Canada – Page 60 – Tundra Book Group

October 14, 2015May 7, 2025

A Call for Blog Tour Participants: Every Word

Dear Readers,

You are invited to join Ellie Marney on her North American blog tour for the second book, Every Word! Here’s what bloggers had to say during the Every Breath blog tour.

So what is a blog tour?
Similar to an author tour where the author travels from store to store across the country, a blog tour is when a series of blogs post about the book during a consecutive number of days.

What do I need to participate?
Three small things! First of all, you will need a blog and to be residing in Canada or the USA. Second, a love for reading. Third, a commitment to post on your scheduled blog tour date.

OK, tell me about the book . . .
Every Word
Written by Ellie Marney
Hardcover | 352 Pages | Ages 14 and up
ISBN: 978-1-77049-775-7
eBook: 978-1-77049-777-1
James Mycroft has just left for London to investigate a car accident similar to the one that killed his parents … without saying goodbye to Rachel Watts, his ‘partner in crime.’

Rachel is furious and worried about his strange behavior – not that Mycroft’s ever exactly normal, but London is the scene of so many of his nightmares. So Rachel jumps on a plane to follow him … and lands straight in a whole storm of trouble.

The theft of a copy of Shakespeare’s First Folio, the possible murder of a rare books conservator, and the deaths of Mycroft’s parents…. Can Watts help Mycroft make sense of these events – or will she lose him forever?

Sparks fly when Watts and Mycroft reunite in this second sophisticated thriller about the teen sleuthing duo.

How can I help during the blog tour?
As a participating blogger, you will be sent a finished copy of Every Word to read. On your assigned posting date, please schedule the post about the book for tour followers to see.

Option 1: Book Review
On your tour date, post your review of the book. We want to know what your thoughts are, particularly on Wattscroft.

Option 2: Something Fun!
Okay, we’ve all read the author interviews with Ellie, so let’s put on our deerstalker hats and think of something fun to post that relates to the book. Remember when we made Valentine’s? Are you a whiz with YouTube? Create a video! Crafty? Show us your art! Whiz at music? Create a playlist!

We will be promoting the blog tour by sharing your link on our own blog here, our facebook page, and twitter. Ellie will also be sharing your posts on her blog, facebook, and twitter page. We would greatly appreciate it if you could help spread the word too! Feel free to post your reviews on Goodreads, LibraryThing, or other online retailers.

When is the blog tour?
The blog tour will be starting on Monday, November 16, 2015 and ending on Friday, November 20, 2015.

Where do I sign up?

The sign up form is now CLOSED! Thank you to those who entered!

You can also leave a comment below if you have any questions. Thank you!

Cheers,
Sylvia

October 13, 2015May 7, 2025

Tuesdays with Tundra 51

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

Heartache and Other Natural Shocks
Written by Glenda Leznoff
Hardcover | 384 Pages | Ages 14+
ISBN: 978-1-77049-836-5
eBook: 978-1-77049-837-2
“She said, she said, with a dose of Shakespearean intrigue … a refreshing break from contemporary teen fiction.” – Kirkus Reviews

When Santa Was a Baby
Written by Linda Bailey
Illustrated by GeneviÃ¨ve Godbout
Hardcover | 32 Pages | Ages 3-7
ISBN: 978-1-77049-556-2
“Bailey and Godbout give Santa Claus a backstory in this sweetly funny account, warmly illustrated with soft, nostalgic pencil and pastel artwork…a clever take on the Santa myth that develops him as a character with his own thoughts and motivations…Godbout’s cozy artwork gives the book the feel of a classic while also offering some cheeky moments – as when a young Santa stands naked in front of an open fridge, trying to cool down.” – Starred Review, Publishers Weekly

Today Is the Day
Written by Eric Walters
Illustrated by Eugenie Fernandes
Hardcover | 32 Pages | Ages 6-9
ISBN: 978-1-77049-648-4
“A different sort of birthday celebration is at the bighearted center of this picture book…. Text and colorful art with expressive line combine to depict the orphanage as a place of care and safety for the children, who still have ties to family despite significant losses and difficulties…. Endnotes ground the story in its inspiration from a real orphanage in Kenya while also explaining to more privileged Western children how someone might not know his or her birthday. Both deeply important and purely joyful.” – Kirkus Reviews

Hockey Hero
Written by Zachary Hyman
Illustrated by Zachary Pullen
Hardcover | 40 Pages | Ages 6-9
ISBN: 978-1-77049-630-9
“…the story has an ingenuous wisdom. And Grandpa is just kooky enough-painting his face red and white for games and throwing octopuses onto the ice…. A fine look into hockey’s heart.” – Kirkus Reviews

What We Hide
Written by Marthe Jocelyn
Trade Paperback | 288 Pages | Ages 14+
ISBN: 978-1-77049-643-9
eBook: 978-1-77049-644-6
“Jocelyn provides authentic British flavor and an evocative representation of the tumultuous ’60s, when teens challenged social conventions. Intrigue builds as many figures, willingly or unwillingly, come face-to-face with what they are hiding and must decide whether to drop their deceptive facades.” – Publishers Weekly

Pub Date Giveaway: In the comments below, please tell us which new October 2015 release of Tundra’s you would love to read and one lucky reader will receive their requested book! One request per person and please review our rules. This giveaway ends at midnight on Monday, October 19, 2015!

