TD Summer Reading Club 2014

EurekaThe TD Summer Reading Club is an inclusive, bilingual program that strives to engage all children in the joy of reading during the summer months. This program is a joint initiative between TD Bank Group, Toronto Public Library, and Library and Archives Canada. Every year a theme is selected from suggestions made across the country. This year’s theme is EUREKA!

Children who register for the TD Summer Reading Club at their local library receive a free promotional reading kit and are encouraged to earn nine collectible stickers by reading books over the summer. They are also invited to participate in programs organized at their local library and share their love of reading with children across the country through the TD Summer Reading club website.

Here are some of the Tundra titles that are being featured in the reading lists this year, make sure you check them out at your local library!

Ella May and the Wishing StoneElla May and the Wishing Stone
Written by Cary Fagan
Illustrated by Geneviève Côté
Trade Paperback | 32 Pages | Ages 4-6
ISBN: 978-1-77049-410-7
“…Fagan believably captures the delicate balance of friendship in the very young and lets the story play out with welcome complexity. Côté’s illustrations are simple without being cartoonish, demonstrating the same warm understanding of childhood. Thoughtful and Touching” – Kirkus Reviews

I Like To PlayI Like to Play
World Vision Early Readers
Written by Marla Stewart Konrad
Hardcover | 24 Pages | Ages
ISBN 978-0-88776-998-6
“…full of gorgeous photographs and simple text…. The pictures are thought provoking and will prompt many questions from young readers…. There is so much joy and focus in these pictures… highly recommended….” – Excellent, Resource Links

In the BagIn the Bag!
Margaret Knight Wraps It Up

Written by Monica Kulling
Illustrated by David Parkins
Trade Paperback | 32 Pages | Ages 5-8
ISBN: 978-1-77049-515-9
“…a delightful picture book biography of a little known inspiring woman…. I love stories about smart and determined young women and Kulling’s lively text tells an inspiring story about this determined woman who ‘never gave up without a fight.’ David Parkins’ charming illustrations are filled with carefully drawn period details and engaging humor…. Don’t miss this really excellent book that opens the door to a multitude of curricular uses.” – Bookends, a Booklist Blog

Mr Zingers HatMr. Zinger’s Hat
Written by Cary Fagan
Illustrated by Dušan Petričić
Hardcover | 32 Pages | Ages 4-6
ISBN: 978-1-77049-253-0
“A charming, marvelous tale surrounding the art of creating and telling stories, Mr. Zinger’s Hat celebrates the budding friendship between an elderly writer and a young boy who discovers a storyteller within … Fagan’s writing is beautifully crafted … Petričić’s engaging artwork deftly juxtaposes two distinct styles which portray a real-life setting and an imaginary world … The illustrations vividly depict the storyteller’s wry humour and the boy’s wide-eyed innocence.” – Jury Members (Winner of the 2013 Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award)

Sweet!Sweet!
The Delicious Story of Candy

Written by Ann Love and Jane Drake
Illustrated by Claudia Dávila
Trade Paperback | 64 Pages | Ages 9-12
ISBN 978-0-88776-962-7
“…reading their new book is a little like dipping into a grab bag from the candy store: the experience is fun, varied, and relatively cheap, considering the pleasure it gives. The difference is that you can take in the whole book at a single sitting and feel the better for it. Underneath its whimsical exterior – the humorous cartoon illustrations, the fun bits of trivia – there’s a centre of solid research. The writing is clear and engaging…. This thoughtfully constructed book is a treat to read.” – Starred review, Quill & Quire

What Am IWhat Am I?
Written by Linda Granfield
Illustrated by Jennifer Herbert
Hardcover | 32 Pages | Ages 2-5
ISBN: 978-0-88776-812-5
“Little ones will be kept on their toes as they guess which item is being described by a series of clues. Straightforward descriptions and bright, simple illustrations help kids figure out the right answers.” – Today’s Parent

readerparade
Please click here for more information about John Martz, the illustrator who created the artwork for this year’s Reading Club!

TD Summer Reading Club

Science Writers’ Association Book Awards Shortlist

We are delighted to announce that one of our titles has been shortlisted as an Outstanding Youth Book for the Canadian Science Writers’ Association Book Awards. Congratulations to Ann Love, Jane Drake, and Bill Slavin!

