Category: Puffin Books Canada

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PROUD to Read

June is Pride month when we honor all types of love – to celebrate, here’s a list of everything from picture books to YA that recognize people’s different orientations.

Ages 0-3

My Two Dads and Me
By Michael Joosten
Illustrated by Izak Zenou
22 Pages | Ages 0-3 | Board
ISBN 9780525580119 | Doubleday Books for Young Readers
Families with same-sex parents are celebrated as we follow busy dads and their kids eating breakfast, getting dressed, heading out to the park, and settling back in at night with a bubble bath and a good-night lullaby.

My Two Moms and Me
By Michael Joosten
Illustrated by Izak Zenou
22 Pages | Ages 0-3 | Board
ISBN 9780525580126 | Doubleday Books for Young Readers
Families with same-sex parents are celebrated as we follow busy moms and their kids going on a playdate, heading to the pool for a swim, and settling back in at night with a bedtime story and a good-night lullaby.

Ages 3-7

Heather Has Two Mommies
By Leslea Newman
Illustrated by Laura Cornell
32 Pages | Ages 3-7 | Hardcover
ISBN 9780763690427 | Candlewick
Heather’s favorite number is two. She has two arms, two legs, two pets-and two mommies. When Heather goes to school for the first time, someone asks her about her daddy, but Heather doesn’t have a daddy.

Princess Puffybottom … and Darryl
By Susin Nielsen
Illustrated by Olivia Chin Mueller
32 Pages | Ages 3-7 | Hardcover
ISBN 9781101919255 | Tundra Books
What’s a pampered cat to do now that she has to compete for attention with an ill-mannered puppy? Award-winning author Susin Nielsen delights in this laugh-a-minute twist on the classic sibling rivalry story.

Ages 4-8

Big Bob, Little Bob
By James Howe
Illustrated by Laura Ellen Anderson
32 Pages | Ages 4-6 | Hardcover
ISBN 9781536215922 | Candlewick
Big Bob likes trucks and throwing balls and being loud. Little Bob likes dolls and jingling bracelets and being quiet. No matter what they do, they do not do it the same. Could they be friends despite these differences?

Ho’onani: Hula Warrior
By Heather Gale
Illustrated by Mika Song
40 Pages | Ages 4-8 | Hardcover
ISBN 9780735264496 | Tundra Books
Based on a true story, Ho’onani: Hula Warrior is a celebration of Hawaiian culture and a girl who learns to lead and learns to accept who she really is – and gains the respect of all those around her.

Julián Is a Mermaid
By Jessica Love
40 Pages | Ages 4-8 | Hardcover
ISBN 9780763690458 | Candlewick Press
All Julián can think about is dressing up just like the ladies he sees at the pool in his own fabulous mermaid costume. But what will Abuela think about the mess he makes – and even more importantly, what will she think about how Julián sees himself?

Pride: The Story of Harvey Milk and the Rainbow Flag
By Rob Sanders
Illustrated by Steven Salerno
48 Pages | Ages 5-8 | Hardcover
ISBN 9780399555312 | Random House Books for Young Readers
In this deeply moving and empowering true story, young readers will trace the life of the Gay Pride Flag, from its beginnings in 1978 with social activist Harvey Milk and designer Gilbert Baker to its spanning of the globe and its role in today’s world.

Skinnamarink
By Sharon Hampson, Lois Lilienstein, and Bram Morrison, with Randi Hampson
Illustrated by Qin Leng
40 Pages | Ages 4-8 | Hardcover
ISBN 9780735264496 | Tundra Books
Based on the classic folk song made famous by a beloved trio of children’s entertainers, this picture book is best sung aloud! “Skinnamarink” is a timeless anthem of love and inclusion.

Stonewall: A Building. An Uprising. A Revolution
By Rob Sanders
Illustrated by Jamey Christoph
40 Pages | Ages 5-8 | Hardcover
ISBN 9781524719524 | Random House Books for Young Readers
This powerful and timeless true story  will allow young readers to discover the rich and dynamic history of the Stonewall Inn and its role in the LGBTQ+ civil rights movement that continues to this very day.

Ages 10+

Middle School’s a Drag, You Better Werk!
By Greg Howard
304 Pages | Ages 10+ | Hardcover
ISBN 9780525517528 | Putnam Books for Young Readers
When kid drag queen Coco Caliente (aka Julian Vasquez) walks in looking for an agent, Mikey Pruitt thinks he’s finally found his million-dollar idea. As newly out Mikey prepares Julian for the gig of a lifetime, he realizes there’s no rulebook for being gay-and if Julian can be openly gay at school, maybe Mikey can tell his crush how he feels.

