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2012 Telling Tales: A Festival of Stories

This year, the 4th annual Telling Tales: A Family Festival of Stories is being held on Sunday, September 16, 2012 at the Westfield Heritage Village. Gates open at 9:30am and the festival ends around 4:00pm. Parents, grandparents, educators, aspiring writers and illustrators, established writers and illustrators, storytellers, musicians, literacy champions, history buffs, and lovers of stories will enjoy Telling Tales!

Location:
Westfield Heritage Village
Rockton, ON L0R 1X0

Free parking available only at the Rockton Fairgrounds with complimentary shuttle service to Westfiled Heritage Village.

Don’t forget to meet our authors at the festival this year:

Mr. Zinger’s Hat
Written by Cary Fagan
Where: One Room School House
When: 11:30-12:00 p.m.
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.

Ones and Twos
Written and illustrated by Marthe Jocelyn
Where: One Room School House
When: 12:30-1:00 p.m and 2:00-2:30 p.m.
Marthe Jocelyn’s ability to present important-to-learn concepts to the very young has garnered accolades from around the world. Each brightly illustrated page invites children to identify familiar objects ranging from kites to socks, from one nest to the two birds sitting in it. Ones and Twos gives little toddlers and their caregivers much to discuss and to enjoy together, and it introduces an exciting new creative team.

Me & Death: An Afterlife Adventure
Written by Richard Scrimger
Where: Jerseyville Railway Station
When: 11:45-12:15 p.m.
Where: Bandstand
When: 1:15-1:45 p.m.
Fresh from having stolen a piece of fruit and taunting the grocer, Jim, a fourteen-year-old wannabe gangster, bully, and car thief, is run over by a car. What follows is a hilarious, bleak, and ultimately hopeful visit to the afterworld, courtesy of Richard Scrimger, one of the country’s finest writers.

Becoming Holmes: The Boy Sherlock Holmes, His Final Case
Written by Shane Peacock
Where: Jerseyville Railway Station
When: 12:30-1:00 p.m.
Where: Bandstand
When: 2:15-2:45 p.m.
Becoming Sherlock is the final book in Shane Peacock’s award-winning Boy Sherlock Holmes series, combining brilliant storytelling with fascinating historical detail, and a mystery worthy of one of the greatest sleuths in English literature.

There’s more information about the festival on the website and downloadable program. See you there!

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Tuesdays with Tundra 22

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

The Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larsen
Written by Susin Nielsen
Hardcover | Ages 11-14 | 256 pages
ISBN: 978-1-77049-372-8
eBook: 978-1-77049-373-5
“…With a quirky cast of characters and a thought-provoking storyline, Susin Nielsen’s latest novel is a gem you don’t want to miss. If you have ever been bullied in your life, The Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larsen will especially strike a chord within your heart. I was completely touched and moved to tears at times, yet smiling like crazy at other moments, a feat I’m not sure how Susin Nielsen manages, but she truly does! I laughed. I cried. Susin Nielsen’s The Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larsen is an absolute must-read for everyone.” – Midnight Bloom Reads

Oscar Peterson
The Man and His Jazz
Written by Jack Batten
Hardcover | Ages 10+ | 192 pages
ISBN: 978-1-77049-269-1
eBook: 978-1-77049-362-9
Called the “Maharaja of the keyboard” by Duke Ellington, Oscar Peterson released over 200 recordings, won seven Grammy Awards, received the Order of Canada and is considered to have been one of the greatest jazz pianists of all time. This new biography from award-winning author Jack Batten, promises to tell Oscar Peterson’s story in a complete, compelling and sympathetic way.

Watching Jimmy
Written by Nancy Hartry
Trade Paperback | Ages 9+ | 160 pages
ISBN: 978-1-77049-360-5
“A short, but powerful coming-of-age novel… Hartry has created memorable characters, carefully weaving family relationships tinged by fear and guilt… This is a moving – and fast-moving – story, alive with the fears and uncertainties of life in Canada soon after the Second World War…. A thoughtful read.” – Jury Comments, Finalist for the Geoffrey Bilson Award for Historical Fiction for Young People

Winter Shadows
Written by Margaret Buffie
Trade Paperback | Age: 11+ | 336 pages
ISBN: 978-1-77049-358-2
“…the well-drawn characters will eventually capture readers’ attention. The details of daily life and racial politics in 1856 Manitoba, Canada, add weight to the story and the chaste romance between Beatrice and her two suitors will further draw in fans of historical fiction.” – School Library Journal

These books are available on September 25, but we’re going to include them on this roundup!

