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At the end of March, we introduced the #7SillyPrompts from seven of our authors to help spark your creativity. If you missed them when they were revealed live on social media, we’ve compiled them all here for you:
We’d love to see what you can do with these #7SillyPrompts – submit your work to YoungReaders@penguinrandomhouse.com and we’ll collect them in our gallery!
Take storytime to another level with these family-friendly audiobooks that your kids will love!
Ages 8-12
Chase
By Linwood Barclay
Read by Adam Sims
4 hours 47 minutes | Ages 8-12
ISBN 9780735268111 | Puffin Canada
Chipper is a very special dog. He’s part of a multi-million-dollar experiment at a secret organization known only as The Institute. The Institute has been experimenting with dogs, melding them with state-of-the-art computer technology. But there’s a problem with Chipper. His natural dog instincts often overrule his computer side. No matter what he’s doing, if he sees a squirrel or a mouse, he’ll drop everything to chase it. So The Institute has decided it’s time to pull the plug on Chipper. Chipper manages a daring escape with a destination in mind, but a team from The Institute, led by the cold-hearted Daggert, is hot on his heels.
Escape
By Linwood Barclay
Read by Adam Sims
5 hours 11 minutes | Ages 8-12
ISBN 9780735268333 | Puffin Canada
Twelve-year-old Jeff and genetically engineered spy dog Chipper are on the run from the mysterious and sinister organization known only as The Institute, with help from Harry, the summer guest at Jeff’s aunt’s fishing cabins. Due to a combination of bravery, luck and some of Chipper’s more useful modifications, they’ve managed to evade their pursuers so far. But The Institute is closing in and Chipper and Jeff will have to keep one step ahead if they want to stay alive. . . . Harry seems to have a plan to keep them hidden, but now even he seems to be acting suspiciously. Can Jeff and Chipper trust him?
Knock About with the Fitzgerald-Trouts
By Esta Spalding
Illustrated by Sydney Smith
Read by Caitlin Kelly
5 hours 36 minutes | Ages 8-12
ISBN 9780735264755 | Tundra Books
Welcome to the further adventures of the plucky Fitzgerald-Trout siblings, who live on a tropical island where the grown-ups are useless, but the kids can drive. In this second installment, the delightfully self-reliant siblings continue their search for a home. This time, their pursuit will bring them face-to-face with a flood, illegal carnivorous plants, and the chance to win an extraordinary prize at a carnival. Will they finally find the place they truly belong?
Look Out for the Fitzgerald-Trouts
By Esta Spalding
Illustrated by Sydney Smith
Read by Caitlin Kelly
4 hours 12 minutes | Ages 8-12
ISBN 9780735264748 | Tundra Books
Meet the Fitzgerald-Trouts, a band of four loosely related children living together on a lush tropical island. They take care of themselves. They sleep in their car, bathe in the ocean, eat fish they catch and fruit they pick, and can drive anywhere they need to go–to the school, the laundromat, or the drive-in. If they put their minds to it, the Fitzgerald-Trouts can do anything. Even, they hope, find a real home.
Sweep: The Story of a Girl and Her Monster
By Jonathan Auxier
Read by Sarah Coomes
8 hours 14 minutes | Ages 8-12
ISBN 9780735269194 | Puffin Canada
For nearly a century, Victorian London relied on “climbing boys”–orphans owned by chimney sweeps–to clean flues and protect homes from fire. The work was hard, thankless and brutally dangerous. Eleven-year-old Nan Sparrow is quite possibly the best climber who ever lived–and a girl. With her wits and will, she’s managed to beat the deadly odds time and time again. But when Nan gets stuck in a deadly chimney fire, she fears her time has come. Instead, she wakes to find herself in an abandoned attic. And she is not alone. Huddled in the corner is a mysterious creature–a golem–made from ash and coal. This is the creature that saved her from the fire.
Ages 10+
A Royal Guide to Monster Slaying
By Kelley Armstrong
Read by Caitlin Driscoll
7 hours 48 minutes | Ages 10-14
ISBN 9780735269132 | Puffin Canada
Twelve-year-old Rowan is destined to be Queen; her twin brother, Rhydd, to be Royal Monster Hunter. Rowan would give anything to switch places, but the oldest child is always next in line, even if she is only older by two minutes. She resigns herself to admiring her monster hunting aunt’s glorious sword and joining her queen mother for boring diplomatic teas. But tragedy shatters the longstanding rule, and Rowan finds herself hunting the most dangerous monster of all: a gryphon.