The Ship We Built
By Lexie Bean
288 Pages | Ages 10-14 | Hardcover
ISBN 9780525554837 | Dial Books
Rowan has too many secrets to write down in the pages of a diary. He’s not the “right kind” of girl, and he’s not the “right kind” of boy. But Rowan discovers another way to share his secrets: letters. Letters he attaches to balloons and releases into the universe, hoping someone new will read them and understand.

Where the Heart Is
By Jo Knowles
304 Pages | Ages 10-14 | Hardcover
ISBN 9781536200034 | Candlewick
Micah seems to want their relationship to go beyond friendship, and though Rachel almost wishes for that, too, she can’t force herself to feel “that way” about him. In fact, she isn’t sure she can feel that way about any boy – or what that means. If home is where the heart is, what would happen if you lost it? Compassion and humor infuse the story of a family caught in financial crisis and a girl struggling to form her own identity.

Zenobia July
By Lisa Bunker
320 Pages | Ages 10+ | Hardcover
ISBN 9780451479402 | Viking Books for Young Readers
When someone anonymously posts hateful memes on her school’s website, Zenobia knows she’s the one with the abilities to solve the mystery, all while wrestling with the challenges of a new school, a new family, and coming to grips with presenting her true gender for the first time.

Ages 12+

Again Again
By E. Lockhart
304 Pages | Ages 12+ | Hardcover
ISBN 9780385744799 | Delacorte Press
After a near-fatal family catastrophe and an unexpected romantic upheaval, Adelaide Buchwald finds herself catapulted into a summer of wild possibility, during which she will fall in and out of love a thousand times–while finally confronting the secrets she keeps, her ideas about love, and the weird grandiosity of the human mind.

Beyond the Gender Binary
By Alok Vaid-Menon
Illustrated by Ashley Lukashevsky
64 Pages | Ages 12+ | Paperback
ISBN 9780593094655 | Penguin Workshop
Pocket Change Collective is a series of small books with big ideas from today’s leading activists and artists. Taking from their own experiences as a gender-nonconforming artist, Alok Vaid-Menon shows us that gender is malleable.

Chicken Girl
By Heather T. Smith
240 Pages | Ages 12+ | Hardcover
ISBN 9780143198680 | Penguin Teen Canada
After being body shamed, Poppy accepts a job as an anonymous sign waver outside a restaurant. There, she meets six-year-old girl Miracle, who helps Poppy see beyond her own pain, opening her eyes to the people around her including Lewis, a teen caring for an ailing parent, while struggling to reach the final stages of his gender transition. 

Girl Crushed
By Katie Heaney
352 Pages | Ages 12+ | Hardcover
ISBN 9781984897343 | Knopf BFYR
When Jamie dumps Quinn a month before their senior year, Quinn is suddenly girlfriend-less and best friend-less. Enter a new crush: Ruby, the gorgeous lead singer of Sweets. But the closer Quinn grows to Ruby, the more she misses Jamie, and the more Jamie misses her. Who says your first love can’t be your second love, too?

The Boy in the Red Dress
By Kristin Lambert
368 Pages | Ages 12+ | Hardcover
ISBN 9780593113684 | Viking Books for Young Readers
New Year’s Eve, 1929: Millie is running the show at the Cloak & Dagger, a swinging speakeasy in the French Quarter. All of New Orleans is out to celebrate, but no one can outshine the boy in the red dress: Marion, the club’s star performer. Then a girl turns up dead outside the club and Marion becomes the number one suspect.

This Coven Won’t Break
By Isabel Sterling
336 Pages | Ages 12+ | Hardcover
ISBN 9780451480354 | Razorbill
In this gripping, romantic sequel to These Witches Don’t Burn, Hannah must work alongside her new girlfriend to take down the Hunters desperate to steal her magic. When Hannah learns the Hunters have gone nationwide, armed with a serum capable of taking out entire covens at once, she’s desperate to help at any cost.

Ages 14+

Date Me, Bryson Keller
By Kevin Van Whye
336 Pages | Ages 14+ | Hardcover
ISBN 9780593126035 | Random House Books for Young Readers
Everyone knows about the dare: Each week, Bryson Keller must date someone new–the first person to ask him out on Monday morning. Few think Bryson can do it. He may be the king of Fairvale Academy, but he’s never really dated before. Until a boy asks him out, and everything changes.

