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Tuesdays with Tundra

Tuesdays with Tundra

Tuesdays with Tundra is an ongoing series featuring our new releases. The following book is now available in stores and online!

Ocean SpeaksOcean Speaks
How Marie Tharp Revealed the Ocean’s Biggest Secret
By Jess Keating
Illustrated by Katie Hickey
34 Pages | Ages 4-8 | Hardcover
ISBN 9780735265080 | Tundra Books
“This is a sweet picture book biography with a strong feminist message. Marie Tharp worked as a geologist and oceanographic cartographer at a time when women were not particularly welcome in the field. . . . Hickey’s blue-soaked illustrations are whimsical and energetic, perfectly complementing the succinct text . . . this book is packed with information and effectively conveys the gravity and impact of Tharp’s work and the obstacles she faced. Back matter adds factual weight to the narrative and provides valuable context for readers.” – Starred Review, School Library Journal

We can’t wait to see you reading these! If you share these books online, remember to use #ReadTundra in your hashtags so that we can re-post.

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Putting the YA in FRIYAY: Hunted by the Sky Blog Tour Recap

This week, Hunted by the Sky, the fierce new fantasy from Tanaz Bhathena, was officially released. To celebrate, we hosted a mini Instagram tour – keep scrolling to see all the gorgeous pictures and thanks to everyone who took part!

Hunted by the Sky
By Tanaz Bhathena
384 Pages | Ages 12+| Hardcover
ISBN 9780735267022 | Penguin Teen Canada
Gul has spent her life running. She has a star-shaped birthmark on her arm, and in the kingdom of Ambar, girls with such birthmarks have been disappearing for years. Gul’s mark is what caused her parents’ murder at the hand of King Lohar’s ruthless soldiers and forced her into hiding to protect her own life. So when a group of rebel women called the Sisters of the Golden Lotus rescue her, take her in, and train her in warrior magic, Gul wants only one thing: revenge.
Cavas lives in the tenements, and he’s just about ready to sign his life over to the king’s army. His father is terminally ill, and Cavas will do anything to save him. But sparks fly when he meets a mysterious girl-Gul-in the capital’s bazaar, and as the chemistry between them undeniably grows, he becomes entangled in a mission of vengeance-and discovers a magic he never expected to find.
Dangerous circumstances have brought Gul and Cavas together at the king’s domain in Ambar Fort . . . a world with secrets deadlier than their own. Exploring identity, class struggles, and high-stakes romance, Hunted by the Sky is a gripping adventure set in a world inspired by medieval India.
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2020 Kate Greenaway Medal

The Kate Greenaway Medal is considered the top British award for children’s book illustrations and it has been awarded annually since 1956 to an artist for an outstanding book for children/young people. We would like to congratulate Shaun Tan who became the first person of colour to win the award with his beautiful book, Tales from the Inner City.

Tales from the Inner City
By Shaun Tan
224 Pages | Ages 12+ | Hardcover
ISBN 9780735265202 | Tundra Books
“Every detail of the Kate Greenaway Medal winning Tales from the Inner City mark it as a masterwork of illustration that generates an outstanding experience for the reader in every detail. In a collection of 25 surreal short stories set in a semi-dystopian dreamscape where the boundaries between urban and wildlife are close to collapse, Shaun Tan conveys the tangled, intimate relationship between humans and animals with breathtaking technique and awe-inspiring invention. Double-page spreads of oil on canvas give pause for necessary reflection and contemplation. Never have the bonds between us and the beautiful creatures we share the earth with been so exquisitely rendered with such prescience. The judging panel were moved, amused and astonished by the artistry and imagination of a stunning book that should be widely shared and celebrated.” – Julia Hale, chair of CILIP Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Medals judging panel

Also by Shaun Tan:

Tales from Outer Suburbia
By Shaun Tan
96 Pages | Ages 12+ | Paperback
ISBN 9780735265226 | Tundra Books
Breathtakingly illustrated and hauntingly written, Tales from Outer Suburbia is by turns hilarious and poignant, perceptive and goofy. Through a series of captivating and sophisticated illustrated stories, Tan explores the precious strangeness of our existence. He gives us a portrait of modern suburban existence filtered through a wickedly Monty Pythonesque lens. Whether it’s discovering that the world really does stop at the end of the city’s map book, or a family’s lesson in tolerance through an alien cultural exchange student, Tan’s deft, sweet social satire brings us face-to-face with the humor and absurdity of modern life.

Eric
By Shaun Tan
40 Pages | Ages 4-8 | Hardcover
ISBN 9780735269736 | Tundra Books
Release date: October 20, 2020
Eric is a foreign exchange student who comes to live with a typical suburban family. Although everyone is delighted with the arrangement, cultural misunderstandings ensue, beginning with Eric’s insistence on sleeping in a pantry cupboard rather than a specially prepared guest room. The family takes Eric on a number of excursions, but they’re never sure if he’s having a good time, as he just doesn’t say very much. He’s mostly interested in small things he discovers on the ground. When Eric leaves the family suddenly, they’re unsure if they’ve done something wrong. But Eric leaves them a surprise gift that they’ll never forget.