Aggie Morton, Mystery Queen: The Body Under the Piano
By Marthe Jocelyn
Illustrated by Isabelle Follath
Read by Sarah English
8 hours 13 minutes | Ages 10+
ISBN 9780735268791 | Tundra Books
Filled with mystery, adventure, an unforgettable heroine and several helpings of tea and sweets, The Body Under the Piano is the clever debut of a new series for middle-grade readers and Christie and Poirot fans everywhere, from a Governor General’s Award–nominated author of historical fiction for children.
Me and Banksy
By Tanya Lloyd Kyi
Read by Veronica Hortiguela
6 hours 15 minutes | Ages 10+
ISBN 9780735268777 | Puffin Canada
Dominica’s private school is covered in cameras, and someone is hacking into them and posting embarrassing moments for the whole school to see. Like Ana picking her nose. When Dominica quickly changes her shirt from inside out in what she thinks is the privacy of a quiet corner in the library, she’s shocked — and embarrassed — to discover a video has captured this and is currently circulating amongst her schoolmates. So mortifying, especially since over the past three years, they’ve had a half-dozen school talks about social media safety.
No Fixed Address
By Susin Nielsen
Read by Nissae Isen
5 hours 35 minutes | Ages 10+
ISBN 9780735265875 | Tundra Books
Felix Knuttson, twelve, is an endearing kid with an incredible brain for trivia. His mom Astrid is loving but unreliable; she can’t hold onto a job, or a home. When they lose their apartment in Vancouver, they move into a camper van, just for August, till Astrid finds a job. September comes, they’re still in the van; Felix must keep “home” a secret and give a fake address in order to enroll in school. Luckily, he finds true friends. As the weeks pass and life becomes grim, he struggles not to let anyone know how precarious his situation is. When he gets to compete on a national quiz show, Felix is determined to win — the cash prize will bring them a home. Their luck is about to change! But what happens is not at all what Felix expected.
The Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larsen
By Susin Nielsen
Read by Ashleigh Ball
5 hours 52 minutes | Ages 10+
ISBN 9780735265301 | Tundra Books
Thirteen-year-old Henry’s happy, ordinary life comes to an abrupt halt when his older brother, Jesse, picks up their father’s hunting rifle and leaves the house one morning. What follows shatters Henry’s family, who are forced to resume their lives in a new city, where no one knows their past. When Henry’s therapist suggests he keeps a journal, at first he is resistant. But soon he confides in it at all hours of the day and night.
Need more suggestions? Check out this list on the Penguin Random House Canada website!
Last week, the much anticipated adaption of John Green’s Looking For Alaska premiered on CBC Gem. We were so excited, we sat down to live tweet the first episode on Tuesday – catch up on the thread here:
Five minute warning! We're opening up #CBCGem and making sure our box of Kleenex is nearby (just in case). #LookingForAlaska https://t.co/ksAUbW31ZF pic.twitter.com/5B4oxbq6YA
— Penguin Teen Canada (@PenguinTeenCa) April 21, 2020
Want more Looking For Alaska content? Back in October when the show premiered on Hulu, our friends at Penguin Teen did a live tweet of the first episode too:
Grab popcorn and also some tissues because we’re about to go seek our great perhaps, watching ep 1 of @alaskaonhulu! a thread #LookingforAlaska pic.twitter.com/6R8aELV97o
— Penguin Teen (@PenguinTeen) October 18, 2019
They also put together a recap on their blog and a fun fact-filled video:
And now we want to hear from YOU! Have you read Looking For Alaska? Or watched the show? Let us know your thoughts and we’ll add them below!
“It’s been almost a decade since I read it so my memory of the story itself is pretty vague, but it was one of the books I loved in the height of me reading YA as a teen, and it holds a really good nostalgic feel for me! I’m excited to dive back into the story during quarantine, since I’ve been enjoying some old hobbies of mine and rewatching things for nostalgia’s sake.” – emilykatereads
Weeeeeell that first episode definitely left me intrigued! I want to see what happens next! (even though the flashback ((is it a flashback?)) scares me a little, haha) #LookingForAlaska #CBCGem @PenguinTeenCa pic.twitter.com/ryUT4wrnTR
– Oh, Flavia ☕ï¸ðŸƒðŸ“– (@flavbibliophile) April 22, 2020
all of these last words remind me of that time where I kept entire notebooks with book quotes. Spent hours looking for them! #LookingforAlaska
– Elise â¤ï¸ (@abookandacup) April 21, 2020
Loved the book and the adaptation was magnificent. Perfectly casted and written. Both are very moving. John Green really created a timeless story.