Followers
By Raziel Reid
336 Pages | Ages 14+ | Hardcover
ISBN 9780735263802 | Penguin Teen Canada
When Lily’s mom kicks her out of their trailer home in the Valley, her estranged aunt invites her to live with her, her movie-star husband, and their daughter, Hailey. Lily is set up in the pool house and thrust into the company of reality-star offspring — kids who are born with silver spoon emojis on their feed.

The Afterward
By E.K. Johnston
352 Pages | Ages 14+ | Paperback
ISBN 9780735231917 | Dutton BFYR
Apprentice Knight Kalanthe Ironheart may be forced to betray not her kingdom or her friends, but her own heart as she seeks a stable future for herself and those she loves. Olsa Rhetsdaughter is a beggar and thief, who lived hand to mouth on the streets until fortune–or fate–pulled her into Kalanthe’s orbit. And now she’s reluctant to leave it.

The Mermaid, The Witch, and The Sea
By Maggie Tokuda-Hall
368 Pages | Ages 14+ | Hardcover
ISBN 9781536204315 | Candlewick
The pirate Florian, born Flora, has always done whatever it takes to survive. Lady Evelyn Hasegawa, a highborn Imperial daughter, is on board as well-accompanied by her own casket. Both Florian and Evelyn have lived their lives by the rules, and whims, of others. But when they fall in love, they decide to take fate into their own hands.

The Stars and the Blackness Between Them
By Junauda Petrus
320 Pages | Ages 14+ | Paperback
ISBN 9780525555490 | Dutton Books for Young Readers
Told in two distinct and irresistible voices, Junauda Petrus’s bold and lyrical debut is the story of two black girls from very different backgrounds finding love and happiness in a world that seems determined to deny them both.

For more YA titles, check out our list from last year! And don’t forget to pick up one of these wonderful books at your local bookstore in June (or any month, really!).

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Audiobooks for Kids

Take storytime to another level with these family-friendly audiobooks that your kids will love!

Ages 8-12

Chase
By Linwood Barclay
Read by Adam Sims
4 hours 47 minutes | Ages 8-12
ISBN 9780735268111 | Puffin Canada

Chipper is a very special dog. He’s part of a multi-million-dollar experiment at a secret organization known only as The Institute. The Institute has been experimenting with dogs, melding them with state-of-the-art computer technology. But there’s a problem with Chipper. His natural dog instincts often overrule his computer side. No matter what he’s doing, if he sees a squirrel or a mouse, he’ll drop everything to chase it. So The Institute has decided it’s time to pull the plug on Chipper. Chipper manages a daring escape with a destination in mind, but a team from The Institute, led by the cold-hearted Daggert, is hot on his heels.

Escape
By Linwood Barclay
Read by Adam Sims
5 hours 11 minutes | Ages 8-12
ISBN 9780735268333 | Puffin Canada

Twelve-year-old Jeff and genetically engineered spy dog Chipper are on the run from the mysterious and sinister organization known only as The Institute, with help from Harry, the summer guest at Jeff’s aunt’s fishing cabins. Due to a combination of bravery, luck and some of Chipper’s more useful modifications, they’ve managed to evade their pursuers so far. But The Institute is closing in and Chipper and Jeff will have to keep one step ahead if they want to stay alive. . . . Harry seems to have a plan to keep them hidden, but now even he seems to be acting suspiciously. Can Jeff and Chipper trust him?

Knock About with the Fitzgerald-Trouts
By Esta Spalding
Illustrated by Sydney Smith
Read by Caitlin Kelly
5 hours 36 minutes | Ages 8-12
ISBN 9780735264755 | Tundra Books

Welcome to the further adventures of the plucky Fitzgerald-Trout siblings, who live on a tropical island where the grown-ups are useless, but the kids can drive. In this second installment, the delightfully self-reliant siblings continue their search for a home. This time, their pursuit will bring them face-to-face with a flood, illegal carnivorous plants, and the chance to win an extraordinary prize at a carnival. Will they finally find the place they truly belong?

Look Out for the Fitzgerald-Trouts
By Esta Spalding
Illustrated by Sydney Smith
Read by Caitlin Kelly
4 hours 12 minutes | Ages 8-12
ISBN 9780735264748 | Tundra Books

Meet the Fitzgerald-Trouts, a band of four loosely related children living together on a lush tropical island. They take care of themselves. They sleep in their car, bathe in the ocean, eat fish they catch and fruit they pick, and can drive anywhere they need to go–to the school, the laundromat, or the drive-in. If they put their minds to it, the Fitzgerald-Trouts can do anything. Even, they hope, find a real home.

