Category: Spring 2015

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TCAF 2015

tcafTCAF is the Toronto Comic Arts Festival. It is a week long celebration of comics and graphic novels and their creators, which culminates in a two-day exhibition and vendor fair featuring hundreds of comics creators from around the world. Other Festival events include readings, interviews, panels, workshops, gallery shows, art installations, and much more!

Saturday, May 9th, 2015 from 9 am to 5 pm
Sunday, May 10th, 2015 from 11 am to 5 pm
Toronto Reference Library, 789 Yonge Street, Toronto, ON
Free admission! Follow TCAF on Twitter.

Sunday, May 10, 2015:
What’s happening at the Toronto Reference Library’s Browsery (on the main floor)

WORKSHOPS
11:30 am – Draw along with Matt James, illustrator of The Pirate’s Bed by Nicola Winstanley
12:00 pm – Draw along with Frank Viva, creator of Outstanding in the Rain

SIGNING AT BOOTH 167/168
1:30 pm – Frank Viva will be signing Outstanding in the Rain at the Penguin Random House table

The Pirates Bed Outstanding in the Rain

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This Is Sadie – In Real Life

: One of the books I’m most excited for is Sara O’Leary and Julie Morstad’s latest collaboration, This Is Sadie. It comes out next week, and it’s one of the sweetest stories I’ve ever read.

Sadie is a little girl with a big imagination. We thought it would be nice to see if we could find real-life counterparts to scenes from Sadie’s adventures.

As an Alice in Wonderland fan, my favourite spread is when Sadie throws a Mad Hatter-worthy tea party. This girl is very Sadie-like with her pretty dress and, of course, the bunting in the background (we at Tundra love bunting!).

tea party collageCredit: Genevieve McKeiver

There’s no basket on this shiny red bike yet, but the resourceful Sadie would definitely be able to come up with a solution!

bikes
Credit: PublicDomainPictures (pixabay)

Sadie’s room is whimsically decorated with a mushroom lamp, bunting, and her plush fox family. Who wouldn’t want to curl up with a book in a room like this?sadie bedroom

Credit: piperandpoppies (bedroom); milkmagazine.net (table/lamp – click through the photos); Red Red Completely Red (blanket photo) and Elizabeth Hartman (blanket pattern); Stuffed Safari (fox)

Sadie also builds herself a blanket tent where she can hang out with her foxes and plan some more adventures. This little guy already has the tent and animal pals covered!

tents

Credit: Karen (artmarble)

So cute! I think it might be time to makeover my own bedroom.

If you’d like to see more real-life Sadies, please check out thisissadiebook.tumblr.com or the Sadie pinterest page. And if you have a Sadie in your life, please feel free to email a photo to ThisIsSadieBook@yahoo.com so that you can be added to the website!

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Tundra Reading Club: Outstanding in the Rain Reviews

Hi everyone!

It’s time to share the Reading Club reviews for Outstanding in the Rain!

TundraReadingClub

Outstanding in the Rain
A Whole Story with Holes
Written by Frank Viva
Hardcover | 32 Pages | Ages 3-7
ISBN: 978-1-101-91768-8
“Creator Viva hints on the cover that this is not your ordinary picture book by segmenting the first word of the title into two parts via color: out in gold, and standing in turquoise … Viva takes readers on a wild trip to an amusement park with the city skyline behind…. The excitement of the story is enhanced by changing perspectives; sometimes the illustrations are close-ups, and other times they are broad abstracts…. A must have because of the originality of the concept, the unusual palette, and the thrill of the reading experience.” – Starred Review, Booklist

  • Suzanne at Squish! loved the overall design, especially “[t]he satin-y matte dust-jacket,…retro vibe of the stylized illustrations and limited colour palette…”
  • Carole at Barda Book Talk calls it a “fun-filled ride.”
  • Bonnie at Adalinc to Life likes the oronyms and suggests that “[a]ny budding linguist” will enjoy reading this book.
  • Carrie at I Can Has Books? was “completely amazed at how beautiful this book is.”
  • Cindy at Cindy’s Love of Books thinks “kids would get a kick out of reading this story or having it be read to them.”

If you read the book as well, please let us know what you thought about it in the comments below! Did anyone know what an oronym was?

As of May, our Reading Club will be on hiatus until further notice. Thanks to everyone who signed up and/or participated these past four months!

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Help stop Frankenstink this Earth Day!