– anna c. grajales (@annacgrajales) April 23, 2020
You can also check out this podcast episode from Canadians Brenna and Joe for a different take!
We hope everyone is staying safe and doing well. These are difficult times, there’s no doubt about it. Travel and trade shows have been taken off the table this year, but that doesn’t mean we can’t all stay connected virtually!
The above image is what our booth banner looks like, featuring the artwork from Story Boat by Kyo Maclear and illustrated by Rashin Kheiriyeh. Story Boat is an imaginative, lyrical, unforgettable picture book about the migrant experience through a child’s eyes.
We invite you to take a flip through our January to June 2020 catalog over here (the cover image features art from What’s Up, Maloo? by Geneviève Godbout):
We can’t hand out or send everyone a physical ARC, but please request a review copy from NetGalley here:
PICTURE BOOKS:
MIDDLE GRADE:
YOUNG ADULT:
We haven’t forgotten about award reading lists! The 2020-2021 Texas Bluebonnet Award list includes:
Sweep: The Story of a Girl and Her Monster
By Jonathan Auxier
368 Pages | Ages 8-12
ISBN 9780735264373 | Puffin Canada
Click here to watch Jonathan Auxier reveal the cover and introduce the story of Sweep.
Click here to watch Colby Sharp talk about Sweep.
“This dazzling, warmhearted novel contemplates selflessness and saving, deep love and what makes a monster.” – Starred Review, Publishers Weekly
“As heartbreaking as bleak midwinter – and as hopeful as early spring.” – Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews
“Nan’s fiery personality will attract readers like moths, and Auxier’s unusual blend of mythology and history will keep them transfixed.” – Starred Review, Booklist
“Auxier crafts a beautiful, hopeful story out of some ugly realities of nineteenth-century British life.” – Starred Review, Horn Book Magazine
“Jonathan Auxier weaves a magical spell that draws readers right into the stark, gritty streets of Victorian London . . . Readers will be entranced.” – Starred Review, School Library Connection
While the current Little Maverick Graphic Novel Reading List includes:
Narwhal’s Otter Friend
By Ben Clanton
64 Pages | Ages 6-9
ISBN 9780735262492 | Tundra Books
Click here to watch our book trailer!
Click here for a Narwhal educators’ guide.
Click here for coloring and drawing activity sheets.
Click here to make your own Narwhal tusk!
Click here for the Narwhal and Jelly song by Emily Arrow.
Check out this Narwhal and Jelly Pinterest collection!
Learn how to draw Narwhal here.
Ben Clanton is doing Miximal Mondays on his Instagram Live!
“Clanton’s Narwhal and Jelly follow in the grand tradition of early reader buddy tails like Frog and Toad or Elephant and Piggie, and this latest tale is sure to find an honored place alongside them on young readers’ bookshelves.” – New York Journal of Books
“The text is short, sweet, and funny; this, combined with the memorable characters, makes dipping one’s toes into independent reading a pleasure.” – Booklist
We hope you found our virtual TLA booth helpful! We look forward to the day we can all safely travel and attend conferences again. If you have any questions about these titles or would like more resources, just reach out to our booth staff at YoungReaders@penguinrandomhouse.com. We also have a list of activity kits and educators’ guides here and our virtual event listing here.
Photos from our booths at ALA Midwinter 2020 and PLA 2020 have been posted to our Facebook page!
Ages 0-3
My Two Moms and Me
By Michael Joosten
Illustrated by Izak Zenou
22 Pages | Ages 0-3
ISBN 9780525580126 | Doubleday Books for Young Readers
Families with same-sex parents are celebrated in this board book that follows busy moms and their kids throughout their day-eating breakfast, going on a playdate, heading to the pool for a swim, and settling back in at night with a bedtime story and a good-night lullaby. LGBTQ+ parents and their friends and families will welcome this inclusive and cheerful book that reflects their own lives and family makeup. With artwork by acclaimed fashion illustrator Izak Zenou, this is a stylish, smart, humorous, family-focused book that will have babies and their two moms giggling as they enjoy it together. It’s an ideal baby-shower and first-birthday gift.
Llama Llama Red Pyjama
By Anna Dewdney
34 Pages | Ages 1-3
ISBN 9780451474575 | Viking Books for Young Readers
Llama Llama’s tale of nighttime drama has charmed readers as a classic hardcover for a full decade. For the first time, Anna Dewdney’s infectious rhyming text and expressive artwork are available for the youngest of readers in this board book edition.