Sweep: The Story of a Girl and Her Monster
By Jonathan Auxier
Read by Sarah Coomes
8 hours 14 minutes | Ages 8-12
ISBN 9780735269194 | Puffin Canada

For nearly a century, Victorian London relied on “climbing boys”–orphans owned by chimney sweeps–to clean flues and protect homes from fire. The work was hard, thankless and brutally dangerous. Eleven-year-old Nan Sparrow is quite possibly the best climber who ever lived–and a girl. With her wits and will, she’s managed to beat the deadly odds time and time again. But when Nan gets stuck in a deadly chimney fire, she fears her time has come. Instead, she wakes to find herself in an abandoned attic. And she is not alone. Huddled in the corner is a mysterious creature–a golem–made from ash and coal. This is the creature that saved her from the fire.

Ages 10+

A Royal Guide to Monster Slaying
By Kelley Armstrong
Read by Caitlin Driscoll
7 hours 48 minutes | Ages 10-14
ISBN 9780735269132 | Puffin Canada

Twelve-year-old Rowan is destined to be Queen; her twin brother, Rhydd, to be Royal Monster Hunter. Rowan would give anything to switch places, but the oldest child is always next in line, even if she is only older by two minutes. She resigns herself to admiring her monster hunting aunt’s glorious sword and joining her queen mother for boring diplomatic teas. But tragedy shatters the longstanding rule, and Rowan finds herself hunting the most dangerous monster of all: a gryphon.

Aggie Morton, Mystery Queen: The Body Under the Piano
By Marthe Jocelyn
Illustrated by Isabelle Follath
Read by Sarah English
8 hours 13 minutes | Ages 10+
ISBN 9780735268791 | Tundra Books

Filled with mystery, adventure, an unforgettable heroine and several helpings of tea and sweets, The Body Under the Piano is the clever debut of a new series for middle-grade readers and Christie and Poirot fans everywhere, from a Governor General’s Award–nominated author of historical fiction for children.

Me and Banksy
By Tanya Lloyd Kyi
Read by Veronica Hortiguela
6 hours 15 minutes | Ages 10+
ISBN 9780735268777 | Puffin Canada

Dominica’s private school is covered in cameras, and someone is hacking into them and posting embarrassing moments for the whole school to see. Like Ana picking her nose. When Dominica quickly changes her shirt from inside out in what she thinks is the privacy of a quiet corner in the library, she’s shocked — and embarrassed — to discover a video has captured this and is currently circulating amongst her schoolmates. So mortifying, especially since over the past three years, they’ve had a half-dozen school talks about social media safety.

No Fixed Address
By Susin Nielsen
Read by Nissae Isen
5 hours 35 minutes | Ages 10+
ISBN 9780735265875 | Tundra Books

Felix Knuttson, twelve, is an endearing kid with an incredible brain for trivia. His mom Astrid is loving but unreliable; she can’t hold onto a job, or a home. When they lose their apartment in Vancouver, they move into a camper van, just for August, till Astrid finds a job. September comes, they’re still in the van; Felix must keep “home” a secret and give a fake address in order to enroll in school. Luckily, he finds true friends. As the weeks pass and life becomes grim, he struggles not to let anyone know how precarious his situation is. When he gets to compete on a national quiz show, Felix is determined to win — the cash prize will bring them a home. Their luck is about to change! But what happens is not at all what Felix expected.

The Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larsen
By Susin Nielsen
Read by Ashleigh Ball
5 hours 52 minutes | Ages 10+
ISBN 9780735265301 | Tundra Books

Thirteen-year-old Henry’s happy, ordinary life comes to an abrupt halt when his older brother, Jesse, picks up their father’s hunting rifle and leaves the house one morning. What follows shatters Henry’s family, who are forced to resume their lives in a new city, where no one knows their past. When Henry’s therapist suggests he keeps a journal, at first he is resistant. But soon he confides in it at all hours of the day and night.

Need more suggestions? Check out this list on the Penguin Random House Canada website!

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Books to Read with Mom

Ages 0-3

My Two Moms and Me
By Michael Joosten
Illustrated by Izak Zenou
22 Pages | Ages 0-3
ISBN 9780525580126 | Doubleday Books for Young Readers

Families with same-sex parents are celebrated in this board book that follows busy moms and their kids throughout their day-eating breakfast, going on a playdate, heading to the pool for a swim, and settling back in at night with a bedtime story and a good-night lullaby. LGBTQ+ parents and their friends and families will welcome this inclusive and cheerful book that reflects their own lives and family makeup. With artwork by acclaimed fashion illustrator Izak Zenou, this is a stylish, smart, humorous, family-focused book that will have babies and their two moms giggling as they enjoy it together. It’s an ideal baby-shower and first-birthday gift.