StopFrankenstink

Wednesday, April 22, 2015 is Earth Day and we have some helpful discussions and activities to help you stop Frankenstink from crawling into your life:

  1. What are some objects around your home or the classroom that might “stink”?
  2. Do you have anything accumulating under your bed? Describe the “garbage” you might find there.
  3. Do you know where your community recycling center is located? Or your community garbage dump? Have you ever visited either of these locations?
  4. What do you know about Earth Day? Find out more here: earthday.ca and earthday.org.
  5. Collect different materials around your home or classroom that are unwanted and ready to be disposed of. Create your very own Frankenstink sculpture out of these found materials. Describe your monster orally or in writing. Alternatively, use scrap pieces of paper and material, markers, crayons and paint to create a two dimensional Frankenstink.
  6. Share a picture of your Frankenstink to rlight@eastlink.ca – and tell us how you will dispose of its different parts responsibly.
  7. Consider your own home or classroom. Where might a Frankenstink grow? From what?
  8. Design a poster warning of the dangers of slobby behavior and how it may lead to the creation of a dreaded Frankenstink!
  9. Download and print this Frankenstink! draw-and-color booklet on recycled paper.
  10. Hang this Frankenstink! poster in your home or classroom to remind you to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.

FrankenstinkFrankenstink!
Garbage Gone Bad
Written by Ron Lightburn
Hardcover | 32 Pages | Ages 4-8
ISBN: 978-1-77049-694-1
“This fantastic tale of what could happen if we don’t clean up our garbage…. The rhyming text, which should be read aloud to achieve the full effect of the story, provides an opportunity for early readers to have fun playing with juicy words … guaranteed to garner a giggle. Frankenstink! Garbage Gone Bad will appeal to children who hate to clean up as well as those who love all things disgusting. The comic book style illustrations do a good job at punctuating the horrific fun of the story, and a glow in the dark cover is a bonus available in the print version of the book.” – Recommended, CM Magazine

RonLightburnComicAuthor and illustrator RON LIGHTBURN began his artistic career in elementary school with his handmade comic books, like the one featured on the right. He has since won many awards and honors, including the Governor General’s Literary Award for Children’s Illustration. He has created artwork for book covers, magazines, calendars, posters and advertisements across North America and has become internationally renowned for his range of illustration styles and his storytelling skills. Ron lives in Coldbrook, Nova Scotia, and his picture books have been published in nine countries. Frankenstink! Garbage Gone Bad harkens back to the monster movies and comics of his youth. Visit his website at www.thelightburns.com.

EVENT REMINDER: Ron Lightburn will be at Wolfville Memorial Library on Saturday, April 18th, 2015 at 2:00 pm!

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Tuesdays with Tundra 47

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

Andreos RaceAndreo’s Race
Written by Pam Withers
Trade Paperback | 224 Pages | Ages 12+
ISBN: 978-1-77049-767-2
eBook: 978-1-77049-766-5
“This action-packed book revolves around the topics of adventure races and illegal adoptions…. The experience of adventure racing is brought to life in the story, with readers experiencing the intensity of training and competition through Andreo. The excitement of the sport is mirrored by his emotional hunt for clues leading to his birth family, and his discoveries and achievements are well paced…. The simple, straightforward language, surprise twist, and nonstop action will appeal to reluctant readers looking for a thrilling novel.” – School Library Journal

Outstanding in the RainOutstanding in the Rain
A Whole Story with Holes
Written by Frank Viva
Hardcover | 32 Pages | Ages 3-7
ISBN: 978-1-101-91768-8
“Creator Viva hints on the cover that this is not your ordinary picture book by segmenting the first word of the title into two parts via color: out in gold, and standing in turquoise … Viva takes readers on a wild trip to an amusement park with the city skyline behind…. The excitement of the story is enhanced by changing perspectives; sometimes the illustrations are close-ups, and other times they are broad abstracts…. A must have because of the originality of the concept, the unusual palette, and the thrill of the reading experience.” – Starred Review, Booklist

Peter Puck and the Stolen Stanley CupPeter Puck and the Stolen Stanley Cup
Written by Brian Mcfarlane
Illustrated by Geri Storey
Hardcover | 64 Pages | Ages 6-9
ISBN: 978-1-77049-581-4
In Peter Puck and the Stolen Stanley Cup, Peter is caught up in the rivalry between two teams vying for the Stanley Cup. The night before the final game, someone sets a fire set to distract the guard and steals the Stanley Cup. Rescued from the flames in the nick of time, Peter sets off in pursuit of the thief. Will his powers of observation and sleuthing skills help him to unmask the thief? And will the Cup be recovered in time for the game?

Snow White and the 77 DwarfsSnow White and the 77 Dwarfs
Written by Davide Cali
Illustrated by Raphaëlle Barbanègre
Hardcover | 32 Pages | Ages 3-7
ISBN: 978-1-77049-763-4
“What’ll it be, Snow White? A poisoned apple or keeping house for 77 hyperactive little men? … A must-read for all offspring … or so their parents and other caregivers are likely to feel.” – Kirkus Reviews

Pub Date Giveaway: In the comments below, please tell us which new April 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, April 20, 2015!

UPDATE: Congratulations to Kris, winner of a copy of Andreo’s Race.

Tundra Book Group