It’s Our Nature
Written by Rebeca Orozco
Illustrated by Menena Cottin
Hardcover | Ages 5-8 | 24 pages
ISBN: 978-1-77049-283-7
An elegant look at similarities between animals and humans. Believe it or not, animals have a strong resemblance to humans. Rebeca Orozco’s informative text and Menena Cottin’s brilliant images show us how animals can live together in harmony.

When I Get Older
The Story behind “Wavin’ Flag”
Written by K’naan
Illustrated by Rudy Gutierrez
Hardcover | Ages 7-10 | 32 Pages
ISBN: 978-1-77049-302-5
eBook: 978-1-77049-303-2
In his first book for children, When I Get Older, Somali-Canadian poet, rapper, singer, and songwriter K’naan tells his own story. “Wavin’ Flag” has become an international anthem. Its powerful words of hope have crossed generations and borders, and have made K’naan an international star.

Pub Date Giveaway: In the comments below, tell us which new September release of Tundra’s you would love 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, September 17, 2012!

UPDATE: Congratulations to Mary-Esther, who will be getting a copy of Susin Nielsen’s The Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larsen.

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International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and of its Abolition

Written by Janet Willen and Marjorie Gann

The kids we meet at schools – in Canada, the U.S., even Israel – are always bursting with questions about slavery:

“Is it true that white people were slaves too, not just black people?”
“Are there still slaves today?”
“Isn’t it illegal?”
“Can we end slavery? How?”

A student at Al-Nahda School, in Israel, looks at a whip for slaves.

August 23 is UNESCO’s International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and of its Abolition. So now is a good time for us to think about all the people who were captured and sold into slavery in the long history of the world, and of those who fought to end slavery. Even more important, it’s a time to think about what we can to do end slavery today.

As we explain in Five Thousand Years of Slavery, Slavery has existed in all times and all places, and people of all races, religions, and nations have been slaves. Slaves did the hard work that built immense palaces in Ancient Babylonia. They mined silver and gold in the Roman Empire. In the Middle Ages, people captured in Britain became slaves in Ireland, and people captured in Ireland became slaves in Scandinavia. In the 1700s, North Africans enslaved American and European sailors they seized on the Mediterranean Sea. African slaves drained marshes in Iraq in the 800s and planted the sugar cane and cotton that made Britain and America rich in the 1800s. Chinese girls did their owners’ bidding until the 1920s.

And today, twenty-seven million people are enslaved. Though slavery is illegal almost everywhere, laws aren’t always enforced. Schoolchildren are forced to pick cotton in Uzbekistan, and prisoners are forced to work in slave labor camps in China, North Korea, and Cuba. Poverty often drives parents to sell their children into slavery. Five Thousand Years of Slavery tells the story of James Kofi Annan, sold by his father to work on a fishing boat in Ghana.

Abolitionists can make a huge difference. Englishman Thomas Clarkson organized the movement that ended the West Indian slave trade in 1808. Harriet Tubman, a runaway American slave, returned to the American South nineteen times before the Civil War to free over three hundred slaves. Today, the former slave James Kofi Annan is taking on the cause of child slaves through his own organization, Challenging Heights.

As we tell the schoolchildren we meet, everyone can help in the fight against slavery. You can:

Though the fight against slavery seems insurmountable, it is a fight worth waging.

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Tuesdays with Tundra 21

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

Mr. Zinger’s Hat
Written by Cary Fagan
Illustrated by Dušan Petričić
Hardcover | Ages 4-6 | 32 Pages
ISBN: 978-1-77049-253-0
eBook: 978-1-77049-364-3
This is the story of a bored little boy, who meets a 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. 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.

My Healthy Body
Written by Liza Fromer and Francine Gerstein MD
Illustrated by Joe Weissmann
Hardcover | Ages 6-9 | 24 Pages
ISBN: 978-1-77049-312-4
eBook: 978-1-77049-370-4
My Healthy Body is a fact-filled book about healthy habits – perfect for instilling the need to look after both mind and body in young children. Covering topics like sleep, exercise, nutrition, vaccines, eye care, social interaction, family, and hygiene this is the perfect go-to-title for general health care for 6 to 9 year old’s.

