CBC TD Kids Bookclub Contest

CBC Radio is partnered with the TD Bank Financial Group and the Canadian Children’s Book Centre to run a contest for middle school students across Canada – Greater Vancouver, the Edmonton area, the Calgary area, Manitoba, Toronto, the Montreal area, and Mainland Nova Scotia.

It’s an opportunity for young readers to win a visit from one of the five nominated authors for a book club discussion, plus copies of the book. CBC Radio will even record the event for broadcast, so readers will be heard on the radio!

We have two TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award nominees this year who are participating in the contest:

A Thousand Years of Pirates
Written and illustrated by William Gilkerson
Hardcover | 96 Pages
ISBN 978-0-88776-924-5
For ages 10 – 14
“A beautifully illustrated treasure trove of information… Chronicles the history of piracy from the time of the Vikings to the present day… This clear and compelling cross-over (history) for all ages includes not only biographical and dramatic narratives, but also the rarely-told sordid and sad details of piracy.” – Jury Comments

Watching Jimmy
Written by Nancy Hartry
Hardcover | 160 Pages
ISBN 978-0-88776-871-2
For ages 12 and up
Watching Jimmy is a masterful exploration of the impact a young girl’s voice can have when she is supported by adult allies… A suspenseful novel of loyalty, determination and compassion… Hartry creates a memorable portrayal of the secret subculture of childhood… A profound and powerful story.” – Jury Comments

The other nominees are Janet McNaughton (Dragon Seer), Sharon Jennings (Home Free), and Arthur Slade (The Hunchback Assignments)! All great authors and books!

To Enter:
Individual classes must submit an original short story, poem or song convincing CBC Radio to bring the TD Kids Book Club to their school. Entrants must tell CBC why their class is so special when it comes to books and reading. Please visit www.cbc.ca/kidsbookclub for more information related to your location.

Contest Entry Deadline:
Friday, October 15, 2010. Please help spread the word, the entry deadline is approaching fast!

Finalists for the 2010 Canadian Children’s Book Centre Awards

The Canadian Children’s Book Centre (CCBC) and TD Bank Financial Group announced the 2010 finalists for the Canadian Children’s Book Awards today. We would like to congratulate our authors and illustrators!

TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award Finalists:

A Thousand Years of Pirates
Written and illustrated by William Gilkerson
Hardcover | 96 Pages
ISBN 978-0-88776-924-5
For ages 10 – 14
“A beautifully illustrated treasure trove of information… Chronicles the history of piracy from the time of the Vikings to the present day… This clear and compelling cross-over (history) for all ages includes not only biographical and dramatic narratives, but also the rarely-told sordid and sad details of piracy.” – Jury Comments

Watching Jimmy
Written by Nancy Hartry
Hardcover | 160 Pages
ISBN 978-0-88776-871-2
For ages 12 and up
Watching Jimmy is a masterful exploration of the impact a young girl’s voice can have when she is supported by adult allies… A suspenseful novel of loyalty, determination and compassion… Hartry creates a memorable portrayal of the secret subculture of childhood… A profound and powerful story.” – Jury Comments

Congratulations to the other finalists: Janet McNaughton (Dragon Seer), Sharon Jennings (Home Free), and Arthur Slade (The Hunchback Assignments)! All great books!

Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award Finalists:

Our Corner Grocery Store
Written by Joanne Schwartz, illustrated by Laura Beingessner
Hardcover | 32 Pages
ISBN 978-0-88776-868-2
For ages 4 – 8
“In this endearing book, the grocery store is the cornerstone of the neighbourhood, a place where people come together in the daily act of living… A vivid slice of life packed with sensory delights, neighbourly warmth, and children’s pleasures… Beingessner’s detailed illustrations overflow with charm, brilliantly capturing the sights, sounds and gentle emotions of this busy and completely satisfying day.” – Jury Comments

Timmerman Was Here
Written by Colleen Sydor, illustrated by Nicolas Debon
Hardcover | 32 Pages
ISBN 978-0-88776-890-3
For ages 4 – 8
Timmerman Was Here tells a suspenseful story using a compelling narrative voice… The heroine’s simple, eloquent first-person narrative grabs the reader from the opening lines, while the artist’s exquisite, softly lit images flow effortlessly across the pages with affecting beauty… A truly memorable book.” – Jury Comments

Congratulations also go out to Janet Perlman (The Delicious Bug), Geneviève Côté (Me and You), and Frieda Wishinsky and Kady MacDonald Denton (You’re Mean, Lily Jean)!