UPDATE: Congratulations to Jane, who won a copy of When Santa Was a Baby.

October 7, 2015May 7, 2025

Finalists for the 2015 Governor General’s Literary Awards

Each year, the Canada Council for the Arts honours the best books in Canadian literature with the Governor General’s Literary Awards. This year, we have four finalists in Children’s Literature, two in text and two in illustrations. Huge congratulations to our authors and illustrators!

Children’s Literature – Text

Audrey (cow)
Written by Dan Bar-el
Illustrated by Tatjana Mai-Wyss
Hardcover | 240 Pages | Ages 7-10
ISBN: 978-1-77049-602-6
eBook: 978-1-77049-604-0
“Animal Farm meets The Great Escape…. The result is purely delightful, as are Tatjana Mai-Wyss’s appropriately vintage-looking spot illustrations. The short first-person passages help move the story along, ending with a comedy-of-errors that culminates in Audrey happily living out her days at an animal sanctuary. Bar-el manages to gently and thoughtfully introduce kids to the concept of the abattoir while also underscoring that a farm’s very purpose is producing food. At its heart, Audrey (cow) encourages kids to think even as it entertains – the mark of wonderful children’s literature.” – Starred Review, Quill & Quire

We Are All Made of Molecules
Written by Susin Nielsen
Hardcover | 256 Pages | Ages 12 and up
ISBN: 978-1-77049-779-5
eBook: 978-1-77049-781-8
“Drama, humour, poignancy, and suspense are rarely found in such perfect proportions as in Governor General’s Literary Award-winner Susin Nielsen’s new novel about a teen odd couple forced together in a blended family situation…We Are All Made of Molecules is chockablock with timely and weighty issues, yet it feels feather-light thanks in large part to some truly funny writing. Teens will be so busy turning pages they won’t even realize they’re thinking. This is stellar, top-notch stuff.” – Starred Review, Quill & Quire

Congratulations to the other finalists in this category: Darren Groth for Are You Seeing Me?, Caroline Pignat for The Gospel Truth, and Emil Sher for Young Man with Camera.

Children’s Literature – Illustrated Books

The Good Little Book
Written by Kyo Maclear
Illustrated by Marion Arbona
Hardcover | 40 Pages | Ages 5-9
ISBN: 978-1-77049-451-0
“Maclear steers clear of ‘reading is good for you’ and focuses instead on a boy’s affection for a dearly loved object and sorrow at its loss. But with the affection is something more subtle, a celebration of the comfort of rereading, of having a favourite book that’s the only book for you. And Arbona’s art works well at aiding and abetting that play of imagination and feeling. Cockeyed perspectives, vivid colours and comic, surreal scenes show how dynamic, how animated, the love for a favourite story can be. Funny and thoughtful.” – The Toronto Star

Bug in a Vacuum
Written by Mélanie Watt
Hardcover | 96 Pages | Ages 5-9
ISBN: 978-1-77049-645-3
“In a story heady and intellectually ambitious enough for a jaded adult, yet suited to a child’s down-to-earth appetites, a wide-eyed fly gets vacuumed up. Trapped, it goes through the five stages of grief … each first depicted by Watt as a funny retro product like bug spray…. There’s a journey, yes, into the light, but it’s a happy ending that may just prompt sheer joy at the simple fact of being alive.” – The New York Times

Congratulations to the other finalists in this category: Andy Jones and Darka Erdelji for Jack, the King of Ashes, JonArno Lawson and Sydney Smith for Sidewalk Flowers, and John Martz for A Cat Named Tim and Other Stories.

Go online to discover the year’s best books and their authors, illustrators and translators, on the new interactive GG website. Follow the conversation on Twitter through @CanadaCouncil and by using the hashtag #GGbooks. Like the GGs on Facebook for all the latest updates.

The winners of the 2015 Governor General Literary Awards will be announced on Wednesday, October 28 at 6:30 am.

September 10, 2015May 7, 2025

Finalists for the 2015 Canadian Children’s Book Centre Awards

The Canadian Children’s Book Centre (CCBC) has announced the finalists for its major children’s book awards – the TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award, Prix TD de littérature canadienne pour l’enfance et la jeunesse, Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award, Norma Fleck Award for Canadian Children’s Non-Fiction, Geoffrey Bilson Award for Historical Fiction for Young People, John Spray Mystery Award, the Monica Hughes Award for Science Fiction and Fantasy, and the Amy Mathers Teen Book Award.

