Category: Toronto

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2012 Canadian Children’s Book Centre Awards

On November 21, 2012, the Canadian Children’s Book Centre (CCBC) announced the winners of its six major Canadian children’s book awards – the TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award, 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 inaugural Monica Hughes Award for Science Fiction and Fantasy.

The winners were announced at a gala event at The Ritz-Carlton in Toronto. Swanky!

Garvia Bailey of CBC Radio’s Big City, Small World was the fabulous host of the night. She’s funny, entertaining, and keeps the energy in the room going – we hope she returns next year!

Tundra had a few finalists up for awards that night. The Dragon Turn by Shane Peacock and Stones for My Father by Trilby Kent were nominated for the TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award. “Scribbling Women” by Marthe Jocelyn for the Norma Fleck Award for Canadian Children’s Non-Fiction, The Case of the Missing Deed by Ellen Schwartz and The Dragon Turn by Shane Peacock were also nominated for the John Spray Mystery Award.

In the end, it came down to the big award…

The jury members of the TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award this year were:

  • Gail Hamilton, Manitoba Chair, Best Books for Kids & Teens and former CCBC Regional Officer, teacher-librarian and Library Learning Resources Consultant, Manitoba Department of Education;
  • Carol-Ann Hoyte, children’s poet and Assistant Librarian, Selwyn House School;
  • Kathleen Martin, writer, editor, and President, Writers’ Federation of Nova Scotia;
  • Judith Saltman, Associate Professor, School of Library, Archival and Information Studies, and Chair of the Master of Arts in Children’s Literature Program, University of British Columbia; and
  • Larry Swartz, Instructor, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) and author of Good Books Matter.

Thank you to this year’s jury members! We know that being a juror isn’t easy, there are so many great Canadian children books to read, review, and evaluate. It’s already a tough enough job to narrow it down to five finalists!

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Tim Hockey, President & CEO of TD Canada Trust, had the honour to reveal Stones for My Father by Trilby Kent as the winner of the 2012 TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award! Yay!!!

The jury comments were: “A riveting book about the Anglo-Boer war at the turn of the last century and Canada’s place in it… Kent draws her characters and the landscape around them in penetrating prose… Today’s children will develop heartfelt admiration and respect for Corlie Rioux. Though this young heroine struggles with the loss of parental love, a special friendship, and her home, she holds steadfast, brave, and true and emerges a survivor… At times raw, but always gripping, this novel packs an emotional punch.”

You can also check out what readers said during the Stones for My Father Blog Tour last year!

Trilby takes the podium to deliver her grateful thank you speech!

Congratulations to all the winners:

What a night! Thank you to the great team at the Canadian Children’s Book Centre, the CBC, to all the jury members, the finalists, and to friends and family who show tremendous support for Canadian children’s literature!

We were live tweeting last night, so check instagram for photos and follow the hashtag #kidslitawards!

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You’re Invited to the launch of Checkers and Dot

We’re delighted to invite you to the launch of Checkers and Dot, a new series created by J. Torres and J. Lum. The Checkers and Dot series are black-and-white board books that present high-contrast patterns and rhyming text that are perfect for toddlers.

Please join us as we celebrate these adorable books with their wonderful creators. J. Torres and J. Lum will be on hand to meet their fans and sign copies of the books. There will even be some Checkers-and-Dot themed activities for the kids. Bonus points if you wear black and white!

When: Sunday, December 2, 2012
Time: 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm
Where: Little Island Comics
Address: 742 Bathurst Street, Toronto, ON M5S 2R6
Phone: 416-901-7489

Don’t forget to bring your holiday shopping list! The Checkers and Dot books are the perfect stock stuffer and present. Everyone who purchases one of these books during the launch will receive 10% off their entire purchase! That’s right – buy Checkers and Dot and Little Island Comics will give you a deal on all of the comics in the shop!

Checkers and Dot
Written by J. Torres
Illustrated by J. Lum
Board Book | 16 Pages
For Ages: 0-4
ISBN: 978-1-77049-441-1
“We love the look of Checkers and Dot, a new series board books specially designed to be visually appealing to babies….” – The 49th Shelf

Checkers and Dot at the Zoo
Written by J. Torres
Illustrated by J. Lum
Board Book | 16 Pages
For Ages: 0-4
ISBN: 978-1-77049-442-8
“Both of these board books … will be appreciated by their very young audience….” – Recommended, CM Magazine

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Invitation to the Miss Mousie’s Blind Date Book Launch

Join author Tim Beiser and artist Rachel Berman for the launch of their much anticipated title, Miss Mousie’s Blind Date.

