Category: Fall 2014

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Putting the YA in FRIYAY: Introducing #PenguinFlashback

Hello and welcome to the first edition of #PenguinFlashback! Each month, we’re picking a different theme and featuring one of our fave books from years past that match the theme. This month, we’re talking “Swoony Couples” so we had to gush about Every Breath and Every Word by Ellie Marney.
 
 
And now here’s the fun part: we need your help! Next month’s theme is “Girl Boss” – you have until February 21 to comment on our Instagram post and suggest your favourite Penguin Random House YA book featuring a girl boss (aka “strong female character”). Then check back here in March to see which one was nominated. Can’t wait to see what you come up with!
By Ellie Marney
ISBN 9781770497726 | Hardcover
Ages 14+ | Tundra Books
Release date: October 14, 2014
When James Mycroft drags Rachel Watts off on a night mission to the Melbourne Zoo, the last thing she expects to find is the mutilated body of Homeless Dave, one of Mycroft’s numerous eccentric friends. But Mycroft’s passion for forensics leads him to realize that something about the scene isn’t right–and he wants Watts to help him investigate the murder. While Watts battles her attraction to bad-boy Mycroft, he’s busy getting himself expelled and clashing with the police, becoming murder suspect number one. When Watts and Mycroft unknowingly reveal too much to the cold-blooded killer, they find themselves in the lion’s den–literally. A trip to the zoo will never have quite the same meaning to Rachel Watts again…
 
By Ellie Marney
ISBN 9781770497757 | Hardcover
Ages 14+ | Tundra Books
Release date: September 8, 2015
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 the three events – or will she lose him forever? Sparks fly when Watts and Mycroft reunite in this second sophisticated thriller about the teen sleuthing duo.

 

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2015 Baker’s Dozen

We’re known for our love of bakery treats here at Tundra, so we couldn’t be more pleased when we saw that one of our titles was chosen for the Pennsylvania Center for the Book’s Baker’s Dozen. Congratulations to Teagan White!

Adventures with Barefoot CrittersAdventures with Barefoot Critters
Written by Teagan White
Hardcover | 32 Pages | Ages 4-8
ISBN: 978-1-77049-624-8
“What child doesn’t love an adventure? This book allows the reader to share a journey through the months of the year with a variety of friendly critters as travel companions. Each beautifully illustrated page features a letter of the alphabet and depicts a simple yet imaginative activity, from ‘building a bridge of branches’ in January to setting ‘ships to sail in the stream’ in September. Readers will enjoy exploring the rich details on each page and discussing what adventures they might get into next. The dust jacket, or paper cover, also contains a poster of the critters on the move!” – The Pennsylvania Center for the Book

The Pennsylvania Center for the Book works with hundreds of children’s books each year while preparing booklists, activities, and curriculum materials. The center consider these 13 titles-a Baker’s Dozen-to be the very best picture books published in 2014. The books fulfill the goals of family literacy programs across the nation: to create lifelong readers and lovers of books and to start with the youngest audience-preschool children. Thank you to the Selection Committee for all their hard work!

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2015 IODE Violet Downey Book Award Winner

The winner was announced for the 2015 IODE Violet Downey Book Award and we want to congratulate Charis Cotter, author of The Swallow: A Ghost Story.

Charis Cotter
Founded in 1900, IODE Canada is a national women’s charitable organization dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for individuals through education support, community services, and citizenship programs. For more information about their organization and charitable work, please visit www.iode.ca.

The SwallowThe Swallow: A Ghost Story
Written by Charis Cotter
Hardcover | 320 Pages | Ages 9-12
ISBN: 978-1-77049-591-3
“Spooky tension, friendship and compassion permeate this exquisitely plotted middle-grade ghost story … the story structure weaves its way in and out-riveting and tumbling with tension but never obvious, leaving the readers wondering if anything is really as it seems … readers will seesaw between chills and snorts of laughter. When Cotter delivers the final twist, it is a denouement that becomes a springboard for greater revelations that lead to even greater reader satisfaction. Middle-grade storytelling at its very best-extraordinary.” – Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews

For a look at last year’s winner, click here.

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2015/2016 Red Cedar Book Award Nominations

We are happy to announce that two of our titles have been nominated for the 2015/2016 Red Cedar Book Award, hosted by B.C. Young Readers’ Choice Awards!

audreyAudrey (cow)
Written by Dan Bar-el
Illustrated by Tatjana Mai-Wyss
Hardcover | 240 Pages | Ages 7-10
ISBN 978-1-77049-602-6
“Animal Farm meets The Great Escape…. The back-and-forth among the characters is over the top … but Bar-el pulls it off with great charm. 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 and Quire

The SwallowThe Swallow: A Ghost Story
Written by Charis Cotter
Hardcover | 320 Pages | Ages 9-12
ISBN 978-1-77049-591-3
“Spooky tension, friendship and compassion permeate this exquisitely plotted middle-grade ghost story. …the story structure weaves its way in and out-riveting and tumbling with tension but never obvious, leaving the readers wondering if anything is really as it seems. …readers will seesaw between chills and snorts of laughter. When Cotter delivers the final twist, it is a denouement that becomes a springboard for greater revelations that lead to even greater reader satisfaction. Middle-grade storytelling at its very best-extraordinary.” – Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews

Congratulations to Dan Bar-el, Tatjana Mai-Wyss, and Charis Cotter! The winner will be announced on May 9th at the Red Cedar Gala in Vancouver.

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2014 Science in Society Book Award Winner

We’re thrilled to announce that Elise Gravel’s The Fly won the Canadian Science Writers’ Association‘s Science in Society Award for Children/Middle Grade Book!

The FlyThe Fly
Written by Elise Gravel
Hardcover | 32 Pages | Ages 6-9
ISBN: 978-1-77049-636-1
“The Fly is a unique nonfiction book about the common housefly. Full of interesting facts, the book reads more like a picture book or simple graphic novel. Everything you never wanted to know about one of mankind’s least favourite creatures is covered in this book…. Each page has incredible visual appeal and is very eye-catching…. Gravel’s ability to turn the most disgusting fact into an adorable drawing is remarkable…. This series is a must-read for children who like the world’s most unlikeable creatures. Highly Recommended.” – CM Magazine

Each year the Canadian Science Writers’ Association offers two book awards to honour outstanding contributions to science writing 1) intended for and available to children/middle grades ages 8-12 years, and 2) intended for and available to the general public for books that were published in Canada during the previous calendar year. This year the CSWA received a record number of entries in both categories. Entries were judged on the basis of initiative, originality, scientific accuracy, clarity of interpretation and value in promoting a better understanding of science by the public.

The winner will be presented a plaque and $1000 cash prize during the awards dinner in Saskatoon in mid-June. Congratulations Elise!

Tundra Book Group