My Itchy Body
Written by Liza Fromer and Francine Gerstein MD
Illustrated by Joe Weissmann
Hardcover | Ages 6-9 | 24 Pages
ISBN: 978-1-77049-311-7
eBook: 978-1-77049-369-8
My Itchy Body is a fact-filled book about everything that itches: the causes, the cures, the myths, and the reality. Medically accurate information is presented in fun and lively text, and illustrated with a comic touch. Includes fun facts and sidebars, and a glossary.

The Big Book of Vampires
Written by Denise Despeyroux
Illustrated by Fernando Falcone
Hardcover | Ages 9+ | 112 Pages
ISBN: 978-1-77049-371-1
A fabulously creepy collection of vampire lore for blood-thirsty little people. A perfect Halloween collection! A bloody great collection of vampire stories from around the world, in a large, beautifully illustrated edition – a perfect keepsake.

The Secret Fiend
The Boy Sherlock Holmes, His Fourth Case
Written by Shane Peacock
Trade Paperback | Ages 10-14 | 272 Pages
ISBN: 978-1-77049-385-8
The Secret Fiend is the fourth book in Shane Peacock’s award-winning Boy Sherlock Holmes series, combining brilliant storytelling with fascinating historical detail and a mystery worthy of one of the greatest sleuths in English literature.

Talking Tails
The Incredible Connection Between People and Their Pets
Written by Ann Love and Jane Drake
Illustrated by Bill Slavin
Trade Paperback | Ages 9-12 | 80 Pages
ISBN: 978-1-77049-359-9
Part social history, part “owner manual,” Ann Love and Jane Drake present irresistible and heartwarming stories of pets through the ages, complemented by the captivating pen-and-ink-with-watercolor illustrations of artist Bill Slavin.

Pub Date Giveaway: Tell us which new release of ours you would love to read in the comments below and one lucky reader will receive their requested book!

One request per person and please review our rules. This giveaway ends at midnight on Thursday, August 16, 2012!

UPDATE: Congratulations to Julie, who will be getting a copy of The Big Book of Vampires!

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2011 Book of the Year Award Winners

ForeWord Reviews‘ Book of the Year Awards were established to bring increased attention to librarians and booksellers of the literary and graphic achievements of independent publishers and their authors. The decisions are based on editorial excellence, professional production, originality of the narrative, author credentials relative to the book, and the value the book adds to its genre.

Tundra would like to congratulate our finalists and winners for an outstanding job!

Young Adult Fiction

Silver Winner
First Descent
Written by Pam Withers
Hardcover | 272 pages
ISBN: 978-1-77049-257-8
eBook: 978-1-77049-274-5
Brisk, snappy language, an exotic setting and a socially-conscious tale of adventure well told – First Descent is a solid recommendation for adventure lovers of any age or gender.” – Canadian Children’s Book News

Honorable Mention
The Dragon Turn: The Boy Sherlock Holmes, His Fifth Case
Written by Shane Peacock
Hardcover | 240 pages
ISBN: 978-1-77049-231-8
eBook: 978-1-77049-273-8
“…The mystery is well-paced, full of night-time thrills and shady characters, and our fallible hero … hopefully Shane Peacock isn’t done with his youthful protagonist yet.” – Excellent, Resource Links

Other winners in this category: Brooklyn, Burning and Drummer Girl.

Young Adult Nonfiction

Silver Winner
Five Thousand Years of Slavery
Written by Marjorie Gann and Janet Willen
Hardcover | 176 pages
ISBN: 978-0-88776-914-6
eBook: 978-1-77049-151-9
“[Gann and Willen] … have written an invaluable work that sets slavery into a much larger continuum that predates recorded history and continues even today in all parts of the world…. Gann and Willen are engaging storytellers…. Five Thousand Years of Slavery deserves a widespread distribution in school and public libraries.” – Highly Recommended, CM Magazine

Other winners in this category: Beyond Bullets, World Without Fish, and Law Made Fun through Harry Potter’s Adventures

Tundra Book Group