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Tuesdays with Tundra

Tuesdays with Tundra

Tuesdays with Tundra is an ongoing series featuring our new releases. The following books are now available in stores and online!

When Emily Was SmallWhen Emily Was Small
By Lauren Soloy
44 Pages | Ages 4-8 | Hardcover
ISBN 9780735266063| Tundra Books
“An inspiring tale of renowned Canadian artist Emily Carr, set in her childhood. Basing her tale on a story written by Carr called “White Currants,” Soloy uses poetic, onomatopoeic language to present a glimpse of the young Emily Carr and to reveal how Carr’s childhood perception of the grandeur of the natural world inspired her artistic vision. It’s an impressive feat to deliver a story about connection with the natural world as seen by an artistic eye without lapsing into overromanticized expression or illustration, but Soloy succeeds…. The illustrations deftly bring readers’ focus to the infinite hues of green in both the light and shadow of nature as well as help to orchestrate the emotional impact of the text via placement and design. The whimsically rendered Emily captures the fierce eyebrows and stubborn determination that made the real Carr persevere in her artistic career despite years of art-world indifference. A concluding note gives brief biographical details about Carr, with an emphasis on her perseverance. An altogether accomplished presentation.” – Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews

Hunted by the SkyHunted by the Sky
By Tanaz Bhathena
384 Pages | Ages 12+ | Hardcover
ISBN 9780735267022 | Penguin Teen Canada
Gul has spent her life running. She has a star-shaped birthmark on her arm, and in the kingdom of Ambar, girls with such birthmarks have been disappearing for years. Gul’s mark is what caused her parents’ murder at the hand of King Lohar’s ruthless soldiers and forced her into hiding to protect her own life. So when a group of rebel women called the Sisters of the Golden Lotus rescue her, take her in, and train her in warrior magic, Gul wants only one thing: revenge. Cavas lives in the tenements, and he’s just about ready to sign his life over to the king’s army. His father is terminally ill, and Cavas will do anything to save him. But sparks fly when he meets a mysterious girl-Gul-in the capital’s bazaar, and as the chemistry between them undeniably grows, he becomes entangled in a mission of vengeance-and discovers a magic he never expected to find. Dangerous circumstances have brought Gul and Cavas together at the king’s domain in Ambar Fort . . . a world with secrets deadlier than their own. Exploring identity, class struggles, and high-stakes romance, Hunted by the Sky is a gripping adventure set in a world inspired by medieval India.

The Beauty of the Moment_Paperback Cover_new title fontThe Beauty of the Moment
By Tanaz Bhathena
368 Pages | Ages 12+ | Trade Paperback
ISBN 9780735263765| Penguin Teen Canada
“[A] superbly crafted work of young adult fiction, one filled with authentic and multifaceted characters and multicultural perspectives. . . . [It’s] likely to be of great relevance to readers in the target audience [and] would be a valuable addition to any classroom, school, or home library.” – Highly Recommended, CM Magazine

We can’t wait to see you reading these! If you share these books online, remember to use #ReadTundra in your hashtags so that we can re-post.

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TD Summer Reading Club 2020

TD Summer Reading Club is a free bilingual summer reading program for kids. Developed by the Toronto Public Library in association with Library and Archives Canada, the Club inspires kids to explore the joy of reading and build a lifelong love of literature.

All summer long, kids can read books online, get reading recommendations, track their progress, and connect with other kids all over Canada. There’s something for everyone including kids with print disabilities.

The theme for 2020 is Game On: “This summer, let’s gather together to cheer each other on as we achieve our personal best. We can work as a team, knowing we’re better together. We can test our individual limits to learn more about ourselves. While we might stumble, we’ll get up laughing and try again! Whether we’re playing in the library, online, around a table or in a field, individually or on a team, we’ll stretch our physical and mental limits and give it our best because we love the game.”

Two of our titles have been included on the Club’s 2020 Top 75 Recommended Readers, and we’re so excited to share them with children all across the country this summer.

Go Show the World: A Celebration of Indigenous Heroes
By Wab Kinew
Illustrated by Joe Morse
Tundra Books | 40 Pages | Ages 5-9
ISBN 9780735262928
“We are a people who matter.” Inspired by President Barack Obama’s Of Thee I Sing, Go Show the World is a tribute to historic and modern-day Indigenous heroes, featuring important figures such as Tecumseh, Sacagawea and former NASA astronaut John Herrington.

Jay Versus the Saxophone of Doom
By Kara Koostra with an afterword by Bobby Orr
Illustrated by Kim Smith
192 Pages | Ages 8-12 |
ISBN 9780143193753 | Puffin Canada
When it comes to hockey, Jay’s a team player, but there’s one person who seems determined to make life hard for Jay: his classmate and fellow team member, Mick Bartlet. It’s a good thing Jay can usually stickhandle his way out of his bullying. But something else is determined to make Jay’s life difficult, something far harder for Jay to play: the saxophone.

Tundra Book Group