Category: Toronto

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Day 2: Festival of Trees 2010

Here we are at day 2 (click here for Day 1) of the Forest of Reading’s Festival of Trees! Today we attended all three Silver Birch Award ceremonies to cheer for our authors and illustrators.

The day starts off with the Silver Birch Award’s Nonfiction category. Mark Thurman is busy watching the presenters talk about the authors. *Waving to the creators of Alien Invaders* Jane Drake spots us in the first photo and then Ann Love does!

Alien Invaders didn’t win, but congratulations to Larry Verstraete, his book At the Edge did!

Next up, Shane Peacock’s Death in the Air was nominated in the Silver Birch Award’s Fiction category.

Death in the Air didn’t win, but congratulations to Robert Paul Weston, his book Zorgamazoo did!

The last ceremony of the day, we had two nominees for the Silver Birch Award’s Express category. Cary Fagan with Ten Lessons for Kaspar Snit and Cyndi Sand-Eveland’s Dear Toni. Will we win anything?

Drumrolls and the finalists are announced, both of our authors are in it! Congratulations to Cary Fagan, Ten Lessons for Kaspar Snit was named a Silver Birch Express Honour Book! Listen to the scream, cheers, and chants!
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqwN5YsOi6c]

Wait for it… Cyndi Sand-Eveland’s Dear Toni is the winner of the Silver Birch Express Award!!!

Doesn’t the award look great?

The instant stardom!

Congratulations to all our authors and illustrators, thank you to each and every one of you for coming out to the festival and the award ceremony! Most of all, thank you to all the readers who voted!

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Day 1: Festival of Trees 2010

The Ontario Library Association hosts the Forest of Reading Programs  where readers vote for their favourite books! There are 7 different reading programs, categorized by grade level and age. The 2010 winner for each award is announced at the Festival of Trees at the Harbourfront Centre on May 12 and 13th. Despite the cold weather, the students came to the award ceremony to support their favourite books.

First up was the Red Maple Award! Just look at the audience:

Let’s zoom in to see the authors:

DRUMROLL please! Here’s a video on the announcement of the Finalists and the Winner:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvTZJJVXz24]

Congratulations to Susin Nielsen, Word Nerd is the winner of the 2010 Red Maple Award! Here she is giving her acceptance speech:

Coming off the stage, readers ask to have their photos taken with Susin:

Readers crowding around Susin to get her autograph! She’s feeling like a total ROCK STAR!!!

Lovely isn’t it? Where will Susin hang this?

Next up was the Blue Spruce Award ceremony, the sign holders were adorable:

Tim Beiser and Rachel Berman, creators of Bradley McGogg, the Very Fine Frog sitting beside Jeremy Tankard (in the blue jacket):

Congratulations to Jeremy Tankard, his book Boo Hoo Bird won the Blue Spruce Award!

Thank you to all the organizers, volunteers, authors, illustrators, teachers, and students for all their work! Congratulations to all the authors and illustrators!

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Thanks TCAF!

TCAF is such a great event! Tundra Books was exhibiting at the Toronto Comic Arts Festival this year and it was great getting feedback about our books and chatting with those that stopped by.

Did you have fun at TCAF’s Kids Day Programming?

We did! In the Novella Room at the Toronto Reference Library, J. Torres and Jason Bone introduced families to the world of Alison Dare! J. did Q&As with the children, explained the photo contest, and gave away some Alison Dare prizes.

Jason showed us how he sketches Alison Dare and the Blue Scarab. Then, the kids came up with their own challenging requests, broccoli with eyes and a very small dog were some of the examples:

Lesley Fairfield also came in to sign Tyranny at the Tundra table on both days:

A huge thank you to Chris, Peter, and The Beguiling for being our partnered bookseller! Thank you to Scott Robins for organizing Kids@TCAF! Finally, many thanks to the TCAF volunteers that helped out!

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Tundra at TCAF 2010

Can’t wait to read Alison Dare, Little Miss Adventures and Alison Dare, The Heart of the Maiden?