Date: Saturday, October 20, 2012
Time: 2:00pm-4:oopm
Place: Ben McNally Books, 366 Bay Street, Toronto, ON

Praise for Miss Mousie’s Blind Date:

“Spring fever strikes even the rodents. And who knows where the heart leads? … Beiser’s sprightly text has warmth, heart, and a valuable lesson. Berman’s pictures, in watercolor and gouache on rag, suggest Beatrix Potter, ably matching the crisp elegance of the story. Wonderful.” – Starred Review from Kirkus Reviews

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The Word on the Street

Don’t forget, the Word on the Street starts this weekend on Sunday, September 23! Here’s a quick glance at the schedules in:

TORONTO – September 23, 2012

Children’s Activity Tent

11:15 – 11:45 AM
My Itchy Body and My Healthy Body
Liza Fromer and Francine Gerstein MD
Activity suitability: All ages
In their Body Works series Liza Fromer and Dr. Francine Gerstein have taken it upon themselves to think up every question a child could have about their body and answer them in an educational and amusing manner. Each title in the series is divided up by topic and focus on giving all the information a child could want to feel safe and secure in their own skin. Join Liza Fromer and Dr. Francine Gerstein for a fast-paced Body Works Quiz – and test your knowledge about the human body!

1:00 – 1:45 PM
Checkers and Dot and Checkers and Dot at the Zoo
J. Torres and J. Lum
Activity suitability: Ages 3-7
Welcome to the wonderfully patterned world of Checkers and Dot, a sweet and striking series of board books with high-contrast, patterned art for developing eyes, simple but memorable rhyming text for reading aloud, and cute-as-a-button characters! Join J. Lum and J. Torres for a felt puppet decorating and a hat making activity.

Children’s Reading Tent

3:40 – 4:00 PM
Mr. Zinger’s Hat
Cary Fagan is the award-winning author of several young adult novels and picture books. This wonderful new story is about stories, and story-telling, and is sure to enchant and instruct children at home and at school for years to come. This is the tale of a bored little boy, who meets a thoughtful man, and together they build a story. This story within a story is charming and changes both their lives… and quite possibly the readers as well.

4:30 – 4:50 PM
Miss Mousie’s Blind Date
As soon as Miss Mousie’s eyes alight on handsome Matt LaBatt, the water rat, she can think of nothing but how to catch his attention. Should she try to speak, bat her eyelashes, drop her hankie? In front of Mole, the deli-owner, the water rat breaks the spell by insulting Miss Mousie, who retreats to her burrow and hides in shame. When Mousie receives an anonymous dinner invitation, she decides to accept it. But how to dress so her mystery date will like what he sees? In this charming timeless tale, author Tim Beiser shows the reader that love truly lies in the eye of the beholder. And check out Sienna’s review on the WOTS blog!

This is Not the Shakespeare Stage

4:15 – 4:45 PM
Becoming Holmes
The Boy Sherlock Holmes, His Final Case
Shane Peacock is an award-winning novelist, playwright, journalist and television screenwriter. His bestselling series for young adults, The Boy Sherlock Holmes, has been published in ten countries in twelve languages and has found its way onto more than forty shortlists. He enjoys reading, spending time with his kids, playing and coaching hockey, and visiting schools, conferences and festivals across North America to speak about reading and writing. Shane lives in the countryside north of Cobourg, Ontario. For more information, visit www.shanepeacock.ca.

LETHBRIDGE – September 23, 2012

Teen Zone via Skype

3:30 – 4:30 PM
Becoming Holmes
The Boy Sherlock Holmes, His Final Case
Shane Peacock is an author, playwright, television screenwriter, and journalist. He likes to write about extraordinary people and create unusual characters. His first book was a biography of The Great Farini, about perhaps the most amazing man in Canadian history, who walked over Niagara Falls in 1860 and invented the human cannonball act in the circus. His novels for young adults have won many accolades. His best-selling Boy Sherlock Holmes series has won and been nominated for 50 awards on their own and been published in 10 countries in 12 languages. His final Boy Sherlock, Becoming Holmes, appears this fall from Tundra Books!