Ages 2-5
Superhero Mom
By Timothy Knapman
Illustrated by Joe Berger
26 Pages | Ages 2-5
ISBN 9781536212150 | Nosy Crow
All moms are amazing, and the mom in this story is no exception. She doesn’t wear a cape or fly around, but she runs for the bus so fast it feels like flying; uses her superstrength to carry her daughter’s boots, coat, bag, and scooter; and can make bumps and bruises better with just a kiss. Maybe moms really do have superpowers!
Ages 3-7
Llama Llama Mother’s Day Present
By Anna Dewdney
24 Pages | Ages 3-5
ISBN 9780593094181 | Penguin Young Readers
Llama Llama is determined to make Mother’s Day as special as possible for his mama. Your little llamas will love relating to their favorite picture book character as he faces new and challenging situations.
I Love Mom with The Very Hungry Caterpillar
By Eric Carle
32 Pages | Ages 3-5
ISBN 9780451533463 | World of Eric Carle
Show Mom just how much she means with this colorful book from the World of Eric Carle. Join The Very Hungry Caterpillar as he honors Mother’s Day and celebrates incredible parents everywhere. With joyful illustrations and colorful creatures, this charming keepsake is a great way to show parents, grandparents, soon-to-be mothers, aunts, friends, or whomever you call “Mom” just how much you care.
Great Job, Mom!
By Holman Wang
32 Pages | Ages 3-7
ISBN 9780735264083 | Tundra Books
Being a mom is eleven jobs in one! This unique picture book for very young readers celebrates the many jobs being a parent encompasses: A general who rallies the troops (or unruly kids), a curator of modern art (or finger paintings), an archeologist looking for buried treasures (or socks) . . . when Mom gets home from her day job as a carpenter, she never knows which job will be waiting for her, but she knows it’ll be fun!
Just Me and My Mom/Just Me and My Dad
By Mercer Mayer
48 Pages | Ages 3-7
ISBN 9780385371759 | Random House Books for Young Readers
This deluxe storybook features two Little Critter stories in one book! In the first story, Little Critter enjoys a day in the city with his mom. Then flip the book over to read about Little Critter’s very first camping trip with his dad.
My Mom and Me
By Adam Hargreaves
32 Pages | Ages 3-7
ISBN 9781524792381 | Grosset & Dunlap
From making you smile–even when things are going wrong–to knowing just when hugs are needed, moms are Splendid, Fun, Magic, and Sunshine: lots of the Little Misses rolled into one! This book featuring the Little Miss characters will help you show your mom just how special she is to you. The perfect book for Mother’s Day, a new mom, a mother’s birthday–or for anytime you want to say I love you. Readers can also add their own words about their mom at the end of the book to make it a special, personalized gift.
Ages 4-8
How to Raise a Mom
By Jean Reagan
Illustrated by Lee Wildish
32 Pages | Ages 4-8
ISBN 9780553538298 | Knopf Books for Young Readers
This humorous new addition to the beloved HOW TO . . . books takes readers through a playful, busy day with Mom. Written in an instructional style, two siblings suggest the best ways to raise a happy, healthy mom-from waking her up in the morning to arranging play dates, to making sure she gets enough exercise, some quiet time, and plenty of veggies! Filled with charming role-reversal humor, creative ideas, and lots of love, How to Raise a Mom is the perfect gift for Mother’s Day-or any day!
How to Babysit a Grandma
By Jean Reagan
Illustrated by Lee Wildish
32 Pages | Ages 5-8
ISBN 9780385753845 | Knopf Books for Young Readers
When you babysit a grandma, if you’re lucky, you’ll have a sleepover at her house! And with the useful tips found in this book, you’re guaranteed to become an expert grandma-sitter in no time. (Be sure to check out the sections on: How to keep a grandma busy; Things to do at the park; Possible places to sleep, and what to do once you’re both tucked in for the night.)
Ages 7-10
Fairy Mom and Me #1
By Sophie Kinsella
Illustrated by Marta Kissi
160 Pages | Ages 7-10
ISBN 9780735263352 | Puffin Canada
Ella Brook can’t wait to grow up, because one day she will become a fairy and have her own sparkly wings and a teacher on Fairy Tube, just like her mom! Until then, Ella has to learn by watching her mom in action. But sometimes spells go wrong, and Ella’s mom can never seem to remember the right magic codes. A lot of the time, it’s up to Ella to come to the rescue. Does she have what it takes to be a fairy one day? Or will there be more glitches than glitter?
