Launch of: Humpty Dumpty and Friends

Last night, we celebrated the launch of Oleg Lipchenko’s Humpty Dumpty and Friends at Nicholas Hoare Books in Toronto.

The event also included a presentation of the 2009 Elizabeth Mrazik-Cleaver Award to Oleg Lipchenko for his illustrations in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. The annual IBBY Canada Elizabeth Mrazik-Cleaver Award, honours outstanding artistic talent in Canadian picture books.

IBBY Canada president, Patricia Ocampo presented Oleg Lipchenko with the award.

This is what the jury had to say:
“Oleg Lipchenko has turned this classic story into a rich experience for readers greeting Alice for the first time, as well as for those who know the original…Lipchenko’s illustrations are more than images on a page; they are an homage to the surreal quality and humor of Lewis Carroll’s text.”

Oleg Lipchenko signing copies of his books and posters.

Throughout the evening, guests were invited to look through Oleg Lipchenko’s portfolio containing the original artworks for the books.

Many thanks to everyone at Nicholas Hoare Books, IBBY Canada, to the family, and friends who came out to show their support for Oleg Lipchenko!

Calling all Alice fans!

Tim Burton’s adaptation of Alice in Wonderland hits theatres this week! Johnny Depp plays the Mad Hatter, Mia Wasikowska as the beautiful Alice, and Helena Bonham Carter as the Red Queen. But, before you watch the movie, check out our award-winning version of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland!

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
Written by Lewis Carroll
Illustrated by Oleg Lipchenko
ISBN 978-0-88776-932-0
Hardcover
104 Pages

Whether it’s to add to a collection of classics or to introduce new readers to Alice, this handsome large-format edition is a must-have for all ages. Lewis Carroll’s original text is illustrated as never before by Oleg Lipchenko to create a spectacular gift book. Sure to transport everyone down the rabbit hole and into the extraordinary realm of Carroll’s imagination, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, invites all readers to join the tea party and take their chances with the Mad Hatter, the Mock Turtle, and the boisterous Queen of Hearts.

Awards and Honours:

  • Winner of the 2009 Elizabeth Mrazik-Cleaver Award
  • Listed in Resource Links’ “The Year’s Best – 2009″

Praise:

“Elegant book design and sophisticated artwork…. remarkable and innovative….” – School Library Journal

“…Lipchenko leaves his mark on Wonderland with a unique but satisfying vision. I forgot all about blonde girls in blue dresses while paging through this one, and for that alone, the illustrator has my undying gratitude. Old-school in the best sense of the word, Tundra clearly knows a master when they see one…” – Bookslut

“…Lipchenko’s illustrations have lots to go on. They’re sinuous, crowded and oppressive in just the way Alice feels Wonderland…. Here’s the happy result of research, contemplation and evident enjoyment….” – The Toronto Star

“Curiouser and curiouser, yes? And surreal and gloriously bizarre in about seven different directions.” – Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast

Family Literacy Day

In addition to Family Literacy Day, two renowned authors were born on this day! Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, better known through his pseudonym, Lewis Carroll, was born in 1832 and Mordecai Richler was born in 1931. Why not celebrate their books with your family today?

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
By Lewis Carroll
Illustrated by Oleg Lipchenko
Hardcover
112 Pages
ISBN 978-0-88776-932-0

“Elegant book design and sophisticated artwork…. remarkable and innovative….” – School Library Journal

“… Illustrator Oleg Lipchenko … gives Lewis Carroll’s masterpiece an antique feel that finds something startling on each and every page. In a world populated by inquisitive animals and archly disturbed humans, Lipchenko leaves his mark on Wonderland with a unique but satisfying vision…. Old-school in the best sense of the word, Tundra clearly knows a master when they see one…” – Bookslut.com

Jacob Two-Two Meets the Hooded Fang
By Mordecai Richler
Illustrated by Dušan Petričić
Hardcover
96 Pages
ISBN 978-0-88776-825-2

“Mordecai Richler is a funny man, a good writer, and everyone should go out tomorrow morning and beat his local bookseller into submission if he hasn’t got a nice plump display of books titled Jacob Two-Two Meets the Hooded Fang…. It is ghastly and funny…an unbelievably believable unbelievable place with no artificial sweeteners or preservatives.” – The New York Times Book Review

Jacob Two-Two and the Dinosaur
By Mordecai Richler
Illustrated by Dušan Petričić
Hardcover
104 Pages
ISBN 978-0-88776-926-9
“There is a reckless momentum to Richler’s narrative, a rhythm of slap-dash invention that mimics the frantic pace of childhood fantasy. Yet Richler’s tale is well-ventilated with adult wit.” – Maclean’s

Jacob Two-Two’s First Spy Case
By Mordecai Richler
Illustrated by Dušan Petričić
Hardcover
168 Pages
ISBN 978-0-88776-927-6
“…the story combines zippy dialogue, clever magic tricks, and even a chapter in mirror writing, with opprobrious names and grossness galore…. It will undoubtedly be greeted with shrieks of joy and loud guffaws from children employing their all-too-natural baser instincts.” – The Horn Book Magazine

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 Dušan 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!