We are so happy to see one of our titles selected for the Globe 100 under Favourite Middle Grade/Young Adult this year. Congratulations to Kate De Goldi and Gregory O’Brien!
The ACB with Honora Lee
Written by Kate De Goldi
Illustrated by Gregory O’Brien
Hardcover | 128 Pages | Ages 10 and up
ISBN: 978-1-77049-722-1
eBook: 978-1-77049-723-8
“Kate de Goldi writes surprising and warmly hilarious books where sensitive children make imaginative sense of the world around them. Perry’s grandmother, Honora Lee, lives at Santa Lucia, a rest home, but never remembers Perry’s visits, let alone who she is or if she is a girl or a boy. What she does remember, though, are bits of poetry, sharp and cheeky quips, and how to steal mints from other residents’ rooms. Perry notices Honora’s interest in the alphabet, and the great fun and interest of the book is in the creation of ‘The ACB’ book as it follows the serpentine, sometimes broken logic of Honora and her roomies at Santa Lucia. For example, ‘S is for Sideways Geoffrey,’ who always seems to end up horizontal in his chair and has to watch the television the wrong way. Deceptively simply told for all its sophistication, and so smart, too.” – The Globe and Mail
14th Annual Writers’ Trust Awards
Last night, the 14th Annual Writers’ Trust Awards was held at the Glenn Gould Studio in Toronto. The following award winners were announced:
- Rogers Writers’ Trust Fiction Prize
- Latner Writers’ Trust Poetry Prize
- Writers’ Trust Engel/Findley Award
- Vicky Metcalf Award for Literature for Young People
- Matt Cohen Award: In Celebration of a Writing Life
- Writers’ Trust / McClelland & Stewart Journey Prize
Congratulations to Cary Fagan on being this year’s recipient of the Vicky Metcalf Award for Literature for Young People. This award honours a Canadian author of children’s literature whose body of work is judged to demonstrate the highest literary standards.
Cary Fagan is an award-winning author for children. His kids’ books include the popular Kaspar Snit novels and the picture book Mr. Zinger’s Hat, for which he won the Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award and the IODE Jean Throop Award. He has won the Jewish Book Award, and been shortlisted for the Silver Birch Award (five times), the Rocky Mountain Book Award (twice), the Hackmatack Award (twice), the Norma Fleck Award, the Shining Willow Award, and others. Fagan is also the author of six novels and three short story collections for adults. He was born and raised in Toronto, where he lives with his family.
Here are some of Cary Fagan’s publications with Tundra:
Mr. Zinger’s Hat (2012)
Ella May and the Wishing Stone (2011)
Jacob Two-Two on the High Seas (2009)
Thing-Thing (2008)
Ten Lessons for Kaspar Snit (2008)
Directed by Kaspar Snit (2007)
My New Shirt (2007)
Ten Old Men and a Mouse (2007)
The Fortress of Kaspar Snit (2004)
Beyond the Dance: A Ballerina’s Life (with Chan Hon Goh) (2002)
Daughter of the Great Zandini (2001)
The Market Wedding (2000)
Gogol’s Coat (1999)
“Organic prose and authentic dialogue are defining features of Cary Fagan’s prolific body of work, which covers the range of children’s genres from picture books to novels. With a kid’s eye-view Fagan navigates the ups and downs of life with genuine warmth and a wry sense of humour. His stories perambulate a landscape of small adventures, creating moments of epiphany for his characters that ultimately alter and shift their lens on the world. Magic animates his narratives and its transformative power is Fagan’s instrument for constructing a child’s imaginative space, allowing the reader to find themselves in the story. Nuanced and understated in both semantics and voice, Fagan’s stories are a perfect balance between the comic and the dramatic. Artfully rendered narratives and exquisite syntax make each of his tales pearls of meaningful simplicity. Fagan is a master storyteller.” – Jury Citation
The goal of the Metcalf Foundation is to enhance the effectiveness of people and organizations working together to help Canadians imagine and build a just, healthy and creative society. Vicky Metcalf created this award in 1963 to stimulate the writing of literature for Canadian children. She held a passion for storytelling and published several children’s books. The prize has been administered by the Writers’ Trust since 2002.
We would like to thank the jurors – Gwyneth Evans, Susan Perren, and Joanne Schwartz – for all their work. Thank you to everyone who attended the event and cheered for Cary Fagan. Finally, thank you to the Sponsors, Board of Directors, Authors’ Committee, and the staff at Writers’ Trust of Canada.
The 2015 OLA Forest of Reading® Nominees
Today, the Ontario Library Association revealed the nominated titles for the 2015 Forest of Reading® program. Tundra would like to congratulate the nominated authors and illustrators!