Fairy Mom and Me #2: Fairy in Waiting
By Sophie Kinsella
Illustrated by Marta Kissi
160 Pages | Ages 7-10
ISBN 9780735263383 | Puffin Canada
Ella Brook is used to being a Fairy-in-Waiting. It means that one day she will become a fairy with her own sparkly wings and Computawand just like her mom. But sometimes Ella doesn’t want to have to wait any longer. After all, she helps her mom remember magic codes all the time! If only there was a spell for growing up faster. Will Ella prove that she’s ready to become a fairy? Or will she learn that she doesn’t need real magic to save the day?
Ages 8-12
Anne of Green Gables
By L. M. Montgomery
384 Pages | Ages 8-12
ISBN 9781770497313 | Tundra Books
When Marilla Cuthbert and her brother, Matthew, decide to adopt a child from a distant orphanage, they don’t get quite what they bargained for. The child who awaits them at the tiny Bright River train station is not the strapping young boy they’d imagined–someone to help Matthew work the fields of their small farm–but rather a freckle-faced, redheaded girl named Anne (with an e, if you please).
Matthew and Marilla may not be sure about Anne, but Anne takes one look at Prince Edward Island’s red clay roads and the Cuthberts’ snug white farmhouse with its distinctive green gables and decides that she’s home at last. But will she be able to convince Marilla and Matthew to let her stay?
Armed with only a battered carpetbag and a boundless imagination, Anne charms her way into the Cuthberts’ hearts–and into the hearts of readers as well. She truly is, in the words of Mark Twain, “the dearest and most lovable child in fiction since the immortal Alice.”
Marvel Fearless and Fantastic! Female Super Heroes Save the World
By Sam Maggs, Ruth Amos and Emma Grange
128 Pages | Ages 8-12
ISBN 9781465478856 | DK Children
How did Captain Marvel gain superhuman powers? When was Shuri crowned queen of Wakanda? From Gamora to Wasp, this beautiful illustrated book celebrates diverse female Super Heroes who use their strength, intelligence, and courage to save the world. More than 50 character profiles explore the origins and achievements of fierce fan-favorites such as Ms. Marvel, America Chavez, Squirrel Girl, and Black Widow. With a foreword by Marvel Comics writer Kelly Thompson, DK’s Fearless and Fantastic! is the ultimate feminist tribute to Marvel Comics’ most powerful women and girls. This book will be a treasured gift for comic book fans and beginners, and fans of 2019’s hugely popular Captain Marvel movie.
Wonder
By R.J. Palacio
320 Pages | Ages 8-12
ISBN 9780375869020 | Knopf Books for Young Readers
August Pullman was born with a facial difference that, up until now, has prevented him from going to a mainstream school. Starting 5th grade at Beecher Prep, he wants nothing more than to be treated as an ordinary kid-but his new classmates can’t get past Auggie’s extraordinary face. Wonder, now a #1 New York Times bestseller and included on the Texas Bluebonnet Award master list, begins from Auggie’s point of view, but soon switches to include his classmates, his sister, her boyfriend, and others. These perspectives converge in a portrait of one community’s struggle with empathy, compassion, and acceptance.
All Ages
Guess How Much I Love You
By Sam McBratney
Illustrated by Anita Jeram
40 Pages | All Ages
ISBN 9780763674489 | Candlewick
Sometimes, when you love someone very, very much, you want to find a way of describing how much you treasure them. But, as Little Nutbrown Hare and Big Nutbrown Hare discover, love is not an easy thing to measure! For two decades, Sam McBratney’s timelessly endearing story, beautifully rendered in Anita Jeram’s exquisite watercolors, has captured the deep and tender bond between parent and child. Guess How Much I Love You is one of the world’s best-loved picture books.
You Are My Mother: Inspired by P.D. Eastman’s Are You My Mother?
By P.D. Eastman
32 Pages | All Ages
ISBN 9780593121184 | Random House Books for Young Readers
What do you give the mother who introduced you to P. D. Eastman’s Are You My Mother? Why, P. D. Eastman’s You Are My Mother, of course-a small hardcover gift book of unrhymed observations about the ways our mothers make us the people we are today! Featuring slightly color-enhanced artwork from Are You My Mother?, the observations (delivered by the baby bird star of the book) are charming, funny, and sure to rekindle cherished memories of reading together. An ideal gift for Mother’s Day, birthdays, or any day you just want to say thanks to Mom and tell her you love her!
Need more inspiration? Check out Indigo’s Mother Day shop for more great gifts for Mom!