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Cool Woods

The Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement has been signed by most of the Canadian forestry industry and environmental activists! Read the article from the Globe and Mail here or take your own trip around the world’s boreal forest:

Cool Woods
A Trip around the World’s Boreal Forest
Written by Jane Drake and Ann Love
Illustrated by Andrew Kiss
Hardcover | 80 pages | Ages 9+
ISBN 978-0-88776-608-4
The boreal forest is the last great forest wilderness on earth. It drapes across the subarctic right around the world. It pervades our myths and folklore. It provides us with wood and water. It freshens the very air we breathe.

  • Winner of the Skipping Stones Honor Award in the Ecology and Nature Books category

Praise for Cool Woods:

“…totally right on…” – The Globe and Mail

“…informative and beautiful…. The text conveys a sense of wonder along with its many facts…. [L]ovingly detailed paintings…teem with life…. [T]he authors provide a glossary, an index, and an indispensable map for this intriguing trip, and many young readers will be inspired to find out more.” – Quill & Quire

“[Andrew] Kiss makes visible just how magical the forest can be….” – Toronto Star

“…a remarkable look at the last great forest on Earth…each chapter is full of wonderful information…But the real merit of this book is the obvious passion that the authors feel for saving and preserving this unique and vital ‘lungs of the Earth’ environment” – Victoria Times Colonist

“Useful as an introductory resource…designed to pique curiosity and send learners off in search of more information – or a boreal forest in which to wander.” – Green Teacher

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2010 Helen and Stan Vine Canadian Jewish Book Awards

 

Congratulations to Eva Wiseman! Puppet is the winner of the 2010 Helen and Stan Vine Canadian Jewish Book Awards in Youth Literature.

Jury citations:
Puppet recounts the story of a blood libel trial that took place in Tisza-Eszlar, Hungary, in 1883, marrying historical accuracy seamlessly with dramatic events and rounded characters. Moral dilemmas are treated with subtlety: the chief witness against the Jews is a young Jewish boy, Morris Scharf, desperate to free his father and brainwashed by the authorities to believe his own lies. Meanwhile, his gentile friend. Julie, the story’s engaging young narrator, struggles with her own dilemma: Should she reveal evidence that will exonerate the Jews? Maintaining the suspense of a good detective story, Puppet keeps the readers on the edge of their seats until the truth comes out, dramatically, at the end of the trial. But Wiseman goes beyond plot, evoking the atmosphere of an impoverished Hungarian town whose visitors find relief in blaming Europe’s traditional scapegoat for their hardships. The Jury commends Puppet for introducing young readers to a relatively unknown event, and for broaching moral issues that will provoke intense discussions at home and in school.

Please join us at the award ceremony!
Thursday, May 27, 2010
8:00 PM | FREE
Al Green Theatre, Miles Nadal JCC
750 Spadina Ave (at Bloor Street)

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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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Turning Pages 2010

We are happy to hear that there is a new literary festival for children in Kitchener-Waterloo!

Here are the scheduled times for our authors and illustrators:

11:30 am – Laura Beingessner
Illustrator of Our Corner Grocery Store and Sail Away With Me.

3:00 pm – Heather Hart-Sussman
Heather Hart-Sussman wants to tell you about Nana’s wedding. Life with Nana is perfect, that is until she meets Bob!

3:30 pm – Nan Forler
Local teacher, Nan Forler, brings the story of Bird Child alive. Bullying and the ability to rise above it are at the heart of this strikingly beautiful picture book.

Turning Pages – A Literary Festival
Date: Saturday, May 15th, 2010
When: 10:00am-9:00pm
Where: The Children’s Museum
Address: 10 King Street West, Kitchener, ON N2G 1A3
Admission: $10 each or buy any kids or teen book from Words Worth Books and receive 25% off a single admission!

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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!

Tundra Book Group