BLUE SPRUCEâ„¢ 2015 NOMINATED TITLES
The Highest Number in the World
Written by Roy MacGregor
Illustrated by Genevieve Després
Hardcover | 32 Pages
ISBN: 978-1-77049-575-3
eBook: 978-1-77049-576-0
“From the moment Grandma begins to share her past and her passion for hockey, the story’s context becomes broader, more complex, and more meaningful. A memorable, intergenerational picture book perfect for sharing.” – Booklist
- The Day My Mom Came To Kindergarten by Maureen Fergus and Mike Lowery
- Kenta and the Big Wave by Ruth Ohi
- Loula is Leaving for Africa by Anne Villeneuve
- The Man with the Violin by Kathy Stinson and Dusan Petricic
- Morris Micklewhite and the Tangerine Dress by Christine Baldacchino and Isabelle Malenfant
- The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires
- My Blue Is Happy by Jessica Young and Catia Chien
- Oddrey and the New Kid by Dave Whamond
- Young Frank, Architect by Frank Viva
SILVER BIRCH® EXPRESS 2015 NOMINATED TITLES
The Fly
Written by Elise Gravel
Hardcover | 32 Pages
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…. This series is a must-read for children who like the world’s most unlikeable creatures.” – Highly Recommended, CM Magazine
My Name Is Blessing
Written by Eric Walters
Illustrated by Eugenie Fernandes
Hardcover | 32 Pages
ISBN: 978-1-77049-301-8
“This expressive picture book, based on a real family, lovingly tells a hard story with a twist. It’s difficult to broach poverty, disability and custody issues in so few pages without sounding maudlin, but Walters manages by speaking simply…. With dignity and quiet acceptance, this story illustrates that blessings, like family, can take unexpected forms.” – Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews
- Be a Wilderness Detective by Peggy Kochanoff
- Every Day is Malala Day by Rosemary McCarney
- From There To Here by Laurel Croza and Matt James
- The Great Bike Rescue by Hazel Hutchins
- How To Save A Species by Jonathan Baillie and Marilyn Baillie
- Kung Pow Chicken #1 Let’s Get Cracking by Cyndi Marko
- Prove It, Josh by Jenny Watson
- Seconds by Sylvia Taekema
RED MAPLE NON-FICTIONâ„¢ 2015 NOMINATED TITLES
Legends, Icons & Rebels
Music That Changed the World
Written by Robbie Robertson, Jim Guerinot, Sebastian Robertson and Jared Levine
Hardcover | 128 Pages
ISBN: 978-1-77049-571-5
eBook: 978-1-77049-573-9
“Wow, just wow! This book is big in every way…. The book’s art is hard to resist … it’s a treat that the words grab as much as the pictures.” – Starred Review, Booklist
- Growing Up, Inside and Out by Kira Vermond and Carl Chin
- It’s Catching: The Infectious World of Germs and Microbes by Jennifer Gardy and Josh Holinaty
- The Last Train: A Holocaust Story by Rona Arato
- Looks Like Daylight: Voices of Indigenous Kids by Deborah Ellis
- Pay It Forward Kids: Small Acts, Big Change by Nancy Runstedler
- Real Justice: Sentenced to Life at Seventeen: The story of David Milgaard by Cynthia J. Faryon
- Starting From Scratch: What You Should Know About Food and Cooking by Sarah Elton and Jeff Kulak
- We Are Canada by Rikia Saddy and Cameron McLellan
- Why Do We Fight?: Conflict, War, and Peace by Niki Walker
GOLDEN OAKâ„¢ 2015 NOMINATED TITLES
When I Get Older
The Story behind “Wavin’ Flag”
Written by K’naan and Sol Guy
Illustrated by Rudy Gutierrez
Hardcover | 32 pages
ISBN: 978-1-77049-302-5
“Somali-Canadian musician K’naan’s first children’s book tells the inspirational story of his immigration to Canada to escape the Somali War. K’naan uses accessible yet poetic language to draw in young readers, exploring his adjustment to Canada and how music kept him connected to his family. Gutierrez’s artwork powerfully conveys a new immigrant’s sense of alienation.” – Parents Canada
- The Clear-Out by Deborah Ellis
- Every Day is Malala Day by Rosemary McCarney
- The Hard Fall by Brenda Chapman
- Just Gone by William Kowalski
- Rainbow Crow : Nagweyaabi-aandeg by David Bouchard and David Jean
- Rick Hansen: A Life in Motion by Don Quinlan
- Sentenced to Life at Seventeen : The Story of David Milgaard by Cynthia J. Faryon
The Festival of Treesâ„¢ in Toronto will be taking place on May 12-13, 2015 at the Harbourfront Centre. We will be there to cheer on our authors and illustrators!
Finalists for the 2014 Canadian Children’s Book Centre Awards
The Canadian Children’s Book Centre (CCBC) has announced the finalists for its seven 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, and the Monica Hughes Award for Science Fiction and Fantasy.