Well you’re in luck! Tundra Books will be exhibiting at the Toronto Comic Arts Festival this year! Come by our booth at TCAF this weekend to get your copy before anyone else. We will be pre-releasing the books for TCAF only! The Beguiling will be our partnered bookseller at the booth. Otherwise, you’ll have to patiently wait for the release date. =)

Get your copies signed! The Alison Dare creators, J. Torres and Jason Bone, will be signing at our table from 2:00pm-3:00pm on both Saturday and Sunday.

Alison Dare, Little Miss Adventures
By J. Torres
Illustrated by Jason Bone
ISBN: 978-0-88776-934-4
96 Pages; Black & White
For ages 8+
Trade Paperback
“Filled with life and energy, the pictures seem to move on the pages as you read them.” – Jack Blake, GrayHavenMagazine.com

Alison Dare, The Heart of the Maiden
By J. Torres
Illustrated by Jason Bone
ISBN: 978-0-88776-935-1
104 Pages; Black & White
For ages 8+
Trade Paperback
“These are the comics I wish I had as a kid! … Jason Bone’s art really brings the story to life; it’s expressive without being exaggerated, and he really brings out the goofy humor of the stories.” – Brigid Alverson, Comic Book Resources

Additionally, TCAF has Kids Day Programming! On Sunday, May 9th from 11:30am-12:15am in the Novella Room, they will be spotlighting Alison Dare! J. Torres and J. Bone will introduce you to Alison’s world of globe-trotting quests filled with danger with a Q&A session and live drawing.

Tyranny author and illustrator, Lesley Fairfield, will be signing at the Tundra table at 3:00pm on Saturday and at 12 noon on Sunday.

Tyranny
By Lesley Fairfield
ISBN 978-0-88776-903-0
120 pages; Black & White
For ages 11+
Trade Paperback
New York Public Library’s Stuff for the Teen Age list
” . . . This is one of the most moving and important graphic novels to come along in years . . .” – Starred Review, School Library Journal

Come by, say “hi,” and pick up the Tundra Books and McClelland & Stewart Graphic Novel Sampler, featuring the works of: J. Torres, J. Bone, Lesley Fairfield, Shaun Tan, David Small, Cam Kennedy, Alan Grant, Scott Chantler, and Steve Murray!

TCAF Exhibition Days:
Saturday, May 8th, 2010 from 9am-5pm
Sunday, May 9th, 2010 from 11am-5pm
Toronto Reference Library, 789 Yonge Street, Toronto
Free admission! Follow TCAF on Twitter.

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First Weekend of May

Whoaa do we have some great events lined up for this weekend! Drop by if you’re in the neighbourhood and check these out, they’re all free to attend!

Speaking of free, May 1 is Free Comic Book Day!
Map: 12-55 Wyndham Street North, Guelph, ON N1H 7T8
J. Torres will be signing at the Dragon (Guelph, ON) from 10:00am to 2:00pm. You could pick up an Alison Dare, The Heart of the Maiden chapbook and other goodies (while supplies last). I hear that there will be yummy treats too… be sure to go to the Dragon early or you might miss out!
PS: Open Book: Toronto asked Alison Dare to answer The Proust Questionnaire. Keep an eye out for the interview and giveaway contest!

Saturday, May 1, 2010 – 1:30pm
Map: 740 Richmond Street, London, ON N6A 1L6
Author and athlete, Laura Robinson will be at the Oxford Book Shop (London, ON) for a presentation and signing of Cyclist BikeList: The Book for Every Rider. Learn about bike safety and maintenance as Bike Month approaches! Laura will be bringing in a sample tool kit.

Sunday, May 2, 2010 – 2:00pm
Map: 2901 Bayview Avenue, North York, ON M2K 1E6
Join Rona Arato at Chapters Bayview Village (Toronto, ON) as we celebrate the launch of Mrs. Kaputnik’s Pool Hall and Matzo Ball Emporium. Rona will be reading at 2:30pm, pay special attention and you could win some neat prizes by correctly answering a few questions.

We hope to see you there, will anyone be going to all three? There should be a prize for that!

Tundra Book Group