The nominated books exemplify some of the best work by Canadian authors and illustrators. The following Tundra titles have been chosen:

MARILYN BAILLIE PICTURE BOOK AWARD

Hope Springs
Written by Eric Walters
Illustrated by Eugenie Fernandes
Hardcover | 32 Pages | Ages 6-9
ISBN: 978-1-77049-530-2
“Hope Springs is based on the real life struggles of a young boy living in drought-stricken rural Kenya… Walters deftly engages readers from the first line of the first page and Fernandes’s vibrant illustrations happily carry us along as the story unfolds. The result is a multi-layered tale that not only enlightens readers about the need for access to fresh water, but also conveys a meaningful message about compassion, kindness and sharing… Perhaps most importantly, the book offers inspiration to young readers about the power of one person, even a young child, to make a difference.”

Nancy Knows
Written by CybÃ¨le Young
Hardcover | 40 Pages | Ages 3-7
ISBN: 978-1-77049-482-4
“A simple storyline, sparse text and ingenious illustrations come together beautifully in this delightful picture book… Readers follow Nancy, a charming little elephant, as she struggles to remember something very important. As readers ponder what that might be, they encounter on each page a new assortment of tiny treasures to explore, cleverly constructed paper sculptures that bring Nancy’s thoughts to life… This is a book to be read and enjoyed over and over again.”

JOHN SPRAY MYSTERY AWARD

The Voice inside My Head
Written by S.J. Laidlaw
Hardcover | 256 Pages | Ages 14+
ISBN: 978-1-77049-565-4
eBook: 978-1-77049-566-1
“A gripping portrayal of jealousy, mystery and the strength of family bonds… Losing a sibling is horrible. Not knowing how she died, or why, makes it even worse. Luke hears his sister Pat’s voice, urging him to catch her killer. Along the way, Luke finds out his sister was a bit of a mystery herself… The exotic setting of Utila, a small island off the coast of Honduras, drives this excellent, well-paced story… A gripping adventure story and a sensitive exploration of the power of family ties – The Voice inside My Head will satisfy readers who seek both thrills and insights.”

AMY MATHERS TEEN BOOK AWARD

What We Hide
Written by Marthe Jocelyn
Hardcover | 288 Pages | Ages 14+
ISBN: 978-1-77049-642-2
eBook: 978-1-77049-644-6
“Using a variety of narrative styles, Jocelyn gives us the opportunity to think deeply about the profound role of secrets in our lives – who has them, who keeps them, who does not, and why… Set in the 1970s and told from eight points of view, teenage boarding students’ secrets are revealed to create a layered and nuanced tale of prejudice, assumptions and lies… Letters, scripts and straight narration keep the pace of this character-driven novel moving forward in this thought-provoking meditation on the nature of truth and perspective.”

Thank you to the judges for their considerations and again, congratulations to our authors, illustrators, and our hardworking publishing team! The winners will be announced at the TD Canadian Children’s Literature Awards Gala in Toronto on November 18, 2015.

September 8, 2015May 7, 2025

Tuesdays with Tundra 50

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

Seven Dead Pirates
Written by Linda Bailey
Hardcover | 304 Pages | Ages 8-12
ISBN: 978-1-77049-815-0
eBook: 978-1-77049-817-4
“Ahoy, ye maties: don’t miss this treasure of a middle grade yarn.” – Starred Review, School Library Journal
“Piratical fun well-stocked with colorful cast members living and arrghh.” – Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews

Every Word
Written by Ellie Marney
Hardcover | 352 Pages | Ages 14+
ISBN: 978-1-77049-775-7
eBook: 978-1-77049-777-1
“Every Word is a fantastic sequel. The plot is almost unbearably fast-paced, the romance is as complex as the people involved, and the characters are wonderfully developed over the novel, even the ones you thought you knew from the last book. Every Word most definitely will remind you that “edge of your seat” is a phrase for a reason- I literally was on the edge of mine. Recommended!” – The Book Wars

Haze
The Rephaim, Book 2
Written by Paula Weston
Trade Paperback | 448 Pages | Ages 14+
ISBN: 978-1-77049-551-7
eBook: 978-1-77049-552-4
“This atmospheric and romantic sequel will be embraced by fans of the first book.” – School Library Journal

Speak a Word for Freedom
Women against Slavery
Written by Janet Willen and Marjorie Gann
Hardcover | 216 Pages | Ages 12+
ISBN: 978-1-77049-651-4
eBook: 978-1-77049-653-8
“Readers who think of slavery as an institution relegated to the past will be enlightened by this engrossing study of female abolitionists from the 18th century to the present day…. A powerful indictment of human rights abuses and tribute to the women who have fought them.” – Starred Review, Publishers Weekly

Five Thousand Years of Slavery
Written by Marjorie Gann and Janet Willen
Trade Paperback | 176 Pages | Ages 10+
ISBN: 978-1-101-91792-3
eBook: 978-1-77049-151-9
“This well-researched global survey introduces readers to slavery practices, customs, suffering, uprisings, and revolts as well as antislavery efforts from ancient Greece and Rome to today’s world…. The authors promote global awareness and issue a call to action…. Informative documentary photos and factually rich sidebars enhance the text. A timeline lists pivotal moments from the rise of Sumerian cities to the 2001 Cocoa Protocol denouncing child labor on African cocoa plantations. This groundbreaking title brings the disturbing subject into historical and contemporary focus.” – Starred Review, School Library Journal