VANCOUVER – September 30, 2012

Kids Tent

4:00 PM
The Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larsen
Canadian Screenwriter and Gemini Award-winning author Susin Nielsen got her start writing for the hit television show Degrassi Junior High. Her novel Word Nerd was a finalist for the TD Canadian Children’s Book Award and won the Red Maple, Rocky Mountain, Willow, and Manitoba Young Readers’ Choice Awards. Her novel Dear George Clooney, Please Marry My Mom has received rave reviews and has already been translated into French, Portuguese and German. Susin lives in Vancouver.

For more information about the Word on the Street, you can visit their website, facebook page, twitter, and blog.

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Finalists for the 2012 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 inaugural 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 shortlisted:

TD CANADIAN CHILDREN’S LITERATURE AWARD

The Dragon Turn
The Boy Sherlock Holmes, His Fifth Case
Written by Shane Peacock
Hardcover | Ages 10-14 | 240 Pages
ISBN: 978-1-77049-231-8
eBook: 978-1-77049-273-8
“With a trail of clues, a cast of shady characters, and even a hint of romance, The Dragon Turn has more twists and turns than a carnival ride and will keep readers guessing until its satisfying conclusion… Peacock is a master storyteller, and his richly imagined details of murder, revenge, betrayal, theatre, magic and exotic dragons combine to create an absolute page-turner of a book.” – Jury Comments

Stones for My Father
Written by Trilby Kent
Hardcover | Ages 11+ | 176 Pages
ISBN: 978-1-77049-252-3
eBook: 978-1-77049-260-8
“In her powerful and compelling novel set during the Boer War, Kent explores friendship, loss, and the resilience of the human spirit… Corlie Roux is a fascinating, complex heroine, and Kent’s willingness to present her and her situation unblinkingly is a gift to us all… At times raw, but always gripping, this novel packs an emotional punch.” – Jury Comments

Congratulations to the other finalists in this category: Deborah Ellis (No Ordinary Day); Susan Hughes (Off to Class: Incredible and Unusual Schools Around the World); and Andrea Spalding and Pascal Milelli (Seal Song).

NORMA FLECK AWARD FOR CANADIAN CHILDREN’S NON-FICTION

“Scribbling Women”
True Tales from Astonishing Lives
Written by Marthe Jocelyn
Hardcover | Ages 14+ | 208 Pages
ISBN: 978-0-88776-952-8
eBook: 978-1-77049-230-1
“This beautifully written text evokes women’s private lives down through history as revealed in their own, often astonishing, words… Well researched, informative and engaging… Jocelyn engages the reader’s imagination through her accessible language, attention to historical detail, creative description and narrative skill.” – Jury Comments

Congratulations to the other finalists in this category: Rafal Gerszak, Dawn Hunter, and Rafal Gerszak (Beyond Bullets: A Photo Journal of Afghanistan); Dora Lee and Margot Thompson (Biomimicry: Inventions Inspired by Nature); Susan Vande Griek and Karen Reczuch (Loon); and Susan Hughes (Off to Class: Incredible and Unusual Schools Around the World).

JOHN SPRAY MYSTERY AWARD

The Case of the Missing Deed
Written by Ellen Schwartz
Hardcover | Ages 8-11 | 200 Pages
ISBN: 978-0-88776-959-7
eBook: 978-1-77049-267-7
“A delightful mystery for children ten and up… Schwartz mixes tricky codes, ciphers with facts and interesting characters… The theme of environmental protection is well explained and the clues to the mystery are ingeniously sprinkled throughout a packet of recipes… Good dialogue, well-differentiated characters and a wholesome setting complete this old-fashioned mystery.” – Jury Comments

The Dragon Turn
The Boy Sherlock Holmes, His Fifth Case
Written by Shane Peacock
Hardcover | Ages 10-14 | 240 Pages
ISBN: 978-1-77049-231-8
eBook: 978-1-77049-273-8
“Peacock flawlessly recreates the London of the Victorian era… Readers feel as if they are walking along with the young Sherlock Holmes as he begins to awaken to his prodigious skills and fights to figure out how a magician can make a dragon appear… and disappear… Beautifully written with whip-smart dialogue.” – Jury Comments

Congratulations to the other finalists in this category: Rob Mills (Charlie’s Key); Edeet Ravel (Held); and Deborah Ellis (True Blue).

Congratulations to our authors and to our hardworking publishing team! The winners will be announced at The TD Canadian Children’s Literature Awards later this fall, see you then!

Tundra Book Group