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
My Name Is Blessing
Written by Eric Walters
Illustrated by Eugenie Fernandes
Hardcover | 32 pages
ISBN: 978-1-77049-301-8
“This story of an African boy plagued by disability, poverty and prejudice, and ultimately saved by love, is unfailingly respectful… Every child can be enriched by the unsentimental, honest and enlightening text and be carried away by the beautifully realized art suffused with the burnt orange tones of the African Savannah… The turn of phrase reflected in the title is highly poignant.” – Jury Comments
Where Do You Look?
Written by Marthe Jocelyn and Nell Jocelyn
Hardcover | 32 pages
ISBN: 978-1-77049-376-6
“A series of wonderful double-entendres that introduce language concepts in a playful way, this book contains few words but hours of fun… The playful joys and puzzles of language are presented with exuberant high spirits, in cleverly chosen words and brilliantly patterned collage illustrations reminiscent of folk art… This mother-daughter team brings artful layers to a seemingly simple concept.” – Jury Comments
Congratulations to the other finalists in this category: Fox and Squirrel by Ruth Ohi, How To by Julie Morstad, and The Man with the Violin by Kathy Stinson and illustrated by DuÅ¡an PetriÄić.
NORMA FLECK AWARD FOR CANADIAN CHILDREN’S NON-FICTION
My Name Is Blessing
Written by Eric Walters
Illustrated by Eugenie Fernandes
Hardcover | 32 pages
ISBN: 978-1-77049-301-8
“This picture book explores the universal feelings of fear of rejection and joy of acceptance… Based upon a true story, My Name Is Blessing details the plight of a young boy in Kenya living with a physical disability and challenging living circumstances… Eugenie Fernandes’ colourful renditions of the young boy’s family and changing circumstances compliment Eric Walters’ direct narrative with an understated grace.” – Jury Comments
Congratulations to the other finalists in this category: Branded by the Pink Triangle by Ken Setterington, A History of Just About Everything: 180 Events, People and Inventions That Changed the World by Elizabeth MacLeod and Frieda Wishinsky and illustrated by Qin Leng, The Last Train: A Holocaust Story by Rona Arato, and Looks Like Daylight: Voices of Indigenous Kids by Deborah Ellis.
GEOFFREY BILSON AWARD FOR HISTORICAL FICTION FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
Little Red Lies
Written by Julie Johnston
Hardcover | 352 pages
ISBN: 978-1-77049-313-1
eBook: 978-1-77049-314-8
“Set in the aftermath of World War II, Little Red Lies includes many elements that contribute to the theme of hiding secrets… Unflinchingly honest, Julie Johnston’s story of a 13-year-old girl living in post-World War II Canada will resonate with young adult readers… On the surface, the novel is about a soldier’s return from war, but under the layers of work, school and relationships linger the extraordinary truths held by Johnston’s characters…” – Jury Comments
Congratulations to the other finalists in this category: Brothers at War by Don Cummer, Graffiti Knight by Karen Bass, The Manager by Caroline Stellings, and Me & Mr. Bell by Philip Roy.
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 on Thursday, November 6, 2014.
2013 Rainforest of Reading Award Nominee
My Name is Bleassing has been nominated for the second annual 2014 Rainforest of Reading® Award. Congratulations to Eric Walters and Eugenie Fernandes!
My Name Is Blessing
Written by Eric Walters
Illustrated by Eugenie Fernandes
Hardcover | 32 Pages | Ages 6-9
ISBN 978-1-77049-301-8
“This expressive picture book, based on a real family, lovingly tells a hard story with a twist. It’s difficult to broach poverty, disability and custody issues in so few pages without sounding maudlin, but Walters manages by speaking simply. . . . With dignity and quiet acceptance, this story illustrates that blessings, like family, can take unexpected forms.” – Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews
The Rainforest of Reading Award is a book festival featuring award-winning children’s books from Canada; it has planted roots in every primary school in Saint Lucia, Grenada and Montserrat. It is the largest literacy initiative ever undertaken in a region still reeling from infrastructure damage caused by Hurricane Ivan (2006) and Hurricane Tomas (2010) and the economic impact of a global recession.
Congratulations to the other nominees as well!
Don’t Laugh at Giraffe written and illustrated by Rebecca Bender
Willow Finds a Way written by Lana Button, illustrated by Tania Howells
Skink on the Brink written by Lisa Dalrymple, illustrated by Suzanne Del Rizzo
Postcards from Space: The Chris Hadfield Story written by Heather Down
Gabby written by Joyce Grant, illustrated by Jan Dolby
And the Winner is … Amazing Animal Athletes written by Etta Kaner, illustrated by David Anderson
Pterosaur Trouble written by Daniel Loxton, illustrated by Daniel Loxton with Jim W. W. Smith
Mr. Flux written by Kyo Maclear, illustrated by Matte Stephens
Anna Carries Water by Olive Senior, illustrated by Laura James
Kenta and the Big Wave written and illustrated by Ruth Ohi