Pandemic SurvivalPandemic Survival
It’s Why You’re Alive

Written by Ann Love and Jane Drake
Illustrated by Bill Slavin
Hardcover | 128 Pages | Ages 9-12
ISBN: 978-1-77049-268-4
eBook: 978-1-77049-499-2
The Black Death. Yellow Fever. Smallpox. History is full of gruesome pandemics, and surviving those pandemics has shaped our society and way of life. Every person today is alive because of an ancestor who survived–and surviving our current and future pandemics, like SARS, AIDS, bird flu or a new and unknown disease, will determine our future. Pandemic Survival presents in-depth information about past and current illnesses; the evolution of medicine and its pioneers; cures and treatments; strange rituals and superstitions; and what we’re doing to prevent future pandemics. Full of delightfully gross details about symptoms and fascinating facts about bizarre superstitious behaviors, Pandemic Survival is sure to interest even the most squeamish of readers.

Congratulations to the other shortlisted titles:

  • A History of Just About Everything by Elizabeth MacLeod and Frieda Wishinsky
  • Au labo les Debrouillards! by Yannick Bergeron
  • Before the World Was Ready by Claire Eamer and Sa Boothroyd
  • Buzz About Bees by Kari-Lynn Winters
  • Dirty Science by Shar Levine and Leslie Johnstone

The winners of this year’s award will be announced in mid-April and the award will be presented during the CSWA awards banquet at the annual conference in Toronto on June 7. You can find the full award announcement on the website here.

Tuesdays with Tundra 31

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

The Pocket MommyThe Pocket Mommy
Written by Rachel Eugster
Illustrated by Tom Goldsmith
Hardcover | 32 Pages | Ages 4-6
ISBN: 978-1-77049-300-1
Saying goodbye to Mom at the kindergarten door can be tough. Samuel hates it and wishes he could have a tiny, pocket-sized mommy to carry around with him all day. His mom slips a pretend mommy into his pocket, and when she comes to life, Samuel is delighted . . . at first. But he soon discovers that having a mom along in kindergarten isn’t as much fun as he thought it would be. Sure, she helps him remember the words to songs and keeps him company. But she also rearranges the bookshelf, corrects his artwork, and tries to clean out the guinea pig cage-all with disastrous (and comic) results. An energetic romp with a sweet core, The Pocket Mommy follows one little boy as he navigates the age-old conflict between the comfort of the familiar and the joy of letting go.

Pandemic SurvivalPandemic Survival: It’s Why You’re Alive
Written by Ann Love and Jane Drake
Illustrated by Bill Slavin
Hardcover | 128 Pages | Ages 9-12
ISBN: 978-1-77049-268-4
eBook: 978-1-77049-499-2
The Black Death. Yellow Fever. Smallpox. History is full of gruesome pandemics, and surviving those pandemics has shaped our society and way of life. Every person today is alive because of an ancestor who survived-and surviving our current and future pandemics, like SARS, AIDS, bird flu or a new and unknown disease, will determine our future. Pandemic Survival presents in-depth information about past and current illnesses; the evolution of medicine and its pioneers; cures and treatments; strange rituals and superstitions; and what we’re doing to prevent future pandemics. Full of delightfully gross details about symptoms and fascinating facts about bizarre superstitious behaviors, Pandemic Survival is sure to interest even the most squeamish of readers.

HijackedHijacked: How Your Brain Is Fooled by Food
Written by David A. Kessler, MD
Hardcover | 192 Pages | Ages 10+
ISBN: 978-1-77049-503-6
eBook: 978-1-77049-505-0
Ever wonder why you love fast food so much? Or why you can’t just eat a single cookie? Well guess what-it’s not just because it tastes good! The food industry is using three things to keep you eating: sugar, fat, and salt. When you eat stimulating combinations of these key ingredients, your brain is hijacked into craving more-and you are hijacked into overeating.
What is really in a hamburger, a candy bar, or even applesauce? How much money are companies making when you supersize your portion? What is the science behind the perfect cinnamon roll? How are restaurants conditioning your eating habits?
The food industry knows how to capture your attention by designing and manufacturing food targeted at you. They want to get you hooked and they want a share of your stomach. In Hijacked: How Your Brain is Fooled by Food, Dr. David Kessler reveals the secrets behind food production and offers new insights and helpful solutions on identifying misleading food labels in order to break this endless cycle of overeating.

NOW IN PAPERBACK

It's a Snap!It’s a Snap! George Eastman’s First Photograph
Written by Monica Kulling
Illustrated by Bill Slavin
Trade Paperback | 32 Pages | Ages 5-8
ISBN: 978-1-77049-513-5
George Eastman had a new hobby: photography. The year was 1877, and photography was not as easy as you might think. It cost a lot and the equipment was bulky, but George was about to change all that. What he lacked in formal education, George more than made up for in ingenuity: he invented dry plates, film, and the Brownie camera! The rest is history.