Norma Fleck Award for Canadian Children’s Non-Fiction Finalists:

A Thousand Years of Pirates
Written and illustrated by William Gilkerson
Hardcover | 96 Pages
ISBN 978-0-88776-924-5
For ages 10 – 14
“The combination of strong storytelling and beautiful artwork and design make this an appealing book for children of all ages… Unparalleled in the presentation of pirate history… Gilkerson successfully weaves together fascinating tales to bring life and context to these adventurers of the high seas.” – Jury Comments

Congratulations to the other finalists: Priscilla Galloway and Dawn Hunter (Adventures on the Ancient Silk Road), Charis Cotter (Born to Write: The Remarkable Lives of Six Famous Authors), Scot Ritchie (Follow That Map! A First Book of Mapping Skills), and Kathy Kacer and Sharon E. McKay (Whispers from the Ghettos).

Geoffrey Bilson for Historical Fiction for Young People Finalists:

Vanishing Girl: The Boy Sherlock Holmes, His 3rd Case
Written by Shane Peacock
Hardcover | 320 Pages
ISBN 978-0-88776-852-1
For ages 9 and up
“The sinister side of Victorian London comes to life on the pages of Vanishing Girl… Both its aristocratic society and dark underbelly are perfectly described… Beautifully written and fast-paced… Peacock delves into the young mind of one of the best-known characters in literature… The story is well-plotted, with plenty of action, adventure and plot twists.” – Jury Comments

Watching Jimmy
Written by Nancy Hartry
Hardcover | 160 Pages
ISBN 978-0-88776-871-2
For ages 12 and up
“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

Congratulations to the other finalists: Laura Best (Bitter, Sweet), John Wilson (Crusade), and Barbara Haworth-Attard (Haunted).

The winning books will be announced on November 9, 2010 at the TD Canadian Children’s Literature Awards gala event. We are looking forward to it!

2009 Book of the Year Award Finalists

ForeWord Reviews announced the finalists in the 2009 Book of the Year Awards. We would like to congratulate the following authors and illustrators on their nominations!

Juvenile Nonfiction Finalist:

A Thousand Years of Pirates
By William Gilkerson
ISBN 9780887769245
96 Pages
“… A Thousand Years of Pirates, manages to preserve the historical reality of pirates while still maintaining the captivating image of pirates that so strongly interests people, especially children…. At the same time, Gilkerson captures the adventure of the high seas in his illustrations. …a great example of how history can be made interesting to young readers….” – ForeWord Reviews

Juvenile Fiction Finalist:

Jacob Two-Two on the High Seas
By Cary Fagan
Illustrated by DuÅ¡an Petričić
ISBN 9780887768958
112 Pages
“Fagan has produced a lively tale of pirates, transatlantic voyages, and the usual heedless parents…” – Books for Young People: Books of the Year,  Quill & Quire

YA Fiction Finalist:

Vanishing Girl
By Shane Peacock
ISBN 9780887768521
320 Pages
“… The richly descriptive prose offers a vivid sense of both Victorian life and the diverse characters, especially complex, intriguing, and sympathetic Sherlock….” – Booklist

Holiday List of Lists

There are a lot of lists circulating out there. Best-of lists, gift ideas, and reading suggestions for the holidays. Why don’t we make it easier for you? We compiled some of our books that were featured in lists this year!

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
By Lewis Carroll
Illustrated by Oleg Lipchenko
ISBN 978-0-88776-932-0
All Ages
112 Pages
Hardcover
Listed in: Books for Winter Break (Bookslut); Kids books with a ‘wow’ factor (The Chronicle Herald); Books for children to go under the tree (The Record)

A Big City Alphabet
By Allan Moak
ISBN 978-0-88776-939-9
Ages 4+
32 Pages
Trade Paperback
Listed in: WHERE Magazine’s Holiday Gift Guide (Where Toronto)

Brothers
By Michael Mazo
Illustrated by Michael Soloviov
ISBN 978-0-88776-822-1
All Ages
32 Pages
Hardcover
Listed in: Holiday gift guide: A survey of some of the hottest adult and children’s books, just in time for your holiday shopping (Kelowna)

Finn the half-Great
By Theo Caldwell
ISBN 978-0-88776-931-3
Ages 11+
392 Pages
Hardcover
Listed in: Holiday Reads: Deirdre Baker’s Fantasy Books for Kids (The Toronto Star)

Jacob Two-Two on the High Seas
By Cary Fagan
Illustrated by DuÅ¡an Petričić
ISBN 978-0-88776-895-8
Ages 8-11
112 Pages
Hardcover
Listed in: Books of the Year 2009: The 15 Books That Mattered (Quill & Quire); Holiday Gift Guide (EYE WEEKLY)

