Tundra Book Group

April 28, 2014May 7, 2025

You’re Invited to the Launch of Viminy Crowe’s Comic Book

You are invited to the launch of Viminy Crowe’s Comic Book. Please join authors Marthe Jocelyn and Richard Scrimger, and illustrator Claudia DÃ¡vila for an incrediballoo night!

When: Monday, May 12, 2014
Time: 6 to 8 PM
Where: Ben McNally Books
Address: 366 Bay Street, Toronto, ON M5H 4B2
Telephone: 416-361-0032

Praise for Viminy Crowe’s Comic Book:
“A harmonious blend of narrative and intertwined graphic sequences finds two preteens at a comics convention closer to the action than they ever imagined…. This wholly imagined fantasy is well-fleshed out and keeps the pages flying with its extremely clever story within a story. As it embraces so many different genres and formats-comics, steampunk, adventure-expect this to resonate with a wide readership. A thrilling and imaginative reminder that adventure and magic can be found anywhere, especially where one least expects it-and even if your mother texts you incessantly.” – Starred Review, Kirkus

Are we a bunch of tweeters? Yes. Follow @scissorhouse, @richardscrimger, @ClaudiaDrawings, and @TundraBooks.

April 23, 2014May 7, 2025

You’re Invited to the Launch of Nine Words Max

You are invited to the launch of Nine Words Max. Please join illustrator, David Huyck, as he celebrates his newest book with the fantastic staff at Book People of Moscow!

When: Saturday, April 26, 2014
Time: 10:00 AM
Where: Book People of Moscow
Address: 521 S. Main, Moscow, Idaho 83843
Telephone: (208) 882-2669

David Huyck grew up outside the kingdom of Chicago where he watched gobs of puppet shows, but they were mostly on TV. He lived half a block from the candy store in one direction, and half a block from the playground in the other. Along with a limitless supply of Legos, cartoons and all genres of books, the resulting high-fructose queasiness is the point-source for everything he has made ever since. In addition to his award-winning illustrations, David is known as proprietor of the collaborative print project, Cloudy Collection, and he is a contributing editor for the popular Drawn! illustration and cartooning blog. The first book he illustrated is That One Spooky Night, also written by Dan Bar-el. He always keeps a pencil handy so he can capture hiding frogs and silly faces on paper. David lives with his family in Moscow, ID.

Praise for Nine Words Max:

“Wonderful concept, intelligent protagonist, lovely art – utterly adorable. Recommended!” – Kristina Radke of NetGalley

“Bar-el uses his skills as a storyteller, educator and children’s author to spin an entertaining, quirky tale that celebrates the use of language…. The cartoon-like illustrations are colorful, action-packed and crammed full of riotous detail.” – Highly Recommended, CM Magazine

“Huyck’s illustrations are entertaining, incredibly detailed…. The story is timeless, the characters are silly but loveable, and the intelligent, witty narrative is complemented further by the brilliant illustrations…. Dan Bar-el and David Huyck are a masterful storytelling duo. This book is a wonderful addition to any bookshelf.” – On Page 394

“. . . a very witty little book for children…. Wonderfully written & humorously illustrated children’s book. Loved it.” – Moon Shine Art Spot

“Nine Words Max is one of the most hilarious books I’ve ever read.” – Ian Wood’s Novellum

April 22, 2014May 7, 2025

Tuesdays with Tundra 38

Tuesdays with Tundra is a monthly post on our new releases. The following books are available today in stores and online!

Nine Words Max
Written by Dan Bar-el
Illustrated by David Huyck
Hardcover | 32 Pages | Ages 5-9
ISBN: 978-1-77049-562-3
“Bar-el uses his skills as a storyteller, educator and children’s author to spin an entertaining, quirky tale that celebrates the use of language. The clever and humorous story extols the use of words at a time when today’s media emphasizes brevity and seems to rely on shortened messaging in texts, emails and abbreviated tweets. The rich vocabulary and lively text are well-served by the high energy illustrations. . . . The cartoon-like illustrations are colorful, action-packed and crammed full of riotous detail.” – Highly Recommended, CM Magazine

Becoming Holmes
The Boy Sherlock Holmes, His Final Case
Written by Shane Peacock
Trade Paperback | 264 Pages | Ages 10+
ISBN: 978-1-77049-768-9
“Peacock concludes his stellar saga with a final mystery, shaping the young boy into the man he will become. . . . This is a solid period mystery. Peacock once again uses London as a character, this time as a city deep in mourning for Charles Dickens. Holmes’s actions, decisions, and interactions all demonstrate the roots of the legendary detective he will become. Such characters as Irene Doyle, Malefactor (who will become Moriarty), Lestrade, and even a whiff of Watson all contribute to a feeling of authenticity . . . this is a strong story. The ending is exciting and unexpected. This is an excellent conclusion to a wonderful series.” – VOYA Magazine

The Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larsen
Written by Susin Nielsen
Trade Paperback | 256 Pages | Ages 10+
ISBN: 978-1-77049-654-5
“. . . maybe it’s best that, while the story is infused with the quirkiness of Henry and the other teens, the emphasis should be on the overwhelming anguish experienced by those left behind after unnatural death. Nothing could or should remedy that agony except time, acceptance, and maybe forgiveness of oneself and others. Susin Nielsen shares the complicated nature of grief and grieving while helping the reader see the far-reaching and unpredictable consequences of bullying.” – CanLit for LittleCanadians

Pub Date Giveaway: In the comments below, please tell us which new April release of Tundra’s you would love to read and one lucky reader will receive their requested book! One request per person and please review our rules. This giveaway ends at midnight on Monday, April 28, 2014!