All Aboard!All Aboard! Elijah McCoy’s Steam Engine
Written by Monica Kulling
Illustrated by Bill Slavin
Trade Paperback | 32 Pages | Ages 5-8
ISBN: 978-1-77049-514-2
There were few opportunities for the son of slaves, but Elijah McCoy’s dreams led him to study mechanical engineering in Scotland. He learned everything there was to know about engines-how to design them and how to build them. But when he returned to the United States to look for work at the Michigan Central Railroad, the only job Elijah could get was shoveling coal into a train’s firebox. Undaunted, he went on to invent a means of oiling the engine while the train was running, changing the face of travel around the world.

In the Bag!In the Bag! Margaret Knight Wraps It Up
Written by Monica Kulling
Illustrated by David Parkins
Trade Paperback | 32 Pages | Ages 5-8
ISBN: 978-1-77049-515-9
Known as Mattie, she was different from most American girls living in 1850. She loved to make things with wood and made the best kites and sleds in town. Her father died when she was only three and by the time she was twelve she was working at the local cotton mill, alongside her two older brothers. One day she saw a worker get injured by a shuttle which had come loose from the giant loom, and the accident inspired her to invent a stop-motion device. It was to be the first of her many inventions. Margaret devoted her life to inventing, and is best known for the clever, practical, paper bag. When she died in 1914 she had ninety inventions to her name and over twenty patents, astounding accomplishments for a woman of her day.

Alien InvadersAlien Invaders: Species That Threaten Our World
Written by Jane Drake and Ann Love
Illustrated by Mark Thurman
Trade Paperback | 56 Pages | Ages 9-12
ISBN: 978-1-77049-512-8
From killer toads, feral felines, and brown tree snakes to multiple invaders in the Great Lakes and Lake Victoria, Alien Invaders explores the impact on our ecosystems of the wave after wave of invaders and why they have become a worldwide concern. Environmentalists Jane Drake and Ann Love take us on a journey from the days of sailing ships and shipboard rats to the fungus that sparked the Irish potato famine to the beautiful but deadly purple loosestrife strangling native wetlands, while presenting the concepts of biodiversity and endangered species. Learn where the invaders originate, how they travel, what they displace, why the invaded natural system is vulnerable, and what can be done. Discover if you are an invader or a saver and how you can help.

Pub Date Giveaway: In the comments below, please tell us which new August release of Tundra’s you would love to read 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, August 12, 2013!

UPDATE: A winner has been chosen!

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!

World Animal Day


October 4th is World Animal Day! Celebrate by spreading the word, volunteering, or learning about the relationships between humans and animals:

Harness Horses, Bucking Broncos & Pit Ponies
A History of Horse Breeds
By Jeff Crosby and Shelley Ann Jackson
Hardcover | 72 Pages | All Ages
ISBN: 978-0-88776-986-3
Thousands of years ago people living on the steppes of central Asia realized that horses could transport them long distances, help them fight their wars, pull their plows, and provide them with sport and companionship. Ever since, horses and human history have been intertwined.

Little Lions, Bull Baiters & Hunting Hounds
A History of Dog Breeds
By Jeff Crosby and Shelley Ann Jackson
Hardcover | 72 Pages | All Ages
ISBN: 978-0-88776-815-6
Since prehistoric times, humans and dogs have shared a unique bond and both have served each other well. Early people discarded food and as a result, wild wolves cast fear and caution aside, following and approaching their two-legged neighbors until they became less wary of each other. As humans hunted, fished, herded, and hauled, they found ways to benefit from the presence and talents of these animals. Over time, both learned to work together, rely on, and like each other.

Talking Tails
The Incredible Connection Between People and Their Pets
By Ann Love and Jane Drake
Illustrated by Bill Slavin
Hardcover | 80 Pages | Ages 9-12
ISBN: 978-0-88776-884-2
From our earliest beginnings, we have shared our lives with animals. Jane Drake and Ann Love explore the ties that humans and their pets have formed. With fun and fascinating facts, they address Dog People and Cat People. (Why does a cat wind around her owner’s legs? She’s rubbing her owner with glands on her face to say “you’re mine.”) They also introduce us to more unusual pets. There’s Polly the parrot, who lived through the Klondike Gold Rush to be 126 years old by belting back whiskey, swearing, and biting gold miners. And, of course, there are fish and reptiles, rodents and horses, all of whom can be beloved pets.

Tundra Book Group