghost Trackers so that you can learn to be the ultimate ghost tracker this Halloween! Here is more information about the book:

Ghost Trackers: The Unreal World of Ghosts, Ghost-Hunting, and the Paranormal
Written by Chris Gudgeon & CCI Entertainment
Paperback | 80 Pages | Ages 9+
ISBN 9780887769504

Inspired by the hit television series “Ghost Trackers,” this ghostly tome invites readers to explore the mysteries that haunt us all: ghostly histories, how to equip yourself to explore a haunted house, the latest on what the scientists think. All this and much more is packed into this fascinating book.

In the world of Ghost Trackers, kids who are interested in ghosts and the paranormal search for answers to the questions we all have about the afterlife. Full of stories of sightings, both ancient and recent, and information about becoming a ghost tracker, this book demands to be read and shared. After all, who knows if ghosts are evidence of life after death or if they are simply a natural occurrence we are yet to understand?

What do you have to do to enter, you ask?

  • Please leave a comment below telling us if you were to see a ghost, who would you want it to be, and why?
  • The staff at Tundra will decide on their favourite response and that person will win the Grand Prize.
  • The 5 Ghost Tracker book winners will be chosen at random.
  • We will ship to Canada and the U.S.A. – so keep in mind you will need a Canadian or American mailing address to receive the prize.
  • The giveaway closes on October 29, 2010 at 11:00 am EST.
  • Please read our giveaway rules here.
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The 2011 OLA Forest of Reading® Nominees

Yesterday, the Ontario Library Association revealed the short-listed nominated titles for the 2011 Forest of Reading®. All nominated titles have been posted on the Reading Program page of the OLA website, which you can visit at http://www.accessola.com/reading.

Tundra would like to congratulate Jane Barclay, Renné Benoit, Monica Kulling, Bill Slavin, Ann Love, Jane Drake, and Nancy Hartry!

Blue Spruce Award (JK-Grade 2)

Proud as a Peacock, Brave as a Lion
By Jane Barclay
Illustrated by Renné Benoit
ISBN 978-88776-951-1
Hardcover
24 Pages
“…Barcaly has taken on an important topic in an effective and touching way…. The text is complemented beautifully with Benoit’s artwork rendered in watercolours and gouache. The gentle wash of colours is soft and expressive, with the red poppies making an impression….” – CM Magazine

Silver Birch Award – Express (Grades 2-4)

It’s a Snap! George Eastman’s First Photograph
By Monica Kulling
Illustrated by Bill Slavin
ISBN 978-88776-881-1
Hardcover
32 Pages
“…Love the story, the history and the illustrations. We had a great time reading it together and talking about how much cameras have changed. It’s great to look at our past to see how far we’ve come….” – The Book Broads

Silver Birch Award – Nonfiction (Grades 4-6)

Talking Tails: The Incredible Connection Between People and Their Pets
By Ann Love and Jane Drake
Illustrated by Bill Slavin
ISBN 978-88776-884-2
Hardcover
80 Pages
“…Written in what might be described as an infectiously friendly fashion, with an ample array of narrative … and plentifully illustrated with witty watercolours by the irrepressible Bill Slavin, Talking Tails will appeal to those who are contemplating having a pet in their lives, or those who just want affirmation of the rightness of their choice of pet – and perhaps more information about the cat, dog or leopard gecko they dote on.” – The Globe and Mail

Golden Oak Award (Adult Learners)

Watching Jimmy
By Nancy Hartry
ISBN 978-88776-871-2
Hardcover
160 Pages
“…Nancy Hartry’s observant, smart, and iconoclastic narrator floats the story over the surface of a despair which often threatens to engulf the characters, but somehow never does….” – Canadian Literature

The Festival of Treesâ„¢ will be taking place on May 11-12, 2011 at the Harbourfront Centre. We’ll be there to cheer on our authors and illustrators!

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Picasso

On this day in 1881, Pablo Picasso was born! Learn more about this artist:

Picasso: Soul on Fire
Written by Rick Jacobson
Illustrated by Laura Fernandez and Rick Jacobson
ISBN 978-0-88776-599-5
Ages 10+ | Hardcover | 32 pages

Modern art has a language, and when it is learned it opens the door to treasure. In Picasso: Soul on Fire, Rick Jacobson and Laura Fernandez present more than the story of the painter’s life. They provide young readers with the tools with which to understand his work.

Picasso was an expert draftsman – his rendering of pigeons’ feet by the time he was eleven was so detailed that his artist father recognized the boy’s genius and stopped painting. But he took art much further, using emotions to redefine the way we see. His sense of joy infused his Rose Period. His sadness over the loss of a friend is reflected in his famous Blue Period. His viewing of an African mask made him reexamine his ideas of shape.

This beautifully illustrated homage is a splendid introduction to modern art.

Praise for Picasso:

  • “Written in simple, clear language, it effortlessly leads readers through the life of the artist, exploring his influences, selected works, and his creative processes. The softly radiant oil paintings are mostly full page and enhance the enjoyment of the book…. A timeline fleshes out some of the facts imparted in the text. This eloquent tribute will serve as an introduction to Picasso and to an artist’s inspirations.” – School Library Journal
  • “Fernandez and Jacobson reveal Picasso to young readers through beautiful images from the painter’s life and reproductions of some of Picasso’s works. An excellent introduction to modern art for young readers.” – BC Parent
  • “Jacobsen is to be congratulated for taking a little-known figure to children and making him – and modern art – accessible. Though aimed at ages 10 and up, the book’s compelling story, beautiful illustration and reproduced paintings of Picasso will appeal to anyone who loves art.” – Today’s Parent
  • “…with its unusual portraits and basic introduction to cubism and Picasso’s life, this will be an intriguing addition to the surprisingly slender offerings about the artist for this age group.” – Booklist
  • “…powerful, full-page oil paintings of Picasso at various stages of his life.” – The Globe and Mail
  • Finalist for the 2005/2006 Hackmatack Award
  • Shortlist for the Amelia Francis Howard-Gibbon Book Award
  • Finalist in the Nautilus 2005 Book Awards

Available in paperback on May 10, 2011.

Tundra Book Group