Toronto – Page 17 – Tundra Book Group

January 30, 2014May 7, 2025

2014 OLA Super Conference

Sorry! Due to technically difficulties, we weren’t able to post this earlier, but it is better late than never! Tundra Books will be exhibiting at the OLA Super Conference this year! Please visit us at booth #716-724 to learn about our new and upcoming books. And, we will be having author signings at our booth! With each author signing, we will be handing out complimentary copies of the title at a first come, first serve basis. So don’t forget! There’s a limited number of signed books to give away!

Natale on Thursday, January 30, 2014 at 10:30 a.m.
Millhouse
Written by Natale Ghent
Hardcover | 192 Pages | Ages 7-10
ISBN 978-1-77049-639-2
eBook 978-1-77049-641-5
Fans of the I, Freddy series and Charlotte’s Web will be won over by this charming, delightfully told and illustrated story of a petshop misfit – a hairless guinea pig with a penchant for Shakespeare.

Eric on Thursday, January 30, 2014 at 11:30 a.m.
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

Marthe on Friday, January 31, 2014 at 10:30 a.m.
What We Hide
Written by Marthe Jocelyn
Hardcover | 288 Pages | Ages 14+
ISBN 978-1-77049-642-2
eBook 978-1-77049-644-6
Jenny and her brother Tom are off to England. Tom to university to dodge the Vietnam draft, Jenny to be the new girl at Illington Hall, which the students call Ill Hall. This is Jenny’s chance to finally be special and stand out, so when she arrives she tells everybody a lie. But in the small world of Ill Hall, everyone has secrets. Jenny pretends she has a boyfriend. Robbie and Luke pretend they don’t. Brenda won’t tell what happened with the school doctor. Percy won’t tell about his famous dad. Oona lies to everyone. Penelope lies only to herself.

Marthe and Richard on Friday, January 31, 2014 at 2:05 p.m
Viminy Crowe’s Comic Book
Written by Marthe Jocelyn and Richard Scrimger
Illustrated by Claudia Davila
Hardcover | 336 Pages | Ages 9-12
ISBN 978-1-77049-479-4
eBook 978-1-77049-480-0
When chubby, geeky Wylder Wallace spills lunch on cool and aloof Addy Crowe at Toronto’s Comicon, she dashes to the bathroom, leaving behind the latest issue of her uncle’s steampunk comic hit. Wylder, a fan of the Flynn comics, opens this new one eagerly, astounded to see the girl who was just yelling at him inside the comic. Fascinated, he follows Addy into the bathroom, and the adventure begins…

Follow @TundraBooks, @nataleghent, @EricRWalters, @scissorhouse, and @richardscrimger on twitter! You can also follow #OLASC14 for the latest news and updates!

November 20, 2013May 7, 2025

Invitation to the Little Chicken Duck Book Launch

Please join Tim Beiser and Bill Slavin in celebrating the launch of their newest book, Little Chicken Duck.

When: Sunday, December 1, 2013
Time: 1:00 to 3:00 pm
Where: Type Books
Address: 883 Queen Street West, Toronto, ON M6J 1G3â€Ž

Little Chicken Duck
Written by Tim Beiser
Illustrated by Bill Slavin
Hardcover | 24 Pages | Ages 3-7
ISBN: 978-1-77049-392-6
And so begins the charming story of Little Chicken Duck, whose fear of water prevents her from learning to swim. Taken under Froggie’s wing, she is brought into the forest clearing, where each of the birds, in turn, confesses their deepest fear and how they came to terms with it. This heartwarming tale in rhyme is lovingly illustrated by the playful, enchanting illustrations by artist Bill Slavin.

October 25, 2013May 7, 2025

2013 Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award

The winners were announced on Tuesday night for the 2013 Canadian Children’s Literature Awards. Tundra is extremely happy to tell you that we took home the Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award, an award that honours excellence in the illustrated picture book format, for children aged 3 to 8. Congratulations to Cary Fagan and DuÅ¡an PetriÄiÄ‡!

Mr. Zinger’s Hat
Written by Cary Fagan
Illustrated by DuÅ¡an PetriÄiÄ‡
“A charming, marvelous tale surrounding the art of creating and telling stories, Mr. Zinger’s Hat celebrates the budding friendship between an elderly writer and a young boy who discovers a storyteller within … Fagan’s writing is beautifully crafted. The exchanges between his protagonists are so vivid that one feels as if one is eavesdropping in on a real conversation … PetriÄiÄ‡’s engaging artwork deftly juxtaposes two distinct styles which portray a real-life setting and an imaginary world … The illustrations vividly depict the storyteller’s wry humour and the boy’s wide-eyed innocence.”