Llama Llama Red Pyjama
By Anna Dewdney
34 Pages | Ages 1-3
ISBN 9780451474575 | Viking Books for Young Readers

Llama Llama’s tale of nighttime drama has charmed readers as a classic hardcover for a full decade. For the first time, Anna Dewdney’s infectious rhyming text and expressive artwork are available for the youngest of readers in this board book edition.

Ages 2-5

Superhero Mom
By Timothy Knapman
Illustrated by Joe Berger
26 Pages | Ages 2-5
ISBN 9781536212150 | Nosy Crow

All moms are amazing, and the mom in this story is no exception. She doesn’t wear a cape or fly around, but she runs for the bus so fast it feels like flying; uses her superstrength to carry her daughter’s boots, coat, bag, and scooter; and can make bumps and bruises better with just a kiss. Maybe moms really do have superpowers!

Ages 3-7

Llama Llama Mother’s Day Present
By Anna Dewdney
24 Pages | Ages 3-5
ISBN 9780593094181 | Penguin Young Readers

Llama Llama is determined to make Mother’s Day as special as possible for his mama. Your little llamas will love relating to their favorite picture book character as he faces new and challenging situations.

I Love Mom with The Very Hungry Caterpillar
By Eric Carle
32 Pages | Ages 3-5
ISBN 9780451533463 | World of Eric Carle

Show Mom just how much she means with this colorful book from the World of Eric Carle. Join The Very Hungry Caterpillar as he honors Mother’s Day and celebrates incredible parents everywhere. With joyful illustrations and colorful creatures, this charming keepsake is a great way to show parents, grandparents, soon-to-be mothers, aunts, friends, or whomever you call “Mom” just how much you care.

Great Job, Mom!
By Holman Wang
32 Pages | Ages 3-7
ISBN 9780735264083 | Tundra Books

Being a mom is eleven jobs in one! This unique picture book for very young readers celebrates the many jobs being a parent encompasses: A general who rallies the troops (or unruly kids), a curator of modern art (or finger paintings), an archeologist looking for buried treasures (or socks) . . . when Mom gets home from her day job as a carpenter, she never knows which job will be waiting for her, but she knows it’ll be fun!

Just Me and My Mom/Just Me and My Dad
By Mercer Mayer
48 Pages | Ages 3-7
ISBN 9780385371759 | Random House Books for Young Readers

This deluxe storybook features two Little Critter stories in one book! In the first story, Little Critter enjoys a day in the city with his mom. Then flip the book over to read about Little Critter’s very first camping trip with his dad.

My Mom and Me
By Adam Hargreaves
32 Pages | Ages 3-7
ISBN 9781524792381 | Grosset & Dunlap

From making you smile–even when things are going wrong–to knowing just when hugs are needed, moms are Splendid, Fun, Magic, and Sunshine: lots of the Little Misses rolled into one! This book featuring the Little Miss characters will help you show your mom just how special she is to you. The perfect book for Mother’s Day, a new mom, a mother’s birthday–or for anytime you want to say I love you. Readers can also add their own words about their mom at the end of the book to make it a special, personalized gift.

Ages 4-8

How to Raise a Mom
By Jean Reagan
Illustrated by Lee Wildish
32 Pages | Ages 4-8
ISBN 9780553538298 | Knopf Books for Young Readers

This humorous new addition to the beloved HOW TO . . . books takes readers through a playful, busy day with Mom. Written in an instructional style, two siblings suggest the best ways to raise a happy, healthy mom-from waking her up in the morning to arranging play dates, to making sure she gets enough exercise, some quiet time, and plenty of veggies! Filled with charming role-reversal humor, creative ideas, and lots of love, How to Raise a Mom is the perfect gift for Mother’s Day-or any day!

How to Babysit a Grandma
By Jean Reagan
Illustrated by Lee Wildish
32 Pages | Ages 5-8
ISBN 9780385753845 | Knopf Books for Young Readers

When you babysit a grandma, if you’re lucky, you’ll have a sleepover at her house! And with the useful tips found in this book, you’re guaranteed to become an expert grandma-sitter in no time. (Be sure to check out the sections on: How to keep a grandma busy; Things to do at the park; Possible places to sleep, and what to do once you’re both tucked in for the night.)

