Have a wonderful Family Day long weekend and Valentine’s Day! From your friends at Tundra: Tara, Liz, Sue, Samantha S, Sylvia, Peter, Pamela, and Samantha D!
Illustration by Julie Kraulis, featuring Arlo from An Armadillo in Paris.
Tundra Reading Club: February 2015
Hi everyone!
I hope you’re all ready for this month’s reading club!
Just to remind you:
Each month, we’ll post a book and a sign-up form for bloggers. Then we’ll randomly choose the lucky five who will receive a copy (in some cases, an advance copy) in exchange for a review on their blog!
Of course, everyone is free to participate via tweets (@TundraBooks) or in the comment section on the monthly post.
To make it easy to work into your busy schedules, we’ve chosen picture books so it shouldn’t take you too long to read the book of the month (or like me, you might pore over it for hours and be distracted by the illustrations).
As we announced last week, our February pick is Julie Kraulis’ gorgeous An Armadillo in Paris. With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, what better way to celebrate than with a stroll through Paris, the city of love?
A winsome armadillo from Brazil takes a trip to Paris in this delightful picture book from Julie Kraulis. Arlo is an armadillo who is always up for adventure. His grandfather, Augustin, loved adventure too. When Arlo was born, Augustin wrote travel journals about his favorite places for Arlo to use when he was hold enough to go exploring on his own. When Arlo reads about Paris and the one the French call La Dame de Fer, or Iron Lady, he decides it’s time to strike out on his first adventure. He travels to France and, guided by Augustin’s journal, discovers the joys of Paris: eating a flakey croissant at a café, visiting the Louvre, walking along the Seine and, of course, meeting the Iron Lady… But who is she? Each spread has a clue about her identity, and kids will see hints of her scattered throughout the book.
Visit your local library or bookstore to get reading! If you’re interested, fill in the form below and we’ll randomly select five bloggers to read and review a copy of An Armadillo in Paris and join our discussion.
SIGN-UP FORM CLOSED!
UPDATE: Congratulations to Tanya, Jo Ann, Danielle, Emilie, and Jules! We look forward to your reviews!
Check back in on Monday, February 23, 2015 for our book club’s first meeting to discuss An Armadillo in Paris!
Notable.ca: Your Perfect Book Gift Giving Guide
For that cute niece or nephew, Notable is recommending An Armadillo in Paris by Julie Kraulis this holiday season!
An Armadillo in Paris
Written by Julie Kraulis
Hardcover | 32 Pages | Ages 5-9
ISBN: 978-1-77049-526-5
“Toronto-based Kraulis wrote and illustrated this delightful book about a Brazilian armadillo named Arlo who is inspired by his grandfather Augustin’s travel journals to go on an adventure of his own. Arlo visits Paris, guided by Augustin’s journal, encountering all sorts of adventures along the way. You and your niece or nephew will revel in Kraulis’ beautiful illustrations as you rollick through Paris with Arlo.” – Shannon Culver, Notable.ca
2014 Holiday Gift Guide: The Explorers
Listed by age range:
An Armadillo in Paris
By Julie Kraulis
Hardcover | 32 Pages
For Ages: 5-9
ISBN: 978-1-77049-526-5
Arlo is an armadillo who is always up for adventure. His grandfather, Augustin, loved adventure too. When Arlo was born, Augustin wrote travel journals about his favorite places for Arlo to use when he was hold enough to go exploring on his own. When Arlo reads about Paris and the one the French call La Dame de Fer, or Iron Lady, he decides it’s time to strike out on his first adventure. He travels to France and, guided by Augustin’s journal, discovers the joys of Paris: eating a flakey croissant at a café, visiting the Louvre, walking along the Seine and, of course, meeting the Iron Lady… But who is she?
Viminy Crowe’s Comic Book
Written by Marthe Jocelyn and Richard Scrimger
Illustrated by Claudia Dávila
Hardcover | 336 Pages
For Ages: 9-12 years
ISBN: 978-1-77049-479-4
When chubby, geeky Wylder Wallace spills lunch on cool and aloof Addy Crowe at Toronto’s Comicon, she dashes to the bathroom, leaving behind the latest issue of her uncle’s steampunk comic hit: Flynn Goster in Gold Rush Train. Wylder, a fan of the Flynn comics, opens this new one eagerly, astounded to see the girl who was just yelling at him inside the comic. Fascinated, he follows Addy into the bathroom, and the adventure begins …
The World Outside
Written by Eva Wiseman
Hardcover | 240 Pages
For Ages: 12 and up
ISBN: 978-0-88776-981-8
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?
First Descent
Written by Pam Withers
Trade Paperback | 272 Pages
For Ages: 12 and up
ISBN: 978-1-77049-412-1
Montana-born Rex dreams of following in his grandfather’s footsteps and making a first descent down one of the world’s last unconquered wild rivers. When he finally gets enough sponsors, Rex heads to South America to tackle the well-named El Furioso. And while he anticipates the river’s challenges, he finds himself in a situation where the real danger is human.
Shadows
The Rephaim, Book 1
Written by Paula Weston
Trade Paperback | 400 Pages
For Ages: 14 and up
ISBN: 978-1-77049-769-6
It’s almost a year since Gaby Winters watched her twin brother die. In the sunshine of a new town her body has healed, but her grief is raw and constant. It doesn’t help that every night in her dreams she fights and kills hell-beasts. And then Rafa comes to town. Not only does he look exactly like the guy who’s been appearing in Gaby’s dreams, he tells her things about her brother and her life that cannot be true, things that are dangerous. Take a quick tour and follow the Rephaim as they shift from Pandanus Beach to Greece and to Italy.
Haze
The Rephaim, Book 2
Written by Paula Weston
Hardcover | 448 Pages
For Ages: 14 and up
ISBN: 978-1-77049-550-0
Gaby Winters’ life used to be pretty normal. She lived with her best friend. She worked in a library. She was slowly getting over the death of her twin brother, Jude. And then Rafa came looking for her. Take a quick tour and follow the Rephaim as they shift from Pandanus Beach to Los Angeles to Dubai to Iowa and to Melbourne.
Launch of: An Armadillo in Paris
What a lovely launch for An Armadillo in Paris! The event was held on Wednesday, November 5 at Café Plenty with Mabel’s Fables on hand to sell books. A fantastic turnout of friends, families, and fans came to congratulate Julie Kraulis on her second picture book publication. Here are some photos from the reception:
Yes, a knitted armadillo was present at the launch. With an interchangeable scarf, wonder what the colours will be for Arlo’s next adventure in New York City?
Julie brought in the original art to display so everyone could see the amazing details in her work.
A Parisian-themed launch wouldn’t be complete with some treats, especially macarons!
Great to see the support and love from friends and family! But … were they there to see Julie or Arlo?
Editor Samantha Swenson (right) saying a few words, she’s also the one who knitted the armadillo!
So many kids came by to get their books signed!
If you’re looking for Arlo prints and postcards, you can order them from Julie’s website here. Thank you to those who came out on the splendid Wednesday evening and many thanks to the team at Café Plenty and Mabel’s Fables!