Many thanks to the jury memebers: Lorraine Filyer, former Literature Officer, Ontario Arts Council; Todd Kyle, CEO, Newmarket Public Library and President, Board of Directors, Canadian Children’s Book Centre; and Senta Ross, children’s book reviewer and former elementary teacher and teacher-librarian.

This year, TD Bank Group, sponsor of the TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award, partnered with CBC Books to present the TD Canadian Children’s Literature Fan Choice Award. Young readers were asked to pick their favourite book from the shortlisted TD Award titles in an online poll. Annaka Leib of Fort Qu’Appelle, Saskatchewan, was in attendance to present the TD Canadian Children’s Literature Fan Choice Award to Polly Horvath for her novel, One Year in Coal Harbour. The other winners were:

TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award
One Year in Coal Harbour written by Polly Horvath

Norma Fleck Award for Canadian Children’s Non-Fiction
Kids of Kabul: Living Bravely Through a Never-Ending War written by Deborah Ellis

Geoffrey Bilson Award for Historical Fiction for Young People
The Lynching of Louie Sam written by Elizbeth Stewart

John Spray Mystery Award
The Lynching of Louie Sam written by Elizbeth Stewart

Monica Hughes Award for Science Fiction and Fantasy
Seraphina written by Rachel Hartman

Congratulations to all the authors and we have photos from the ceremony on Instagram!

October 15, 2013May 7, 2025

The 2014 OLA Forest of ReadingÂ® Nominees

Today, the Ontario Library Association revealed the nominated titles for the 2014 Forest of Reading® program. Tundra would like to congratulate the nominated authors and illustrators!

Blue Spruceâ„¢ Nominee:
Mr. Zinger’s Hat
Written by Cary Fagan
Illustrated by DuÅ¡an PetriÄiÄ‡
Hardcover | 32 pages
ISBN: 978-1-77049-253-0
“Every child needs a Mr. Zinger – and his hat! – in his or her life…. PetriÄiÄ‡’s illustrations change from loose, soft watercolors to sharply defined cartoon drawings when the two enter the realm of their shared fiction…. This book oh-so-softly brings across a sweet multigenerational message about sharing the power of imagination.” – Booklist

Silver Birch® Express Nominees:
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

Red Mapleâ„¢ Fiction Nominees
The Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larsen
Written by Susin Nielsen
Hardcover | 256 pages
ISBN: 978-1-77049-372-8
eBook: 978-1-77049-373-5
“…With fully developed adult and child characters and a solid sense of middle school humor, the author has crafted an insightful and nuanced novel about bullying and suicide, and familial love and resilience.” – Starred Review, School Library Journal

The Toronto Festival of Treesâ„¢ will be taking place on May 14-15, 2014 at the Harbourfront Centre. We will be there to cheer on our authors and illustrators!

October 10, 2013May 7, 2025

In Conversation: Robbie Robertson

On Tuesday, October 8, co-authors Robbie Robertson (Canadian Rock and Roll Hall of Fame singer-songwriter and guitarist for The Band) and Jim Guerinot came out to Indigo Bay and Bloor at Manulife Centre for a special event!

We arrived extra early. You can see here that the publicity team is helping Robbie Robertson get through the stack of books and CDs that needed to be signed.

On stage, Canadian broadcaster and music writer Alan Cross interviewed Robbie Robertson and Jim Guerinot about Legends, Icons & Rebels.

A book signing followed, look at that line up!

One of the talented illustrators, Brian Hoang, also came out to the event and got his book signed!

We’d like to echo Jim Guerinot’s sentiments, Brian Hoang’s art is spectacular! And we agree with Robbie Robertson, Brian nailed it!

You’d have to see it for yourself. Here’s Brian Hoang’s artwork for Louis Jordan and Stevie Wonder.

Thank you to everyone who came out to the event and thank you to the team at Indigo! We loved seeing these photos from bookverveca; indigogreenroom (2 and 3); pitre88; and thewalrus3030!

We’ve been hearing some great feedback from American Songwriter; Classic Rock Magazine; CTM Edge; Grammy.com; Huffington Post; IndieWire; JamBands; Kirkus Reviews; Metro News; MSN.com; Publishers Weekly; Shelf Awareness; The Telegraph; and Ultimate Classic Rock. Plus, you can listen in to the interview on CBC Radio’s Q with Jian Ghomeshi. Or, watch this segment on Global News!

It’s no wonder the book has been an Editors’ Pick for the month of October on Amazon, as well as a bestseller in the Composer & Musician Biographies, Children’s Music Books, and Children’s Musical Biographies categories!