Ages 7-10

Fairy Mom and Me #1
By Sophie Kinsella
Illustrated by Marta Kissi
160 Pages | Ages 7-10
ISBN 9780735263352 | Puffin Canada

Ella Brook can’t wait to grow up, because one day she will become a fairy and have her own sparkly wings and a teacher on Fairy Tube, just like her mom! Until then, Ella has to learn by watching her mom in action. But sometimes spells go wrong, and Ella’s mom can never seem to remember the right magic codes. A lot of the time, it’s up to Ella to come to the rescue. Does she have what it takes to be a fairy one day? Or will there be more glitches than glitter?

Fairy Mom and Me #2: Fairy in Waiting
By Sophie Kinsella
Illustrated by Marta Kissi
160 Pages | Ages 7-10
ISBN 9780735263383 | Puffin Canada

Ella Brook is used to being a Fairy-in-Waiting. It means that one day she will become a fairy with her own sparkly wings and Computawand just like her mom. But sometimes Ella doesn’t want to have to wait any longer. After all, she helps her mom remember magic codes all the time! If only there was a spell for growing up faster. Will Ella prove that she’s ready to become a fairy? Or will she learn that she doesn’t need real magic to save the day?

Ages 8-12

Anne of Green Gables
By L. M. Montgomery
384 Pages | Ages 8-12
ISBN 9781770497313 | Tundra Books

When Marilla Cuthbert and her brother, Matthew, decide to adopt a child from a distant orphanage, they don’t get quite what they bargained for. The child who awaits them at the tiny Bright River train station is not the strapping young boy they’d imagined–someone to help Matthew work the fields of their small farm–but rather a freckle-faced, redheaded girl named Anne (with an e, if you please).
Matthew and Marilla may not be sure about Anne, but Anne takes one look at Prince Edward Island’s red clay roads and the Cuthberts’ snug white farmhouse with its distinctive green gables and decides that she’s home at last. But will she be able to convince Marilla and Matthew to let her stay?
Armed with only a battered carpetbag and a boundless imagination, Anne charms her way into the Cuthberts’ hearts–and into the hearts of readers as well. She truly is, in the words of Mark Twain, “the dearest and most lovable child in fiction since the immortal Alice.”

Marvel Fearless and Fantastic! Female Super Heroes Save the World
By Sam Maggs, Ruth Amos and Emma Grange
128 Pages | Ages 8-12
ISBN 9781465478856 | DK Children

How did Captain Marvel gain superhuman powers? When was Shuri crowned queen of Wakanda? From Gamora to Wasp, this beautiful illustrated book celebrates diverse female Super Heroes who use their strength, intelligence, and courage to save the world. More than 50 character profiles explore the origins and achievements of fierce fan-favorites such as Ms. Marvel, America Chavez, Squirrel Girl, and Black Widow. With a foreword by Marvel Comics writer Kelly Thompson, DK’s Fearless and Fantastic! is the ultimate feminist tribute to Marvel Comics’ most powerful women and girls. This book will be a treasured gift for comic book fans and beginners, and fans of 2019’s hugely popular Captain Marvel movie.

Wonder
By R.J. Palacio
320 Pages | Ages 8-12
ISBN 9780375869020 | Knopf Books for Young Readers

August Pullman was born with a facial difference that, up until now, has prevented him from going to a mainstream school. Starting 5th grade at Beecher Prep, he wants nothing more than to be treated as an ordinary kid-but his new classmates can’t get past Auggie’s extraordinary face. Wonder, now a #1 New York Times bestseller and included on the Texas Bluebonnet Award master list, begins from Auggie’s point of view, but soon switches to include his classmates, his sister, her boyfriend, and others. These perspectives converge in a portrait of one community’s struggle with empathy, compassion, and acceptance.

All Ages

Guess How Much I Love You
By Sam McBratney
Illustrated by Anita Jeram
40 Pages | All Ages
ISBN 9780763674489 | Candlewick

Sometimes, when you love someone very, very much, you want to find a way of describing how much you treasure them. But, as Little Nutbrown Hare and Big Nutbrown Hare discover, love is not an easy thing to measure! For two decades, Sam McBratney’s timelessly endearing story, beautifully rendered in Anita Jeram’s exquisite watercolors, has captured the deep and tender bond between parent and child. Guess How Much I Love You is one of the world’s best-loved picture books.

You Are My Mother: Inspired by P.D. Eastman’s Are You My Mother?
By P.D. Eastman
32 Pages | All Ages
ISBN 9780593121184 | Random House Books for Young Readers

What do you give the mother who introduced you to P. D. Eastman’s Are You My Mother? Why, P. D. Eastman’s You Are My Mother, of course-a small hardcover gift book of unrhymed observations about the ways our mothers make us the people we are today! Featuring slightly color-enhanced artwork from Are You My Mother?, the observations (delivered by the baby bird star of the book) are charming, funny, and sure to rekindle cherished memories of reading together. An ideal gift for Mother’s Day, birthdays, or any day you just want to say thanks to Mom and tell her you love her!