A Mountain Alphabet
By Margriet Ruurs
Illustrated by Andrew Kiss
ISBN 978-0-88776-940-5
Ages 4+
32 Pages
Trade Paperback
Listed in: Brief reviews of books for kids for Christmas (Kelowna)

A Thousand Years of Pirates
By William Gilkerson
ISBN 978-0-88776-924-5
Ages 10+
96 Pages
Hardcover
Listed in: Kids books with a ‘wow’ factor (The Chronicle Herald); Books for children to go under the tree (The Record); Books Quarterly: Lit for little ones (The National Post)

Vanishing Girl: The Boy Sherlock Holmes – His Third Case
By Shane Peacock
ISBN 978-0-88776-852-1
Ages 10-14
320 Pages
Hardcover
Listed in: Books Quarterly: Lit for little ones (The National Post)

Are these critic’s picks on your list? Tell us which books you are recommending this holiday season!

Season’s Readings

Season’s Greetings from Tundra Books! Here are some gift ideas for the book lovers on your list:

A Thousand Years of Pirates
Written and illustrated by William Gilkerson
ISBN 978-0-88776-924-5
Ages 10+
Hardcover
“Gilkerson captures the adventure of the high seas in his illustrations … a testament to his devotion to authenticity. His depictions make the ships and seadogs come to life, creating a richer experience for the reader … a great example of how history can be made interesting to young readers … The popularity of pirates will initially attract readers, but the combination of interesting stories and Gilkerson’s illustrations will keep 9-13 year olds reading the book till the very end, and hopefully beyond that.” – ForeWord Magazine

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
Written by Lewis Carroll
Illustrated by Oleg Lipchenko
ISBN 978-0-88776-932-0
All Ages
Hardcover
“… There is something very surreal about the illustrations in this one… If you have an older Alice fan, this would be a great gift book for them … [they] will definitely appreciate the intricate drawings and beautiful faces the illustrator creates.” – A Patchwork of Books

A Star for Christmas
Written and illustrated by Trisha Romance
ISBN 978-0-88776-836-1
All Ages
Hardcover
A Star for Christmas … has family favourite written all over it – the kind of book that will be reread year after year as part of a family family’s Christmas traditions … children are bound to be captivated by the warm, cozy images.” – The Montreal Gazette

The Nutcracker
Written by Karen Kain
Illustrated by Rajka Kupesic
ISBN 978-0-88776-696-1
All Ages
Hardcover
“One of Canada’s great ballerina’s brings the verve, grace and sensibility she brought to ballet to her retelling of Tchaikovsky’s ‘The Nutcracker.’ An added bonus are artist Rajka Kupesic’s very Russian, definitely pre-Bolshevik era paintings: rich and wondrous they are, with onion-domed churches, horse-drawn sleighs, and a velvet-coated uncle – all this before we even set eyes upon sugar plum fairies and their ilk.” – The Globe and Mail

The Little Toy Shop
Written and illustrated by Frances Wolfe
ISBN 978-0-88776-865-1
Ages 3-6
Hardcover
“… Wolfe has crafted an exquisite and wondrous tale that will warm the hearts of readers of every age. The rich and luminous illustrations perfectly capture the feel of an old-fashioned toy shop at Christmas, transporting readers effortlessly into the heart of one anxious toy bunny and the old man who knows just where the bunny ought to be. Each sumptuous spread tells its own story of love, a little bit of luck and dreams come true….” – Atlantic Books Today

One Hundred Shining Candles
Written by Janet Lunn
Illustrated by Lindsay Grater
ISBN 978-0-88776-889-7
Ages 5-8
Hardcover
“This touching story is about creating a beautiful memory out of very limited supplies, a story of giving from deep within the heart. The language is poetic and deeply textured, the characters real and engaging. In addition, the dialogue is authentic and nuanced, drawing the reader easily into the world…” – Excellent from Resource Links

The Hockey Sweater
Written by Roch Carrier
Illustrated by Sheldon Cohen
Translated by Sheila Fischman
ISBN 978-0-88776-174-4
Ages 8+
Paperback
“….not only sweet and funny, but a wise parable about Quebec and English Canada.” – The Toronto Star

Tales from Outer Suburbia
Written and illustrated by Shaun Tan
ISBN 978-0-7710-8402-7
All Ages
Hardcover
“For those who loved Tan’s surreal and evocative The Arrival, the Austrailian author follows up with a brilliant collection of illustrated vignettes. …this book is a small treasure, or, rather, a collection of treasures.” – Starred Review from School Library Journal

Tundra wishes everyone a safe and happy holiday season!

Tundra Book Group