UPDATE: Congratulations to James, winner of Becoming Holmes by Shane Peacock.

April 17, 2014May 7, 2025

Shortlist for the 2014 Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children’s Book Awards

The following Tundra title have been shortlisted for the 2014 Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children’s Book Awards in the Young Adult / Middle Reader category:

Little Red Lies
Written by Julie Johnston
Hardcover | 352 Pages | Ages 10+
ISBN: 978-1-77049-313-1
eBook: 978-1-77049-314-8
“Johnston has crafted a beautifully written, low-key, yet emotional story of a family dealing with the return of a son at the close of war….” – Starred Review, Booklist
“Filled with bumbling characters who achingly love each other, this coming-of-age tale rises above a crowded field to take readers on a moving journey of discovery.” – Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews

Congratulations to Julie Johnston! Congratulations to the other shortlisted authors for their titles as well: Ultra by David Carroll; The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B by Teresa Toten; Jane, the Fox and Me by Fanny Britt and illustrations by Isabelle Arsenault; and Sorrow’s Knot by Erin Bow.

About the Award
The award, made possible by the Ruth Schwartz Foundation, is presented annually to the authors/illustrators of two outstanding works of Canadian children’s literature – a picture book and a young-adult/middle-reader title. The award is administered jointly – the Ontario Arts Council (OAC) oversees the jury process and publicizes the award and the Ontario Arts Foundation (OAF) publicizes the award.

The 2014 winners will be announced on Tuesday, May 20, 2014 at Aldergrove Public School in Markham, Ontario.

April 8, 2014May 7, 2025

Tuesdays with Tundra 37

Tuesdays with Tundra is a monthly post on our new releases. The following books are available today in stores and online!

The ACB with Honora Lee
Written by Kate De Goldi
Illustrated by Gregory O’Brien
Hardcover | 128 Pages | Ages 10+
ISBN: 978-1-77049-722-1
eBook: 978-1-77049-723-8
“De Goldi’s story of an only child’s determined efforts to know and love her grandmother deserves a place in the pantheon of quiet, word-of-mouth classics . . . Perry is funny and bewitching, and all of the other characters, even the walk-ons, are equally engaging. O’Brien’s curious diagram-illustrations pay appropriate tribute to Perry’s admiration for the unconventional.” – Starred Review, Publishers Weekly

The Bambino and Me
Written by Zachary Hyman
Read by Jason Alexander
Illustrated by Zachary Pullen
Hardcover | 48 Pages | Ages 6-9
ISBN: 978-1-77049-627-9
“The tale is entirely fictional, but it manages to capture the essence of that extraordinary time and the larger-than-life persona that was Babe Ruth. Hyman invests George’s voice with boyish enthusiasm and conversational language filled with contemporary syntax. Pullen’s oddly proportioned, compelling illustrations, rendered in oil paint and walnut oil, are in perfect tandem with the nostalgic spirit of the text and wonderfully depict every aspect of the characters’ emotions. . . . Lively, fun-filled and altogether delightful.” – Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews

What We Hide
Written by Marthe Jocelyn
Hardcover | 288 Pages | Ages 14+
ISBN: 978-1-77049-642-2
eBook: 978-1-77049-644-6
“The true heart of Jocelyn’s novel is the dangerous relationship between Robbie and Luke. . . . Their occasional encounters in the woods are some of the most explicit in the book, but also the most emotionally healthy. No one in What We Hide gets a storybook ending, just a slightly better understanding of his or her predicament. . . . Jocelyn shows an ease with the vagaries of the teenage mind and a willingness to depict some very uncomfortable situations without blinking. Yes, there is a lot of sex here, but Jocelyn writes about it with more brute honesty and maturity than you’ll find in many adult books.” – Quill & Quire

The World Outside
Written by Eva Wiseman
Hardcover | 240 Pages | Ages 12+
ISBN: 978-0-88776-981-8
eBook: 978-0-88776-982-5
Seventeen-year-old Chanie Altman lives the protected life of a Lubavitcher Hasidic girl in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, New York, in 1991. Religion is the most important aspect of her life, and, like other Lubavitcher girls, she is expected to attend a seminary and to marry as soon as she graduates from high school. But Chanie has a beautiful voice and dreams of becoming an opera singer – a profession forbidden to a Hasidic girl. When she meets David, a non-Hasidic Jewish boy, he opens the portals to the world outside her fundamentalist community. The Crown Heights riots break out, and the Lubavitchers are put under siege by their African-American neighbors. A tragedy occurs. Will Chanie stay in the fundamentalist community she has always known in a life that has been prescribed for her, or will she leave it behind to follow her dreams?

Going Up!
Elisha Otis’s Trip to the Top
Written by Monica Kulling
Illustrated by David Parkins
Trade Paperback | 32 Pages | Ages 5-8
ISBN: 978-1-77049-516-6
“Kulling engages readers with her narrative style and fast-paced storytelling. She keeps the story moving without leaving out important details. . . . Detailed pen, ink and watercolor illustrations depict history while also being kid-friendly. Parkins effectively captures the expressions on the faces of people throughout the book. . . . It is sure to captivate readers while teaching them something new.” – Nonfiction Detectives

Pub Date Giveaway: In the comments below, please tell us which new April release of Tundra’s you would love to read and one lucky reader will receive their requested book! One request per person and please review our rules. This giveaway ends at midnight on Monday, April 14, 2014! What We Hide by Marthe Jocelyn is only open to Canadian residents. The rest of the titles above are open to both Canada and the United States.

UPDATE: Congratulations to Mary-Esther, winner of The World Outside by Eva Wiseman.