Need more inspiration? Check out Indigo’s Mother Day shop for more great gifts for Mom!

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Remembering Jean Little

Last night we were saddened to hear of the death of Jean Little, a beloved and distinguished member of the Canadian children’s literary community. Born in Taiwan in 1932 to Canadian doctors who were serving as missionaries, Jean was legally blind from birth. After obtaining a B.A. in English Language & Literature from the University of Toronto, she taught briefly before her first novel, Mine for Keeps, was published in 1962 and she went on to publish over fifty works including picture books, novels, memoir, short fiction, and poetry.

Jean was notably one of the first Canadian authors to write candidly about children living with disability. She also wrote about the immigrant experience in Canada, adoption and the foster care system, often drawing on her own family’s experiences. No matter what genre or form she chose to write in, Jean’s work celebrates the resilience of children and the strength of the human spirit.

Jean’s awards and honours were numerous, including the Ruth Schwartz Award, the Governor General’s Award, the Vicky Metcalf Award, and the Horn Book Honor Award. She was a member of the Order of Canada, a recipient of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal and was nominated multiple times for the prestigious Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award. In addition to her significant literary impact on generations of readers, Jean was one of the founding Members of CANSCAIP, an organization that fosters support and professional relationships among Canadian creators of children’s content. She is often cited by contemporary Canadian authors as an inspiration, and those who knew her remember her devotion to children, animals, and her very dry wit.

Join us in honouring Jean’s memory by getting lost in one of her many beautifully written books and share your memories of her with us on Twitter.

Once Upon a Golden Apple: 25th Anniversary Edition
By Jean Little and Maggie de Vries
Illustrated by Phoebe Gilman
26 Pages | Ages 0-3
ISBN 9780670070077 | Puffin Canada

A brand-new board book edition, to celebrate the 25th anniversary of this fractured fairy tale bedtime story. In this hilarious fractured fairy tale romp, everything goes awry. Goldilocks lives with the seven dwarfs, a princess kisses Humpty Dumpty, and she and the prince rescue the Wicked Witch of the West! Can all this mischief get sorted out so that everyone lives happily ever after? Jean Little and Maggie de Vries’s playful text and Phoebe Gilman’s magical illustrations make this twisted classic a delight to share with new generations of readers.

Mama’s Going to Buy You a Mockingbird: Puffin Classics Edition
By Jean Little
264 Pages | Ages 8-12
ISBN 9780143187875 | Puffin Canada

Jeremy is not having a good summer. His best friends have moved away, and he has to stay at the cottage with only his little sister Sarah and his Aunt Margery. His parents have remained in the city so his father can have an operation.

When Jeremy finally sees him again, he finds out that his father has cancer and isn’t going to get better. Suddenly, Jeremy’s life has completely changed. But then he finds an unlikely friend in Tess, who knows what it’s like to lose someone. As his friendship with her grows, through good times and bad, Jeremy discovers that his father has left him something that will live forever…

Stand in the Wind
By Jean Little
256 Pages | Ages 8-12
ISBN 9780143167600 | Puffin Canada

At a beach cottage, two sets of sisters who have never met before must spend a few days together without their parents. It looks as if it’s going to be the longest holiday ever, until Martha discovers something about Christine that changes everything.

“I stand in the wind and eat peanut brittle.”

Somebody Else’s Summer
By Jean Little
192 Pages | Ages 8-12
ISBN 9780143016434 | Puffin Canada

On a flight from Vancouver to Toronto, two girls meet, forming an unlikely friendship. Tall, athletic Samantha is going to spend the summer with a family friend while her father is in South America. Alexis, a shy girl who likes books, is being sent to a horse farm to learn how to ride while her mother and stepfather are travelling in Australia.

By the time their flight lands in Toronto, the girls have hatched their plots. They’re going to trade places for the summer. After all, the people they’re going to visit have never met them, and their parents are far away and hard to contact. But will they manage to pull it off? For how long? And with what consequences?

Tributes to Jean have been pouring in from fellow Canadians since the news broke. She will be deeply missed.

“An acclaimed, multi-award-winning author, she was smart, funny and frank, someone I so enjoyed talking to when I had the chance. She is a legend in Canadian children’s literature circles, and all of us at Penguin Random House Canada feel lucky to have been able to be her publisher and thankful that she was able to write for as long as she did.”- Lynne Missen, Publishing Director, Fiction, Penguin Random House Canada Young Readers

“When I was young, and so nerdy, and always reading books in the library during recess, I was obsessed with her. I found her number in the phone book and called her, and we kept talking every few months for 2 or 3 years I think. She always remembered me and she was always happy to chat. I think it might have been the first time I realized authors were people and not Hollywood celebs.” – Zoe Maslow, Editor, Doubleday Canada

“Jean Little taught me so much about compassion and kindness and showed me lives very different than my own. I thought I was reading stories but I was learning to how to be a person.” – Kate Rennie, Indigo Sales Manager

“I remember walking by her house and getting a little thrill as a little kid.” – Justin Sorbara-Hosker, District Sales Manager

“I loved all of Jean Little’s books and her spiky but good intentioned heroines. The moment I remember the most is my grade five teacher coming up and touching my shoulder during Math, because I was so engrossed in From Anna I hadn’t realized that reading time was over.” – Vikki VanSickle, Director, Marketing & Publicity, Penguin Random House Canada Young Readers

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CTV Your Morning Kids’ Book Segment on I Read Canadian Day

CTV Your Morning Feb 19 2020
Our Marketing & Publicity Associate Director, Vikki VanSickle, was on CTV’s Your Morning today to honour of #IReadCanadian Day by providing Canadian “readalike” choices for kids. Check out our titles from her recommended list below and don’t forget to watch her segment!

AGES 3-7

For fans of If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff and illustrated by Felicia Bond read:
how to give your cat a bathHow to Give Your Cat a Bath in Five Easy Steps
By Nicola Winstanley
Illustrated by John Martz
ISBN 9780735263543 | Hardcover
40 Pages | Tundra Books
In this hilarious and clever “how-to,” a little girl and a know-it-all narrator are thwarted by a cat who refuses to take a bath. Watch as the steps keep changing, the cat keeps escaping, the girl keeps eating cookies and the mess keeps escalating. Soon it’s not just the cat who needs a bath–it’s the whole house!

AGES 6-9

For fans of the Narwhal and Jelly series by Ben Clanton, read the Disgusting Critters series by Elise Gravel:
The BatThe Bat
By Elise Gravel
ISBN 9780735266483 | Hardcover
32 Pages | Tundra Books
Hilarious illustrated nonfiction about bats perfect for beginning readers. Conversational text and silly illustrations will have you up all night reading about the only flying mammal on Earth!

AGES 8-12

For fans of the Guinness Book of World Records and National Geographic, read: Innovation NationInnovation Nation: How Canadian Innovators Made the World Smarter, Smaller, Kinder, Safer, Healthier, Wealthier, Happier
By David Johnston and Tom Jenkins
Illustrated by Josh Holinaty
ISBN 9780735263017 | Hardcover
128 Pages | Tundra Books
Successful innovation is always inspired by at least one of three forces – insight, necessity and simple luck. Innovation Nation moves through history to explore what circumstances, incidents, coincidences and collaborations motivated each great Canadian idea, and what twist of fate then brought that idea into public acceptance.

For fans of realistic fiction master Judy Blume, read:
Me and BanksyMe and Banksy
By Tanya Lloyd Kyi
ISBN 9780735266919 | Hardcover
272 Pages | Puffin Canada
Dominica’s private school is covered in cameras, and someone is hacking into them and posting embarrassing moments for the whole school to see. Who has access to the school security cameras and why are they doing this? Dominica and her best friends, Holden and Saanvi, are determined to find out, and in the process start an art-based student campaign against cameras in the classroom.

For fans of mystery queen Agatha Christie, read:
Aggie Morton Mystery Queen The Body Under the PianoAggie Morton, Mystery Queen: The Body Under the Piano
By Marthe Jocelyn
Illustrated by Isabelle Follath
ISBN 9780735265462 | Hardcover
336 Pages | Tundra Books
A smart and charming middle-grade mystery series starring young detective Aggie Morton and her friend Hector, inspired by the imagined life of Agatha Christie as a child and her most popular creation, Hercule Poirot.

For fans of the classic survival story Hatchet by Gary Paulsen, read:
The Skeleton TreeThe Skeleton Tree
By Iain Lawrence
ISBN 9781101918371 | Paperback
288 Pages | Tundra Books
Less than 48 hours after twelve-year-old Chris casts off on a trip to sail down the Alaskan coast with his uncle, their boat sinks. The only survivors are Chris and a boy named Frank, who hates Chris immediately. Chris and Frank have no radio, no flares, no food. Suddenly, they’ve got to find a way to forage, fish and scavenge supplies from the shore.

Feb 19 2020

Tundra Book Group